“I’ve already broken Melinda’s heart for you. Why are you being so hard on her?”
I sat on the cold floor like a discarded doll, lifeless, my tears falling silently.
Zayn’s expression softened as he watched me, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. He knelt down beside me, taking my trembling hand in his.
“Xandra,” he said gently, as if his words could erase what had just happened. “Don’t worry.”
“I was careful,” he continued, his voice disturbingly calm. “You won’t be able to dance again, but you’ll still be able to walk. It’s not the end of the world.”
He said those words with such sincerity, as though his cruelty was an act of kindness—like stealing my dream was some sort of twisted gift.
I leaned my head back against the wall, the weight in my chest suffocating. My heart felt like it had been crushed under the same club he had used on my leg. I never thought the man I loved would not only break my heart but also destroy my body.
For years, I had clung to the memory of the boy who loved me at first sight, the boy who once promised, “Xandra, I’ll love you forever. Even if your grandma’s gone, I’ll protect you with everything I have.”
For that boy, I had given him my trust, my heart and all of myself. I had tried to be the perfect girlfriend, devoted and unwavering. But in all the storms I weathered over the years, when had he ever truly stood by my side?
A metallic taste rose in my throat and the tears in my eyes blurred my vision. I stared at Zayn, the man I thought I knew, for a long moment before speaking.
My voice cracked as I said, “Zayn, let’s break up.”
His hand, which had been gently wiping away my tears, froze mid-air. His lips quivered as he stared at me, his eyes wide with disbelief, “What… what did you just say?” he stammered, as if the words couldn’t register in his mind. “Break up?”
In an instant, his expression turned incredulous, “I’ve already said I’ll take responsibility for you! The hotel for our wedding has already been booked. And you’re breaking up with me over something so trivial?”
I leaned my head against the wall and let out a bitter laugh. Trivial?
To him, breaking my leg and robbing me of my life’s dream was just a minor inconvenience.
Zayn quickly masked his anger and leaned in closer, trying to embrace me. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“After everything we’ve been through, Xandra… are you really willing to throw it all away like this?” His gaze fell to my injured leg, which continued to bleed. He sighed deeply.
“There are things you don’t understand yet. I’ll explain everything to you later. For now, let me take you to the hospital to get treated.”
He reached out to touch me, but before his hand could meet mine, his phone buzzed. It was another call. From her.
I didn’t need to see the name on the screen to know.
“Oooh, Zayn,” Melinda’s voice whined through the speaker, laced with mock vulnerability. “I just finished receiving my award and was about to go celebrate, but… but these drunk men—they tried to grab me! I’m so scared…”
Zayn’s entire demeanor shifted. His pupils narrowed, his expression darkened with rage.
“Those bastards,” he growled. “Don’t worry, Melinda, I’ll come right now.”
Her voice wavered, tinged with poorly hidden amusement. “But… Zayn, what about Xandra? I don’t want to cause trouble for you.”
His jaw tightened, his voice sharp and decisive. “She wouldn’t dare stop me. And if she tries, I’ll break her other leg too.”
He hung up the phone and immediately turned to me, his face softening again as though he hadn’t just issued that cruel declaration.
“Xandra, don’t misunderstand,” he said, his tone almost patronizing. “Melinda’s a delicate girl. If I hadn’t said that, she wouldn’t let me leave.”
“You stay here and rest. I’ll take you to the hospital as soon as I’ve sorted things out for her.”
I wasn’t surprised by his choice. I’d stopped being surprised a long time ago. No matter what promises he made to me, once Melinda appeared, I would always be the one pushed aside. Every single time. My heart felt hollow, as though it had been carved out with a blade and left to bleed. I watched him turn to leave, his determination unwavering.
“Zayn,” I called out, my voice a whisper.
He stopped in his tracks, but when he turned to face me, his expression was already laced with irritation.
