All too late for his love

Zayn did not expect Skyler to pull a move like that.

He gawked at her in surprise. It wasn't like he could have averted his gaze when she was standing buck naked in front of him.

The irony of the moment was not wasted on him.

Skyler was his fiancée, the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with, yet he did not feel even the slightest bit of desire for her even as she bared her skin at him.

Zayn reckoned he would feel the same way about a pig hung up at the butcher's storefront.

In all fairness, Skyler's figure was as stunning as her face. Zayn simply was not attracted to her at all.

It was different with Willow.

For some reason, the control Zayn prided himself on having would always slip whenever he was around Willow.

She could have bundled herself up in layers of clothing and he would still want to tear those fabrics away so he could get a glimpse of her skin.

"Skyler..." Zayn began patiently as he bent over to pick up the jacket Skyler had discarded on the floor. He stepped forward and draped it over her chivalrously.

However, Skyler shrugged off the jacket and pressed a hand to the skin above her right hip, bitterness flashing in her misty eyes.

She took a step back and let her hand drop. "Zayn, look at me! Take a good, long look at me! I am not the woman from the video!

"I had a kidney taken out, and I have the scar to prove it. There's no way for me to remove this scar even if I wanted to.

"I've seen that video, Zayn. The woman in that video didn't have a scar at all! She couldn't have been me!

She couldn't!

"You have to believe me, Zayn! I'm innocent! Someone set me up!"

At the mention of this, Zayn's gaze flickered to the long scar that ran along the skin above Skyler's right hip.

The long scar was hard to miss.

While Zayn had not paid much attention to the video, he had seen enough to notice that the woman in the video had flawless skin, unlike Skyler.

Even if the woman in the video bore a strong resemblance to Skyler, there was no way they were the same person.

That being said, Zayn wasn't particularly elated or relieved to learn that the woman in the video was not Skyler.NôvelDrama.Org © content.

He didn't particularly care if she had slept with another man, either.

But seeing the scar that ran along her abdomen reminded Zayn of how she had stuck by him during his hardest times. He owed her for that, and he would return the favor.

"Don't worry, Skyler. I won't let anyone get away with ruining your reputation!" Zayn threw the jacket over her and covered her modesty, adding firmly, "Anyone who lays a finger on you will have me to answer to!"

"Zayn..." Skyler's tears streamed past her cheeks, seemingly moved by Zayn's promise even as sadness filled her eyes.

She sniffed and feigned a nervous look as she pointed out, "I believe the only way I can clear my name is for everyone to see this scar on me.

"I've been too proud to bare my skin to the public and show them my scar, which was why I'd rather die as a harlot than clear my name.

"But now that I've been saved, I want to keep living. Zayn, I want to lear my name. hold a press conference tomorrow and show them my scar.

"Don't worry, Zayn. I won't strip naked before the press. I'll show them the scar and nothing else.

"But do you think that's too bold of me? Will you think I'm some filthy woman who's so thick-skinned that she'd strip for anyone?"

Zayn said gravely, "I told you, Skyler. You'll always be the purest young lady I've ever met!"