Chapter 4 An Ally?

• Zara held her burning cheek. Her vision blurred but she refused to falter.
• “Mother, what did I—”
• “I am not your Mother!” Beatrice angrily interrupted. “No one would want a daughter who brings nothing but disgrace to her family.” She fired, obviously fed up by her presence.
• Beatrice never liked Zara. Mainly because she didn't find her ‘worthy’ of her son. “She might be carrying your children, but she isn’t your wife, Ethan. She will never become part of us.” Her position had been clear since day one.
• Ethan had reassured Zara that she would come around, but no matter what she did, it never seemed to please her.
• Ethan who was just descending from the stairs tried to intervene. “Mom, please calm down. The deed is done already.”
• Beatrice turned to face her son, fuming, “I told you! To keep this whole divorce thing under wrap until after the election! Why did you even follow her to the show in the first place? Without consulting me!”
• Zara’s chest tightened, but she kept her voice steady. “Disgrace? What would you call Ethan’s infidelity then? Isn’t that more damaging?” She turned to Beatrice, desperate for a sliver of reason.
• But Beatrice only scoffed, folding her arms. “If you hadn’t baited him into that ridiculous family show, none of this would have come out. This is your fault.”
• Zara’s lips parted in disbelief. “You’re not even angry that he’s been cheating?”
• “Why should I be? At least he found someone worthy of him this time. Someone who understands him, supports him—someone who’s his equal,” Beatrice said coldly, her words laced with contempt.
• Irene’s parents owned a thriving clothing company and Irene was an accomplished journalist, so in Beatrice’s eyes, she was more worthy of Ethan.
• A smug tugged around Zara’s lips, “I know, right? Like I didn’t sacrifice my dream to be his wife. And I didn’t help him in the past three years to set up his Start Up. What exactly has she done for your son?”
• Beatrice laughed hysterically as she clapped her hands, “Dreams? You called that slutty dance a dream? Oh, Please!”
• “Ethan’s Start Up was entirely his idea. And Irene, she helped him achieve his dream by using her influence to help him get contracted by a big IT company in New York . Now they are moving, somewhere you don’t even fit in!” She snapped at her.
• Zara froze, her mind reeling. Irene? The company Ethan was contracted to… it was her brother Zavier’s company. For three years, she’d worked tirelessly to help Ethan build his start-up. She’d begged Zavier to help, promising to reconcile with her estranged family.
• Beatrice had always been the main fire fueling their fallen marriage, so leaving Chicago wasn’t just Ethan’s dream, it was Zara’s path to marital freedom. And now Ethan was going to New York with Irene?
• “Thank God we’re divorced,” Zara said aloud, her voice cold.
• Ethan flinched at her words, a flicker of anger flashing across his face. She could see it—the irritation. He didn’t want her to move on. Even though he’d told her to, he expected her to pine for him forever, to always be there, waiting. With his kids.
• “Ethan, my transfer to New York Daily has been approved! We can go…” Irene’s cherry voice trailed off as she joined them, holding an iPad.
• She was wearing Ethan’s pajamas.
• Zara’s stomach churned. Her kids sometimes wandered into their parents’ room at night. What if they’d seen her?
• “Are you so desperate that you couldn’t wait until I left with the kids?” Zara snapped, her voice trembling with rage.
• Ethan might be an asshole of a husband but he is a great Dad to his kids and wouldn’t want to hurt them intentionally. He had initially delayed the divorce because of them, but in the end, he chose not to stay in a loveless marriage. He chose his ambition over them.
• He stepped forward, guilt flashing across his face. “Zara, it’s not what you think. She stayed in the guest room—”
• “Where are they?” Zara cut him off, rolling her wheelchair toward the stairs. “I’ll take them and leave.”
• Before she could maneuver her way around the stairs, Clement Campbell, Ethan’s father, stepped into her path, stopping her with a question, “What kids are you talking about exactly? The ones bearing my names?” he voice dangerously cold that it sent shivers down her spine.
• Clement Campbell is the Gold Coast, Chicago City Council Leader, currently running for the post of a post Mayor. Stoic as he was, he paid no mind to affairs around the house, especially things that didn’t bring him any gain.
• Just like Zara, Ethan’s parents always dictated for him, but by the time they knew about Zara, she was already knocked up and they had no other choice than to accept her
• All he could give was a stern warning, “Do not embarrass my family any further, else I will destroy you.”
• But with the talk show, they couldn't be any bigger embarrassment.
• Zara slowly tilted her chair to face him. Her inside was trembling but she stayed, daring to speak before him for the first time, “I signed the papers. He is giving me full custody.”
• The Campbells adore their grandchildren. In fact, the twins were the only reason she had ever seen Clement smile. So of course he wouldn’t want a random, broke woman to take them away.
• Clement held up a stack of papers, his expression as hard as stone. “The custody agreement has been amended. You’re no longer allowed to see the children. To them, you’re dead.”
• Zche's chest heaved as her eyes darted to the papers, “Ms. Lydia said it was official. H—how did you get—”
• Her voice trailed off. She already knew the answer. Clement Campbell owned Chicago. He could bend the city to his will.
• But she wasn’t ready to give up. To let them take away her precious children and leave her with nothing.
• “No!” Zara screamed, tugging at Clement’s leg. “I won’t let you take my children away from me!”
• But with one swift movement, Clement pulled himself away from her, causing her to fall off her chair. The tears she had tried so desperately not to shed started flying off her eyes. The mere thoughts of leaving her child was unbearable. It made her body tremble and broke her resolve.
• Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Ethan, desperation etched into her features.
• “Ethan, please. You promised me. You gave me your word!”
• Ethan hesitated, his jaw tightening. “I’m sorry, Zara. I’ll make sure the kids remember you as a great mom. And I’ll still give you the alimony.”
• Zara’s world shattered. She slumped against the floor, tears pouring down her face as her body trembled.
• Just then, Clement's personal guard ran in and whispered something to his ear. Nothing could be deduced from his stoic expression until he said.
• “Bring him in.”
• A voice broke the silence. “Good day, everyone.”
• All eyes turned to the doorway, where a sharply dressed man stepped into the room, his polite smile radiating confidence.
• “I am Nathaniel Hawke, Senior Partner at Blackthorne and Hawke LLP. I’m here as Ms. Zara Eloise Quinn’s legal counsel.”