"The loss"

Asha Smith:

On that cold and dark night, I found myself in a taxi heading to my best friend's house, my only refuge. Tears streamed down my face as I watched the city lights passing by the window. Everything seemed blurry, as if my life had lost focus.

I had been kicked out of my home by my husband, the man with whom I had shared so many years of my life. I always believed that, with time, he would learn to love me the way I loved him, but all my hopes had been shattered, and my heart was broken.

As the taxi driver navigated through the city, I felt a profound emptiness within me, as if a part of my soul had been torn away. I wondered how everything had come to this point, how the love that once bloomed between us had turned into indifference and cruelty.

Finally, we arrived at my best friend Stella's house. She had always been by my side in both good and bad times, and I knew I could count on her even without saying a word.

I got out of the car, took the last pennies I had, and paid the taxi fare. Everyone in the building knew me; I had a guaranteed entrance. I entered the elevator, still lost in thought about what had just happened. Fortunately, I had remembered to grab my purse, and along with it was the key to Stella's apartment. When I opened the door, I was greeted with an embarrassing scene; she was involved with a guy, both taking advantage of the situation. Definitely, today was the day of revelations. Stella screamed and then asked,

— What are you doing here? — She walked over to me with concern, then she saw me and understood many things. She expelled the guy and then welcomed me without asking too many questions, as if she understood the pain I was carrying.

Without uttering a single word about what had happened, she offered me a warm blanket and a cup of tea. I sat in her living room, looking around and feeling grateful to have someone to trust in such a dark moment of my life.

That night, as the wind blew fiercely outside and the rain tapped against the window, Stella and I didn't need words to express our friendship. She was simply there for me, as she always had been. In the silence of that night, I found comfort and strength to face the unknown that lay ahead.

Sometimes, life throws painful twists our way, and the road ahead seems uncertain. But with true friends by our side, we find the courage to carry on, even as tears continue to fall.

In the morning, I got up, ready for what was to come... or so I thought. I got up and tidied the guest room where I had slept, performed my personal hygiene routine, and everything was brand new, to my surprise. Stella had already set the table, sitting and waiting for me. Her expression showed she was searching for answers, so I said,

— You can ask anything you want; I know you have many questions, especially since I showed up at night. —

— I know that your ogre of a husband wouldn't have let you stay here, especially given the contract issue. —

— In fact, that guy doesn't care anymore, and he never cared about me. Our marriage was never more than a contract. —

Stella looked at me with sad eyes and said, — I thought that after that night, things would get better for you. I'm so sorry; I know you accepted all of this because you truly loved him."

— Yeah, he doesn't love me. He will never love me. I will always be insufficient for him, and catching him with someone else in the bed that should have been ours nearly killed me. —

— What? — I saw my friend clench her jaw, and her eyes burned.

— Yes, that's right... and I'm going to file for divorce today. —

— Since that brainless head finds you insufficient, let's show him who you really are. Don't settle for anything less than the whole company, — she said angrily. Stella never accepted being mistreated by him.

— I will help you in this separation. It's clear how that house wasn't good for you, but you can't stay here for long. He won't leave you alone; after you become his ex-wife, he will pursue you. You know the reputation he has, — I looked at Stella and asked,

— Are you afraid of him? — She gave a wide smile and said,

— Not a bit. I want him dead. I will talk to the family lawyer; I just hope your ex-husband doesn't interfere with my father. — She was right; I had heard many things about him, including that he was a malicious man, and it wasn't good when someone crossed his path. But I would cross it; I had nothing to lose.

— You know you don't have to help me, right? — She then said,

— I want to help you. Now get up from that chair because we need to take our first step. —

Today was a very peculiar day, there was an emptiness in my chest, but a desire for revenge at every moment. Stella, my dear friend since childhood, decided it was time to celebrate my newly acquired singleness. As a gift, she insisted on taking me shopping for an epic shopping spree, or rather, according to her, a sweet and bitter revenge. I had practically given up on vanity after this marriage because Allan always judged me, so I wanted to show him that I could be simple, but he didn't care... I used to be a fashionista, and Stella and I together in a mall used to do some serious damage before, and now not much different from before, I had an incredible eye for fashion, but hers was very sharp, and she was determined to turn me into a confident and elegant woman.

We entered that shopping paradise with Stella as my personal style consultant. She picked out the most amazing clothes that I would have never chosen on my own, especially not having a penny. I was a bit uncomfortable at first, but Stella assured me that it was time to break free and feel amazing again, that I was brilliant.