Chapter 170
Zabelle._?
Zabelle heard a soft voice call out to her, but she didn’t respond due to the exhaustion she felt.
Her body felt heavy and her mind sluggish, and so she thought she was imagining someone calling out to her.
“Zabelle, sweetheart., open the door. I’m getting worried.”
Hert
brows furrowed slightly as she drified between waking up and staying asleep.
A dream, I had to be a dream
But then came the knocking. It was gentle at first, but then it became a little more insistent and finally, her eyes fluttered open.
For a brief moment, she didn’t understand where she was. The room was dim, and her body ached from the cold, hard floor beneath her.
She groaned as she realized she had cried herself to sleep on the floor, but why was she crying!
Then it all came rushing back.
The drive home. Gabriel’s words, which messed with her head and the breakdown.
She inhaled sharply and forced herself upright, her muscles protesting.
How long had she been on the floor!
The knocking continued, this time followed by a familiar voice–one that made her breath hitch.
“Zabelle, darling, please open the door.”
Alicia
Shit, it wasn’t a dream. Someone had been knocking on the door,
She immediately stumbled to her feet, barely catching herself on the edge of the bed as her legs trembled.
She then rushed to the mirror to see if it was obvious she had cried, trying to compose herself before making her way to the door.
With shaky hands, she unlocked it and slowly pulled it open
Alicia Garcia stood there, her usually warm eyes filled with concern.
She was dressed elegantly as always, but there was a sadness in her expression that made Zabelle’s chest tighten as she was reminded of what she had done to the poor woman and her son.
“Mom,” Zabelle’s voice cracked as she spoke due to her voice being hoarse from crying.
Alicia didn’t hesitate as she stepped forward and pulled Zabelle into her arms.
The warmth, the comfort, it undid her. This was what it felt to have as mother’s love, and the guilt hit her once again.
Zabelle bit her lip, holding in the sob that threatened to escape, but Alicia must have felt the way her body trembled because she held her even lighter.
“My sweet girl,” Alicia murmured. “You’ve been crying”
Zabelle squeezed her eyes shut, her hands fisting into Alicia’s blouse.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I‘
Alicia pulled back just enough to look at her, cupping her face with both hands.
“What are you apologizing for, sweetheart?”
Zabelle looked away, ashamed.
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Chapter 170
“For everything For Antonio, For Her voice wavered. “For bringing so much trouble to your family.”
Alicia’s brows creased, and she shook her head. “Zabelle, look at me.”
Zabelle hesitated but eventually met her gaze
“This is not your fault.”
Zabelle flinched as if the words physically hurt,
“But it is,” she choked out. “Ever since I came into Antonio’s life, everything has gone wrong. He.” She swallowed hard. “He’s in prison because of
Alicia’s lips pressed together in a firm line. She took Zabelle’s hands in hers and led her to the bed. They both sat down, and Alicia didn’t let go.
“Listen to me,” she said gently but firmly. “Antonio is where he is because of Gabriel, not you. Don’t you dare take the blame for something that man orchestrated”
Zabelle shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes again.
If I had never
Alicia squeezed her hands. “Stop Zabelle, you’re not listening
Zabelle’s lips trembled, but she didn’t say anything
“I know you’re hurting.” Alicia continued, her voice soothing, “I know you’re scared, and I know Gabriel planted this idea in your head to break you, But you cannot let him win”
Zabelle sucked in a shaky breath. There was no way Alicia knew she went to see Gabriel, so she was just speaking generally.
“Antonio has lost so much because of me. What if..” She hesitated, her deepest fear clawing at her throat. “Don’t you feel anger at me?”
Alicia’s expression softened, and she let out a quiet sigh
“We really need to work on your self–confidence. She reached up and gently brushed a strand of hair from Zabelle’s face. “Why would I be angry at
you?”
Zabelle didn’t answer. She didn’t know how,
“Let me tell you something about my son.” Alicia started
“Antonio had been ruthless his entire life. He had never let anyone get close to him and he built walls so high that even I, his own mother, had uruggled to reach him sometimes
“But then, you came into his life.”
Zabelle’s breath hitched.
“And for the first time, my son who never allowed himself to be vulnerable, who never let anyone see beyond his mask–let someone in Alicia smiled faintly.
“He was just like his father before he met me. Antonio chose you, Zabelle. He loves you in a way I’ve never seen him love anything in this world.” A single tear slipped down Zabelle’s cheek, and Alicia wiped it away.
“So don’t sit here and tell me you’ve ruined him,” Alicia continued. “Because you haven’t. If anything, you’ve given him something worth fighting for
Zabelle’s shoulders trembled.
“But I’m not strong enough,” she whispered. “I don’t know how to fight for him the way he fi
fights for me.
Alicia smiled sofily. “You don’t have to fight the way he does. You just have to believe in him. Believe in yourself. And trust that we will bring him home.”
Zabelle wanted to believe. She wanted to hold on to Alicia’s words.
But the fear still lingered.
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Chapter 170
“What if she hesitated. “What if your family gets i
tired of me? What if I bring more harm than good?”
Alicia’s expression turned serious.
“You are my daughter, Zabelle. And nothing, not Gabriel, not the world, not even you will ever change that.”
Zabelle stared at her, emotion clogging her throat.
Alicia cupped her cheek again. her touch full of warmth..
“You are not alone in this. We will get him back.”
Zabelle finally let out a shaky breath, the tightness in her chest easing just a fraction.
Alicia pulled her into another hug, and this time, Zabelle allowed herself to sink into it, to let go of some of the weight she had been carrying
For the first time since Antonio was taken away, she didn’t feel entirely alone.
“Dad said you went after Lily, what did you do to her!” Zabelle asked if she remembered.
“She was arrested for assaulting me,” Alicia responded, and Zabelle smiled as she imagined Lily’s face while getting arrested.
Zabelle said just as her stomach rumbled, which made Alicia squint her eyes at her.
“That’s good to hear.” Zabelle said just as
“It’s dinner time, but Martha told me you haven’t eaten all day. Come, William is downstairs, let’s go have dinner, Alicia urged her as she got up.
She wasn’t really in the mood to eat anything, but she didn’t bother arguing, as she knew Alicia wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Plus, it would be rude to refuse her, and so she got up. As she and Alicia walked out of the room, she couldn’t help but worry about Antonio and
whether he had eaten dinner.
Goodness, she couldn’t wait for when he would finally come home.
