In Pursuit Of A Happily Ever After

Chapter one

HANNAH.

In the far distance, a Billie Eilish song played from somewhere as I moved at snail pace, while dragging my feet under the heavy downpour.

I was losing it— my sanity. Every bit of my emotions was being ruptured up till I could feel it hovering over me like a forbidden dark cloud, till they were nothing but f*****g fragments gracing the sky.

The horn from a car blared, screeching and almost running me over.

With my heart skipping a beat, I quickly glanced around, for a minute my gaze was locked in with the cab driver.

I ignored him as he hollered at the top of his voice as I continued my walk of shame, away from the scene not caring that I had almost kissed death right on its lips.

My mind was black, and filled with so much darkness and remorse in a way I felt nothing could wash my soul till it is white as snow.

Narrowing my eyes to look back again at the building where I had been just moments ago, my gaze fell to the ground feeling all shattered as a trickle of warm tears went down my cheeks.

There wasn't much going on in my life, and the truth was I hadn’t contributed so much to making it perfect either.

I was merely a woman in love—

Sometimes I wondered if my naivety was denial, or if truly I was just blinded by what I thought felt. I was a hopeless lover, living a life of endless possibilities.

There had been signs there, signs that he was a f*****g cheat from the pit of hell, but all this I had ignored.

I had overlooked his flaws so much that I was becoming I committed one myself, I had fallen in love with this con artist.

A con artist, that was the perfect term for men like him that left women feeling this miserable.

Maybe I was a coward or perhaps just imperfect , but it was easy to realize that I had my own shortcomings as well and that in a way my naivety had led me into being played in his game.

It had been three months since I had left this part of town for business school and it was funny everything still seemed unchanged after this long time.

My short visit was supposed to be a surprise as he wasn't expecting me to get back till next month.

After making a quick stop for two cups of lattes, I had asked that the driver drop me at his place.

The hot April afternoon had gone from a steady breeze to drizzling rain when I had arrived at his apartment with two steaming cups of decaffeinated coffee.

I tried to concentrating my thoughts on reconnecting with him and ignored

the weather that was not so friendly,

My phone had beeped with a new notification just as I was about making my way to his flat and it turned out to be a

message from Lauren, my best friend.

Lauren: Are you back in town yet?

Me: Yeah, driving down James's place —can't wait to see him first.

She sent an emoji showing her rolling her eyes, it was a low warning from her showing that she considered it a stupid act.

Three dots popped up to show she was typing.

Lauren: Don't know what you see in him.

It was my turn to roll my eyes, in a certain way she was right. I never really could tell what James offered but there were no genuine reasons to leave not just yet.

Me: Will call you when I get home…

I had wondered why Lauren had always chastised me about my relationship, it looked to me that she knew something I didn't but at each time I had thought it was mere jealousy.

Lauren had been my polar opposite.Ever since we were kids. Where I was quiet, she appeared to be a spark of life. Where I was a die hard lover, well . . . she didn't care too much about love. In a way I was a little jealous of her carefree approach to life.

I had made my way quite carefully not to make a noise, from five stairs down I could hear the sound of his voice as he looked to be in a conversation with someone.

At the sound of water running down from the faucet and a feminine voice, Every synapse in my brain shifted into the need to see for myself,I walked to the door quickly and pushed it with James staring at me Shocked.

For a minute, I leaned back on the wall, with a whimper sounding from deep within me that shoved right back in with my palm.

He tried holding my hands, stopping me from leaving but I was having none or that, I was a coward no longer. I turned and slapped him right across his face before storming out with tears trickling out as I ran down his stairs.

Looking up finally while being drenched in rain, the images flashed across my mind one more time as my driver walked me to the car holding an umbrella and jacket.

"Are you fine ma'am?" My driver asked.

"I am." I lied as tears trickled down my face like a broken dam.

He passed a tissue to me and I wiped my face with it sniffing.

I no longer wanted to spend my last hours here mourning a man that never cared, I wanted to be with myself locked in my room.

I twisted around, listening to the rain that was falling heavily now as though it wanted to drench my soul, but then I looked up and it felt my heart stop as I could hear only the sound of the rain from a distance as memories flashed across my optical gaze.

My stomach flipped, and I couldn’t breathe.

"Can we make another stop?"

"Where this time ma'am?" Jude asked.

"A wine store or any—" I replied fiddling with my phone

I saw that I had several texts from him apologizing.

At that state I didn't want to read any of it.

I scrolled through down to his number and pushed the delete button.

As we pulled stop at the wine store I didn't care getting drenched as I made my way inside.

Soon, I was walking out with a bag filled with liquors.

"Are we making any more stops?"

"No, take me home."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and climbed into my car.

Soon, the driver pushed the Clicker and the gate opened automatically as he sped through—

It was a long sight of oak trees shrouding the actual estate building.The gas lamp posts of the house appeared, lighting the evening path as we approached the driveway.

I forced deep breaths, trying to calm down and leave everything behind.

The door was opened by a maid. Who was excited to see me as she smiled despite looking at mine that looked all gloomy.

"I would be in my room and don't let anyone in." I instructed both of them as Jude pulled my bags behind me.

As soon as I was in my room I grabbed a drink from my bag and got out of my clothes heading for the bathroom.

Turning on the faucet and water heater, I waited till the bathtub was filled up.

Unease set in my mind again, stepping in and leaning my back in, I cried with mascara running down a black trail down my face. I reached out for the bottle of drink.

I was definitely not going to let James get away with this, I was going to ruin him.

My mind was filled with every bit of resentment I felt toward this man, in a way I found it funny how I went from loving this man with everything to hating him.

I picked up my phone and texted Laura, if there was anyone that knew how to drag me away from this hell I was in, it was most definitely her.

My mind was racing madly as it was filled with a thousand ways to end his life, I gagged at the fact that I was filled with so much evil intent, perhaps I should even have them written on a jotter.

Perhaps, it was the wind or the mascara still running down my face. The feeling I had was melancholic.

One thing was definite however, my revenge was certain.

I would be that woman that murdered her ex.