Chapter 2: Cold Rain and Shattered Dreams
771 Words
The icy February rain poured relentlessly from the dark sky, soaking my hair and clothes within seconds. My tears blended with the rain, making it impossible to tell where my heartbreak ended and the storm began.
I kept running.
The little velvet box was still clutched tightly in my hand.
Six months.
Six months of skipping lunch breaks.
Six months of walking to work instead of taking the bus.
Six months of saving every penny...
...all for a man who had never truly loved me.
A broken laugh escaped my lips.
How foolish had I been?
Only last night, Marcus had held my hand and promised me forever.
Forever.
What a beautiful lie.
I stopped beneath a flickering streetlight, staring at the silver watch inside the velvet box. It sparkled under the rain as if mocking me.
"Happy Valentine's Day..." I whispered bitterly.
With trembling fingers, I closed the box and threw it into the nearest trash bin.
Without looking back, I continued walking through the empty streets.
My vision blurred with tears.
I barely noticed the traffic light.
Or the headlights racing toward me.
Screeeeech!
A deafening sound echoed through the rainy night as a luxurious black sedan came to a violent stop only inches away from me.
My knees gave out beneath me.
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
The driver's door opened immediately.
A middle-aged man hurried toward me, holding an umbrella over his head.
"Miss!" he called anxiously. "Are you hurt?"
I quickly pushed myself to my feet, avoiding his worried gaze.
"I'm... I'm fine."
My voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm sorry."
Without waiting for another word, I turned around and ran.
The driver watched helplessly as the young woman disappeared into the heavy rain.
He sighed before returning to the car.
Inside the back seat, a tall man dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit looked up from the documents resting on his lap.
"Is she alright, sir?" the driver asked.
The man glanced through the rain-covered window.
All he could see was the silhouette of a young woman running farther and farther away until she vanished into the darkness.
His phone vibrated.
The screen displayed an important business call from overseas.
He answered immediately.
"I'm listening."
The driver quietly started the engine.
Within seconds, the luxury sedan disappeared into the rainy night.
Neither of them realized that this brief encounter would one day change all of their lives.
...
Almost an hour later, I finally reached the narrow alley where my family lived.
The old house stood at the end of the street.
Something felt wrong.
The front door was wide open.
Broken glass covered the entrance.
Loud voices echoed from inside.
My heart began pounding.
No...
Please...
I rushed inside.
The living room looked as if a tornado had swept through it.
Furniture lay overturned.
Family photographs were shattered across the floor.
Drawers had been emptied.
Everything was destroyed.
Several rough-looking men dressed in black were searching every corner of the house while another stood in front of my stepmother.
She had fallen to her knees.
"Please..." she begged through tears.
"I just need more time."
The man grabbed her by the arm and forced her back onto her feet.
"You've already had enough time."
"You borrowed the money."
"Now pay it back."
"I don't have it!" she cried.
He laughed coldly.
"Then we'll take everything."
One of the men kicked over our old dining table while another ripped the television from the wall.
"Stop!" I shouted.
Every head turned toward me.
One of the men narrowed his eyes.
"Who is she?"
Before I could answer, my stepmother hurriedly spoke.
"She's... she's my stepdaughter."
The leader looked me up and down before speaking.
"You live here?"
I slowly nodded.
He pulled a folded document from his jacket.
"Your stepmother owes us a very large amount of money."
My heart sank.
"What?"
His expression remained emotionless.
"She borrowed it for gambling."
The world seemed to stop.
I turned toward my stepmother.
She couldn't even look me in the eyes.
She had done this.
She had destroyed everything.
The man folded the paper and pointed toward the wrecked house.
"You have one month."
"If every cent isn't paid..."
His cold gaze swept across the room.
"...we'll be back."
Without another word, the men walked out of the house, leaving behind nothing but silence... and shattered dreams.
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Hi lovers! I'm Elena, and this is my first novel. I hope you're enjoying reading this chapter! Let me know your thoughts about what Lily is going to do to solve this problem. See you tomorrow! ❤️
- Writer
