"Zelda!" Hammer greeted her, his face lighting up with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
"Yes, it's me," she replied with a small smile, taken aback as he stepped out of the car.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Do you need a lift? Are you headed home?"
"Oh no, it's fine," Zelda replied quickly. "I already called an Uber; it's on its way. I wouldn't want to interfere with your plans or take up your evening."
Hammer waved her concerns away. "Don't worry about it. Actually, I was just thinking of calling you. I wanted to talk to you about your brother, Michael."
Concern filled Zelda's face. "Oh my God, is something wrong? I've been busy these past two days and haven't had a chance to check in on him. Is he okay?"
Hammer quickly reassured her. "He's fine, don't worry. I just wanted to share something with you, a new medicine and a new experimental procedure they're testing for people with paralysis. I thought it might be worth looking into for Michael."
Zelda's eyes widened with hope. "Really? Do you believe this new treatment could actually help him?"
Zelda's brother Michael means a lot to her. He's the only person in her family who's been kind to her.
When she was eight, Michael rescued Zelda from her drunken, abusive father and took her to James's house.
She will never give up on Michael's treatment.
With Hammer as the doctor overseeing her brother Michael's case, Zelda had complete faith in him, trusting his judgment implicitly.
"Do you think it would work?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with hope.
"Yes," Hammer replied with a reassuring smile. "A friend of mine, Dr. John, is leading that new research. He says they've been getting promising results. It's a better option than Michael just staying here at the hospital."
Zelda nodded, though she felt a bit apprehensive. "But the procedure isn't done here. It's in the next county. But the good news is I'll be going there to work on my master's soon, so I'll be able to keep a close eye on him for you."
A warm smile spread across Zelda's face. "Thank you, Hammer. Really."
Hammer chuckled, shifting the conversation. "How about you? How's your master's in fashion and design coming along? I heard Master Lee is taking in three students for his program. If they do well, he's planning to offer them jobs in his company. Have you applied?"
Zelda hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "I don't know if I'll do well, but I did submit one of my designs for the interview."
"You'll do great," Hammer assured her, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You've always had an eye for fashion. I'm sure Master Lee will see that too."
Hearing his encouragement, Zelda felt her confidence lift, grateful for the unwavering support of her friend.
"Maybe," she replied noncommittally.
"But that would be nice. us being in the same place and taking care of your brother," Hammer said with a grin, "And that reminds me-you owe me dinner. You have to at least cover one dinner to thank me for everything."
Zelda laughed. "Alright, I owe you one dinner," she said, playfully bowing his head in acknowledgement.
As they talked, her mind drifted back to a memory from her college days when she and Hammer had first met.
Hammer had been studying medicine, while she was immersed in her fashion and modelling courses. One day, she had been sitting alone in a café, sipping her coffee and lost in her thoughts, when a guy had come up, pulled a chair beside her, and sat down.
"Don't stand up," he had said out of the blue.
Zelda had narrowed her eyes at him, curious yet suspicious. "And why exactly don't you want me to stand up?"
The stranger, who introduced himself as Hammer, had replied with a grin, "Trust me. Just wait until everyone else is gone before you do."
At first, she had assumed he was just trying to flirt. But something about his serious expression made her pause. And so, Zelda had waited, watching as the café slowly emptied out. When everyone else had finally left, she stood up and noticed something strange, the seat of her chair was smeared with bright paint.
As it turned out, a group of university students had painted the chair as part of a prank, hoping someone would sit in it so they could record the reaction and post it online.
Hammer had shrugged with a laugh,
"Just thought I'd save you from becoming their next internet sensation."
The memory made her smile, and she looked at Hammer now with newfound appreciation. He had saved her from embarrassment back then, and here he was again, offering a glimmer of hope for her brother's recovery.
"Thank you, Hammer," she said sincerely, glancing at him.
He shrugged casually. "Anytime. I'll be here to help however I can."
Hammer drove to her destination, and Zelda tried to unbuckle her seatbelt, but it wouldn't open.
Hamer kindly leaned over and helped her unbuckle it.
"All done," he smiled at her, and for a moment they were very close.
Zelda felt awkward, quickly said thank you, got out of the car, and waved through the window.
As she approached the apartment building, the night enveloped her in darkness. She immediately noticed the dimness; the flickering hallway lights cast shadows along the walls.
Her friend Jian lived in this modest apartment. They had been neighbours and schoolmates, growing close over the years. Jian had chosen this place as she finished her studies, a decision born out of necessity rather than luxury. The apartment was far from perfect.. like many affordable options, it came with its own set of quirks and issues. Tonight, the dead lights in the hallway served as a reminder of that.
Just as she was still lost in her thoughts, someone suddenly wrapped their arms around her, pulling her close. Startled, Zelda instinctively screamed, her heart racing. But before she could make a sound, a hand clamped over her mouth, and a low voice murmured,
"Just calm down."
The familiar voice sent a shiver down her spine, accompanied by the overwhelming scent of his toxic masculinity. Recognition washed over her, and she visibly relaxed, though her instincts still screamed at her.
With a swift movement, he turned her around and pinned her against the wall beside her.
"What do you think you're doing?" he whispered and shouted at her.
"What do you mean, James?" she asked, trying to steady herself.
"I'm asking you..what do you think you're doing?" he repeated, his tone cold and accusing. "What was that out there?"
"I... I don't understand," Zelda frowned, genuinely confused.
"You think you can make a fool of me?" James's voice was sharp, laced with an anger barely restrained. "Just falling into other men's arms while you're still married to me? I want you to remember that you're married, Zelda. I am your legal husband. We're not divorced."
"What do you mean by saying that?" Zelda asked, her voice low but steady, challenging him despite how she felt.
James laughed bitterly. "What I mean is, you can't just jump into other men's arms, showing affection in the streets like you're single. How long have you been doing this? With that man out there, how long have you been sneaking behind my back? Was it before I left? Or after? Is this the real reason you want a divorce, Zelda?"
Zelda's eyes widened in disbelief. "No, no," she whispered, but the disgust she felt was already starting to surface, twisting her face in anger he couldn't see in the dim light.
"You wouldn't just leave me without a reason," he continued, his words dripping with scorn. "You must have found some other bed to jump into. That's why you married me, right? Because you knew you were turning twenty-one, and the Fergusons wouldn't support you anymore. So you set me up, made sure you'd have a place to go.and now that I don't want to give you something that would solidify your position in my life, you've found someone else. Admit it, Zelda. You're nothing but a gold digger."
The words struck Zelda like blows. She clenched her fists, trembling, trying to hold herself together. But something inside her snapped. Without a second thought, she raised her hand and slapped him, the sound cutting sharply through the silence.
James staggered back, stunned by her reaction. She had never raised her hand or voice toward him before.
For a moment, he looked at her, shocked and furious. He clenched his jaw, fists shaking as he restrained himself, then took another step back.
Taking a deep breath, he turned and walked out of the apartment, leaving her standing there alone.
Zelda leaned back against the wall, the weight of everything crashing down on her. Tears filled her eyes, and as they started to fall, her silent sobs filled the empty space.
Zelda ran to the first floor, her vision blurred by tears. She pushed open the door, stepped inside and caught sight of Jian by the window, who hadn't noticed her yet.
"So, Are you and James are back together?" Jian asked casually. "Did he drop you off?"
But as she turned and saw Zelda's tear-streaked face, her expression shifted. Immediately, Gina rushed over, pulling Zelda into a comforting embrace, stroking her hair and holding her close.
"What happened?" she whispered.
"James... he's so mean. He doesn't want a divorce," Zelda choked out. "If he's so interested in being with Susan, why doesn't he just let me go? Why does he have to keep me tied to him?"
"Is that why you're crying?" Jian asked softly, concern deepening in her gaze.
Zelda shook her head. "I'm crying because. he accused me of cheating on him. He thought I was with Hammer."
"Hammer?" Gina echoed, surprised.
"Yes," Zelda replied, her voice wavering. "Hammer is my brother's doctor and he only gave me a ride home, and James saw us together. He called me all sorts of names. He thinks I'm... that I would... I just." Zelda broke down again, the pain too much.
Jian held her tightly. "I know. Don't cry, Zelda. Do you know why he won't let you go? It's not love. It's because he doesn't want anyone else to have you. If he doesn't have you no one else can."
