Chapter 2

The escort

Elizabeth Walters ~

~Heartbreak could be lived with if it weren't accompanied by regret~

My heart felt like it had just been broken into a thousand pieces. My heart was throbbing, and my soul was broken. I didn't deserve any of what I was getting. I have been a good person, always looking out for everyone. Well, at least I tried my best.

How did I not see it? How did I not notice what was going with them? How did I miss this? Why did I let them fool me this much?

I kept walking and walking like I had no destination.

I was already drenched in the rain. Every part of my body, every inch of my skin, was wet to the core. I couldn't hold back my tears from crashing down. Why did they have to do this to me?

My heart is heavy.

I paused in my steps, looking up to the sky while the rain splatters on my face,

“WHY!!” I yelled out loud, pouring all my pent-up emotions.

The sky seemed to sympathize with me as it rained even heavier.

“Why did this have to happen to me? Why am I so unfortunate?”

I fell to my knees as I sobbed, Why me? I couldn’t stop crying.

I wrapped my arms around my knees as I wept. I wept because I truly loved him. I loved her, but they betrayed me. I took Olivia to be my sister. I told her everything about me. I took her as my soulmate, but what did I get in return?

Betrayal!

“Izzie! Elizabeth! Elizabeth!” I heard someone call out my name, but I couldn’t care less. I just wanted to cry. I wanted to keep crying in the rain, and I want it to wash all my tears. I want the shower to pass today’s memory away.

I suddenly felt an arm wrapped around my body, bringing me closer to her as she rubbed my back soothingly

“It’s alright, Izzie, it’s alright.” She said as she rubbed my back while I cried.

I slowly looked up to see who was holding me. It was Hazel. She was getting soaked in the rain because of me.

Her Hazel eyes stared back at me, and she smiled softly

“Come on, let’s go.” She says, standing up and also pulling me up.

I wiped my face as I walked with her. She has parked her car by the roadside.

“I am wet. I wouldn’t want to bother you.” I tell her, she scoffed as soon as she heard what I said.

“Come on, hop in.” She says as she gets into the car. I took a deep breath, wiping the strands of wet hair that had fallen to my face away. I opened the car door and got in, strapping the seatbelt around my body while I stared out the windshield.

I felt empty.

Hazel turned on the ignition of the car and drove away. I caught her glancing at me a few times. I know she is dying to get an explanation to the questions bugging her mind. After all, it is Hazel. But I am grateful that she hasn’t asked me any questions.

I watched as the droplets of the rain splattered against the windshield. I shut my eyes close, but I was soon attacked with the image of her wrapped around his torso.

“Elizabeth,” Hazel called out to me softly. I felt her plans graze my hands lightly and opened my eyes, turning slightly to look at her.

“We have arrived.” She says quietly. I looked out and saw that we were indeed outside my home.

I let out a sigh and looked at her, “Thank you.” I whispered, attempting to open the door, but she stopped me.

“I’ll be sleeping here with you tonight.” She says I stopped in my tracks.

“What?”

“You heard me, I will be sleeping here tonight, and you have no say about that.” She stated confidently.

I got down from the car, not willing to argue about anything.

I walked to the gates, slowly pushing the iron bars in so I could walk in. My feet were heavy. I felt my throat tighten as I walked into the building. Every step I take took me ten times back to when I got here earlier.

I shakily reached for the door handle, but I couldn’t find it in me to actually open the door. My hands felt like they had a mind of their own. Hazel surprisingly placed her hand against mine. I had not noticed she was here with me. Hazel looked at me. A tiny smile enveloped her lips as she pulled the door open.

I inhaled deeply and stepped into the house with Hazel behind me.

I stopped abruptly to see the entire house empty. There was nothing left for me.

A lone tear fell from my eyes as I looked around. They left me drained.

“What? What’s going on? Did burglars break in here?” Hazel says frantically as she looked around.

“Where is Liam? We have to call him.” She tells me as she ran into the room, still looking at everywhere

I shut the door behind me and fell to my knees, wrapping my arms around my knees and cried.

“Izzie,” Hazel called out my name. I could see her walking towards me. She crouched down on her knees, touching me on the shoulders.

“What’s going on?”

I sniffed, wiping my tears, and looked at her

“He left with Olivia.”

“He left with Olivia? To where?” She asked, but I couldn’t find it in me to talk. I could only produce more tears.

She finally seemed to connect the dots and gasped

“Don’t tell me…Don’t tell me he is with Olivia.” She said I could tell she was going through the first part, which is ‘Denial.’

I went through three stages of heartbreak when I saw them together.

Denial.

Anger.

Bargaining.

Never in my twenty-four years of living did It ever cross my mind that Liam would cheat on me and that too, with my best friend.

If an outsider told me, I would flat out deny it and defend them. I have always had her back, his back.

I trusted them with my life.

When Liam had begun to ask me out, I refused initially, but Olivia convinced me. She made me see reasons and told me not to lose ‘this man who loved me earnestly.’

I thought it was because she was looking out for me. After all, she loved me and wanted me to be loved.

I felt Hazel wrap her hands around me, pulling me closer to her, and rubbed my back soothingly. I held unto her clothe and cried.

“It will get better from here. I promise it will get better.” She told me and kissed my forehead.

A while later. I had stopped crying now. Hazel decided to go home and change her clothes so she will come back here.

I finally got the courage and walked into the room. I looked at the wall where I had seen the both of them and looked away.

Liam and I's pictures were still in the room. At least they left the bed and clothes for me. I slowly kicked off my shoes and placed them in a corner.

I stood straight, looking around again. I wondered how many times they have been at it in the house while I have gone to work or my parents' place.

I suddenly understand the impromptu trips Liam would suddenly take, and coincidentally, Olivia would have something planned during that time.

I didn’t think of it as anything, but now, I understand.

I gently sat down on the bed, reaching out, and picked the picture frame sitting on the bed stand.

It is a picture of the three of us, Elizabeth, Olivia, and Liam.

Liam and I planned to go, but Olivia insisted on joining us. Liam and I were hugging her while Olivia stood beside us, just like the third wheel.

Haha! It is funny now.

I thought she was third-wheeling us that day when, in fact? I have always been the third wheel in our relationship, and I didn’t even realize it

I placed the picture frame back where it was but instead, putting it down so I wouldn’t see the pictures.

I stood up, walking to the mirror stand, and looked at myself.

I looked like I was found in the subway lost and found.

I locked my now dry and crusty lips as I stared at my reflection.

Slowly putting my rain-washed hair into a ponytail, and started peeling the clothes off my body.

I eventually had my bath and changed into some clean clothes. While I was in the bathroom, I heard her announce that she was back.

I was done changing and now looking at my room. I began to take off the pictures of Liam and me that were hanged on the wall.

His pictures were so much that I am convinced I literally worshiped him.

I took out the trash bag and started to dump the picture frames in the bag. I was done throwing some away.

I walked towards the drawer but winced when I stepped on something.

I slowly stepped back, bending down to see what I had stepped on. I furrowed my eyebrows on seeing what it was.

Picking the shiny piece off the floor, I tilted my head sideways as I looked at it.

A Cufflink?

I couldn’t understand how a cufflink got into the house when Liam doesn’t use it.

I toyed with it in my fingers while I pondered as to how it got to the room when something caught my eye.

The Cufflink had someone’s initials on it ‘Z.’

“Elizabeth! Are you okay?” Hazel says as she walked into the room.

I turned to look at her and nodded

“I saw this in the room and was wondering how it got here,” I tell her, showing her what I had in my hands.

“It is probably Liam’s.” She says dismissively, walking towards the bed and sat down.

I looked at the piece of jewelry again and suddenly remember who might own it.

The man from the police station. It had to have come off when we bumped into each other.

I placed the Cufflink on the table, hoping I would give it back to the owner. I had bumped into him while it was raining, and it was entirely my fault.

Walking out of the police station, I didn’t see anything again. I was basically gone.

Hopefully I will have another chance to give him back his Cufflink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Elizabeth!"

"Elizabeth!"

"Izzie!"

Hazel called out my name repeatedly from the sitting room. I sat up, wiping my tears.

"I'm coming," I yelled back.

I walked directly to the bathroom and washed my face. I could hardly sleep at night. Every time I shut my eyes close I was reminded of the betrayal. It still seemed surreal.

My entire world revolved around Liam and Olivia. I looked forward to talking to them every time I got back from work. I looked forward to spending the day with them. I feel so empty after finding out what I did yesterday. I kept asking myself where I had gone wrong.

As a friend, as a girlfriend. Why was I not enough for Liam? Why was I not a good friend to Olivia? Maybe if I did it somehow, maybe if I could retrace my steps, then Liam wouldn't have chosen Olivia over me. Maybe if I were a better friend to Olivia, then she wouldn't have done what she did to me.

I am happy I was quick enough to get those silly thoughts out of my head. I don't believe that it is my fault they betrayed me. They were both evil.

I walked towards the door and opened it. Hazel's face was engraved with worry. I could see her sigh visibly as soon as she saw me.

"Are you okay? I thou-"

We paused on hearing a loud, ear-deafening knock from outside. I flinched as soon as I heard it.

"What the fuck? who bangs someone's door that loud and that too, so early in the morning?" Hazel shrieked, rushing to the door, but I held her back

I had an idea of who it could be or rather who hey might be.

"It is probably Liam and Olivia," I tell her.

"Liam? Well, he definitely needs a brain reset, and I will be sure to give it to him," she tells me, jerking my hand off hers as she rushed to the door.

"Hazel!!" I called out her name, but it was too late. She had already opened the door.

"Hazel, you can wai-"

I paused on seeing the person, or rather the people knocking on the door that loud. They were about five men standing outside my apartment. The most frightening thing about them was that they were all about 6'8ft tall, extremely huge, they had the body of WWE wrestlers, and not just that, at least three of them were painted in ink. And when I mean Ink, I am talking about tattoos. Now I have nothing against tattoos but theirs. It seemed like the devil himself drew it. Their faces were as hard as a stone. Not even one of them seemed to be soft. They all had the same expression, like they were all here to collect souls for the devil.

"I'm certain you are at the wrong door, but this can e the right place, you know." Hazel leaned by the door. I could tell she had gotten her Hazel charm in action. The only problem is that they do not care.

"Are you Elizabeth Walters?" One of them spoke up.

"Y-Yes, how may I help you?' I asked timidly

"We have been asked to deliver this to you, you have five days to repay your loan, and you must not exceed that day." The man says as he passed a brown envelope to me.

"Loan? what are you talking about.?" I asked. I was getting confused already, I collected the envelope from him, still waiting for him to speak, but they just walked away.

"What was that about? what loan did you get from them? those people are dangerous, Izzie." Hazel warned as we walked back into the house.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I opened the envelope. I thought Liam was joking. I already knew the loan I apparently borrowed from them. I should have known already.

I sat down on the floor after reading the content in the envelope. I had no other thing to do than cry.

Liam and Olivia really made sure to leave me bankrupt. They made sure I will be done, and well, they succeeded.

"Hey, Elizabeth. what's wrong?' Hazel worriedly asked, snatching the letter from my hands and read it.

"This is real? You are owing those loan sharks money?" She asked, sitting down on the floor too. I wiped my tears and shook my he4ad.

I began to explain everything that happened, starting from me getting home na seeing Olivia and Liam fuking each other brain's out to me finding out Liam proposed to Olivia, who is currently expecting Liam's child, and me getting arrested for assaulting her.

I still cannot believe all of this happened in just one day. It still seemed surreal, but then again, it did happen, and this is the proof.

Liam was not contented with taking everything in the house, nor was he satisfied with taking the money I was saving for dad's treatment. He had to borrow 5,000$ from this loan shark that I have to pay back within five days. If not, I am dead meat.

Isn't my life going great?

I wiped the tears that fell to my cheeks just as I finished explaining everything to Hazel, who, of course, couldn't believe it at first.

"That son of a bitch! I can't believe what he did to you, oh my goodness. I am so sorry you are going through this. No one deserves this and especially you." She tells me as she hugged me tightly.

"Olivia has always been a very sneaky person. I didn't like her vibes, but I never expected this from her or Liam, but I know for a fact that this won't last." She says

"This isn't the time for you to be weak. We need to think about the current situation, and those loan sharks are the worst. Even if you run away from them, they will find you and make you pay. Liam has done what he can, and he will surely suffer for what he did to you, but for now, we have to think about solving the issue."

"I have nothing. I am drained already, so they might as well take me because I have no way to pay them back." I stated, leaning back against the wall.

"How much did he lend from those people?"

"5,000$." I responded, watching as her eyes widen on hearing the amount.

She began to calculate and then sighed. "I only have 700$, and that cannot cover anything," She says, also leaning against the wall.

I am touched that she is willing to help but let's face it, there is no way in the world that I can pay 5000$ within five days.

We sat down on the floor with our back against the wall for at least thirty minutes in silence until Hazel broke the ice.

"I have an idea of something you can do." She tells me, facing me excitedly.

"What do you mean?"

"Listen to this, I met an old high school friend of mine last week, and she told me something she is doing to sustain herself. I don't know how you might receive it but think about it." She tells me, her eyes searching mine for some approval to go ahead, so I nodded

"What do you think about being an escort? Wait. I know what you will say, ut listen to me first before deciding. My friend told me she earns up to 1000$ in a night, and all she does is follow the man to the event as his date for the night and comes back home. nothing sexual involved."

"Is this a joke? she only goes with them for an event and becomes a thousand dollars richer?" I asked, wondering where she got this particular fanfic.

"I know what you are thinking, Izzie, but I am serious. I searched it up when I got home, and it is real. She only accompanies them for the event and gets paid, nothing sexual at all, just a company for the event." She says again, trying so hard to convince me about it.

"I'll think about it."

"I am serious Elizabeth, you can also search it up but do it fast, we don't have time, and I don't want you to face the brutality of these loan sharks, so please choose wisely."

How is it possible to be an escort? Just go with them to the event and get paid? It seemed UNREAL.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zane Creed

"Listen, Kid. I want you to witness this! I want this stuck in your memory as long as you shall live! I want your life filled with indescribable pain!"

"Let him go. He isn't who you are after! leave him!"

The air raid sirens wailed in closer and closer. Everyone scrambled as the sirens got closer. A loud horrendous noise tore through the barrel.

                                                                ***

Eyes snapped open. Panting hard in the dimly lit room, every part of my body was drenched in sweat. The apartment was silent, except for the alarm clock ticking away. I stretched a bit and picked the clock. At the same time. 4 am on the dot.

I sat up, draping my hands over my head. This is the fourth time this week.

I stood up, walking directly into the bathroom, stripped off my damp pajamas, and stepped inside the shower, turning the water to cold.

I leaned forward, placing my hands against the wall as the water ran through my back.

Mission successful. The memory of that night, The image is forever stuck in my mind.

I got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist, and walked out of the bathroom. I turned on the lights in the room as I walked in. I glanced at the bed and sighed. It was all wet again from sweat.

I walked over to my closet. Pulling out a fresh set of pajamas and were it, running my hands through my hair as I walked downstairs. I have never been able to make it past four am in the morning before waking up, covered in sweat.

I massaged the nape of my neck as I walked into the kitchen, walking directly to the coffee machine. I wouldn't be able to sleep again even I tried to.

I walked out of the kitchen with the coffee mug in my hands. Walking to the terrace, I pulled the door open and walked out.

The chilly air sent a shiver down my spine. It was not bright yet, but everywhere was lit with lights. In times like this, I become grateful that I stay in New York. The view is simply breathtaking.

I sat down on the chair and took a sip of the coffee in my hands. I relaxed into the chair as I stared into space.

Soon it was daybreak. I walked back into the house and towards my room, bath and changed into more suitable clothing for work. I was done dressing and walked downstairs when I saw Markel walking into the apartment.

"Good morning, sir."

"You shouldn't have bothered. I would have gotten there anyway." I tell him. It's been years since the incident, but he still makes sure he comes to the apartment before heading to work.

"You will always be my top priority, sir." He tells me I didn't know how to receive that, so I nodded.

"We should head to work now," I said and walked out of the apartment, taking the elevator downstairs.

I have known Markel for almost five years now. He has always been there for me, even though it isn't part of his job description. Markel's father might be my father's arch-enemy, but Markel has always fulfilled his duties even more. Even though I treat him the same way I treat other employees, I am glad I have Markel, who checks up on me every morning.

We got to work and walked into the company. There is a sense of fulfillment I get when I look at what I have achieved even with all that has happened. I could only hope she is proud of me.

I walked into my office, going straight to the table.

"What do I have today?" I asked Markel as I sat down.

"You have a meeting with Zic cosmetics scheduled for 10 am today, It should last two hours, and after that, you have lunch with Mr. Cartel and Miss Eliana, also an interview with Dispatch for four pm."

"Alright, get me in on today's work," I tell him as I got settled, he began to walk away, but I stopped him.

"Also, don't forget the--"

"IPad and coffee, got it, sir." He replies and walks away.

A light smile made its way to my lips. I always asked for the Ipad every morning so that I could check the business news for today.

A few minutes later, Markle walked in with the Ipad and Starbucks coffee. Placing the coffee on the table and passed me the Ipad, which I immediately swiped open.

I could see the golden grin formed on the corner of his lips as I checked in with the news.

TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD, BILLIONAIRE/ BUSINESS TYCOON. ZANE CREED HAS BEATEN THE LIKES OF NATASHA TAYLOR, RICHARD MOFURE, MOHAMMED KUMAR, AND OTHERS TO BECOME THE NO. 1 BUSINESS TYCOON IN THE WORLD WITH NETWORTH US$200.5 BILLION. ZANE IS KNOWN AS THE FOUNDER OF AINSOFT AND WHITE ORIGIN ( THE WORLD'S LARGEST GAME COMPANY). Click here for more info...

I tossed the IPad on the table, standing up, and walked towards the window. I sighed as I looked out the window. I could see the city from here. It was absolutely magnificent from up here.

"You don't seem happy, sir. you have just been announced as the No.1 business tycoon in the world, but I don't see any atom of happiness on your face."

I inhaled deeply and looked at him. "Can you please get the meeting room ready? It is almost 10 am."

I could hear his footsteps retreat slowly till the door got shut.

I should be happy, right? I am now the 'IT' business tycoon in the world, I should be beaming with happiness, but I am the opposite. I couldn't celebrate it because I did not deserve it after what I have done.

My name is Zane Creed, CEO, and owner of the world's largest gaming company. A twenty-seven-year-old man with a broken soul. 

"Sir." I heard Markel call out for me and spunned around to look at him. I did not know he was already in the room.

"You're back," I say as I walked back to my seat.

"Yes, sir, The businessman of the year event is happening tomorrow, sir, and you have been sent an invite." He says.

"Award show and all that bullshit? send a message to them that I won't be attending."

"I'm afraid you will have to attend this, sir. Your Father has mandated it, and you can't miss it."

I sighed, knowing just how difficult he is.

'Alright, I'll attend it." I replied dismissively.

"There are two invites, sir. who would you like to invite."

I paused to look at him. Who else am I supposed to go with? "You, of course," I replied and continued with my work.

"Umm, sir, I actually have plans for tomorrow night." He stated

"Should I send the ask Miss Emerald, if she will be willing--' 

"Please don't. Find someone, anyone but not Emerald." I say, dismissing that idea from his mind. Emerald is like a chatterbox. She would keep talking till I run out of patience, and these days, my patience level is so slim.

'Very well, sir." He walks out of the office, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

If there is something that I have come to understand with my father, he only wants me at the event to boast about raising an 'IT' businessman—nothing else.

I glanced at the picture lying on the corner of my table, reaching out to it.

I smiled sadly as I looked at the small frame in my hands. Can you ever forgive me? Even though I don't deserve forgiveness.