A severe pain suddenly hit her forehead. Warm blood ran down her face and blurred her view.
Denzel crouched down. His fingers brushed her wound softly, and his voice was calm. “Do not do this kind of thing again.”
There was no warmth in his tone. This was the man she had loved for years.
After he spoke, he stood up. He casually held Allison next to him and left.
Her knees stayed on the floor until they lost feeling, like many needles poking her. Zariah tried again and again to stand, but failed.
The eyes around her felt hot, like fire burning her.
Flashes kept shining. Phones aimed at her. Some people laughed, some whispered, but no one came to help.
She bit her teeth and used all her strength. Slowly, she pushed herself up and stood.
Her legs shook so badly she almost fell again. She held the wall and slowly walked back into the shop.
The diner became empty, no people remained for a long time, leaving only a lifeless quiet.
She looked at the disorder and emptiness, suddenly gave a low laugh, the sound dry and lonely.
She raised her hand and slowly shut the door of the shop.
Sealing all the shame and staring looks outside along with it.
As she leaned against the counter to calm her breathing, Zariah had not even cleaned the blood on her forehead when the door was suddenly pushed open hard.
The person spoke with a cold tone, directly saying, “Someone reported your shop does not meet hygiene standards, immediately close and suspend business.”
Her heart tightened. Using her weak body, she stepped forward wanting to explain, but before any words came out, she was suddenly pushed.
Her body fell back without control, crashing hard into the door, the wound on her forehead pulling into sharp pain.
She awkwardly lifted her head, but through the glass door, her eyes met a cold person.
It was Denzel’s personal assistant.
No more words were needed; that look had already explained everything.
It was Denzel’s order.
She had not yet climbed out of shame when he himself completely broke her last support.
Truly impressive!
Dragging her hurt body back to the house, the wounds still faintly aching, Zariah seemed to feel nothing and took out all the papers from the drawer.
The already prepared food safety inspection certificate, the recording of when she was forced to kneel, the unclear video taken by others when she knocked her head…
One by one, piece by piece, she arranged everything neatly in order.
Every word and line carried the shame she had gone through.
Zariah did not pause; she directly handed all the proof under her real name to the proper offices.
What belonged to her, she would slowly take back with her own hands.
After finishing all this, she lifted her eyes to look at the eye-catching wedding photo on the wall.
The two people in the picture smiled falsely and sweetly.
In the next second, she grabbed the frame and threw it hard onto the ground.
The glass broke and scattered, and the photo was stepped on until it could no longer be recognized.
As if the feelings held in for too long finally burst out, her eyes red, she wildly smashed everything in the house that could be broken.
Ornaments, tables, curtains…
In the end, she lit a fire to those things that proved they had once cared for each other.
The flames rose, coloring the whole room red.
The thick smoke made Zariah cough hard, but she did not move, only watched those memories burn into ash, her eyes empty and still.
When she finally lost her strength, she slowly went back to the room, fell onto the bed, and drifted to sleep.
Inside her dream, everything felt mixed; many old scenes passed by, pulling her step by step into deeper darkness.
Until early morning came, and loud knocking woke her.
As soon as she opened the door, Allison stood there, her face full of anger.
“Why did you expose me? Now everyone knows everything, they are all blaming me!”
