Left Me Broken

Chapter 6

I had an Italian dinner with Sharley at my apartment. She insisted on cooking the meal and prepared some spaghetti and lasagna. I was silent for the entire dinner as my brain was stuffed with millions of thoughts and worries. The conversation with Matthew Collin popped up in my head again and again.

“ So tell me what's wrong with you?" She asked as she snapped her fingers before my eyes.

I immediately came back to my senses and looked at her curious face.

“ Mom informed me that some handsome old man came to visit you today. You two have a displeasing conversation sort of thing?" She asked as she wiped her lips with a tissue paper. “ I didn't know your ex personally looks like an oldie. You should find a man who is more like your age. Young and handsome. Like the man who met us at the restaurant. Harrison, he is devastatingly handsome."

“ The old man, he isn't Zach." I responded.

“ Oh, the way mom described the man sounded like your Ex," She said immediately. “ Tall, handsome, rich, brown smokey eyes and dark hair. You both talked about your son and marriage. So.. I thought."

“ Yeah, he is Zach's father so…." I replied and grabbed the plates.

“Oh now I got it," she nodded her head and followed me in the kitchen.

“ So why did your ex father in law visit you?" She handed me gloves and took a towel to dry the plates.

I began to wash the plates and pans while telling her all the things.

“ He is insane! What do they think of themselves? People like them think they can do whatever they want to just because they have money and power? How could he offer you something that ridiculous?" Sharley became mad at him. I replied, “ I just want to meet my son. But I couldn't let them stomp on me. I don't know what I should do?"

“ I know it was hard for you. My dad was an alcoholic and abuser. He hurt me so much when I was a kid. My mom decided to divorce him but she knew she wasn't financially stable so at first she decided to stay there for some more months and collected money for at least expenses for a month. She divorced him and we moved on. My grandma helped us a lot to get settled here. It is hard to survive without money but it becomes harder when you have the responsibility of a child." She said with a thoughtful expression.

After talking with Sharley I felt much better. It was good to have a friend to share your worries with. All of my life I had mostly those namesake friends, not a true one who could be there for me in my tough time. Now I was grateful I had some true friends in my life. Sharley and Olivia was one of those precious ones I had. It took me so long to realize I didn't need Zach in my life. I could be happy and better without him. A woman doesn't need a man in her life to be happy. But yeah a mother’s heart is always concerned for her kid. I was a mother and how much I tried to not to think about my kid, not to worry about him, I could not do that. I wished we would have divorced with our consent and peacefulness so that at least I could have my son with me.

Zach and his family snatched my son away from me and I couldn't do anything. They had money, sources and power. They easily proved that I wasn't financially and emotionally able to raise my son. That time I couldn't fight back but fate had given me another chance. Matthew Collin’s offer was nonsensical but I could use it for my benefit. There were two choices for me; decline his offer for the sake of my dignity. Or accept his offer to get back everything I had lost to them.

As a woman I should not go back to hell. But the mother in me begged me to go back and fight for my son. In my head I had already declined his offer but I didn't stick to this decision and I hated myself for that.

I decided to go back there and found that evidence Zach had against me. I had to gain my son's love and trust again. I had to make myself financially stable and most importantly I had to pay back those who had hurt me.

This time I would fight and win against all odds. I would settle the score between us.

“ Have you lost your mind? Which woman goes back to her ex husband's house? It's a real f*****g life not a tv drama." Olivia, my best friend, freaked out after she had known about my decision.

“ I’m not going there for my ex husband or father in law. I’ve decided to go there for my son. I’ve planned to stay there only for a month so that I could make a way to get my son back or at least have a way so that I can meet him whenever I want. I think it is too cruel for me and my son that we couldn't meet each other. I will fight with Zach for my son and I couldn't do that without going to him because he had evidence against me." I explained in a painful voice as tears brimmed into my eyes.

Olivia squeezed my hand and said, “ I'm always with you. You know that right!"

I nodded my head and brushed the tears away from my eyes.

“ So have you talked to your ex father in law?" Olivia asked as she got up from her bed and walked towards the table. She poured hot water into a mug and came back to me.

“ Not yet," I responded and looked at her with a smile as she offered me a mug of warm water.

I took a sip of warm water and my itching throat got some relief. I had a slight fever from thinking too much over my decision.

“ Then what are you waiting for? Call him," she urged.

I pulled out my phone from my jacket pocket and dialed his number. Surprisingly he answered on the first ring as if he had been expecting my call.

“ So you have accepted my deal," he said in enthusiasm as soon as he received the call.

I was stunned for a moment hearing his confident tone.

“ I haven't told you about my decision yet," I complained.

“ If you wanted to reject my offer, you wouldn't bother to call me," he pointed out.

“ Uncle, I'm willing to do this only for Harvey," I responded. My tone was laced with bitterness than I intended to.

“ Please kiddo, don't think I'm bad. I’m doing this for some reason," he pleaded.

My phone wrapped tightly around the phone as I said without displaying any emotion, “ I have some conditions."

“ What conditions?" he asked and I could hear anxiety and desperation in his voice.

“ I could stay there only until I want to. I will work in your company and you will provide positive feedback properly for my next job if I manage to work finely." It would be excellent for my job if I had experience of working in the country's top industry.

“ You don't need to ask for that. You could stay until you want to," he responded.

The line fell silent and my heart hammered against my ribs. I still couldn't believe I was really doing this.

“ So when am I supposed to go there?" I asked.

“ There's an interview at SC Industries tomorrow. You need to attend that in order to take the job. After the interview I will arrange a car to take you to Blue Paradise," he informed.

I heard him reading some files, the rustling sound of turning the pages.

“ What about Zach? How are you planning to deal with him?"

“ Don't worry, I will make him accept this at any cost," he replied with a heavy sigh.

I went silent as I didn't know if I should ask him more questions. So much was going on in my mind and it was all too much to process.

“ Okay then, hope to see you soon," he said and the line went dead.

The feeling of panic clawed my chest and I began to breathe unevenly. The phone slipped through my fingers and fell on the bed.

Olivia touched my arm and my gaze went up to meet her concerned filled eyes. She pulled me towards her and engulfed me in her soothing embrace. She rubbed my back comforting me and said, “ Everything will be fine."

I pulled back and took a long deep breath to calm myself.

“ So how are you planning to take down the devil?" she asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

A sly smile lingered on my lips as I wandered my thoughts about the same.

“ Show him off, how much better you are living your life without him." She suggested with a soft giggle.

I broke out in a tiny laugh hearing her and nodded my head in agreement.

“ First you need to change your boring wardrobe. You haven't cared to shop for you for months. We need to go shopping and to a beauty salon. When he sees you, he will regret cheating on you with that wench." she announced excitedly.

I didn't have any plans to spend money on shopping and going to the beauty salon and spa but she had a point. I needed some formal dresses for my job as I didn't have many options in my wardrobe at the moment. The interview would be tomorrow so I didn't have much time left. We went shopping and I bought some dresses. Olivia dragged me to a famous and luxurious beauty salon and spa, Shiny Spa. Olivia was a demanding model in the fashion industry so she was a regular customer there. We had done our pedicure, manicure, facial, body and hair spa whatever Olivia had planned. The body and neck massage was so relaxing. I chose lavender oil and she chose rosemary oil.

After many years I spent my time there treating my skin and hair. I had stopped worrying about my looks since I gave birth to Harvey. I hadn't had time to give myself beauty treatments as I had always been busy taking care of my son.

We had a pleasant dinner at a five star restaurant. With all that done, we came back to my apartment. Compared to her house, my apartment was in a bad condition. But she never cared about that. I felt blessed to have her in my life as a friend. I already informed Martha that I was quitting the job at the cafe. She was so understanding and supportive. Sharley seemed shocked with my decision at first but then she supported me just like I assumed.

“ If you need a hand to handle your devil ex husband, just inform me, I will knock sense into his head with one punch." Sharley said with a laugh over the phone.

“ Sure you will," I added as I ran my hand over my head. Sharley informed me that she really liked Josh and they were going to start a relationship. I was so happy for her. She deserved a nice guy who would cherish her.

I placed my bag on the bed and surveyed mentally what I should pack. I grabbed some of my old dresses along with the new ones I had bought today with Olivia.

I bit my lower lip hard as the thought of living with him again crossed my mind. Me and Zach together at Blue Paradise, breathing in the same air, my heart started doing a summersault. I felt intense hatred for him and at the same time I recalled the gravitational force between us which attracted me to him. His presence made me burn in rage and pain and I wouldn't let my heart do anything stupid. I was going to a war and I would have to be a winner.

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