I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra) novel Chapter 7

The line went dead quiet, followed by a cold scoff from Steven. He squeezed the words out from between his teeth.

“Zephyra, don’t you regret this.”

I remained perfectly calm. Ever since the thought had first entered my mind, I had played this scene out in my head countless times.

Whatever he said was within my expectations.

“Don’t worry, I never go back on my word. Just sign the papers, and we can set a date to finalize it. Today is Thursday…”

Before I could finish, Steven hung up on me.

I stared at my phone. “…”

That bastard! All he ever does is hang up!

I glanced at the time. I was too busy to get divorced today anyway. I had a life-or-death matter to attend to. We could deal with the divorce tomorrow.

I got up, showered, and quickly left the hotel. I started the car and sped off, finally pulling over on the side of a busy street. Staring at the row of shops across the road, I waited, my heart pounding in my chest.

It was the height of summer, and the sun was scorching. Even with the air conditioning on full blast, the car felt stuffy.

After waiting for a full three hours, I saw a man and a woman approaching. My eyes lit up instantly.

The person I was waiting for had finally arrived.

I watched them enter a café before getting out of my car and following them inside.

They sat across from each other at a small table. I chose an inconspicuous corner booth where I could observe them without being noticed.

The girl, dressed in a pink dress, had bright, sparkling eyes and was chattering animatedly with the man.

The man had the demeanor of a perfect gentleman—he was polite, well-mannered, and maintained a respectful distance.

If I hadn’t been reborn, I never would have guessed the horrifying events that were about to unfold.

“Zephyra? What are you doing here?”

I looked at her beautiful face, and a familiar ache tightened in my chest. “Long time no see, Rachel.”

Rachel’s tone was laced with sarcasm. “Where’s your precious Lancaster? I thought you couldn’t bear to be apart from him for a single day. What are you doing out and about?”

Her words didn’t sting at all.

Rachel was my best friend, my ride-or-die since we were kids. She was fiercely loyal, kind, and full of life.

We had a massive falling out a year ago when I decided to marry Steven. She said I was being a lovesick fool, that marrying Steven would turn me into a permanent doormat, and that I was throwing my life away.

As it turned out, she wasn't wrong. I didn’t just become a doormat; I practically turned it into a competitive sport.

In my past life, I was stubborn and foolish. I refused to listen, abandoning my best friend for a man. We never reconciled, not even before she died.

The man who killed her was sitting right across from her—her colleague, Ward. In my past life, he drugged and raped her, then used nude photos and videos to blackmail her into continuing a relationship with him.