Chp 5 - Life Without a Name
900 Words
“Miss Tara?”
She didn't respond immediately because that name felt unfamiliar. She hadn't been addressed like that in years.
She was used to Mrs Blake. A name that carried power and recognition, but now, the name was gone.
“Miss Tara?” the receptionist repeated.
Tara blinked twice, then stepped forward.
“Yes.”
“We're sorry, we won't be needing your services.” The receptionist said.
“Why not?” Tara asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
“It's simple—you're exceptionally qualified and this role isn't suited for your level.”
Frustration washed over her. Just weeks ago, she was enjoying a luxurious lifestyle while managing a global business, but now she was looking for a job. Memories flooded her mind, grounding her in the stark new reality.
It felt like one rejection after another—this marked her third in just a week. Starting over was more challenging and exhausting than she had anticipated.
Despite her irritation, she gathered her papers and left. She had woken up early with a sense of hope for the day, only to trudge back home feeling defeated.
Walking the streets of London wasn't foreign to her; she and Lucia had spent their whole lives growing up in the UK before moving to Dubai when Tara met Ryan.
Each block echoed her past life, a life she'd before being known as Blake. Even though she was miles away from Dubai, those memories clung to her.
Returning to her modest one-room apartment, she wished she could reconnect with old friends, but they'd all drifted away after her marriage. Ryan had effectively isolated her, and showing up in her current state felt like a recipe for embarrassment.
The apartment was cramped and quiet. The walls felt too close, the ceiling too low. Gone were the polished marble floors, and the automatic soft lighting.
All she had now was silence.
Tara stood in the center of the room for a moment, her suitcase just beside her, still closed. She surveyed the space and reluctantly accepted her new life.
She opened her suitcase, filled with only a few clothes and documents. It was still shocking to think that five years of dedication and commitment to Ryan Blake had been reduced to this.
A new day dawned, as it always did. Since her divorce, sleep came only out of sheer exhaustion and haunting memories, with no job, and no schedule to follow.
Just her, navigating a Lonely, jobless life existence. She glanced at her phone and scrolled through job listings as usual, and to her surprise, stumbled upon a few options.
Legal assistant, Junior associate.These were roles she had outgrown years ago.
Her fingers hovered over the screen, but she mustered the resolve to apply anyway and she received a prompt response.
“Would you be available for an interview today?”
“Yes, of course,” Tara replied.
An hour later, she found herself waiting by the roadside. She considered ordering a ride, but her payment wouldn't go through. It hit her that she didn't have enough money for a car. For a moment, she just stared at her phone. Ryan had skillfully thrust her back into a life of struggle.
She later boarded a crowded bus, where there were no available seats, and she had to stand, clutching a rail as the vehicle jolted through traffic.
Tara tried to adjust to her new way of living. By the time she arrived for the interview, she was utterly drained.
“Miss Tara, it seems you've been out of practice for a while,” The hiring manager said, perusing her resume.
Tara remained calm. “I’ve been working,” she replied.
“Not in any relevant firms,” he marked lightly. “Well, we'll be in touch,” he added.
As the building doors closed behind her, no one stopped her. For a moment, she stood still, engulfed in the noise of the street as if she was invisible.
All her hard work invested in building and sustaining a global company went unnoticed. Her name didn't strike any chords.
Tara let out a slow breath as the weight of reality settled in. Her true identity had long been overshadowed by someone else's name. But now, she was determined to live in her new reality. Returning home, she noticed a note taped to her door, anger surged within her, but she opened it anyway.
“A quick reminder: your rent is due in a few days”
Her hand shook as she read the note. With barely any savings left from the money Lucia had given her, the thought of being unemployed and broke was terrifying.
Even the empty room seemed to emphasize her struggles. She contemplated going to a nearby store to grab something to eat.
“Getting through each day is what matters,” She murmured to herself.
Just a few blocks from her apartment, she heard someone call out. “Mrs Blake?”
Tara froze in her tracks. No one had called her that since the divorce. She turned slowly only to see a well-dressed, handsome man standing a few steps away, watching her intently.
As she focused on him, her eyes began to blur.
The ground seemed to tilt beneath her, and her small shopping bag slipped from her hand
Before she could regain her balance,
Everything went dark.
- Writer
