Reclaimed By My Ex-husband
Chapter 14: Why are you still here?

Chapter 14: Why are you still here?

Zara barely made it to the bathroom, her leg throbbing with every step. Gripping the edge of the sink for support, she slumped in front of the toilet just in time as she vomited, the bitter taste of bile burning her throat. Her body shook with each heave, and the small bathroom echoed with the raw sounds of her retching.

When it finally subsided, she collapsed against the cool tiled floor, gasping for breath. Sweat clung to her brow, and her chest rose and fell in rapid, uneven bursts. Her hand flew to her chest as she muttered, half-dazed, "Why does his cologne smell so awful? Did it expire or something? God, he didn’t even check the label... I need to talk to him about that."

Zara pulled herself to her feet, rinsed her mouth, splashed water on her face, and hobbled out of the bathroom. She expected to find him waiting, concerned. But the room was empty. There was no sign of Nathaniel.

"He left already." A bitter smirk flickered across her lips. Limping to the bed, she lowered herself carefully onto the mattress, wincing as her swollen ankle brushed against the sheet.

She reached for her phone and dialed Bree.

The moment the call connected, Bree asked worriedly, "Hey, you okay?"

Zara glanced down at her swollen ankle. "Uh... I sprained my leg. Don’t worry. It’s not that bad. I’ll be fine soon."

"Do you need help? I’ll come get you," Bree offered immediately.

"No, don’t..." Zara hesitated, then added, "I’m at the Grant family mansion."

There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line.

"What?" Bree’s voice finally burst through. "I thought you were going to your father’s place. What are you doing there?"

Zara leaned back against the headboard. "Nathaniel came... He brought me here."

There was another pause. Bree’s confusion deepened. "Nathaniel? Why would he do that?"

"Grandma is back," Zara said in a low, tired voice. "He doesn’t want her to know there is trouble between us."

On the other end of the line, Bree was silent for a beat before her frustration burst through. "I don’t get it. He wants to divorce you, but he is playing happy husband just so his grandma doesn’t find out. That’s insane," she snapped. "Why doesn’t he just come clean? How long does he expect you to keep pretending everything is perfect?"

Zara understood why Bree was upset. She didn’t want to stay stuck in a relationship that had lost its meaning, either. But the thought of hurting the elderly woman held her back. She couldn’t summon the courage to break the news, afraid it might take a toll on the old lady’s fragile health.

But that wasn’t the only reason.

Zara’s thoughts drifted to the moment Nathaniel told her mother that they weren’t getting a divorce. She hadn’t expected that. And in that unexpected moment, a faint glimmer of hope sparked within her. Perhaps he was reconsidering his decision. Maybe, for Zane’s sake, he was willing to give their marriage another try.

"We are taking things slowly," she murmured, echoing the same phrase he had used in the car, trying to convince herself as much as Bree.

Bree let out an exasperated sigh. "I still don’t understand him. Whatever. Just promise me you’ll call if you need anything. I’ll come pick you up, no questions asked. And don’t let him push you around."

A faint smile touched Zara’s lips. Bree always had her back. "I will. Now hang up. I need to rest for a bit."

"Fine, but call me if anything feels off," Bree insisted one last time before the line went dead.

Zara placed her phone on the nightstand and lay back against the pillows, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. Possibilities warred with memories, and the hope she wasn’t ready to name flickered faintly in her chest.

Just as she closed her eyes to take a nap, the door knocked.

"Madam, the doctor has arrived," came a voice from the door.

Zara opened her eyes and turned her head. Standing in the doorway was Helga.

"Shall I send him in?" Helga asked.

Zara nodded. "Yes," she replied, easing herself upright with a wince as pain shot through her ankle.

Helga gave a small nod and disappeared down the hall. Moments later, a tall man in a white coat stepped into the room, his face lit up with a warm, familiar smile.

"Hello, Zara," he greeted cheerfully. "What happened? Took a tumble?"

Zara smirked. "Yeah, twisted my ankle. Graceful, right?"

The man was Eugen, Nathaniel’s longtime friend and now the family’s go-to doctor. He had always had a pleasant, easygoing energy around him. Unlike Nathaniel’s often cold and distant demeanor, Eugen was approachable, gentle, and just the right amount of teasing.

He carefully examined her ankle. "Hmm... swollen and red," he murmured. "But not as serious as it looks. You got lucky."

He looked up at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "No heels for now. And absolutely no weight on this leg."

Zara nodded, watching as he pulled a cooling ointment from his bag and gently massaged it onto her ankle. The soothing sensation brought immediate relief.

"This should help ease the pain," he said while wrapping a soft roller bandage around her ankle. "This will prevent further strain. Also, take these," he added, handing her a strip of tablets. "Three times a day. If the swelling worsens or the pain becomes unbearable, call me immediately — we’ll need to check for a fracture."

"Got it," Zara replied.

As he packed up his bag, Eugen glanced at her again.

"You know," he said with a knowing smile, "Nathaniel sounded genuinely worried when he called me."

"Nathaniel called you?" Zara asked, visibly surprised. She had assumed Helga had taken care of informing the doctor. Hadn’t Nathaniel told her to call the doctor?

Eugen nodded. "Yeah. I first got a call from the mansion asking me to check on Riya. But then Nathaniel called me, too. I didn’t expect to hear your name. Said you hurt your leg. What happened? How’d you manage that?"

Zara sighed, clearly not in the mood to explain. "It’s a long story," she muttered dismissively. "What about Riya? Is she alright?"

Eugen rolled his eyes with a dramatic shake of his head. "That drama queen just wanted the spotlight. There is nothing wrong with her, just a bit too pampered for her own good."

He slung his medical bag over his shoulder. "Alright, I’m off. Don’t forget to sing my praises to your husband," he added with a teasing smirk before strolling out of the room.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Zara couldn’t help but chuckle under her breath. It amazed her how someone as warm and lighthearted as Eugen could be close friends with Nathaniel.

Her gaze dropped to the strip of tablets resting in her palm. ’Should I take these?’

She hadn’t told Eugen about the pregnancy. The risk was too great. If he found out, he’d inform Nathaniel without delay. And that was something she wasn’t ready to deal with yet.

"I shouldn’t take this without checking with a gynaecologist first."

Just as Zara slid the strip of tablets into the drawer beside her bed, a knock echoed through the room. She turned her head, expecting maybe Helga again, but instead, Riya strode in.

"How shameless can you be?" she sneered. "Still clinging to Nathaniel like some desperate woman? Don’t you have an ounce of self-respect? You know very well he doesn’t love you. Why are you still here?"

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