Jonathan felt the fragility beneath Zee's voice, and his tone shifted immediately, becoming laced with concern.
"Are you all right? I'll take you home. Just leave your car here," Jonathan said, his eyes locked on Zee, full of care.
"No, I'm fine," Zee replied, her voice sounding far too loud to be convincing. Without waiting for a response, she hurriedly opened the car door and stepped out, stumbling slightly as if she had just been carrying an unbearable weight.
Zee hadn't made it far from the car, only a few steps. Suddenly, the strength holding her up vanished. Her body went limp, helpless, and she collapsed with a dull thud onto the concrete basement floor.
Zee's body shook violently, unable to hold it together any longer. Her sobs broke through.
Jonathan leaped out of the car without turning off the engine. He immediately knelt beside Zee and, without hesitation, pulled her into a tight embrace. Zee surrendered to the hug, all her defenses crumbling.
