15–Love After Heartbreak

The rest of the day passed without any major interruptions.

Anna spent most of her time reviewing the documents Elaine had assigned to her and making the necessary preparations for the upcoming Henderson meeting.

Although she was still relatively new to the company, she was beginning to understand how things worked, and that gave her a little confidence.

By the time she finished work, she was exhausted but satisfied with what she had accomplished.

She packed her belongings, said goodbye to Elaine, and left the office.

The journey home was silent. Anna sat by the window of the taxi, watching the city move past her.

People hurried along the pavements, cars filled the busy roads, and the evening lights gradually illuminated the buildings.

She should have been thinking about the good news from work. Elliot had approved her report, Elaine was pleased with her progress, and she had been given an opportunity she hadn't expected so soon.

Yet, somewhere between the office and her apartment, her thoughts began drifting towards everything that had happened over the past few days.

She remembered the police officers standing beside her desk.

The way her colleagues had looked at her when they heard the accusation. The embarrassment of having to explain herself in front of people who barely knew her. Jacob had accused her of assaulting his pregnant partner and threatening her life, even though she had done nothing of the sort.

And the worst part was that she could have been arrested.

Anna swallowed, her fingers tightening around the strap of her handbag.

What if Elliot hadn't intervened?

She remembered how the officers had approached her, how they had asked her to cooperate, and how frightened she had been when she realised that Jacob's accusation could have serious consequences.

If Elliot hadn't stepped in and explained what he had witnessed, would anyone have listened to her?

Would she have been taken to the police station without anyone knowing what was happening?

Would she have been forced to defend herself against a story Jacob had deliberately created?

Her eyes filled with tears.

It was unbelievable that she had reached a point where she could be accused of something she didn't do, simply because she married the wrong man.

Five years.

She had given Jacob five years of her life. She had stood beside him when they had nothing, endured difficult moments with him, and believed that the sacrifices they made together meant something.

Yet, when he decided he no longer wanted her, he didn't simply ask her to leave. He humiliated her, threw her belongings out of their home, and made sure she had nowhere to go.

And now, even after she had left, he was still finding ways to make her life miserable.

Anna turned her face towards the window, blinking rapidly.

She was tired physically and emotionally.

She was tired of having to be strong when all she wanted was to sit somewhere and cry. She was tired of pretending that everything was fine, so she managed to get herself out of a terrible marriage.

And then she remembered the cabbie.

Her stomach tightened. That night could have ended very differently.

She remembered asking the driver to stop, the way he had ignored her, and the moment he pulled out the gun. She could still remember the fear that had seized her when she realised she was trapped in a moving vehicle with a man who clearly had no intention of letting her go.

What if Elliot hadn't driven past? What if he hadn't noticed her struggling? What if he hadn't stopped the taxi?

Anna's breathing became uneven.

She might have been taken to another city. She might have disappeared before Georgia even reached her. She didn't know what the driver had intended to do with her, and that uncertainty was what frightened her most.

She wiped the corner of her eye.

Two different situations. Two occasions when she had been helpless and needed someone to intervene.

And both times, Elliot had been there. Even with his arrogance.

And Georgia, she didn't know how to thank Georgia. What would she have done without her? She helped her find a job, arranged an apartment, and constantly checked whether she had eaten.

She never made Anna feel like a burden. Even when Anna was embarrassed about needing help, Georgia never allowed her to feel ashamed.

Anna remembered the way her friend had rushed to the roadside after Elliot rescued her. The worry on her face, the way she held her hands and asked whether she was hurt.

A tear slipped down Anna's cheek. What if Georgia didn’t stay in Singapore? Anna might have been completely alone in a city where she had barely established herself.

She might have had nowhere to sleep, no one to call, and no one to remind her that her life wasn't over.

Anna took a shaky breath and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“I'm so tired,” she whispered to herself.

The taxi eventually stopped outside her apartment building. She paid the driver, stepped out, and made her way upstairs.

The apartment was quiet when Anna entered.

She placed her handbag on the sofa, removed her heels, and stood still for a moment.

She walked towards the kitchen, poured herself a glass of water, and returned to the living room.

Anna smiled faintly.

“Thank you, Georgia,” she murmured.

She took a sip of water before walking into her bedroom.

After having a quick shower and changing into comfortable clothes, she sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the floor.

The tears she had been holding back finally came.

She covered her face with both hands and cried.

You know the feeling when everything that has happened in the past comes back. The betrayal, the humiliation, the fear, the uncertainty about her future, and the overwhelming realization that she had almost lost control of her own life.

She always convinced herself that she was fine.

She smiled at work, joked , and laughed at Georgia's messages. But behind those moments, there was still a woman trying to understand how her marriage had fallen apart so completely.

Anna lowered her hands and looked towards the ceiling.

“I didn't deserve any of that,” she whispered.