Chapter 4

Wesley eyed her suspiciously.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

She shot him a glare. “It’s none of your business. Where are the damn papers?”

“Oh my God!! Emily, I’m so glad you’re fine. I’ve been so worried about you.” Sophie spoke in her fake voice.

Emily spotted the papers in her hand. She snatched the papers, ignoring her fake sign of concern. She hastily signed the papers and threw it back at her.

“Emily, you don’t have to be this rude. Mom and Dad didn’t mean what they said. You can go back to the house. I’ve helped you pack your things,” Sophie said.

Emily eyed her. “You can take it, just like you’ve taken him. I want none of it.”

She began to walk away but Sophie yelled “Wait.”

Emily was shocked when Sophie walked to her, waving some cash.

“What’s this for?”

“I and Wesley want to get married at once. I want you to go and change your surname. It would be awkward if you’re still bearing his name after we get married,” Sophie explained.

Emily was disgusted by her. “I don’t need your money.”

“For goodness sake Emily, take the money. You have no money or where to go. Take it and quit being proud.” Wesley yelled in irritation.

Emily chuckled. “You can shove your money down your ass. I never want to see or hear from either of you again.”

She stormed out of the house.

Wesley was right about one thing. She didn’t have where to go or know what to do.

Just as she was lamenting, the new phone began to ring and an unknown number flashed across the screen.

Emily stared at the unknown number, wondering who the caller was.

After a few minutes of hesitation, she picked up the call.

“Hello,” a female voice came from the other end.

Emily thought it sounded familiar as she said back an “Hello”

“Is this Emily?” the voice asked.

“Yes,” She answered, still wondering who her mysterious caller was.

At once, the female voice that was filled with hesitation turned into a loud excited voice.

“Oh my God!! Emily, it’s me, Ava.”

Recognition hit her at once. It really was Ava, her good friend from college who had traveled outside the country.

“Ava” she whispered back in surprise.

“Yes, it’s me. I just flew back in yesterday. I’ve missed you so much. Where are you? How have you been? We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Emily didn’t know what to reply to the barrage of questions.

How was she?

With everything that had happened to her over the past few days, she didn’t know how to respond to that.

“I’m… Errm… I think I’m fine.” she replied.

Ava could sense something was amiss.

“Emily, is everything okay?”

In the face of that question, she found herself bursting into a round of tears.

“Emily, are you crying? Why? What’s going on?” Ava asked, worried.

“I don’t know Ava, I don’t know anymore. I don’t know what to do.” Emily blurted out in tears.

“Where are you, Emily? Tell me where you are. I’m coming right now.” Ava spoke with a sense of urgency.

Emily looked around her environment.

She was on the side of the road like an aimless beggar who was now lost.

Somehow, she managed to rattle out her location to Ava.

True to her words, Ava drove at once to find Emily.

The sight of her old friend looking disheveled, broke her heart.

Ava had a million questions but she managed to keep it together till they got back to her place.

By the time Emily was done narrating her ordeal, Ava was fuming.

“Disgusting!!Absolutely disgusting. How could they do that to you? Your sister and husband. Disgusting!!”

Emily only sighed.

“And your parents supported them. What sort of messed up folks are that? I’m sorry to say this but everyone in your family are pieces of shit.”

“They’re not my family anymore. They are dead to me. All of them.” Emily answered honestly.

Ava rushed to her side again.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through all this, Emily. It’s going to be fine. You’re going to be alright.”

“I gave up everything for him. My dreams, all of it to build a family with him and this is what I get in return.” Emily said bitterly.

“It’s not your fault, Emily. Wesley is nothing but a cruel human being. I always knew there was something off about him. You gave him a career and this is how he chooses to pay your back. He’s not worth your tears babe.”

Her last words made Emily give her a look.

“How did you know?”

“Ava, I know your style of writing. Besides, I saw you write that manuscript. You were going to submit it. Imagine my surprise when I read Wesley’s first book and it was exactly what was in your manuscript.”

All the memories came back to Emily. Ava was the only other person who knew about her manuscript

She sighed. “I guess I was dumb.”

Ava consoled her friend.

“You were in love. We do stupid things when we’re in love.”

“What do I do now? I have no job, no house, no money, nothing.” Emily lamented in a bitter tone.

“Girl, what are you talking about? You have me and you can stay here forever.”

Emily blinked at her friend in surprise.

“Really?”

Ava meant it.

“Of course, I’m your friend. Besides, this house is way too big for me alone. Everything is going to be fine. You just need to give yourself time.”

Emily felt tears rolling down her cheeks.

She engulfed her friend in a hug, grateful for the offer.