Chapter 78
Antonio’s hand came down on hers, his grip firm but not harsh, as if trying to keep her in the present. “It’s just a storm,” he said, his voice low but calm.
Zabelle’s breath was still unsteady, her pulse racing as she tried to calm herself, but it wasn’t enough. The memories kept haunting her, refusing to let her go.
The storm outside had become something much worse in her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the rain would bring everything back.
Any moment from now, those two men would return. Vanessa’s triumphant laughter, her mother’s scolding, her father’s hatred, everything kept replaying in her head.
She felt Antonio’s hand tighten on hers, not out of force, but out of some quiet understanding that she couldn’t put words. Despite the fact that his grip was tight, it didn’t hurt her.
“Zabelle.” Antonio called, his voice softer now. “You’re safe. You’re not there anymore, but here with me,” he stated.
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She wanted to argue, to push him away, but she couldn’t. She clung to him instead, pressing her face into the crook of his arm, as though somehow that would stop the storm from tearing through her.
Zabelle inhaled his musky scent, and they invaded her senses which made her calm down a bit and when he stroked her hair, it made her feel much better.
Gradually, the memories started to leave, and she remained in that position as she was scared that if she moved, they would come back.
The rain continued to pour, but it no longer felt like a threat. With Antonio’s presence, it was just… rain.
Antonio stayed with her in the dark, not pushing, not speaking, jast being there, and it did a lot to help her.
It wasn’t comfortable in a way Zabelle wasn’t used to, but it was enough to let her catch her breath and quiet the storm in her chest
Finally, when the thunder had passed and the rain had softened to a gentle patter, Zabelle pulled back slightly, wiping her eyes as she took a shaky breath.
She hadn’t expected it, and hadn’t wanted to rely on him. But the moment had come and gone, and Antonio hadn’t let her fall apart..
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, not sure why she was even apologizing.
Maybe it was the fact that she had woken him up from his sleep or if it was due to the fact that she had made him comfort her, something that he didn’t like doing.
Antonio didn’t answer immediately; instead, he reached out and stroked her hair once more, as the action was instrumental in calming her down.
“You don’t have to apologize for anything.” he replied, his voice till low. “You’re allowed to be scared, and I’m not going anywhere.”
The words hung in the air, a strange promise, but one that Zabelle couldn’t deny. She stayed silent for a while, letting the steady sound of his breathing calm her nerves.
Finally, she spoke again, her voice barely a whisper. “I didn’t know the rain would do this. I never used to be scared of it, and I don’t want to be.”
18:21 Sat, Dec 28
Chapter 78
Zabelle would have never guessed that that day would cause something this huge in her life.
After getting discharged from the hospital, she thought that was the end of it, but she had been clearly wrong.
Antonio turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting hers in the din light from the moon. “You went through something traumatic, it’s okay to be afraid; we’ll get through this together.”
Antonio didn’t know where the gentleness was coming from. He would have never imagined he could be this gentle, but it felt so natural while he was dealing with Zabelle,
All he wanted to do at that moment was to reassure her that she was going to be fine. Seeing her tremble and cry with fear evoked something deep he couldn’t explain
All he knew was that he had to urge to protect her and make her know she was protected.
He blamed himself, as he should not have assumed that she was fine..
She had been through a lot that day, and he should have known that it would cause trauma; after all, he was still suffering from what happened years ago.
However, the thirst for revenge consumed him, and he hated himself for that. He was indeed terrible, and unlike the other times wherr he had meant it in a good way, it wasn’t the same this time.
“Really?” He heard Zabelle ask him, and he nodded in affirmation.
The room became quiet, and except for the soft rhythm of the rain against the windows, nothing else was heard.
Zabelle didn’t pull away completely, her body still close enough to Antonio’s that his warmth cut through the chill of her fear.
The heaviness in the air shifted slightly, though neither of them seemed to know what to say next.
up against the headboard and pulled Zabelle to sit beside him, and when she had Antonio was the first to move as he sat done so, he pulled the blanket up over them both.
He didn’t speak, but the action was telling, it wasn’t an invitation for a conversation but rather a subtle reassurance that she didn’t have to face the rest of the night and any other battle alone ever again
Zabelle leaned back against the pillows, and she traced her fingers along the edge of the blanket absent–mindedly, her mind
whirl of thoughts she couldn’t quite voice.
Antonio, on the other hand, studied her with an unreadable expression. His frustration from earlier about her refusal to face certain truths had melted away into empathy,
Alejandro was right about why Zabelle didn’t want to accept the truth about her father, even though she knew it to be true. He needed to be more gentle with her, as if he wasn’t, he wouldnt be any different from all the other assholes in her life. Zabelle,” he called, breaking the comfortable silence.
“That night… you don’t have to talk about it. Not now, not ever if you don’t want to. But if you want to, I’m listening.” He made her know, his words a quiet offer.
Zabelle’s breath hitched in her throat, as she hadn’t spoken about that night in detail to anyone. She didn’t even let herself linger on it, as it was something she didn’t want to remember.
However, with what had just happened, she couldn’t run from any longer. It happened, and she needed to face it. Maybe
then would she be truly free.
18:21 Sat, Dec 28
Chapter 78
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“That night was supposed to be one of the happiest nights of my life. The man 1 loved was back, and I was going to see him.” she began quietly, her voice barely above a whisper..
“However, I quickly found out that Jeremy had betrayed me. I had waited for him for over two years, and he treated me like dirt.” Her voice broke, and she hissed in annoyance, but she forced herself to continue.
“And what was worse was the fact that my family stood and watched and smiled as he told me that I was only a bet and that he had only gotten close to me to take my virginity away.”
Zabelle couldn’t go on at that point as the tears resumed falling due to the hurt hitting her once more.
“It’s okay.” Antonio consoled her as he reached out and stroked her hair. He wasn’t good at it, and he could only hope his actions were helping and not doing otherwise.
“1–i remember hitting him where it would hurt the most, after which I fled,” Zabelle continued, and a slight smile appeared on Antonio’s face over her action. Feisty as always.
“And then it started raining, and before I knew it, a car stopped and t–those two men. they tried to r–rape..” her hands gripping the blanket tightly as the memory made its way to the surface.
Antonio didn’t interrupt; however, he wished he made those bastards deaths much more painful.
“Zabelle stopped.
He didn’t rush Zabelle or press her for details she wasn’t comfortable sharing. He simply listened, his presence solid and grounding in a way that surprised her.
“When I woke up in the hospital, all I could think was that I shouldn’t be alive. And yet… here I am,” she finished, her voice trembling but firm.
“Sometimes, I wonder if it would have been easier if I wasn’t,” she muttered under her breath. Antonio wasn’t supposed to hear her, but he did.
His jaw tightened at her words, and he clenched his fists in anger.
However, he didn’t let his emotions spill out, as the last thing Zabelle needed was to see him angry.
Instead, he leaned closer, his tone low and deliberate. “Don’t ever say that again,” he said softly, his voice carrying an intensity that made her look at him.
“You survived because you’re stronger than what happened to you. And you’re here now because you’re meant to be. Don’t take that away from yourself.”
Zabelle blinked, startled by the weight of his words. She didn’t reply as she couldn’t find the right words even if she wanted to. But something in his expression, the raw, unguarded sincerity made her feel less fragile, less alone.
It was the first time someone made her feel good about being alive, and she found it ironic that it was coming from Antonio.
The rain outside had softened into a rhythmic lullaby in her head, and it was like a background noise that no longer held the power to terrify her.
As the night wore on, Zabelle found herself leaning into the stillness, into the quiet assurance of Antonio’s presence.
She didn’t want to imagine how she would have survived if she had been in her room alone. It would have been terrible.
18:21 Sat, Dec 28
