Chapter 17: A disappointment
The next morning, Zara rose early. She prepared Zane for school and personally drove him there. The little boy beamed with joy, clearly delighted that his mother was dropping him off.
"Mommy, tomorrow is Saturday! Are we going to the amusement park?" he asked excitedly.
Zara replied warmly, "Of course. I haven’t forgotten. We’ll go."
She affectionately ruffled his hair.
"Yay!" Zane squealed. "I’ll tell Daddy too. All of us will go together."
Zara’s smile faltered at the mention of Nathaniel, but she quickly masked the pain behind a cheerful expression. "Daddy might be busy, sweetheart. But even if it’s just the two of us, we’ll still have a great time."
Zane nodded enthusiastically, but in his heart, he made a silent promise—he would somehow make sure his father joined them.
As they reached the school, Zara crouched in front of him and took his tiny hands in hers. "The driver will pick you up after school," she said softly. "I might not be back at the mansion tonight, but I’ll be there first thing tomorrow morning. Promise."
Zane nodded understandingly. "It’s okay, Mommy. I know you have work. I’ll be good."
Zara hugged him tightly, trying to hide the ache in her chest. His words only made her pain sharper, her throat tight with emotions.
Zane was the first to pull away from the embrace. "Okay, Mommy. I have to go now. See you tomorrow." He waved as he turned toward the school gate.