My Darling Zee,
I hope you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. I’ve done too many terrible things to get through this on my own. I need you. Now, more than ever, I need you.
I had my eyes opened today. It’s like they closed when you left and my world became darkness, but they’re open now and I see more clearly than ever. The man I thought I loved was a liar and a fraud. Everything that was between us was built on lies and suffering. He told me how he manipulated me and you. He confessed to his role in separating us. I didn’t know. I swear. Neither did my father or my brother. We’ve all been betrayed by someone who wormed his way into our family. And when he had our trust, he struck. I realize I’m not making much sense, but I’m shaking as I write this, and my mind is a mess.
I’ve done terrible things, Ziad. I can’t even bring myself to write about the most recent, and it doesn’t matter because it was deserved. But the thing that hurts me most is that I didn’t come to find you. I should have gone to Cairo. I should have been with you for your trial. But I was lied to. I was told you didn’t want me. I should have known that wasn’t true. When you found me at that restaurant, I knew you still loved me. The look in your eyes hadn’t changed. I should have known what we have will last forever. And I treated you so poorly. I’m ashamed that I said you were a homeless stranger. I should have gone with you, but I didn’t know. I didn’t know the truth and for that I’m sorry, but I hope there’s still a chance for us to fix things. I hope you can forgive me, because the only thing I want is for us to be together.
Jack confessed to having set you up. He was the one who sent you to Cairo knowing you’d be arrested. He says he was instructed by a man called Elroy Lang. I don’t know him, and neither do my father or brother, and I can’t understand why a total stranger would want to hurt us, but this is the name of the man who tore us apart, who betrayed us. He told Jack to tell you we’d abandoned you. He told Jack to tell us you’d cut yourself off from us.
I hope everything that’s passed since we were parted can be laid at this man’s feet and we can shed the burdens of blame and guilt. I hope and pray you still love me and that we can pick up our old lives as though none of this happened.
I miss you. I miss all the laughs. I miss your loving touch. Come back to me.
With all my love,
Essi
Pearce folded the letter Essi had given him and put it back in the envelope. Ziad had been set up and manipulated by the very people he was now working with, people who didn’t care about the suffering they inflicted in pursuit of their goals. Pearce felt his anger rise as he pocketed the envelope and left the quiet galley area to join the others.