"Shie... what should I do now?" Zanara couldn't remember when she started getting anxious. She would often bite her fingers sometimes until they bled and only realized it when her hands started to sting.
"Jayme. Try calling Jayme; he might be able to help."
Zanara rounded her eyes. "What? No! I would never contact him to ask for anything. I don't want him to take advantage of this."
"Zee, just for once, try to suppress your ego. Forget whatever you are feeling for Jayme or any man. The truth is you need their help. You need help; you're not a wonder woman, okay?"
Zanara still didn't move. She didn't want to say yes, because it was true what Shienna said, her ego was forcing her to win. She didn't know with what purpose, but Zanara didn't want to give in at all.
She didn't want him to think she was weak and needed his help. She had proven herself that she could survive even without the presence of any man.
Zanara didn't want to call Jayme an exception. That man was a bully to her from the start.
"You don't need to dictate to me, Shie. I've been going through this alone, and I'm fine. The truth is that men only hurt, and I'll never give myself a chance to be hurt again. Do you hear that?"
"Zee, listen first. Have you forgotten not only are you a single parent now? Don't you see me?" Shienna's words made Zanara regret what she had just said. "Do you think I have a husband to hold on to, hm? I admit that I am only human, and I need help once in a while. "
What Shienna said was true. However, appeasing her ego was more accessible than dealing with that man.
"I'm sorry, Shie, I didn't mean—"
"Never mind, it doesn't matter. This is about you, not me. So I won't mind your reaction to my input. It's just, come on, it's for Marion's sake. You won't be able to find her by yourself."
Zanara ended the call and turned back to the apartment. She still hoped she had overreacted. She hoped Marion was playing at home when she arrived.
However, just getting out of the car, she heard Marion's voice calling her.
"Mama!"
Zanara turned around and immediately rushed to hug her daughter, who had been frantically searching for an hour. She kissed Marion's cheek and forehead as if the little girl had disappeared and was now back in her arms.
"Where have you been, sweetheart? Do you know I've been looking for you—"
"Hey, Zee."
The man again. Zanara twisted her eyes awkwardly. She did not care even if Jayme saw her reaction, which displayed her dislike for the man. Zanara repeatedly said that she was not interested in a relationship with anyone, but Jayme still pursued her.
Zanara put Marion down. "Come up with Melika, okay? Mama wants to talk to Uncle Jayme."
Zanara couldn't help herself as Marion looked away. She pulled Jayme's arm away from the apartment building and closer to Jayme's car so that after Zanara spewed lava of rage, the man could get the hell out of her way.
"Where are you taking my daughter?" the woman asked fiercely. She didn't care that several people turned to her, wondering what all the fuss was about.
"Zee, keep your voice down; Marion could hear."
"I don't care, Doctor Demir. Haven't I told you repeatedly that I don't like you getting too close to my daughter?! Don't you know, I'm looking for her to the point of insanity, and you're taking my daughter without my permission!" Zanara scolded. Jayme, who felt guilty, remained silent. He did not want to argue because what he did was wrong.
"I'm sorry. I stopped by the store earlier, but your shop was closed, so I came here because—" Jayme did not continue his sentence. He was unsure if what he was about to say was important to the woman with the beautiful eyes before him.
However, Zanara, seething with anger, did not want to let the man hang his sentence. Jayme had to take responsibility for finishing what he had said.
"Because of what? I've had enough of listening to your clichéd excuses, Doctor Demir."
Jayme sighed, struck by guilt. "I'm sorry, I was just homesick. And when I got there, there were only Melika and Marion. I was going to find you, but Marion asked me to buy her some ice cream and walk around for a while."
Zanara's breath, which was still half-hearted, sounded even more labored. If she could, she would have poured her anger out on this man. However, she couldn't; she didn't want to go overboard. Zanara was angry about Jayme's behavior, but she didn't want to get too emotionally involved with the man.
If she could avoid love, she should be able to tame her anger.
"You can at least contact me, right?" Zanara lowered her intonation this time. She still did not want to look into the eyes of the man, now agitated with guilt. She did not want her annoyance to soften and turn into pity.
Let this man receive the mental punishment for what he had done; Zanara almost had a heart attack due to his actions.
"How can I talk to you if my calls are always answered by voicemail?"
Hearing that sentence, Zanara straightened up. Had she blocked the wrong number? Or, in her haste, Zanara didn't pay attention to whose numbers she deleted or filtered because, until now, Jayme's number on her cell phone was just an unspecified number, just like Jayme's position in Zanara's life, who never had a place in her life and heart until now.
However, to admit that it might be her fault, Zanara doesn't want to and never will. Where would she put her face if she admitted her mistake in front of Jayme? Maybe the man would get a big head and feel that by Zanara admitting the mistake, there was a chance for him to get closer.
The walls of her heart must remain high and sturdy so that no one can pass through or tear them down, even if they try many times.
Zanara, in the end, just let out an annoyed sigh. Then she turned around, intending to walk away from Jayme, who was still frozen in place, utterly unmoved by the woman's departure. The man's hand still carried the bundle of cookies and dolls he had bought for Marion and had yet to give to the little girl. And Zanara would not accept his gift even if it was for Marion.
Before Zanara left Jayme, someone—standing not far from where Jayme was—called her name.
"Zanara ..."
The woman stopped walking. Even though, without turning around, she knew who was standing behind her.
Aksara