6—Love After Heartbreak

Anna’s eyes were burning from crying. For a few seconds she stood there, staring at her reflection without feeling brave or strong or like a woman who had finally figured everything out. She didn’t feel like any of those things.

She just felt tired. Completely and utterly tired.

Where was she even supposed to start? Anywhere? But where? If she handed Jacob the divorce papers right now, where would she go afterward? She would need to rent an apartment, pay a deposit, buy things she couldn’t afford, and somehow survive on her own when she didn’t even have a job yet.

She couldn’t afford any of that at the moment. Which meant that, for now, she had no choice but to remain in that mansion with Jacob and the woman he was cheating on her with.

The thought alone made her heart heavy.

It wasn’t going to be easy. But what choice did she have?

For now, she would have to endure it.

She picked up her phone from the bathroom counter and noticed several missed calls from Georgia lighting up the screen. She immediately called her back, and Georgia answered on the first ring.

“Finally, you called back. I’ve been calling you.”

“Sorry. I didn’t see it.”

“Are you okay?” Georgia asked.

Anna almost laughed.

That question again.

Georgia had asked her the same thing several times already, as if there was some perfect answer she could give that would magically make everything okay.

“I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Anna leaned against the bathroom counter and stared at her reflection again. “I’ll be fine.”

There was a brief silence on the other end before Georgia sighed.

“Anyway, I spoke to the woman I told you about.”

Anna frowned. “What woman?”

“The one at the company.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “You mean the job?”

“Yes, the job. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already.”

“I haven’t.” Anna shook her head even though, honestly, she had forgotten about it for a moment. Her mind had been too occupied with Jacob. “I just didn’t expect it to happen so fast.”

“They need someone urgently. You can start tomorrow if you’re interested.”

Anna looked at herself in the mirror again.

Tomorrow. A job. Somewhere to go.

A reason to leave the house instead of sitting around in that mansion, listening to Jacob move around with another woman as though she had never existed.

Maybe this was exactly what she needed.

“Okay,” she said quietly.

“Okay what?”

“I’ll take it.” I replied.

“Good. Now get yourself together. You’re going to work.”

A small smile almost found its way onto her lips.

“Okay.”

After the call ended, Anna stayed in the bathroom for a few more minutes, lost in her own thoughts.

With a sigh, she finally wiped her face with the back of her hand. She didn’t know how long she would keep living like this, but she knew one thing—she couldn’t allow Jacob’s betrayal to become the end of her life.

She walked out of the bathroom. Life goes on. What had happened was bound to happen. All she needed to do was be strong.

Yes, Anna, you can do this. You can move on from Jacob. That was what she told herself all night until she finally fell asleep.

☆☆☆☆

The next morning, Anna woke up early, dressed carefully, and reached Vantage Meridian Group a few minutes before eight.

The company occupied several floors of a huge glass building in central Singapore, and the lobby was already crowded with people rushing through the entrance with coffee cups, laptops, and phones in their hands.

She stood there for a moment with her bag clutched against her side, watching everyone move around her.

She hadn’t worked in years. She barely remembered what it felt like to be part of a working environment anymore.

Her stomach twisted with nerves. What if she made a mistake? What if she wasn’t good enough? What if she couldn’t keep up?

Oh, Anna.

She took a slow breath and reminded herself that she had a degree. She had studied for years. She was capable of doing this. She needed to stop doubting herself.

She walked toward the reception desk.

“Good morning. I’m Anna Williams. I’m supposed to report to the administration department.”

The receptionist checked her computer before looking up with a friendly smile. “First day?”

“Yes.”

“Third floor. Someone will come for you.”