I thought he was different than all the rest. It’s why I gave him a chance. He was so persistent, such a charmer. He practically harassed me for weeks, asking for another date, and then another, and another, and another. Until finally I caved into the connection I thought we had, and I let him sweep me off my feet.
But it turns out, he was just a snake in disguise.Just like the rest of them.
I drive forward with no set destination in mind.What the hell do I do now?It's not like I still have my condo to go back to since I sold it after moving in with Tommy. I'm definitely not going back to my parents. There's only so much shame and embarrassment a person can take in one day. And moving back in with my parents at twenty-seven years old is more than embarrassing.
Hell, I don't even have a job anymore because Tommy said it was the reason our relationship was struggling. That with our hours combined, we never got to see each other and spend quality time together.Yet nothing changed when I quit the job I loved.
I know I could always go stay with Cecilia. She's my best friend, and she would never turn me down. But she has a family now, a husband and a ten-month-old baby. Me showing up in their peaceful home with all my baggage would be entirely selfish.
Plus, we haven't talked in almost four months because I've been a horrible friend who let a stupid cheating asshole come between us. When all she was trying to do was help me see what was right in front of me all along.
There's also Morgan and Aubrey, but Morgan is also married. And last I heard, Aubrey is still living with her brother, Greyson. I haven't talked to any of them, either. The truth is, I've been pretty much radio silent with everyone except my parents.
God! What have I done!?
I had a great life, a great job, and incredible friends. Now I've lost it all because I was too wrapped up in Tommy. Because I let him convince me that they were the reason we were always fighting. That they were filling my head with lies and negative thoughts that weren't true.
When in reality, every single one of them was right.
I’m such an idiot!
“Fuck!” I curse myself when tears begin to stream down my cheeks as I think back to every fucking sign and warning I chose to ignore. I wipe furiously at my eyes that won’t stop welling up as I drive through the pouring rain. Seems fitting given the disastrous turn my life just took.
I park my car along the side of a quiet road and pull out my phone, quickly searching up the nearest hotel. The first one that comes up isn’t my ideal place to stay, but it’s only a ten-minute drive away, and it will do for the night. Tomorrow I can find somewhere nicer until I figure out my next step.
A new message from my father pops up on my screen, asking me if I’m okay and to call him. Apparently, he’s called me fivetimes and left me several text messages between the moment I left the law firm and ransacked Tommy’s place. I swipe his message away, not wanting to deal with anyone right now, and quickly make a reservation at the hotel.
When all is done, I pull away from the curb and make my way to my destination for the rest of the day and night. I quickly look myself over in the visor once I’m in the parking lot and growl. I look like absolute shit! My makeup is all smudged from the rain and crying despite me fighting back my emotions, my hair looks like it just took a spin in the dryer, and my eyes are red.
God, I really do look like a lunatic right now.
I quickly grab my sunglasses from the car, even though there's no sun out and it’s still pouring, then place them on my face and step out with only one of the duffle bags. I’m not even sure what exactly it contains, but I’ll have to find something to wear inside of it. There’s no way I’m bringing up all these suitcases.
I make my way inside while trying to tame my hair slightly, then check in and take the elevator up to my room. It’s small, looks a bit dirty, and doesn’t really smell great, but whatever. This will do. As long as it gives me a place to hide out for a few hours, that’s all I care about.
Tossing the duffle bag on the floor, I kick off my heels and throw my sunglasses onto the bed, then quickly shed off my coat that is once again dripping with rainwater. It’s only then that I remember the ensemble I have on beneath it and scream out with frustration.
But despite the rage coursing through my blood, the heartache quickly creeps in, and I finally let the tears fall freely. Then I crawl onto the bed, beneath the covers, and curl into a ball before crying myself to sleep.
Chapter two
Emma
What a precious Little Tulip.
~ The Next Day ~
I flutter my eyes open as the sunlight filtering through the window blinds my vision, and I quickly squeeze them shut. The massive headache I’m sporting is pounding at the back of my skull.
I ended up leaving my room, after a few hours of self-pity, and made my way to the nearest liquor store. Because yes, this cheap hotel doesn’t even have a place to drink attached to it. They dohave room service, which I ordered from, but honestly, I wish I hadn’t. And yes, I changed out of my clothes before heading out.
After getting back to my room and downing an entire bottle of wine to myself, I finally had the courage to look at my phone that hadn’t stopped going off. I did end up responding to my dad, telling him I was okay but needed time, although I ignored every single call and message from Tommy telling me that I’m being immature and to come home right away.
He also left me a pretty nasty voicemail about how furious he was that he had to crawl through a window to get inside his house because he didn’t have a key for the backdoor. Then he went on to yelling at me for the state of his house, because yes, he was calling while crawling through the window. He called me every single name in the book and then claimed I was going to have to pay for all the repairs.
If he thinks I’ll be paying a single cent off that repair bill, he can go suck a dick.
And then there was that beautiful message from my dear old mother. The one that told me I was acting like a child and that I needed to learn to control myself and apologize to Tommy for my behavior.
