Thrown Away

Liora’s POV

My tears hadn’t stopped when the door opened and Vivienne walked in with some male servants.

‘What are you doing in my room, Vivienne?’ I stood up, wiping the tears from my face.

‘I’m afraid this is no longer your room.’ Sir looked at the papers I held in my hand and smiled. ‘Seems your services are no longer needed here, wife.’

I turned to see the men taking out my clothes and bags. ‘No, I can take out my things myself-‘

‘There’s no time for begging. And I’m glad Sebastian finally came to his senses.’

‘Vivienne, just tell them to stop,’ I tried to stop the men but they were larger than me.

‘Hurry up and clear this place out,’ Vivienne ordered the men. ‘Bastian and I are going out for dinner tonight. I don’t want any distractions or unwanted baggage.’

I watched in horror as the men took out everything I owned.

The men were polite enough to escort me through the front entrance. Outside, the gates were open, and people were watching.

Drivers, a few curious neighbors, and the staff; most people I didn't know. I could swear I saw Giselle among them.

‘Isn’t that Sebastian Carvers’ wife?’ I heard someone ask.

‘Ex-wife, you mean,’ another person corrected. ‘It’s on the news.’

How did the gossip column carry the news so fast, I wondered.

My chest tightened as my suitcases hit the pavement and the men went back in, with no one to stop them or defend me.

The gates closed behind me with a final metallic clang, sealing my disgrace in front of the world. There was only one place for me to return to, and it was the last place I wanted to go.

Beggars have no choice, they say. And so, within minutes, I hailed down a cab and went straight to the house I grew up in; the same place Helena and Camille had made sure I had stayed locked in.

Once the house came into view, all the terrible memories came back to me; those memories I thought I had successfully suppressed. Memories of me being Camille’s personal maid, Helena commenting on how ugly I looked, my father sitting by not able to say a word as they both mocked me until the tears flooded my face…

I didn’t want to go in there, but I had no choice. The few servants who were in the house looked surprised to see me, and were reluctant to take my bags.

The living room was still the same as I remembered, with only framed pictures of Father, Helena, and Camille. The only surviving picture of me was taken down just before I got married to Sebastian.

Sebastian… it hurt to even think about him. Did he know I was gone? Was he comfortable not seeing me ever again?

I guess that wasn’t a sensible question to ask, since he was the one who served me the divorce papers.

‘Look who’s finally back,’ Camille’s voice echoed from across the living room.

I looked in the direction of her voice and saw her coming down the stairs one pace at a time. Her lips were curled into a sneer and her flat grey eyes seemed to look past me.

Typical Camille look.

‘Hi Camille,’ I couldn’t even look her eye to eye.

She smirked when she saw my bags. ‘Honestly, I thought you’d be back sooner, but you stayed longer than I expected.’

‘Well, you got your wish,’ I shrugged.

‘Oh please. The last thing I want to see right now is that ugly face of yours.’

‘I want to go see father,’ I said. ‘What hospital is he in?’

‘St. Mary’s,’ she replied with absolute nonchalance. ‘His surgery was scheduled for today, you know.’

My heart stuttered.

‘Today?’ I repeated.

Camille nodded, pretending to inspect her nails. ‘Early this morning. My mother’s already there.’

Of course, she was. Reginald’s words echoed in my head. Forty percent chance of survival…

‘Why didn’t anyone call me?’ My hands trembled slightly.

Camille laughed softly. ‘Why would we? You were busy ruining your marriage.’

‘I’m his daughter,’ I said in a quiet tone. ‘I have a right to be there.’

Camille’s smile widened. ‘Rights are funny things, Liora. They disappear when you stop being useful.’

I slumped on a chair clutching my phone in my hands. Camille walked past me and out of the house, leaving me alone in blissful silence.

‘Please be okay dad,’ I whispered into thin air. ‘Please.’

He was a fighter; he would pull through. I tried to believe with all my heart that he would be okay.

‘Excuse me,’ someone tapped my shoulder.

I looked up to see it was one of the servants.

I cleared my throat. ‘Yes?’

‘A gentleman is outside; he asked me to give you this.’ She gave me a small black box.

My heart did a little flip as I received the box. I almost forgot how to breathe as I opened it and saw the blue sapphires blinking in the light at me.

‘Who brought this?’ I asked the servant again.

‘A man. Tall, quite handsome. He didn’t say much, just said I give this to Liora.’

Sebastian.

I darted out of the living room, hoping to catch him before he left. But I was too late, and only the silence, and the distant sound of the car driving away greeted me outside. What would I have even said to him if I did see him? That I was sorry again? That he should take me back?

As I stood outside, my phone buzzed. I looked at the caller ID and my heart sank as I saw it was an unknown number.

‘Hello?’ I answered the call.

‘Is this Liora Bennett?’ A professional voice asked over the phone.

‘Yes,’ I swallowed.

‘This is St. Mary’s hospital. Your father was taken into surgery this morning here…’

‘Yes yes,’ I tried to keep calm. ‘How is he? Did the surgery go well…’

‘There were complications during the procedure, your stepmother wishes we also inform you…’

The world tilted.

‘What kind of complications?

The man didn’t reply immediately; rather there was a pause that stretched the tension as if they were deciding on their choice of words.

‘You need to come immediately. He’s not looking good.’

I didn’t know when my phone fell from my hand, Reginald’s words still ringing in my head:

Forty percent chance of survival.