ZOELLA

I was never one to believe the saying “Love is blind.” It always felt exaggerated. A cheap excuse. How could anyone be so blinded by love that they’d ignore red flags, endure pain, or stay loyal to someone who keeps hurting them? Humans weren’t built like that. I wasn’t built like that. I was logical. Rational. Love didn’t make you stupid.

But now… now I know better.

Now, I understand how love can blind someone completely.

Now, I know it was my mother.

My breathing turned shaky as her words crashed into me. For a moment, I just stared at her, begging silently, Please say you didn’t. Please take it back. Please tell me this is all a joke. But she didn’t. She just kept whispering “I’m sorry,” over and over again, tears streaming down her face like a confession too late.

I turned to look at him, my stepfather, and there it was: that disgusting, victorious smirk. Like he’d finally won something. Like this was all just a game.

I turned to Andreas. His face was pale, stunned speechless by what he’d just heard. His fists clenched at his sides.

Then to Reina. Her eyes were hollow, empty. She looked like someone who had already died on the inside.

And then there was silence.

That same deafening silence that had engulfed my life when Raymond passed away. The kind that fills every corner of your chest, pushing down until you can’t breathe. A silence so loud, there’s no need for words.

“You what?” I finally choked out, my voice barely there.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” Mom cried. “He said… he said it was for my own best interest.”

‘Best interest.’ That phrase again. The second time I was hearing those godforsaken words!

Every horror this man has committed, every twisted action, every lie, every betrayal, always wrapped up in that excuse: best interest.

Best interest of who?

Certainly not me. Not Reina. Not Mom.

No one.

“What’s in the prenup agreement?” I asked, clinging to the tiniest sliver of hope that there could be a way out, anything that could undo this nightmare.

“He gets access to 50% of my wealth… and full custody of the two of you if we ever divorce,” my mom explained quietly.

I froze.

My breath caught in my throat, and my mouth slowly fell open.

No. No, this can’t be real.

This whole day, everything, it has to be a dream. Any second now I’ll wake up in my bed, and everything will go back to the way it used to be. Back when we were a happy family. When we laughed. When I believed I was loved.

Please, let it be so.

“Zoella, I’m sorry,” Mom whispered, her voice trembling as she tried to touch my face. “I didn’t think things through. I was in love with him—”

I flinched away from her touch and slapped her hand aside.

“How could you?!” I snapped, my voice shaking with rage.

“Zoella, I didn’t mean to—”

But I was already on my feet.

“How could you do this to me, you fucking bastard?!!!” I screamed, eyes locked on my stepfather as I charged at him.

He didn’t see it coming. He was caught off guard, giving me the chance to strike a blow on his perfect face, knocking his smugness off for a second.

But it wasn’t enough.

He quickly recovered, his eyes flashing with fury. Before I could land another hit, he grabbed me and lifted me off the floor. And then, he slammed me down.

Hard.

The air rushed out of my lungs as my body hit the ground with a sickening thud.

“Arrgh!” I cried out in pain.

“You fucking bitch!” my father snarled as he stood over me, his hands wrapped tightly around my neck.

“Let go of her, you bastard!” Reina screamed, rushing in to save me, but he shoved her away with brutal force.

Mom hurried after her, panicked, and Andreas sat frozen like a fool—paralyzed by shock, unable to move.

“Now, you listen to me and listen well, because I’m not going to repeat myself,” my father growled, his breath hot against my face, his grip still firm on my throat.

“I am your father, and I have ultimate control over you and your mother. If you dare try to cross me, you’ll pay dearly. The police can’t even touch the dirt on my shoes—know that. You’re going to quit your stupid job at that pathetic start-up and join my company. You’ll continue dating Andreas, who will still be seeing me. And if you ever go to the police or tell anyone about this, I swear, I will destroy your biological father’s life, and yours. Do I make myself clear?”

I laid there, tears slipping down the sides of my face, broken beyond repair, unable to speak.

“Answer me! Do I make myself clear?!” he roared again.

“Y-yes,” I croaked out.

“Good. My birthday’s in two days. You’re not going to ruin it for me,” he said, finally releasing my neck and towering above me as he ran a hand through his hair.

I gasped, sobbing, my chest rising and falling with every ragged breath. My entire body ached. The pain from the fall, from his grip, from everything, was too much.

“Zo? Zoella?” my mother called out, concern coating her voice.

But her words couldn’t reach me. My heart pounded in my ears, my head throbbed from the impact, and every inch of me screamed in pain. My breathing became shallow, panicked, uncontrollable.

“Zoella, calm down,” she pleaded, approaching and trying to lift me from the floor. But even her touch couldn’t soothe me.

I had to get out of there.

With the last bit of strength I had left, I pushed away from her and bolted out of the house. My heart thundered in my chest, and I gasped for breath, trying desperately to calm myself down. I thought I had no more tears left to shed, but they still came, hot and endless, streaming down my cheeks.

Gripping my chest, I collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, wondering through the agony, what did I do to deserve this?

“Zoella, I’m sorry you had to find out like this,” I heard Reina’s voice, and I lifted my head to see her standing in front of me.

“Get away from me, you liar! All of you are liars! All you do is lie and hurt people!” I shouted at her.

“Zoella, please, I’m sorry. I had no choice,” she pleaded desperately.

“Everyone has a choice, no matter how small or big. It was my life, Reina. You could have told me! I get to decide! But you lied to me. There’s no two ways about it!” I yelled, my voice breaking with pain.

“Zoella, please. I’m sorry,” she said again, stepping closer.

“I can’t do this anymore. I can’t live like this anymore, Reina. I need to run away,” I broke down in front of her, the weight of everything crashing over me, not caring anymore that she had betrayed me.

“Zo…” she whispered as she gently wiped the tears from my face.

“Please, Reina. I need to run away and never come back. I can’t live here anymore. Help me, please,” I begged, my voice raw with desperation.

“Is that really what you want?” she asked.

“Yes, please,” I said, nodding.

“I have a trusted friend I can contact. He can help move you to a local farmland where no one will find you, but you need to know, life there might be tough. The conditions are harsh, and you’ll have to work hard—” she began, but I cut her off.

“I don’t care. I just need to get out of here,” I cried.

“Okay then. Consider it done,” Reina said as she pulled me into a hug, and I sobbed into her arms.

Later that night, I would resign from my job.