Chapter Seventeen: The Cracks Begin to Show
Angel slept badly again.
She kept turning and twisting, waking up at every small sound. At one point, she thought she heard footsteps outside her door… but when she opened her eyes, the hallway was silent.
By the time dawn came, her head felt heavy.
She walked downstairs, rubbing her hands together, The house was quiet, too quiet. No cartoon noise. No clattering toys. Well it was too early for those mini humans to wake up, They were still asleep, and Zahid… he wasn't in the living room.
Her heart dipped a little at that thought.
She'd heard his door open, heard his footsteps when he was on the hallway, heard him open the kids room, to check up on them and open hers, for reasons she didn't know and really didn't want to venture into, right now, and for that reason she'd played asleep, and for what felt like dozens of seconds before he finally left, deeply exhaling as he shut the door, and with that exhaling, she thinks that maybe... Just maybe, he was aware, she was faking being asleep.
She pushed open the kitchen door.
He was there.
Sitting at the table in the dim light, elbows on his knees, head bowed. Like he'd been up long before dawn.
His posture was tense. His shoulders stiff. And his jaw clenched in a way that immediately made her stomach tighten.
He didn't hear her come in.
"Zahid?" she whispered.
He straightened instantly, a little too fast. Like someone caught off guard. His eyes rose to hers, and for a second, she saw something raw.
Fear.
Or anger.
Or both.
Then it disappeared.
"You're awake early," he said, voice low, controlled.
Angel nodded. "I couldn't sleep."
He gave a short hum, his fingers drumming on the table. It wasn't a calm rhythm, it was the rhythm of someone trying to think, trying to calculate something.
Angel took a breath.
"Did you sleep?"
"No."
"Again?"
His silence was an answer.
She stepped closer. "Zahid… what's going on?"
He lifted his head slowly, eyes unreadable. "Nothing you should worry about."
Her chest tightened.
There it was again.
The wall. The barrier he always put between them whenever she tried to ask real questions.
She sat across from him, folding her arms on the table. "I'm already worried."
He said nothing.
She tried again, her voice barely above a whisper. "Zahid, ever since that message came in, when we wanted to do, you know what… things. . . things have been strange. You've been strange. You check the cameras more than you sleep. You don't leave your phone, always carrying it around. There's something you're not telling me."
His jaw twitched.
A small, sharp reaction.
One she wasn't meant to see.
Angel swallowed. "What's going on? Please."
Zahid stared at the table for a long moment… then let out a slow breath.
A defeated one.
"Angelina…" he said softly, "you don't need more problems right now. Let me handle it."
Her eyes burned. "But it concerns my children. It concerns my house. Doesn't that mean I should know?"
"uhmmn.... are you in some kinda of trouble?
" is it your business?
" what exactly is the problem "
His gaze shone conflicting emotions. " No! No. Don't go thinking something else, it's something entirely different and. . . and If I tell you… you won't sleep. You won't eat. You'll panic, and you know I'm right and I don't want you panicking, I don't want you stressed more than you already are."
"I'm already panicking!" she snapped suddenly. Her voice bounced off the walls. "I feel like I'm losing my mind in my own home. Things change when I'm not looking. Footsteps wake me up at night. I feel like I'm being watch. And you're always on edge, and that freaks me out more!."
He looked down.
His silence was too heavy.
Angel's voice cracked. "Zahid… I need you to tell me something, anything, please! ."
For the first time since he returned into her life, Zahid looked uncertain.
Before he could speak, a soft creak echoed from the hallway.
Angel turned sharply.
Zahid was already standing.
His movement was so fast she barely saw it—he positioned himself between her and the door, shoulders squared, eyes alert.
"Stay behind me," he said quietly.
Angel's breath caught. "Zahid...."
"Angelina."
His tone left no room for argument.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Small.
Mara.
The little girl peeked in, rubbing her eyes with her tiny fists. "Mommy…"
Angel exhaled a shaky breath of relief.
Zahid… did not relax.
He went to Mara, lifting her gently. "What are you doing awake, princess?"
"Bad dream," she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder.
He held her a second longer than necessary before giving her to Angel.
Angel kissed her hair. "You're safe, baby."
Zahid stepped back. "I'll get her some water."
But that wasn't the only thing he did.
Angel watched him walk to the sink… then check the window latch.
Then the back door lock.
Then the security panel.
Again.
He did this every morning.
Every night.
Every time something made a sound.
Something inside Angel twisted painfully, she didn't like this feeling one bit.
Deep down she knew Zahid wasn't being paranoid.
He was preparing.
Preparing for something.
What exactly he's preparing is what she'll make sure she gets him to spill.
Mara shifted in Angel's arms. "Daddy Zaid?" she mumbled sleepily.
Angel froze.
So did Zahid.
His hand stilled on the lock.
Slowly… he turned.
Their eyes met.
Something unspoken passed between them. They could feel the undercurrent pass through them. It was both dangerous and fragile all at once.
He walked back to them, crouching so he was eye-level with Mara.
"I'm here, princess," he said softly. "Always."
The little girl touched his cheek with small fingers and smiled sleepily.
Zahid swallowed hard.
Angel saw the emotion he tried to to keep in check
And for the first time…
for the first time in years… Since he left her.
She somewhat believed him.
But then
His phone vibrated sharply on the table.
Zahid reached for it quickly, but Angel saw the notification before he could lock the screen.
ROUND 2 – LOCATION UPDATE AVAILABLE
Her breath froze in her throat.
Zahid's face changed.
Just for a second.
Cold.
Focused.
Ready.
Angel clutched Mara tighter.
"Zahid," she whispered, voice trembling. "What… what is Round 2?"
He didn't answer.
He simply stood, eyes darkening with a dangerous calm she had never seen before.
And in that single quiet moment…
Angel knew something with absolute certainty.
Their was a huge problem.