When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese) novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24 Burn It Into Ice

Anneliese stared at Zacharias, watching him monologue like he had everything figured out. It was almost laughable.

What had she done to make him so sure of himself? How low had she stooped, how hard had she clung to him in the past, for Zacharias to believe she could never leave him?

Cheating men were all the same–arrogant, delusional, convinced the world revolved around them. Zacharias was no exception.

Anneliese had no desire to argue with him anymore. She was beyond exhausted. Her head hurt, her knee ached, and her whole body was sore.

She gave a faint nod. “I’ll go to the hospital tomorrow. But tonight, I’m staying here.”

Zacharias, seeing her finally give in, loosened his hands–the same ones he’d been clenching without even realizing it. He still wasn’t thrilled about her refusal to go home, but he was willing to take this as a win, to compromise.

“I won’t be coming to get you tomorrow,” His voice dropped low. “Or ever again. Once you’ve thought things through, come home on your own.”

And with that, he left–no goodbye, no concern for her well–being, not even a glance back.

Jessica was furious. “You’re really going to the hospital tomorrow to apologize? For what?! Annie, come on—don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of going back to him.”

Honestly, it wouldn’t have surprised her. After all, Zacharias had saved Anneliese from drowning when they were kids. Ever since she was eight or nine, Anneliese had been trailing behind him like a little shadow. She’d poured years into this man, quietly sacrificing, suffering in silence.

The sunk cost was massive. But rational decisions weren’t supposed to be based on the past. They should be about the future.

Jessica was just about ready to shake some sense into her when Anneliese blinked. “Did I say I was going to apologize?”

A smile crept onto her lips. “Jess, I’m going to need you with me tomorrow. If all goes well, I should be able to file for divorce at City Hall. Might as well congratulate me in advance.”

She walked over to the window and snapped a photo of Zacharias‘ car, which was still parked downstairs. Then she opened WhatsApp and sent it to Coral.

Hopefully, Coral wouldn’t let her down that night and keep Zacharias occupied just long enough.

The night was silent.

Anneliese lay in bed, eyes fixed on her phone. The harsh glow of the screen stung her eyes, but not as much as the image on it–the live feed from the security camera in the living room of Madison Villa.

Jonathan lay back on the couch. And the woman? She was dressed in a skimpy maid outfit.

Disgusting.

Infuriating.

Anneliese couldn’t take it anymore. She scrambled out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. And there, she vomited–watching herself unravel.

For just a second, she felt it. The last remnants of love she had for Zacharias–everything she’d held on to–flushed down the toilet with a gurgling rush of water.

Expressionless, she returned to bed, saving and backing up the surveillance footage to the cloud while Jessica watched her with growing worry.

“I’m fine. Get some sleep.”

She even smiled, reached out, and gently brushed Jessica’s hair back before closing her eyes. But Jessica leaned over and pulled her into a hug.

It had only been a few days since the lies began unraveling. From the moment she discovered the betrayal to now, Jessica had seen everything–how Anneliese had gotten to this point.

Just a few days. That’s all it took for her to strangle her own heart.

She looked calm and numb on the outside, but inside she was a ruin.

Jessica’s tears fell one after another, silently soaking into the crook of Anneliese’s neck.

Annie, if you’re too broken to cry, then let me cry for you. Let my tears soak into your cracked heart. Don’t let it freeze over completely. Let it feel warmth again. Let it bloom once more, brilliantly. Because Zacharias–he doesn’t deserve a single piece of you.