Chapter 51: Shadows of the Past

Zara barely had time to catch her breath after her showdown with Xavier when her phone buzzed insistently in her pocket. She glanced at the screen and saw her father's name flashing. Her heart skipped a beat, and without a second thought, she picked it up and stepped out onto the balcony, the cool evening breeze brushing over her skin.

"Dad!" she said, a smile tugging at her lips. Hearing his voice, even after everything, still brought a warmth she couldn't quite explain.

They talked for a few minutes—simple pleasantries, updates on her life, his life. But soon, Zara noticed a hesitation in his voice, a faint unease that hung in the air like a shadow. Her heart tightened. She'd always been able to sense when he was hiding something. "Dad, is there… is there something you're not telling me?" she asked gently, trying to keep her voice steady.

There was a heavy pause on the other end of the line before he finally spoke, his voice quieter, almost broken. "I went to the doctor last week, Zara. They found… I have cancer."

Zara froze, her throat tightening as her mind raced, trying to process his words. She had no words—nothing that could even begin to capture the storm of emotions welling up inside her. "I… I'll see what I can do to help," she finally managed, her voice barely a whisper. She could feel the weight of his silence, the heaviness of a shared understanding hanging between them.

After they hung up, Zara stayed on the balcony, sinking down into one of the chairs and staring out at the city lights that stretched out before her. The skyline was breathtaking, but tonight, it felt hollow. Cold.

She knew she couldn't tell her sister or her mother. Even if they cared about his health, which she doubted, neither of them would be willing to help him after what he'd put them through. And, deep down, Zara understood. She remembered all too clearly the times her mother had tried to leave, the times he had hurt them—hurt all of them—when he couldn't control his anger.

There was a specific memory that came back to her, one she had tried for years to bury. She had been seven, her little sister barely four, and she'd watched her father's hands wrapped around her mother's throat. Zara could still hear their desperate pleas, the way she and her sister had begged him to stop. The raw terror, the feeling of helplessness as they'd clung to each other, not understanding why this was happening.

She shook her head, the pain of those memories clashing with the bittersweetness of the present. Despite everything, she had always had a soft spot for him—a part of her that believed he was still her father, that somewhere beneath his mistakes and anger, he was still the man who had once held her as a baby and promised to protect her. She sent him money, she stayed in touch, and she forgave him, time and again, even if she didn't know why.

She fished out her earbuds and selected her playlist of Billie Eilish songs—the ones she turned to when everything felt heavy, when her heart felt like it was sinking. As the first notes filled her ears, she leaned back in the chair, letting her gaze drift over the city. The familiar melodies swirled around her, the lyrics echoing the sadness, the confusion, the conflict she felt.

How could she feel pity for the man who had hurt them so deeply? How could she feel guilt for the life he was facing now, knowing the scars he'd left behind? The music played on, and for the first time in a long while, Zara let herself sink into the memories, the pain, the parts of her past she'd tried so hard to leave behind.

As the city lights flickered in the distance, she let out a long, shaky breath, holding on to the hope that somehow, she'd find the strength to help him, even if she didn't yet know how.