Chapter 3

REJECTED

Without any delay, Evelyn and I hailed a cab to Harry's house, hoping to break the news to him and, hopefully, that he might take me back. We arrived only to find the gate locked with new padlocks. It seemed no one was in the building; the cars, security, and gatekeeper were all gone.

I was stunned by the sight, and so was Evelyn. Our gazes locked, and I could only gasp.

“What’s happening? Why does it look like Harry has vacated this premises? It doesn’t look like anyone is here,” Evelyn asked in a concerned tone, her fears evident in her expression.

I was shocked, my heart racing, and my lips parted. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Having been married to Harry for three years, this had always been our home—his only property that I knew about. If he had truly relocated or vacated this property, where could he have gone? Harry was a very reclusive person; he liked doing his things without involving anyone.

I was left in the dark about whatever he did. I was clueless about his line of business. The only thing I knew was that he was a busy businessman who spent most of his time on different business trips. I was told to mind my own business and never interfere. I did so to maintain a peaceful home. The only person I knew was his mother, who hated me and every step I took.

“Celine, I think we need to leave. Harry couldn’t wait to divorce you so he could vacate this property,” she said, weighing my expression. “It’s obvious that he no longer lives here,” she added in an angry tone.

I was perplexed and in great pain; my heart was racing uncontrollably, and tears welled in my eyes. I felt rejected, used, and numb. My entire body was trembling uncontrollably.

“How could Harry do this to me? What do I do?” I screamed in pain, almost collapsing because my legs could no longer support the weight of my sorrow. Why was he so heartless, leaving me with no clue about his whereabouts while I was carrying his child?

“Celine, this is not the end of your life. I think we should get going,” she said, giving me a warm embrace and whispering in my ear, almost inaudibly, “Everything will be fine.” With that, she tapped me on the shoulder.

We left the building and took a cab back to the hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel, I felt like my world had crumbled before my eyes, but Evelyn was there to offer hope, even when I was concerned about being responsible for a child with barely enough to get by.

“I think it’s time you moved on,” Evelyn exclaimed.

“You know you’re carrying a child, and it’s only right that you find something to do so you can save enough to care for yourself and your child when the time comes,” her tone laced with concern.

Yes, she was right. I needed to take responsibility for my child. I needed to ensure I was in good shape so that my baby would be safe. My child was all I had when life chose to treat me badly with so much hurt. With that, I wiped the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand and gave myself some courage to compose myself and be a strong woman. That was what I needed to ensure my baby was safe.

Harry wasn’t worth my tears; he wasn’t worth any of the pain inflicted on me. He was probably with someone else now, while I was here, harming myself and endangering my precious little gift.

I caressed my tummy and smiled at the little one growing inside me, my bundle of joy, the one who made all my suffering worthwhile. “I love you, cutie,” I whispered under my breath.

“But I don’t know how to go about it,” I said through gritted teeth. “In two days, the money I paid for this room will run out, and I have little or no money to renew it,” I added, my tone wavering as I faced the harsh reality of life.

A wide grin spread across Evelyn’s face. She held my arms and looked at me with concern. “Don’t worry about that. I have a friend who works for an agency. I’ll contact her later tonight to check for vacancies. I believe with that, you can save up for your care and that of your child.”

My expression lightened, and the ease in my heart was evident. “Thank you for always trying to help me,” I said, giving her a heartfelt hug and appreciating her support.

The next day, she called her friend and informed me that the only well-paid job vacancy available was as a waitress in a bar, aside from a cleaner position in a local store with low pay.

That didn’t sound ideal, but I needed to make a decision. Taking the cleaning job offered low income that wouldn’t cover my bills for a week. I had nothing left and needed a job that paid enough to save and start my own career.

After much consideration, I opted for the bar job, even though I knew it wasn’t ideal for me in my condition. I chose it, hoping to find a better opportunity while waiting for other decent, well-paid vacancies to come up.

“I think I’m going for the waitress job,” I said.

“Are you sure about this decision? You know your condition doesn’t suit such a job,” Evelyn said with a concerned look.

“Don’t worry; I won’t be working there for long,” I said, watching her expression. “I’ll leave as soon as I get a better job alert from the agency,” I promised, my tone filled with determination.

“Alright, if you say so,” she replied.

The next day, we went to the bar to secure the job, unaware of someone stalking us. After we finished and were about to leave, we noticed someone approaching…