Chapter 2

It took six weeks of intense physiotherapy for Zafirah to be finally released with an 'all clear' from the hospital. Being bedridden for so long had taken a toll on her body. She had taken each day as a challenge. Getting out of room 209 was her first victory and finally being able to walk out of the hospital felt like a dream come true.

Annette had visited her often, sometimes with and sometimes without Zach. Zafirah and Annette had come to be close over the visits. Zafirah considered her to be a sister and a friend along with being her brother's fiancé. She could talk to Annette about things that she couldn’t mention to her brother.

Zafirah didn't mind Annette calling her Zafi, just as Zach did. Annette was the like a sister she always wanted and Zafirah felt proud to call Annette one of her new friends in a long time. Zafirah liked how supportive and patient Annette was about everything that she’d wanted and felt.

She had told Annette of her plan to go back to work and after an initial hesitance. Understanding her situation, Annette had agreed to help her out. As Annette herself was an extremely driven and career-oriented person, she could understand what was going through Zafirah’s mind.

Even though she was the CEO's fiancé and Zach earned more than enough for the both of them, Annette took her job and the hierarchy very seriously when she worked. In the office, they were just boss and employee. Annette loved her job, moreover she was good at it so she couldn't possibly imagine not having one.

So, a plan was formed.

Initially, Zafirah would give in to her parents’ wishes and live the life of a 'spoiled brat' as she liked to call it. Only until Mr Rodriguez was out of the hospital and healthy. In the mean time she had to convince the rest of the family that she was capable enough to handle herself. It was going to be a difficult feat but she was determined to do it.

Mr Rodriguez had already been discharged a month ago but the doctor had insisted that no pressure to be put on him. So, Zafirah had to plan her moves carefully. One wrong argument and she'd be stuck at home forever.

Zafirah would have to wait for a few months before even attempting to convince her father of how bored she would get at home and how badly she wanted to go back to work. She'd agree to do anything as long as she got to do some work.

Annette on the other hand was given the responsibility of brainwashing Zach into coming on board with the plan. It would be an easy task for her, the woman had him wrapped around her finger and could literally make him dance for her if she'd wanted to.

Zafirah had spent a month or two at the Rodriguez estate in the outskirts of the city in New York. Living with her parents was driving her crazy and she was now on the brink of insanity. Her parents not only treated her like she was made of glass, worst of all, they treated her like a teenager, made of glass.

Zafirah understood their need to keep her safe. But it was starting to get to her. She felt smothered to the extent that she thought of ways to get out of the house. She needed space. And she missed Paris dearly.

She thought that maybe she could start by asking her father whether she could move back and then once that is through, she would try to bring up the whole work situation. Her parents had no qualms of her going to Paris if she was going there on a vacation.

Even when she tried to bring up any topic even remotely related to work, her father would change the topic. So, she had decided to take the direct approach. Her father flat out refused her request to go to work. Claiming that 'Theo' had it all covered. Well, Zafirah didn't quite like the idea of this 'Theo' still doing her work.

It irked her to no end. On top of that, she'd gone to visit her old flame, Adrien Valsero, who was now happily married to a beautiful, heavily pregnant and impossible to hate red head.

Zafirah felt like her whole life had been taken over. She was no longer in control of anything. She had dreamt of waking up and Adrien being there to hold her hand and love her. But he was not. He was madly in love with Mia, his wife. She may be bitter about it but she understood.

Zafirah didn't blame him as, he did ask for her permission before he courted Mia. She remembered that day loud and clear. His words rang through the darkness, cutting her deep. Yet, she couldn't keep herself form visiting him even now. He was one of her closest friends too and they had a very string bond that she couldn’t just cut him out of her life.

He was genuinely happy that she was finally awake and Zafirah would be lying if she were to say that she felt anything but she didn’t. The first time that she saw him, after she had woken up, she was sure that whatever they had was long gone for the both of them.

The fact remained that they had lost the spark and not just now. He now looked at Mia with love. She could see the intensity behind his feelings. Feelings which she'd never managed to get from him.

Their love was not that strong, Zafirah had concluded. Or maybe it was just infatuation. Even now, it didn't hurt as much as she'd thought it would. Seeing him with his wife who she could tell was a gem of a person, she felt happy for him and wished them well.

She realized that more than missing him, she'd miss the idea of having someone whose attention was devoted to her. After crying for what seemed like days at end, she decided one fine day that she'd be happy for Adrien. She was not crying for or because of him; she was crying because of her upturned life.

It was not his fault that she'd gone into coma. In fact, he had tried everything in his power to protect her and be there for her which now she realized was more of a friendly gesture. Whatever they had was long over, even before she'd closed her eyes. She had been a terrible workaholic and they never did have much time for each other.

He had tried more than enough and to be frank, more than she did to make it last. She had given up on them and it was time for her to give him up. She was glad that he'd found Mia. She was his true love and Zafirah had accepted that.