New World with Four Husbands

Chapter 419: Zaque’s request [2]

Coco and Zaque walked through the rear of the house, their footsteps treading carefully on the path that led towards the small gazebo hidden in the corner of the property.

The soft evening breeze whispered through the surrounding trees, casting a peaceful ambiance over the space as the duo made their way towards their chosen destination.

Coco felt tense, but she’s sure that she will steel herself on how to get through this— she did accept his request after all.

Then, Zaque cleared his throat, immediately capturing Coco’s attention and as he spoke, the atmosphere grew heavy with tension, the mention of Alhai’s name causing Coco’s shoulders to tense involuntarily.

"I heard what happened with Alhai." He began cautiously, his voice measured and serious.

Coco’s face paled slightly as the memory of the incident flickered through her mind, the tension in her body increasing at the mere mention of his name.

She remained silent, waiting for Zaque to continue.

Zaque kept his gaze fixed on the ground as they walked, his words laced with a hint of frustration and confusion.

"He.. Kissed you." He stated, his voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and disdain. "And when we asked him why, he couldn’t give us a clear answer."

The memory of the event hung heavy in the air, the uncertainty of Alhai’s actions and words leaving a palpable shroud of discomfort around Zaque— mostly because he was quite confused about what Alhai wanted.

Coco’s heart quickened, the revelation stirring up emotions once again within her.

"Oh..." There was a hint of disappointment in her voice, as if a small part of her had been secretly hoping for a clear explanation from Alhai, but the fact that he hadn’t provided one left a lingering sense of dissatisfaction.

Coco’s response was laced with a tinge of resignation and Zaque listened carefully, a frown etching itself onto his face as he processed her words.

An unsettling feeling churned in his stomach, a sense of unease that came from witnessing the expected reaction from Coco, but witnessing it face to face made him slightly sick.

The two soon settled into the quiet seclusion of the gazebo and Zaque’s concern deepened further.

He stole a sideway glance at Coco, his gaze fixated on her expressionless face, silently wondering what thoughts were passing through her mind.

Coco’s voice broke the silence that had settled over them first, her words striking like a dagger straight into Zaque’s heart.

"Look.. I consider you and the others as my friends." She started, the words causing a pang of pain to course through Zaque’s chest. "But... what Alhai did confused me.. A lot more than I would like to admit."

The mention of Alhai’s name caused Zaque’s hand to grip the end of his shirt subtly, the memory of his actions still fresh in his mind.

Coco pressed on, her voice tinged with a mixture of confusion and frustration as she voiced out the question that had been gnawing at her mind. "He hated me, didn’t he? So why did he kiss me? Was it just to play tricks on me?"

Each word seemed to echo in the enclosed space of the gazebo, the weight of the question lingering in the air like a heavy cloud.

Zaque, his heart heavy with different emotions, remained silent, his expression tense as he waited for Coco’s next word, but Coco fell silent after asking the question that had plagued her, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she wrestled with her emotions.

Zaque, knowing that he was perhaps crossing on a delicate subject, decided to break the silence.

"I know it’s not my place to say this." He began, his voice gentle yet determined. "But Alhai... he doesn’t hate you anymore."

Coco’s eyes lifted to meet Zaque’s gaze, her frown deepening upon hearing his words— because what does he mean that Alhai doesn’t hate her?

However, before she could react, Zaque pushed ahead.

"I know it’s also not my place to make this request," he said, pausing for emphasis, his expression earnest, his voice dripping with desperation. "But please.. Don’t avoid us."

The sincerity in his eyes showed the raw emotions he was struggling to contain, the desire for everything to go back to normal and the pain of her distance evident in his tone.

Coco stared at Zaque, her heart rate quickening with each syllable he uttered.

Strangely, a wave of warmth washed over her and an unfamiliar fluttering sensation stirred on the pit of her stomach, as if her heart were suddenly a host to a swarm of butterflies.

She found herself uncharacteristically embarrassed, her eyes wide as she tried to make sense of the unexpected wave of emotions surging through her.

The words "don’t avoid us" echoed in her mind, a silent plea and an invitation all at once, then Zaque’s voice, steady and firm, sliced through the air once again, continuing his appeal, not giving Coco a second to breathe.

"We like you, too.. And well, it hurts to see you avoiding us." He confessed, his words laced with the weight of her absence.

He shared his pain openly, the confession revealing the deep affection they felt for her and the hurt caused by her continued distance, but knowing Coco, he knows that she wouldn’t get what he actually meant.

Zaque’s eyes never wavered from her face, his gaze intense as he spoke, informing her of their longing and concern for her.

"Yes, Alhai did something unspeakable." He added, the irritation evident in his voice. "And I’m trying to beat him over it— by letting him do different house chores that are difficult for him to handle."

The loud plea in his words, a desperate desire for things to return to normal, pulled on Coco’s heartstrings, and maybe— just maybe, there was something else.

"Okay.." Coco mumbled, finding herself agreeing and giving in to Zaque’s wishes for everything to be alright between all of them.

"It’s fine with me, but please do your best, too."