Qiara slammed her phone onto the bed, breathing hard. Her chest rose and fell, not only from anger but also from the overwhelming pressure constricting it. The call had been ended unilaterally. That man truly had no manners, even after doing something this insane.
“How dare he...” Qiara muttered as hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn’t just sit around doing nothing. If Zacky refused to listen to her over the phone, then she would make that arrogant man listen to her in person.
Without thinking twice, Qiara snatched up her car keys. She didn’t care that she looked a mess, with puffy eyes and slightly disheveled hair. She had to go to Zacky’s office right now. She had to call off this crazy marriage, no matter what it took.
Half an hour later, Qiara’s car came to a sudden stop in front of the magnificent office building owned by Zacky. She stormed into the lobby, ignoring the puzzled looks from the receptionists who knew her as their boss’s sister-in-law.
“Is Mr. Zacky inside?” Qiara asked sharply, addressing Zacky’s secretary, who still looked shaken after being reprimanded by her boss earlier.
“He is, Ms. Qiara, but—” Qiara didn’t listen. She shoved open the door to Zacky’s office without knocking.
“Zacky! Come out right now—” Qiara’s voice suddenly caught in her throat.
The scene inside was nothing like she had imagined. There were no stacks of documents being frantically worked on. Zacky wasn’t yelling at anyone. He sat with his back to the door, gazing out at the city through the large window, but he was holding a small silver photo frame in his hand.
Zacky didn’t turn around when Qiara entered, though he must have known who had dared to barge into his office.
“Zacky...” Qiara’s voice softened, her anger evaporating slightly and giving way to confusion.
Zacky slowly turned around. His face, usually cold as ice, now looked haggard. His eyes were empty, but when he saw Qiara, a flash of pain appeared there—a glimpse he rarely allowed anyone to see. He set the photo frame on the desk. It held a portrait of Laras, her cheerful older sister, laughing freely in Zacky’s arms.
“Why are you here, Qia?” Zacky’s voice was hoarse, far removed from the shouting tone he had used on the phone earlier.
Qiara looked at the photo, then at Zacky.
“I’m here to protest. I want to tell you that I don’t want to marry you. I have Dewa, and I can’t betray my own feelings!” Zacky stood and walked toward the window, turning his back to her again.
“Dewa doesn’t matter, Qiara.”
“Dewa matters to me! Why are you so selfish? Don’t you have a heart? You could even smile in that photo with Laras, but now you’re trying to destroy your own little sister’s life!” Zacky gave a bitter laugh, the sound filled with unbearable bitterness.
“A heart? Do you think I have one after all this, Qiara?”
“If you have a heart, please call off this marriage!” Qiara stepped closer and gripped Zacky’s shirt sleeve.
“Tell Dad I refuse!”
Zacky turned to her and stared deeply into her eyes. There was profound sadness in his gaze, something that left Qiara stunned.
“Do you think I want to marry you because I want to?” Zacky asked softly, almost in a whisper.
“Then why?! If this isn’t what you want, why don’t you refuse?!”
Zacky let out a long sigh, then walked back to his desk. He opened the bottom drawer and took out an old cream-colored envelope, its corners slightly worn. He tossed it onto the desk in front of Qiara.
“Read it, Qiara. Read your sister’s last will yourself.”
Qiara frowned. Her hands trembled as she picked up the envelope. A last will? Hadn’t Laras died in a sudden accident? Why was there a will? Qiara pulled out the paper inside. Laras’s beautiful, neat handwriting immediately met her eyes.
‘To my beloved husband, Zacky. If you’re reading this, it means I’ve gone ahead of you. Zacky, I know you’ll be devastated, but please don’t let your heart turn to ice. I have one last request before I’m truly gone...’
Qiara turned the paper over, her eyes widening as she read the next sentence. Her heart seemed to stop beating.
‘I want you to take care of my little sister, Qiara. I want you to marry her after I’m gone.’
Qiara looked up, her face deathly pale.