Chapter 4:
She was stretched across my bed, legs crossed like she owned the world, wearing the ivory silk robe Zeus gave me last Valentine’s hung loose around her–untied, careless. Her damp hair clung to one shoulder, and her smile was a slow, smug curve.”
She looked at me like I was an afterthought.
“Oh.” Her voice was light–too light. “Sorry if I wore your robe, Savannah. Didn’t mean to I just-” She stretched her arms above her head like she was stretching out her territory. “It was dry and soft. Figured I’d take advantage. You know, since I’m here all the time now.”
What?
Her tone was sugar Inced with poison. Like she was the innocent victim of circumstance.
I didn’t move.
Zeus appeared from the bathroom, towel hanging low around his hips, his wet hair slicked back.”
He paused, eyes flicking between me and Zoraya like he was watching two halves of some broken mirror?
“Zoraya spilled wine on her dress, Sav,” he said, voice flat and precise like he was reading a report, not delivering a verdict. “She asked for the robe. I told her it was fine. End of story. Don’t make it one. No issue ”
Zomaya smiled at him like he was the only person in the room worth smiling at.♬
“Thanks for the robe, Zeus. You’re a lifesaver,” she said, voice silky, eyes gleaming.X
He nodded. “You should be more careful with the wine next time.“!
She laughed, a light, careless sound that made my stomach twist.
“Yeah, yeah, boss,” she said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “I’ll try not to drown my clothes again.”
Zeus’s gaze slid back to me. “I don’t want to hear you start with this drama, Savannah. We’ve got bigger problems than a robe.”
I tried to say something–anything–but the words tangled and died in my throat. He stepped closer, kissed my forehead with no warmth at all, more like a cold command.
“We’re starving, babe,” he said. “Get something on the table. You’ll eat too.”
I turned toward the kitchen before the shame could drag me down. The silence in the kitchen was louder than the city outside. Tears streaming.
I cooked, but my hands moved on autopilot. Garlic, onions, peppers–the knife slicing through vegetables like it was slicing through my skin.
From the hall, Zoraya’s voice floated back, sweet and sharp. “You think Savannah’s mad I’m here, Zeus?“”
Zeus didn’t even hesitate. “She’s not my wife. She doesn’t get to be mad. End of story.”!
Her laugh was low, teasing. “Oh, I’m not mad. Just surprised she’s so quiet. Usually, she puts up a fight.”
His reply was quiet, dangerous. “She’s tired. Let her rest in silence.”
I stood there, stirring the pot, every word sinking like a blade.
When I brought the food to the table, Zoraya was already there, lounging like she was queen of the castle.!!
“Thanks, sweetheart,” she said to Zeus, brushing a crumb off his lip with her fingers.
Zeus’s eyes never left me.
“You’ll eat. You need strength.”
She winked at me, lips curved in a cruel little smile.
“Don’t mind me, Savannah. I’m just here for the free meal.”
I didn’t sit. I watched them eat–their easy laughter, the way she touched him like she had the right to, the way he let her.
Like I was invisible
When they were done, I slipped away to the bedroom and closed the door softly behind me.!!
Laid on the edge of the bed. The silk robe still smelled like her. And all I could think was…
“You lost everything, Savannah. And you let him do it”il
–
I must’ve passed out at some point, face down on the cold side of the bed. When I woke, it wasn’t silent anymore.
Voices from the kitchen. Too familiar.
Zoraya laughed. “These eggs are perfect. You always make them better than me. Savannah’s lucky. I’d never let you leave the kitchen if you cooked like this every morning”
I pulled myself up, moving like a ghost. Zoraya was already dressed–in my black cotton top and gray
ay shorts. Hair tied with my silk
scrunchie.!
Zeus flipped eggs at the stove. He looked up calm, like this was normal.
“Come sit with us, Sav
I said nothing, pulled out a chair. He placed a plate–eggs, toast, apple slices. Didn’t taste the same.
He stood, arms crossed, watching me like a deal.
“Zoraya’s pregnant.”
BUPAM
Zeus Пlipped eggs at the stove. He looked up calm, like this was normal.
“Come sit with us, Sav.”
I said nothing, pulled out a chair. He placed a plate–eggs, toast, apple slices. Didn’t taste the same.
He stood, arms crossed, watching me like a deal.}
“Zoraya’s pregnant.”
Just like that. Wow!
Zoraya smiled across the table, like friends swapping news.
“With my child,” he added, low, firm, like a confession.
My fork slipped. I didn’t flinch.
“We wanted a baby. Remember? We talked adoption. We tried.”
I remembered. Every failed test, tears in the clinic bathroom. Now he looked at me like I was the problem. Like Zoraya fixed what I couldn’t
“I’ve decided to let her stay,” he said. Like I wasn’t even part of it.
“She’ll live here until the baby’s bom.”
Zoraya leaned on the table, sipping coffee from my mug.
“I told him it was up to you, I’d find a hotel, but Zeus wants us under one roof–for the baby.”
Istared. Her perfect skin. Her fake–sweet smile.
“I want what’s best for the baby. And for Zeus. This is hard. But you’ll be a good mom, Savannah. The baby’ll love you.“!
My throat burned. I still felt the hospital soreness. My body a battlefield. My heart a graveyard.
They didn’t know I was pregnant too. Seven weeks. Seven fucking weeks pregnant.
They didn’t know I was dying.
Zeus sat like it was done.0
I looked at him–seven years. My youth, love, loyalty. Cleaned blood off his suits. Hid bodies. Took his pain. Now he chose her, in my house, while I broke inside!!
A hollow sound left me. Not a sob. Not a scream.
“You’re really doing this… after everything? After seven years? After cleaning your messes, hiding your sins? You’re cheating. Betraying me. And you stand there like it’s… It’s business.”
He didn’t blink. “Don’t make this about you, Savannah.” Without looking me: “Think of the baby.”
And that moment, I knew then… I wasn’t his home.
Just another room he didn’t visit.
