1 Chapter One

Eloise Pov

"Bye Eloise, bye Eloise" My colleagues waved at me as they entered the cab.

"Bye, see you guys on Monday." I waved back, forcing a smile that even a stranger could tell my smile wasn't genuine, but I pretended anyways. My husband left me at work. We always went home together after work. We work in the same company and have been married for eight years. I've been trying to call him, but he isn't answering my calls. Would it be that he is with-

"Waiting for him?" A familiar voice said to me, breaking me out of my reverie.

"Yeah, I'm trying to call him; it isn't connecting."

"Eloise, I can see your phone. He is ignoring your calls now; what an asshole. Hmm," Emily fixed her eyes at me; how she narrowed her eyes further alerted me. I know she is about to repeat it. I can't bear to hear it. Before I could place my ear pods in my ears, she blurted it out like it was mere words-

"Divorce him already. What are you waiting for? He is a cheater and wants a divorce. Eloise, what are you holding on to?"

"Huh." It was the first time she asked me that 'What exactly am I holding on to?' I opened my lips, but no words came out. I was unable to answer that.

A few months ago, I found out that my husband has a mistress. I couldn't bring myself to confront him till now. I must be out of my mind. Is it because of love? Or did I believe that it was only just a fling? But months had gone by, and he was still with her, making it obvious even at work. Sometimes when I was walking past other employees, I could hear their gossip. It was eating me down, but still, I tried to curb all the pain; he would come back, he always does.

Sincerely it wasn't the first time he had cheated. We dated for five years before getting married, and not ones did he cheat on me then, but severally, and even then, I encouraged myself that he would change, and that's how we got here today, I'm still hoping.

"Goodnight, I hope that when you get home, you will ask yourself the same question. What exactly are you holding on to?" Emily's eyes show disgust for my situation. As much as I hated it, she was right; I don't know what I'm holding on to.

"Eloise?" The cab man screamed my name.

"I'm the one." I hurried inside the cab. I'm sure Emily called the taxi. The cloud was filled with moist air; in no minute, it would pour down. Where must he be? It's crazy. I should be worried about myself or my sick father in the hospital, but all I could think about was how my husband fell ill anytime he wasn't home when it rained. I accept; I must be sick in the head.

...

"We are here." The driver stopped.

I stepped out of the car, staring at my one's happy home; maybe this is what I'm holding on to-memories. Tears prickled my cheeks, and I wiped them off.

Before I could drop my bag on the couch, I heard voices coming from the room upstairs. Thinking it was a thief, I ran to the kitchen to grab a knife. Slowly and quietly, I walked upstairs, holding the blade up with both hands as though I was ready to stab the thief, but the closer I got, the clearer the voice became. It was a woman's voice, and she was undoubtedly moaning.

"Hmm, baby, right there. Hmm, oh my, you hit the spot, yes!" The woman's voice pierced my ears, making my heart about to melt as if heated. He shouldn't have done this to me, bringing her to the house, on our bed; how could he?

I gently pushed the door with my eyes shut, but then-

"Beep beep beep," My phone rang out loud. Shocked, I opened my eyes only to see them looking at me like it wasn't my house.

"Why is she here? Couldn't she have gotten into an accident or something?" His mistress muttered quietly, but I heard her perfectly. I heard her quite well. My attention was on my husband. My phone was still ringing; instead of answering, I stood there staring at them like I was some fool.

"Can you silence that already if you aren't going to answer? And while you are at it, get the fuck out of our room." My husband yelled at me.

I doubted I heard him correctly. "Did you just say this bedroom is for you and your mistress?" I asked with a quivering voice. Tears were falling from my eyes, I could see it clearly, but I still patiently waited for him to apologize to me, but-

"Get out!!" He screamed as he jerked from the bed and walked closer to me. He pushed me out of our room, looking at me like a pathetic woman. "All I'm asking for is a divorce. I'm no longer interested. Sign the divorce papers, will you? Is it money? I'm sorry, but everything we have belongs to me. I'm not giving you a dine."

He slammed the door in my face. It became clear that my marriage, my relationship of thirteen years, was over in a split second. I was shivering. I couldn't get a minute to comprehend all that had just happened. My phone rang the third time, and when I looked at the caller, it was from the hospital.

"Hello, Doctor Martins."

"Eloise, we need you here at the hospital urgently."

My heart started beating erratically, and the tears in my eyes dried off. I sucked in my chin and widened my eyes, all in my head was, 'I hope nothing happens to my father.'

...

When I got to the hospital, I ran towards my father's ward, only to find about four nurses in his room removing the IV tube on his wrist.

My gaze drifted around, then I saw Doctor Martins walking out of the room.

"Doctor, how is he?" I was anxious, so anxious that I found it difficult to breathe. I could hear the thumping sound of my heart like it was waiting to jump out of my chest. The hospital was crowded, but all I could hear was my frightened little heart.

"He is dead. I'm sorry for your loss." The doctor placed his hand on my shoulder.

I froze right where I stood. Tears instantly gathered in my eyes and dripped down my cheeks like a cascade. How could he leave me? Why did he have to go?

I couldn't bring myself to enter the ward. My lips were widely opened, and all that came out were silent moans. He is dead; the only one I had left deserted me. My knees were quivering, phlegm dripping from my nostril. My erratically beating heart suddenly made no sound; I could no longer hear it.

Slowly I paddled to the room, finding my father covered with a white sheet. My fist clenched against the sheets as I opened them to look at him.

"Father," My eyes closed tight. I was screaming so loud, unable to fathom that I would never see him again.

The morgue men came and lifted his body on the stretcher as they moved him out of the room. I aloft on my feet, trying to stop them. Immediately I ran out of the ward. I stumbled against someone's foot, my legs swept off the floor, and I fell on my face.

My eyes drifted around, a few nurses stood still with their heads bent, and their eyes were fixed on the ground. Even the doctor's maintained the same position. I had no idea what was happening; I was embarrassed, my vision became blurry, and my head was hurting. I tried to help myself up, but I saw a handsome-looking young man standing right next to me, looking at me so pitifully. His diamond-shaped face was complimented with deep-sea blue eyes. Some strands of his dark hair curled and touched his forehead, resting perfectly in his full eyebrows. His heart-shaped lips were reddish-pink, and his nose was perfectly pointed. His pale skin was glowing, and on his ears was a black diamond earring.

He looked and smelled like billions of dollars. But there was one thing that was off about him, despite how stylish he looked, there seemed to be so much sorrow hidden behind the expensive suit he wore and his elegant attitude.

Just then, my husband and his mistress had to be there.

"The doctor called me." His mistress hands were wrapped around his. He couldn't even hide his affair.

"Please, Mr. Peter, help your wife up." One of the doctors said to him.

"She can help herself up," Peter responded to the doctor with a smirk.

All I wanted was to die like my father. The young man dressed in an expensive suit with a diamond Rolex perfectly adorning his wrist stood still staring at me. When he heard Peter's response, he nodded his head. I was still lying on the ground, thwarting his way. The beautiful young man raised his left foot and bridged over me.

"How pathetic." The young man's voice was filled with so much scorn. As he walked away, both the nurses and the doctors followed him like he was some god. My eyes were fixed on him, and slowly as my vision became more blurry, I couldn't hear anything. I passed out.