Chapter 44

Zaviya's friends were completely taken aback by her revelation. Their jaws nearly dropped to the floor in utter disbelief.

"So you're telling us that you met Irfan in Singapore, and then you rejected him?" Khali asked, her eyebrows raised in shock as she looked at Zaviya.

"Yes," Zaviya replied, her voice soft but sincere. "I didn't want to lead him on. Even though everything between me and Alastair is a mess right now, I just can't find it in me to love anyone else. I've always loved Alastair."

Khali exchanged a glance with the others, but before any of them could respond, Yevhen's voice interrupted with a teasing edge. "And then Alastair came here last night, drunk out of her mind? And instead of talking things through, you two ended up... well, you know... having sex?"

Zaviya's face flushed a deep red, her gaze dropping to the floor. She couldn't help but remember the intense night she and Alastair had shared. The image of their bodies tangled together, the heat between them, flooded her thoughts.

It had been a whirlwind-moving between the bed, the wall, and the couch, each shift in position a new expression of their connection. Every place they touched seemed to deepen the bond between them, every moment a new layer of their intimacy. They reached for each other constantly, as though their connection was pulling them higher, urging them to give more, to be more. Their bodies glistened with sweat, hearts racing, as they surrendered completely to the rush of emotion and desire.

In that space, it felt as if the world outside had vanished. Time no longer mattered. All that existed was the love they shared-the raw, unguarded truth of it. It wasn't just physical; it was an emotional release, a vulnerability they had never allowed each other before. They had fought so hard to keep each other at a distance, only to find themselves here, completely exposed and fully alive in what they felt.

"Shit, Zaviya, ang rupok naman haha. Hmm, nevertheless, what happened next? Why are you crying here, knowing that you two made love last night? Where is Alastair?" Oliana fired her questions one after another, her brows furrowing in confusion as she watched Zaviya's distraught face.

Zaviya wiped her tears away, trying to compose herself. She sniffed, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Oli," she started, her voice breaking slightly, "you don't understand. It's not just about last night. It's everything. I... I don't know what to feel anymore."

Oliana raised an eyebrow, genuinely puzzled. "You're telling me that after everything that happened, you're still... crying like this? I mean, based on your story, how you two were last night-everything seemed perfect."

Zaviya shook her head, her hands trembling as she wiped her face once more. "It was perfect, yes... But it's complicated. I thought I was ready for it, ready for all of this... but now I'm not so sure anymore."

Zaviya then begin to tell what happens next after their shared night.

******Continuation of Flashback*******

It was 5 AM when Zaviya stirred awake, her breath hitching as she felt Alastair's strong arms wrapped protectively around her. Her wife's face was serene, a low, soft snore escaping her lips. It was the kind of moment that felt like home-comforting and warm, but today, it felt fragile.

Their tangled limbs, their bare skin pressed together-it was a testament to the fire and longing they rekindled the night before. Zaviya's cheeks flushed as the memories washed over her. The way Alastair had looked at her, touched her, worshipped her-it felt like love.

Carefully, she extricated herself from Alastair's embrace, her fingers brushing against her wife's perfect, sculpted face one last time. "I miss you," she whispered, her voice almost trembling.

She slipped out of bed, her movements slow, every step reminding her of the passion they had shared. She grabbed her robe off the floor, wincing at the dull ache in her center. Alastair had always known how to make her body sing. A hollow laugh escaped her lips. She always left her sore and fulfilled, in more ways than one.

She shuffled to the bathroom, phone in hand, her mind still heavy with the echoes of last night's intimacy. After doing her thing, she noticed her phone lighting up on the sink. A series of notifications blinked insistently, pulling her attention. Zaviya picked it up with a slight frown, her fingers swiping across the screen.

And then, her world fell apart.

Her breath hitched as her eyes scanned the messages.

The sender was an unknown number. The text was cruel, piercing like a blade.

"Poor Zaviya, even after knowing the truth, Alastair can still manipulate you. How long will you endure being stupid? Accepting her again like nothing ever happened? Tsk tsk."

Attached was a photo of Alastair from last night, wearing the same clothes she had on when she came home. Her arm was draped around another woman, the girl perched on her lap, their faces close-too close. Zaviya's chest tightened as though she couldn't breathe.

Then came the second message. "This one is a reminder of how good Alastair is in bed."

A video. Trembling, she tapped the attachment.

She didn't need to see much. Her breath hitched at the sight of Alastair lying naked on a bed, her groans and moans filling the background. The face of the woman was obscured, but the betrayal was clear. This wasn't from last night, but it didn't matter. She knew exactly when it was taken.

Three years ago. The night that had shattered her.

Her body froze as the memories crashed into her like a tidal wave. She could see it all so vividly-the moment she walked in and found Alastair in bed with another woman. The confrontation. The tears. The way her heart broke into pieces that night, leading to the accident that had wiped the memory from her mind.

But now, it was all back. All of it.

"No... no, no, no..." Zaviya whispered, clutching her chest as if trying to physically hold her heart together. She slumped to the cold, tiled floor, her body trembling as silent sobs wracked her frame. Her phone fell from her hand, clattering against the floor. The pain was unbearable, her tears endless.

"Why?" she whispered to the empty room, her voice cracked and broken. "Why, Alastair? Why would you do this again?"

"What am I to you?" she whispered into the emptiness of the bathroom, her voice breaking. "A game? A convenience?"

The memories of last night burned in her mind-how Alastair had held her like she was the only woman in the world. How her lips had traced every inch of her body with reverence. How she had whispered promises of forever.

Had it all been a lie?

Dragging herself up, she turned on the shower, hoping the water would wash away the filth, the pain, the betrayal. She scrubbed her skin raw, as though trying to erase Alastair's touch from her body. Tears mixed with the water cascading down her face as she let out a muffled scream.

She thought they were healing. She thought they were rebuilding what had been broken. But now, it felt like she had been played for a fool.

An hour later, Zaviya emerged from the bathroom, her face pale, her eyes swollen and bloodshot. She dressed in plain clothes, something that matched the emptiness she felt inside.

She made her way to the kitchen, her mind racing. She poured herself a glass of water, her hands trembling as she brought it to her lips. The cold liquid did little to calm her. Her tears began to fall again, silent but relentless.

Her hands shook as she clutched her phone, desperately trying to call the unknown number. No answer.

Her frustration bubbled over, and she slammed her phone onto the countertop, gripping the edge to steady herself. She wanted to scream, to rip her heart out just to stop the pain. But there was no escaping it. It consumed her, hollowing her out until there was nothing left.

With a deep, shaky breath, she walked back into the bedroom. Alastair was still there, lying peacefully on their bed as though nothing had happened. Her chest tightened at the sight of her. How could someone so beautiful, so perfect, cause so much pain?

Feeling suffocated, she walk away and head to the living area, clenched her fists, her tears threatening to spill again. She had to confront her. She had to hear the truth, even if it destroyed her.

After thirty minutes, Alastair emerged from the bedroom, wearing an oversized white shirt and her boxers. Her hair was disheveled, and she looked half-asleep as she called out softly, "Zavi, baby?" Her voice was sweet, tender, as though the events of the night before were still fresh in her mind.

But Zaviya wasn't in the bed where she should have been. The room felt emptier without her. Alastair yawned, used the bathroom, and wandered through the penthouse in search of her wife.

She found Zaviya standing by the large bay window in the living room. The morning sunlight bathed her figure, but her silhouette was rigid, her arms crossed tightly as she stared out at nothing.

"Zavi?" Alastair said again, her tone soft and full of love. She walked closer, the hardwood floor creaking faintly under her bare feet.

Zaviya turned at the sound of her voice, but what Alastair saw stopped her in her tracks. Zaviya's face was a mixture of anguish, fury, and heartbreak, her eyes red-rimmed from crying.

Before Alastair could react, Zaviya strode forward and slapped her hard across the face. The sound echoed in the quiet penthouse, followed by Zaviya's gut-wrenching sobs.

"Walang hiya ka, Alastair!" Zaviya screamed, her voice shaking. "Niloko mo na naman ako! Hanggang kailan mo ako gagaguhin? Tangina! Binigay ko na naman ang sarili ko sayo kagabi! Tapos ano? Ano, Alastair? Winasak mo na naman ako!"

Her fists pounded against Alastair's chest, each blow fueled by her despair.

Alastair froze, stunned and confused. The sting of Zaviya's slap was nothing compared to the hurt in her wife's words. She thought that after their night together, things might change-that they could finally begin to mend what was broken. But now, she felt everything unraveling faster than she could comprehend.

"Zavi, enough, please," Alastair said softly, her hands raised in surrender. "Let's talk. What happened? What did I do?"

Zaviya's laughter was bitter, hollow. "What happened? You're seriously asking me that?" she spat, her voice cracking. "Tangina, Alastair! Paulit-ulit na lang!"

She grabbed her phone from the coffee table and tossed it to Alastair. "Look at that," she said coldly, her voice trembling. "Tignan mo. Sabihin mo kung hindi yan ang iniisip ko."

Alastair caught the phone with shaking hands. Her eyes widened as she looked at the pictures-photos of her at the bar last night. She recognized the moment when a woman had sat on her lap, leaning in far too close. She hesitated before playing the video, and when she did, her breath caught in her throat. It was footage from three years ago-the same incident that had shattered their relationship the first time.

She almost dropped the phone. Her face paled, horror and guilt etched across her features.

"Zaviya, please," Alastair pleaded, her voice trembling. "I can explain. It's not what you think-"

"Explain?!" Zaviya's voice broke, her sobs uncontrollable. "Sige, sabihin mo. Hindi ba ikaw 'yan? Malinaw na malinaw, Alastair. Ikaw ang nasa larawan, ikaw ang nasa video. Anong itatanggi mo pa?"

Her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, crumbling under the weight of her pain. "Ano bang kasalanan ko? Bakit ganito na lang lagi? Am I not enough for you? Am I not attractive for you to find other women and slept with them? Alastair? Tangina. Paulit-ulit ang sakit na binibigay mo. Pagod na pagod na ako!" she cried, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alastair fell to her knees in front of her, reaching for her wife. "Zaviya, please, makinig ka. That picture-yes, that's me at the bar last night, but I swear nothing happened! She sat on my lap, but I pushed her away! God knows how many times I rejected her. And that video, I, ahh, wala akong matandaan Zavi. It happened 3 years ago. The same reason why we're like this. I was setted up. Please believe in me. I can't hurt you like that."

"Three years ago, same scenario Alastair! It keeps on haunting us. When will it stop huh?" Zaviya's voice was raw, every word like a dagger. "And you're believing I would buy it. The evidences are here, niloko mo ako noon, niloloko mo pa rin ako ngayon."

Her cries filled the room, a haunting sound that made Alastair's chest tighten painfully. Alastair tried to embrace her, but Zaviya pushed her away.

"Ang lakas ng loob mong puntahan ako after mo sa ibang babae. Tangina naman. Here I am," Zaviya sobbed, clutching her chest. "Here I am, shit. Trying to fix us. Trying to find something worth saving. But how, Alastair? How can I fix us if you keep breaking me over and over again?"

Alastair's tears fell freely as she knelt before her wife, her hands trembling as she reached out to touch her. Zaviya keeps pushing her but Alastair hugs her tightly. Their sobs echoe in the room.

"Zavi, no. Please believe me. It's not like that. You're enough, always and I love you. I'm so sorry I keep mesing up and hurting you. Please, don't do this. Let's talk, let's fix this-" Alastair repeatedly said. As if her plea and apologies would erase the hurt her wife is feeling right now.

After a couple of minutes, Zaviya shook her head violently, wiping her tears with trembling hands. She stood, unsteady but determined, and looked down at Alastair with hollow eyes.

"Leave now. I don't wanna see you. You're not gonna fool me again. I'm learning my lessons hard." she said, her voice cold, her resolve firm. "Ayoko na. Pagod na ako tangina. I deserve peace, Alastair. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang dapat kong paniwalaan. Kung saan ako magsisimula. Durog na durog na ako."

Alastair scrambled to her feet, desperation written all over her face. "Zaviya, please! Don't say that! Don't give up on us! We knew we still both love each other. What about last night, the connection that we had?"

Zaviya's laughter was sharp and bitter. "What we had last night? That was nothing. Just a moment of weakness. A casual fuck, Alastair. Don't fool yourself. Love? If you love me, then why does it hurts so much?"

The words hit Alastair like a slap, her tears falling harder.

"And to be fair," Zaviya added, her tone laced with venom, "Irfan is way better than you in bed."

Alastair's knees buckled, her heart shattering at the cruel words. She tried to protest, her voice breaking. "Zaviya, I don't believe that. I know you-"

"You don't know me, Alastair," Zaviya interrupted, her voice rising again. "If kaya mong gawin yon, kaya ko rin Alastair, like how you bedded other women easily."

Her voice hardened as she continued, "Alastair, I tried. I tried so hard to love you despite everything. But you've made it clear-you don't deserve it. And you don't deserve me. Now leave, I don't wanna see you anymore. Please give me the peace that I need. I'm done."

With that, Zaviya turned and walked to her room, slamming the door shut.

Alastair stood frozen, staring at the closed door as her world crumbled around her. She knocked repeatedly, her voice breaking as she begged.

"Zaviya, please... Please open the door. Don't end us like this... I love you, Zavi"

But no response came. Inside, Zaviya slid to the floor, her back against the door, clutching her chest as the sobs wracked her body. She could hear Alastair's pleas, but the pain was too much. She pressed her fists to her lips to stifle her cries.

In the silence that followed, only two hearts remained-one broken by betrayal, the other shattered by regret.

End of flashbacks.

Zaviya's sobs echoed in the room, raw and broken, as though each tear was a shard of her shattered heart. Everything she had built with Alastair was crumbling, slipping away like sand through her fingers. The betrayal had struck again, relentless, like a wound that refused to heal. What happened 3 years ago came crashing down on her mind to mock her.

"Hush now, Zavi, hush..." Yevhen whispered softly, wrapping her arms tightly around her trembling friend. But Zaviya only buried her face deeper into Yevhen's shoulder, her body shaking with grief.

Khali and Oliana sat nearby, their silence heavy with the weight of their unspoken thoughts. The sadness etched into their faces revealed more than words ever could-pain for Zaviya, frustration for the injustice of it all.

"How could she?" Zaviya choked out, her voice cracking with anguish. "How could she hurt me like this, again and again? Ako naman 'yung tanga, ang tali-talino kong tao pero pagdating kay Alastair nabobobo ako. Paulit-ulit. Sobrang sakit."

Khali gently handed her a glass of water, her own hand trembling. "Here, Zavi," she said softly. "Drink, please."

Zaviya took the glass with shaking hands, spilling a bit as she tried to sip. The water didn't calm the storm inside her, but it gave her a moment to breathe, to process.

Oliana leaned closer, taking Zaviya's hand in hers. "We hear you, Zavi. We feel your pain. And you're right-nobody deserves to be betrayed like this. What Alastair did... it's unforgivable. But we also know you. You said those things because you were angry, because you were hurt. But please... tell us the truth. You didn't... you didn't sleep with Irfan, did you?"

Zaviya's eyes widened, horrified at the implication. She shook her head vehemently, her voice trembling as she replied, "No! No, I didn't! I could never! I only gave myself to Alastair, ever. I said those things to hurt her because... because she's breaking me. Para maramdaman niya 'yung sakit na nararamdaman ko. Pero hindi ko siya niloko. She's hurting me, and I didn't know what else to do. Please, believe me..."

Yevhen placed a comforting hand on Zaviya's knee, her expression both compassionate and cautious. "Zavi, we believe you. We know you. You're not that kind of person. But there's something else we need to talk about. That girl from the bar, the video that was sent to you, and the text message you received... they don't add up."

Zaviya froze, her tear-streaked face contorting with confusion. "What do you mean? Ven, are you saying... may alam ka ba? Do you know something about all this?"

Yevhen nodded hesitantly. "We do. Zavi... you and Alastair never really talked about what happened before, about why she did what she did. But maybe... maybe it's time you knew. Maybe it's time you heard Alastair's truth."

Zaviya's heart thundered in her chest, each beat echoing like a drum in the suffocating silence. She wiped at her tears hastily, forcing herself to sit upright, even though her entire body felt like collapsing under the weight of her emotions.

"Tell me," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I need to know. Whatever it is... I need to hear it."

Oliana exchanged a glance with Yevhen and Khali, her lips pressed into a thin line. She reached for Zaviya's hand, squeezing it firmly as if grounding her for what was to come.

"Zavi," Oliana began, her voice low and steady, though her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "There's more to this story than you think. Alastair... she's been keeping something from you. Something that might change everything. It won't be easy to hear, but you deserve to know. Alam namin kung gaano mo siya kamahal kahit nasasaktan ka. And Zavi... maybe this time, it'll help you understand why she keeps hurting you."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the air thick with anticipation. Zaviya's breath hitched as her mind raced with possibilities, each one more devastating than the last. But despite the fear clawing at her chest, she straightened her back and met her friends' gaze.

"Tell me," she repeated, her voice breaking but resolute. "I deserve to know the truth. Alastair owes me that much."

The air was heavy, and the silence between Zaviya and her friends felt like it could shatter into pieces at any moment. Her trembling hands clutched the edge of the couch, her knuckles turning white as Khali hesitated.

And then, finally, the dam broke.

"Three years ago, Zavi," Khali began, her voice shaking. "Alastair was out drinking with friends. You were six months pregnant back then... and things were so good between you two. But that night..." Khali's voice faltered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "That night, everything changed."

Zaviya felt her stomach churn, dread pooling in her chest. She already knew where this was going, but the words still clawed at her heart.

"Alastair went to the bathroom," Khali continued, swallowing hard, "and some men drugged her. They injected her some drugs and... and she passed out. When she woke up, she was in bed. Naked. With another woman beside her."

Zaviya gasped, her vision blurring. The scene played out vividly in her mind, as if she were back there, walking into that room, seeing Alastair and that woman tangled in the sheets.

"That's when you got the text," Khali whispered, her voice barely audible now. "An unknown number sent you the address. You went there... and you saw it with your own eyes."

Zaviya's body went rigid. Her breathing grew shallow, and tears burned her cheeks.

Khali fished her phone from her pocket, her fingers trembling as she pressed play on a video. The grainy CCTV footage showed Alastair stumbling, barely conscious, being dragged into a room by two men. Zaviya's hand flew to her mouth as a strangled sob escaped her lips.

"It's true, Zavi," Oliana said softly, her voice laced with pain. "Alastair was set up. She was drugged that night. She didn't betray you-she didn't even know what was happening to her."

Zaviya shook her head, confusion clouding her thoughts. "Who... who would do this to us? Why?"

"Olga," Oliana said, her voice hardening as she clenched her fists. "The woman you told us about before-The same woman you're telling us before that said weird things about your marriage with Alastair. The one who told you that Alastair has been fooling you. She's the one behind everything."

"Olga?" Zaviya repeated, her voice breaking. "But... I thought she was just Alastair's friend from the US?"

"No, Zavi," Yevhen interjected, his tone grave. "She was never just a friend. Olga is Alastair's ex-girlfriend. She's obsessed with her. Alastair broke up with her when your parents arranged for you and Alastair to get married in New York. Olga couldn't accept it. She couldn't stand that Alastair chose you over her. So, she..." Yevhen paused, swallowing the lump in his throat. "She plotted everything. The drugs, the video, the lies... She wanted to destroy your marriage and take Alastair back."

Zaviya's chest tightened as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. "She... she did all this just to get Alastair back?"

"She didn't care about the cost," Yevhen continued, his voice heavy with anger. "But her plan went too far. It wasn't just your marriage she destroyed. It led to your accident... and your memory loss."

Zaviya's body shook as fresh tears streamed down her face. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. "The accident..." she whispered. "I lost... I lost our baby."

Khali nodded, her own tears falling freely now. "And when you were comatose, Alastair blamed herself for everything. She was... she was devastated, Zavi. She lost you and your child in the same moment. She couldn't forgive herself."

Zaviya sobbed openly, her cries echoing in the room. "I remember waking up," she choked out, her voice trembling. "I remember seeing Alastair by my bedside, but... but I didn't know her. I only remembered her as my rival from school."

"She wanted to tell you everything," Khali said, her voice cracking. "But the doctors said your brain couldn't handle it. Every time you tried to remember, you had seizures. You collapsed. Your parents decided to take you to Manhattan so you could heal... and Alastair..."

Khali paused, wiping her tears, but they kept falling. "Alastair was destroyed, Zavi. She stayed behind, but she was a shell of herself. The guilt, the sorrow... it consumed her. One night, she... she tried to take her own life. She cut her wrists in the bathtub."

Zaviya let out a heart-wrenching cry, her knees buckling. Khali rushed to her side, but Zaviya's sobs were unstoppable.

"She tried to die?" Zaviya whispered, her voice barely audible. "She... she wanted to leave me?"

"No, Zavi," Khali said firmly, holding her tightly. "She didn't want to leave you. She was drowning in pain. She thought she'd lost you forever. But Klaud and Gaios found her in time. They saved her."

Zaviya buried her face in her hands, her entire body trembling. "Why did we have to suffer like this?" she cried. "Why... why couldn't we just be happy?"

Her friends surrounded her, their own tears falling silently. The room was filled with heartbreak, the weight of the truth pressing down on everyone.

"Of course, Alastair loves you so much," Oliana began, her voice soft yet firm. "She begged her parents-and yours-to let her see you again. They agreed, but only on one condition: that she kept her distance. That's why she moved into the house next to your mansion in Manhattan. Every day, she watched from afar, hoping you'd recover, praying you'd heal, even if it meant you might never remember her. She loved you enough to let you forget her... but she never stopped loving you."

Zaviya sat frozen, her hands trembling as her chest constricted painfully with every word Oliana uttered. It felt as though the air had been ripped from her lungs, leaving her gasping for something—anything—to anchor her to reality. But the truth washed over her like an unrelenting storm, merciless and overwhelming.

"As time passed," Oliana began, her voice heavy with emotion, "and you started to rebuild your life, Alastair couldn't stay away any longer. She saw you smiling again, living again... but there were men who wanted your attention. Men who saw the light in you, the beauty in you. Alastair couldn't bear it." Oliana paused, her voice cracking as she tried to steady herself. "She bribed them. Threatened them. Did whatever it took to keep them away from you. Not because she wanted to control you—but because she wanted to protect you. She still saw you as hers. Because, Zaviya... you are hers. You always were."

The words struck Zaviya like a dagger, sharp and unyielding. Her breath hitched, and a lump rose in her throat as Oliana continued.

"She didn’t want to force you to remember. She didn’t want to bring back the pain. But she also couldn’t stay away. So she thought..." Oliana hesitated, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "She thought, maybe if she came back into your life—not as your wife, but as the Alastair you once knew... your rival, the one who challenged you at every turn... maybe then, you'd feel something again. Anything."

Zaviya’s vision blurred, tears pooling in her eyes as fragmented memories began to resurface, unbidden and raw. The first time she’d seen Alastair again flashed vividly in her mind—a chance meeting at a crowded coffee shop in downtown Manhattan. She remembered the fiery exchange of words, their verbal sparring as sharp and familiar as it had always been.

"Of course," Zaviya whispered to herself, her voice trembling, "of course, we fought. Like we always do."

From that moment on, Alastair had been everywhere. At events, at meetings, even in the most unexpected places. Zaviya thought it was coincidence—or perhaps fate’s cruel way of reminding her of the rivalry she could never escape. But now, as Oliana’s words echoed in her mind, she realized the truth.

It wasn’t fate. It was Alastair.

Every sharp retort, every knowing smirk, every challenge—it was all a desperate attempt to spark something in her. To bring her back to a love she no longer remembered. Alastair had been fighting for her, in her own imperfect, maddening way. Fighting for a chance to hold onto what they once were.

"She... she never told me," Zaviya whispered, her voice breaking as tears streamed freely down her cheeks. Her hands clenched the edge of the table, knuckles white as a surge of anguish consumed her. "She let me hate her... she let me think she was just being her insufferable self."

Khali reached out, her hand gently resting on Zaviya’s. "She didn’t want to force your memories back, Zaviya. She thought it was better this way—better to be your rival than to risk losing you completely. She’s been hurting just as much as you have. Maybe even more."

Zaviya’s heart shattered into pieces she wasn’t sure she could ever put back together. Alastair had carried the weight of their love, their history, and their loss all on her own. She had masked her pain behind arrogance, masked her love behind rivalry. And all this time, Zaviya had been blind to it.

"And in her desperation, she took the biggest gamble of her life. She begged your parents-and hers-to arrange your marriage again. It was the only card she had left. She hoped that somehow, through that, you'd remember her. The love you shared, the life you built together, the story you wrote. And when she realized your memories might never come back... she accepted it. She decided she would love you anyway. She would create new memories with you." Yevhen continues the story to Zaviya.

Zaviya's hands began to tremble. Her heart pounded so violently that it hurt. Tears blurred her vision, cascading down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Khali spoke next, her voice trembling with emotion. "We know it was selfish, Zavi. But that's how Alastair loves you. She's willing to destroy herself-over and over again-just to keep you whole. And when things finally started getting better between you two, Olga showed up again... and tore everything apart."

Tears fell silently onto the couch as Zaviya choked out a sob. Her mind reeled with memories she couldn’t fully grasp, emotions she couldn’t fully name. One thing was certain, though—she had to see Alastair. She had to confront her, to demand the truth straight from her lips, to understand the depth of the love and sacrifice that had kept them tethered together despite everything.

Zaviya stood abruptly, her  scraping against the floor. Her friends looked up at her, startled, but Zaviya’s resolve was clear.

"I need to find her," Zaviya said, her voice cracking with a mix of urgency and heartbreak. "I need to know why she never told me. Why she thought she had to do this alone."

Her breath hitched as the full weight of the truth crushed her. Through her sobs, she whispered, "I... I need to see her. I need to see Alastair. I need to tell her... I love her. I know now. I know the whole fucking truth."

Her cries grew louder, raw with guilt and anguish. "Oh my God, how could I? How could I do that to her? Why didn't I listen to her? Why did I let my anger blind me? I'm so stupid. I hurt her-the one person who has loved me unconditionally. I destroyed her."

"Zavi..." Khali knelt beside her, tears streaming down her own face. "You didn't know. None of us did. We were angry at her, too. But then Klaud, Gaios, and Cadence told us the truth. When we understood what really happened, we couldn't hate her anymore. We're so sorry you had to find out this way."

Zaviya shook her head violently, clutching her chest as if trying to hold her heart together. "It's all my fault. If I'd just listened to her from the start, none of this would've happened. I wouldn't have gotten into that accident. I wouldn't have lost my memories. I wouldn't have hurt her like this." Her voice cracked as she sobbed harder. "I'm no better than Olga."

"No, Zaviya!" Oliana cried, wrapping her arms around her. "Don't say that. You didn't know. You were hurting, too."

But Zaviya didn't stop. She pulled at her hair in frustration, her sobs echoing through the room. "Olga... that motherfucker. Where is she? Do you know what happened to her? She ruined everything-she ruined me and Alastair. I need to know where she is."

Yevhen, her jaw clenched, replied, "Alastair had her committed to a high-security mental hospital. She's sick, Zavi. BPD and OCD. She became obsessed with Alastair... and it drove her to destroy you both."

Zaviya's grief twisted into rage. "I need to see her. I need to face her. I need to tell her what she's done-to me, to Alastair, to everything we had."

Her friends exchanged uncertain glances but ultimately nodded. They knew Zaviya needed closure. Still, Khali placed a hand on her shoulder. "You need to rest first. You've been crying for hours. Please, Zavi... let yourself breathe."

Exhaustion finally claimed Zaviya as her sobs subsided into shallow gasps. She slumped against the couch, her tears still falling even as sleep overtook her. Her friends stayed by her side, their own hearts breaking for the pain she carried.

In the silence, Oliana whispered, "We'll help her fix this. Somehow, we'll help her make things right."

They all nodded, but deep down, they knew the path ahead would not be easy-for Zaviya, for Alastair, or for the love they were desperately trying to salvage.

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