Chapter 9
Susan’s chest rose and fell with fury, her eyes brimming with disbelief and disappointment as she stared at Zac.
The red mark from her slap still burned on his cheek, but he didn’t even flinch. He met her gaze and said flatly, “You’re right. That’s exactly why I’m glad I didn’t meet her back when I was broke. She doesn’t have to suffer the way Liz did.”
The moment those words hit the air, Liz’s hand curled tightly at her side. A deep ache spread from her chest, flooding her entire
body.
Out of all the cruel things Zac had ever said, nothing had cut her this deeply.
He cared about Xena. So much so that he couldn’t bear the thought of her struggling beside him.
But what about the years Liz had already spent struggling with him? Did all of that mean nothing?
Her fists trembled at her sides. “How many times does this man have to hurt you before you finally wake up?” she thought.
Susan looked at Liz and saw the color drain from her face. A flicker of guilt and sorrow crossed her features.
“Liz, he didn’t mean it. He’s just upset. Don’t take it personally. I’ll talk some sense into him-”
“Ms. Green,” Liz said softly, turning to her with a calm, steady gaze. “There’s no need to defend him. I know he meant every
word.”
She gave a small, strained smile. “I always hoped I’d become your daughter-in-law. But I guess that won’t be happening anymore. Please cancel the wedding.”
Then, after a short pause, she added, “Thank you for dinner. I’m full.”
She stood, picked up her purse, and walked toward the door without sparing Zac a single glance.
Susan turned on her son, seething. “Why are you just standing there? Go after her! I’m serious, Zac. Liz is the only woman I’ll ever accept as my daughter-in-law. If you let her go, don’t bother calling me your mother again!”
Just as Liz opened the front door, Zac’s voice rang out behind her.
“Mom, I don’t love her anymore. Why are you forcing me to marry her? Even if we go through with the wedding, I’m not breaking things off with Xena.”
He scoffed. “I’ve been with Xena for three years. Liz still refuses to break up. She’ll do anything to marry me. You really think she wants to cancel the wedding?
“That thing she said earlier? She was bluffing to get a reaction. Don’t worry. She’s like a parasite. No matter what I do, I can’t get rid of her.”
There was nothing but scorn in his voice, like he truly believed Liz would never leave him. Like no matter how badly he treated her, she would always come crawling back.
Maybe that was why he felt free to hurt her over and over, without hesitation.
Liz blinked through the sting in her eyes. She didn’t turn around and just kept walking.
This time, she truly meant it.
She had poured her heart into this broken, bleeding relationship. She had fought, compromised, and held on longer than she should have. Now that she was finally walking away, there was nothing left to regret.
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Back in the house, the tension hung heavy in the air.
Susan pointed a trembling finger at Zac, her entire body shaking with rage. “Do you even hear yourself? If it weren’t for Liz, do you really think you’d be where you are today?
“She gave you everything she had, and now you’re stomping all over her heart. One day, when she’s really gone, you’ll regret this more than anything in your life.”
Zac’s face stayed cold and unmoved. “If she actually leaves, I’ll be relieved. At least she’ll finally let go. And just so we’re clear, I got here because I worked for it. I would’ve made it with or without her.”
It was true that Liz had stood by him through his lowest moments. But once he made it, he never treated her badly.
Every gift he gave her was worth tens of thousands, even hundreds. On her own, she never could have afforded that kind of luxury.
In Zac’s mind, he didn’t owe her a thing.
Susan’s voice grew louder, her fury boiling over. “So now that you’re some big shot CEO, you think you’re too important to listen to your own mother? Fine. If you walk out that door tonight, don’t ever call me Mom again.”
Zac stood up, his tone calm but distant. “You’re upset. I don’t want to argue. I’ll come see you once you’ve cooled off.”
“If you walk out now, you’re no longer my son!”
He paused briefly, then turned and left without another word.
The moment he stepped outside, he drove straight to Xena’s apartment.
When she opened the door and saw him standing there, her face lit up with surprise and excitement. She threw herself into his
arms.
“Mr. Lincoln, what are you doing here?”
Zac caught her easily, wrapped an arm around her waist, and kissed her hard.
When the kiss broke, he gave her waist a gentle squeeze and murmured, “I missed you. That’s why I came.
Xena giggled and playfully pushed against his chest, her cheeks flushing. But then she caught sight of the red mark on his face,
and her smile faltered.
“Mr. Lincoln, who hit you? Was it Miss Smith?”
Her voice softened with concern, and tears shimmered in her eyes.
Zac shook his head. “No.”
Xena reached out to touch his cheek, but hesitated, afraid it might hurt him.
“Does it sting? Let me grab some ointment.”
She turned to head toward the bathroom, but Zac pulled her right back into his arms.
“No need. Just kiss it better.”
“You’re impossible!”
Her flirty tone and coy smile stirred something in him again. Without missing a beat, he scooped her up into his arms and
carried her over to the couch.
Before long, the room was filled with soft moans and breathless laughter, the walls echoing with the intimacy of two people lost
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in each other.
The next evening, Liz had just stepped out of her law firm when she spotted Susan standing a short distance away.
She wasn’t dressed for the weather. The wind was sharp, and her face had gone pale from the cold.
When she saw Liz, she offered a faint, weary smile and walked over quickly. “Liz, I was hoping we could talk.”
Susan had always treated her kindly. Seeing her standing there, shivering in the cold, Liz couldn’t bring herself to turn her away.
“There’s a cafe just around the corner,” Liz said gently. “Let’s go sit inside.”
Susan let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Alright.”
They found a small table by the window and sat down. Liz ordered a coffee for herself and a cup of hot milk for Susan. When the drinks arrived, she slid the milk toward her.
“Here, Ms. Green. Something to warm you up.’
“Thank you,” Susan murmured, taking a small sip. Her expression was tense, unsure.
Liz knew why she was here. Another attempt to convince her to forgive Zac.
But she and Zac were truly done. There was no fixing what had been broken for so long. So she said nothing, quietly sipping her
coffee.
Watching her sit so calmly across the table, Susan felt a wave of guilt and heartache.
“Liz, I think you already know why I came.”
Liz nodded softly. “Ms. Green, you don’t need to say it. Zac and I… we just weren’t meant to be. I don’t want to force something that’s already falling apart.”
Her voice was calm, but resolute.
Susan’s heart clenched. She reached across the table and held Liz’s hand.
“You’ve been with Zac for so many years. I’ve seen everything you’ve done for him. I’ve always thought of you as a daughter. Please for my sake-give him one more chance. Just one.”
Liz looked at her, eyes filled with quiet sorrow. “Ms. Green, love can’t be forced.”
One of them didn’t want to get married. The other didn’t want to stay.
Forcing it would only make them both miserable.
Susan shook her head slowly. “Zac’s just confused right now. Once he comes to his senses, he’ll realize you’re the one who’s truly right for him.”
She paused, then added softly, “Liz, I saved your life once, didn’t I? Just… for that alone, please. Give him one more chance. I promise he’ll cut things off with that secretary before the wedding.”
She never imagined she would one day bring up that moment to ask for something in return.
But she truly didn’t want Zac to lose a woman like Liz.
Liz lowered her eyes. She hadn’t forgotten.
Four years ago, Susan really had saved her life.
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Back when Liz had just started at the firm, she used to work late into the night. One evening, exhausted and distracted, she misread the traffic light and stepped off the curb just as a truck came barreling toward her.
At the last second, Susan, who had come to drop off a thermos of soup, pulled her back.
They both fell hard to the ground. The truck roared past them, missing by only a few inches.
Susan sustained a fractured bone and had to stay in the hospital for a month.
After she was discharged, she insisted that Liz should no longer commute alone and arranged for Zac to pick her up from work
every day.
Zac did so, at least in the beginning, until Xena appeared in his life.
The first time Zac broke that promise was on a rainy evening. He told Liz that he was stuck in a meeting and suggested she take
a cab.
Later, she discovered that Xena had twisted her ankle, and Zac did not want her to ride the bus. He chose to be with Xena instead
and lied to Liz about it.
And once there was a first time, the others followed more easily. There was a second time, then a third. The space between them continued to grow, little by little, until it became a distance too wide to close.
They had started walking in different directions. Now, they weren’t even on the same road.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Liz looked at Susan, who was still watching her with hopeful, pleading eyes.
“Ms. Green,” she said gently, “even if I gave him another chance, it wouldn’t change anything. We’re just not meant to be.”
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