Chapter 2

Kelly was my best friend. How could she do this to me? I had loved her like my own sister. I stood by her and fought for her when no one else did. When her boyfriend abandoned her after she ran away with him, she came to me broken and shattered. Her parents disowned her but I took her in without a second thought. 

I fought with my own father for her. When she wanted to become a model, I gave up on my lifetime savings to fund her career. When she wanted to launch her cosmetic line, I begged Elliot to make it happen. And that’s how she repaid me?

By destroying my marriage. 

Helpless, I walked into my dad’s mansion. The staff was shocked to see me with my suitcase. Ignoring them, I made my way towards my room. I had just climbed the first step when my dad spoke up, stopping me midway.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

I turned around. “Dad,” I eyed him with a flicker of hope. But his expression remained stoic.

“Who said you’re welcome here?” he remarked, unmoved by my appearance.

“Dad…” I ran up to him. “Elliot…he… he cheated on me. I caught him with Kelly. He’s not a nice man, dad,” I told him everything. A frown creased his forehead.

“You caught him, or he caught you?” he shot back. “I knew you were worthless, but I didn’t know you were a whore too."

His remark felt like a punch to my gut.

“What are you saying, dad. I am..I am…You know I can never do something like that,” I told him earnestly. I’ve always held his name up. He told me to marry Elliot, and I did without a question. Despite Elliot’s indifference, I held onto our marriage because I didn't want my dad to be disappointed in me. He already hated me enough.

“Elliot did a fucking favor on you by marrying you and that’s how you paid him?” he said, disappointment loud in his voice.

I turned to my dad, desperate for him to understand. “Elliot did it, Dad. He said he will destroy me and..and…’

“Shut up,” my dad thundered, cutting me off. “Get out of my house and never show me your face again,” he seethed venomously. I could only stare at him in shock as he continued, “You are a disgrace. You killed my wife. Even then, I married you off to a billionaire, and you couldn’t even keep him. What a loser."

It hurt. Every time he held me responsible for my mom’s death, something broke inside me. If I had known my birth would lead to her death, I would have chosen to remain unborn.

“Calm down, honey. Don't waste your breath on her,” Sharon, my stepmom, said, regarding me with disdain. 

“But……where would I go?” I asked dad, my voice quivering with helplessness. I had nowhere to go. No friend, no family, no one.

“Get under a truck and die if you must. Just get out of our property. We have no place for a whore like you,” Sharon barked. 

I looked over at my dad, hoping my tears might move him, but no. He remained stone-cold. Inaccessible. 

This was precisely the moment realization hit me in full force. I was alone. All alone in this world.

I turned around to find my little brother watching. He was sad to see me like this. I smiled at him through my tears. He just kept gazing at me. 

Dragging my suitcase behind me, I walked out.

........

The road stretched out endlessly before me, mocking my misery. I had nowhere to go, no destiny to reach. 

I always knew my dad loathed me, but today I realised the depth of it. He just didn't care if I lived or died. I was certain no one would even bat an eyelash if I died. I was on my own. 

I had always regarded Elliot with respect. In the beginning of our marriage, he was nice to me. He would take me out on dates and give me gifts. But after a few months, he began to change. I didn't think much about it.

However, after the doctor told us about my infertility, he became cold. He never said it out loud, but his eyes always carried a hint of disappointment when looking at me. Our physical intimacy died right after the revelation.  

Out of guilt, I once even suggested we get a divorce. Being the only son, he needed an heir. But he refused. He claimed he wasn't small-minded. My respect for him had really grown that day. But little did I know, he was just worried about his reputation in public. 

Lost in my thoughts, I missed two masked men following me. As I entered a dark alley, they came forward.  

My breath hitched as I felt something sharp pressed against my back. 

The other came before me and threatened, "Give us everything you have."

"NO. Let me go," I refused.

He punched me in the face. Blood trickled down my nose. I screamed, but no one came to help. 

The man behind me walked around and brandished the dagger in my face. "Give us everything or you won't be able to draw your next breath." 

My eyes widened in fear. I let go of my suitcase. 

"Anything else?" he asked. 

"I..I am homeless. I don't have much. Please, let me go," I pleaded. Both man shared a look before the first one drove his foot into my stomach. I doubled over in pain. The second man grabbed the back of my hair and yanked me to my feet. I begged them not to do this as they robbed me of every dime before throwing me against the wall. 

My head hit the wall. My vision warped and everything went dark.