MY FATE ENTANGLED IN A BILLIONAIRE WEB

Chapter2A.Twist.Of.Fate

The knock on the door echoed through the small apartment, yanking me from my profundity. I walked toward the door; my heart sulked as I did not know what to expect. Slowly, I opened the door, inhaling-my cold fingers wrapping around the doorknob.

Standing before me was Clara, an ashen look of concern and relief still etched across her features. It had been well over two years since I'd seen her, and something about her standing there-just as I had left her-sprung a dam deep inside of me and sent emotions washing to the surface.

"Clara?" I whispered. I was in shock.

"Luisa!" she screamed, flinging herself on me. "I have been so worried about you!

I gave her a hug, the tears welling over onto my cheeks. "How did you find me?" I asked, stepping back to see her more clearly.

"I have been looking for you since you left," she said, in a shaking voice. "As you never called or even sent me an SMS, I knew something was wrong. Finally, this old friend helped me get your whereabouts and well, here I am."

Come in," I said, stepping aside to let her into the small apartment. It was modest, though totally different from the life I once had, but it was all I could afford. Clara took stock of the worn furniture, the toys scattered over the floor. She turned back to me, her eyes creased with concern.

Luisa, what happened? Why did you run away without telling anyone?" she asked as she sat down on the couch.

I sighed, sat down beside her. "I couldn't stay, Clara. I was so scared and ashamed. I didn't know what to do. I just. ran."

"You did not have to face this by yourself," she said with a softness in her voice, extending her hand for mine. "You could have come to me.

"I know, but I was too scared," I said, my overfull eyes breaking and spilling tears. "I didn't want to bring any of my crap into anyone else's life. And then, after the robbery and when my phone got stolen, I had no way to contact anyone."

Clara nodded, her fingers clenching on mine. "I understand. But Luisa, you don't have to hide anymore. It's been two and a half years. Everybody has moved on, graduated, scattered to the four corners of earth. Nobody judges you. You can come back into town.

Her words sort of hung in the silence, and then this wave of contradiction rolled over me. Could I go back? After everything that happened, after all I'd been through, was I to go back to that place where it had all fallen to pieces?

"I don't know, Clara," I said dubiously. "I've built a life here. It isn't much, but it's secure. I'm scared of what could happen if I go back."

Clara looked at me with gentle eyes. "You can't keep hiding, Luisa. You deserve to live your life-to give your son a better future. The city changed, and so did you. Maybe this-going back-is just what you need.

I stumbled, the blood suddenly seeming to swell in my head. Part of me didn't want anything more than to stay there and live out the life of quiet isolation I'd built up with Chris. Still, another part of me did want to go back and reconnect with the world I once knew, and give an opportunity at life for Chris.

I nodded finally. "But not now; I need some time to get myself packed,put things in order. I have built a life here."

Clara smiled then, tension melting off her face. "Take all the time you need. I'll return to town and prepare everything for your arrival. Just don't take too much longer. You've been in hiding for far too long.

The apartment felt just a little more miniature now that Clara was gone and the walls inched in on me as I worked to pack up our things. My brain felt swollen with memories of folding clothes, sorting out old toys,the life that had been left behind, the friends abandoned, the man I'd met that night in the bar.

A shiver ran down my spine. I hadn't thought of him for a very long time,I’ve been so busy with taking care of Chris. And now, as I started to pack up, memories of that night came flooding back: the way he had smiled, the way he had laughed, the way he had made me feel alive in a manner quite alien to me for years.

What had become of him? Did he even remember me? Ever think of me? I tried shaking my head for the thoughts to recede. It did not matter now. That part of my life was over. I had a son that I needed to think about, and he was all that mattered.

I was up the next morning, packing the last of our stuff, and making sure Chris had what he may need on his trip. He was excited, chattering on about what an adventure this was going to be,his naivete' a strong juxtaposition to the anxiety gnawing in my stomach.

We climbed aboard, took a seat; Chris was leaned against me, staring out the window. A few hours away, the city beckoned, and I tried to calm the nerves while the bus started to rumble to life and pulled out of the station.

But it only fed into my anxiety as the minutes ticked over into hours and we found ourselves stuck in a traffic jam on the outskirts of the city. The bus crawled and inched its way along, the sea of cars endless before us. I let out a sigh, leaning my head against the coolness of the window as I tried to ignore the tight knot in my stomach.

I stood there, peering out at a sea of cars, and my gaze locked onto a sleek, black car just several feet away. It was a luxury car, one of those kinds that I could only dream about owning. The driver was sitting in such a way that he faced himself away from me onto something out of view. For a moment the back of his head seemed peculiarly familiar, but I changed my mind. Of course I didn't know anybody who would drive such a car.

"Mommie, see!" Chris's voice broke into my reverie and I turned the way he was pointing. He saw a bird perched on a nearby fence its feathers aflame in the sunlight.

I smiled at his excitement, grateful for the distraction. "That's a pretty bird, Chris," I said, ruffling his hair.

But it was as I turned back to face out the window that my heart skipped a beat. The driver of the sleek car was now looking in our direction, his eyes scanning traffic. For one brief second, our eyes almost met, though I look away, heart pounding in my chest.

Could it be? Was it possible that the man in the car was him?

I shook my head, attempting to shake it off. It was one of those things, a coincidence,nothing more. But with the traffic slowly starting to creep along again, I could not clear the feeling our paths had crossed for something.

An accident, or the hand of fate once more? And if it was him, what if we met again? Would he know who I was? Would he even remember that night?

Or was that the last time our paths would cross, two strangers passing in the night?

Coincidence or fate? When the traffic started to move and thoughts crawled into her head, Luisa couldn't help but ask herself whether it was some omen just so that they were again bound to meet, or if this was but a small fragment in life, the last time she had ever laid eyes on him. The questions were just left hanging there in the air as the bus inched its way forward and pulled away from the sleek black car.