Chapter 8 – Zara's Pov

• After their chat, Enrique ended the call and handed the phone back to me without saying a word. He then excused himself to continue watching his television show. I was about to start washing the dishes when Nick called again. For a moment, I was tempted to ignore the call, but in the end, I couldn't.
• “Wazzup, Nick? You called again,” I said.
• “Did you know that Giselle is one of my clothing models, right? Your husband is here supporting her,” he informed me. I wished he hadn't.
• A new wave of pain washed over me, a pain I thought I was immune to.
• “It's fine... he told me about it,” I lied, trying to save face. But Nick's anger flared.
• “No, it is not fine, Zara! Are you crazy? I just told you that your husband is cheating on you, and you tell me it's fine. What’s wrong with you?”
• As Nick's voice raised in anger, the tears I had been holding back began to flow freely. Through the video call, I saw a mix of confusion and pity in Nick's eyes.
• “Hey, Zara. Listen to me, buddy. Don't cry over that jerk! Hey, stop crying,” he pleaded.
• “I-I'm fine. It's because of you,” I managed to say.
• “Why are you crying over that fool? Divorce him,” he suggested.
• “I think I will,” I said, then lied about Enrique calling me to end the call.
• The call ended. Normally, I would have sat there, staring into nothingness, imagining Lucas and Giselle being affectionate with each other, perhaps even kissing in public. But this time, I reacted differently.
• I picked up the plates and brought them to the sink. Just last week, I had a maid, but only God knows what Lucas did to her because she suddenly disappeared. It was always like that. He would never oppose hiring a maid, but then, somehow, they would always end up leaving abruptly.
• After drying the plates and placing them on the white mat, I joined Enrique in the living room. We watched cartoons together, and when it was snack time, I got up to prepare some refreshments.
• Whenever Lucas was away, I had the freedom to relax. There was no one to dictate my actions. I knew that Lucas's behavior had an emotional and psychological impact on both Enrique and me, yet I was hesitant to leave him for good.
• Lucas was never present for any of Enrique's special days. My son had never experienced spending his birthday or any other special occasion with his father.
• Just like me, it seemed Enrique would never experience a father's love, and that was heartbreaking. However, I couldn't solely blame Lucas for our dysfunctional family. I was also at fault.
• I should be the one to blame, and Enrique should be angry with me. Oh God, I was confused by everything. Was it really my fault? Was everything my fault from the start?
• Later in the afternoon, after picking Enrique up from school and having dinner together, I knew it was time for a serious conversation. I waited until we were both settled on the couch and then gently took his hands in mine.
• “Enrique, there's something important I need to talk to you about,” I began, searching for the right words.
• He looked at me with those innocent eyes, and a wave of guilt washed over me. My sweet little boy didn't deserve to go through this.
• “What is it, Mom?” he asked, sensing the seriousness in my tone.
• “I want to talk to you about Daddy and me. You know that we haven't been very happy lately, right?” I said softly.
• He nodded, his expression serious, and I continued, “Well, sometimes grown-ups have disagreements, and it can make them sad. And when grown-ups are sad, it can affect their relationships with others, even the people they love the most.”
• “Are you and Daddy sad because of me?” he asked, his voice breaking. It broke my heart to see him blame himself.
• “No, sweetheart, it's not your fault at all. You are the light of my life, and I love you more than anything in this world. Mommy and Daddy's problems have nothing to do with you,” I reassured him, wiping away a tear from his cheek.
• “Then why don't you both smile like we used to?” he asked innocently.
• I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to explain this to him in a way that he would understand.
• “It's like when you used to love playing with a certain toy, but as you grow older, you find other things you like. It doesn't mean you didn't love that toy; it's just that things change,” I said gently.
• “But I want things to be like before,” he said, his lower lip trembling.
• I pulled him into a tight hug, trying to comfort him, “I know, baby. I wish things could be like before too. But sometimes, life doesn't work out the way we want it to. And it's okay to feel sad about it.”
• He stayed in my embrace, and we sat there quietly for a while, his little arms wrapped around me tightly.
• “Mom, are you going to leave me too?” he asked hesitantly.
• My heart shattered into a million pieces at his words. I never wanted him to feel abandoned, and the thought of leaving him hurt me deeply.
• “No, baby, I would never leave you. I will always be here for you, no matter what,” I said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.
• “But if you and Daddy don't love each other anymore, why do you still stay together?” he asked, and I knew he was too young to understand the complexities of relationships.
• “It's not because we don't love you, but we want to make sure you have a stable and happy life. But if Mommy and Daddy are not happy together, it's not fair to anyone, especially you,” I explained.
• He seemed to absorb my words, and after a moment, he spoke again, “So, what are you going to do, Mom?”
• I sighed, knowing this was the moment I needed to be honest with him.
• “I think it's time for Mommy and Daddy to live apart, sweetheart. We both love you very much, and we will always be your parents, but we need to figure out a way to be happy,” I said gently.
• Enrique's eyes welled up with tears again, and he buried his face in my shoulder, sobbing softly. I held him close, whispering comforting words and trying to soothe his pain.
• “I don't want you to leave,” he said between sobs.
• “I know, baby, and I don't want to leave you either. But sometimes, grown-ups need to make hard decisions for the best. We will figure it out together, okay? You and me, we will always be a team,” I said, hoping to bring him some comfort.
• As the night went on, I held my son close, promising him that no matter what happened, I would always be there for him. We both cried that night, but in each other's arms, we found a little comfort.