I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra) novel Chapter 15

<div class="entThankfully, the elevator doors slid open at that moment. I rushed inside, frantically pressing the close button to make my escape. 

Since we had reached this point, I certainly wasn’t going to drive the car he bought me. Once I was outside, I tossed the car keys onto the hood and hailed a taxi. 

“Where to?” the driver asked. 

I suppressed my anger. “Serenity Vale.” 

The car sped along the road. Just as we reached the entrance to the cemetery, my phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID, and my expression instantly turned cold. 

“Dad?” 

A gruff, middle–aged man’s voice came through the line. 

“Zephyra, it’s been ages since you’ve been home. If you have time today, come for a visit. We can have a family reunion. There’s something I need to discuss with you.” 

I pursed my lips, accustomed to his usual opening. Thinking for a moment, I agreed. 

“Okay.” 

After getting out of the taxi, I walked barefoot past rows of tombstones, finally stopping in front of one in particular. 

I stared at the photograph on the headstone, lost in thought for a long moment, before managing a weak smile. “Mom, I’m here to see you.” 

I sat down on the ground, looking at the kind, smiling woman in the picture. My eyes began to well up as I gently wiped the dust from her photo. 

“Mom, I know it’s been a while. Are you mad at me? Please don’t be. I’ll come to see you more often 

from now on.” 

“I’m so sorry, Mom. I should have listened to you. I shouldn’t have married Steven. I regret it. I regret it so, so much…” My voice cracked with a sob. “Mom, I was wrong…” 

A year ago, when the arranged marriage was finalized, my mother was the only one who objected. 

She said I was the daughter she had raised with so much love and care, and all she wanted for me was a life of peace and happiness. She begged me not to follow in her footsteps. 

One was a heavyset, middle–aged man with a constant, placating smile–my father. 

To his left was a woman dripping in designer clothes and jewelry, looking every bit the wealthy socialite–my Aunt Janice. 

To his right sat a petite, pretty girl in a short skirt–my cousin, Antonia. 

Looking at them, they seemed like a perfectly happy, loving family. 

When Martin saw me, he immediately waved me over. 

“Zephyra, you’re back! What are you standing there for? Your Aunt Janice and Antonia came all this way to see you. Come, sit down. We’re about to eat.” 

“Oh my, miss, you’re not wearing any shoes! Did you hurt your feet? Wait, I’ll get you some slippers.” The housekeeper, Lisa, rushed over to the shoe cabinet. 

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