For not losing hope

I love stories. I would do anything for a good story. For me, there should be a story that ends with a happy ending. I do not praise the stories with bad endings. For that, we have life. My life…

I know that my life has not ended yet, but I am not very thrilled with how my life has turned out. I have had everything for a moment, and now everything is slipping from my hands, and I can do nothing. I feel like I am dying… I feel like I will die if I continue to live like that, or maybe I should die. I turned my head to the open window. I am on the third floor of the mansion. I moved closer to the window and peeked outside. I am trying to measure the height. If I decided to jump, then, I do not want to take any chances. I cannot be forced to live like this as a crippled body. I am already crippled with my mind, and I am about to lose my soul so why not life?

Yes… I have decided. I have to jump. I will jump, and all this will end. There will be pain but no more misery. I realize I am smiling thinking about it. How sad, yet how relaxing. So, it is decided, that I will jump.

"Ms. White! What are you doing near the window?" someone asked. I turned and saw a familiar face, but I don't know her. I know no one in the mansion really. This girl was wearing a very pretty turquoise-colored dress, and her hair was beautifully braided behind her with some flocks covering the edge of her face and some hairs were left stranded on her shoulders. She looked at me with concerned eyes. I felt scared and angry at the same time. I was scared because I was afraid if this girl knew of my intentions, and I was angry because my will was halted by her unannounced and unwelcomed sudden presence.

"Nothing. I was taking some fresh air," I said, moving away from the window. The idea was all good, but it is now too late.

"Well, you will catch a cold. A young bride like you should take care of her health" the girl said with a smile.

"What do you want?" I snapped angrily.

"Everyone is waiting for you. It is time to take the vows" the girl said. I felt as if her words stabbed my heart. I closed my eyes to sink my pain within.

"Okay… fine," I said. I saw a big mirror to my left, and I looked at myself, standing in front of that mirror. I looked good. The princess bridal dress suited me. I was never fond of such things as the bulky dress, I am wearing, but I look good. My makeup, hair, jewelry, everything was perfect as it should be for a bride. It is an important day for my father, Greg White. My father is a businessman, and he is one of the most influential people in the country. For me, my father is the only family I have. My mother died right after my birth, and my father raised me, of course, with the help of his staff, numerous nannies, and servants. I saw my father taking his business as his priority. For him, business is his life, and this marriage can protect his business and his life. So, you know, I don't have too much liberty in taking the one decision that should have been mine to begin as my birthright. I feel helpless, and I feel empty.

After a last glance, I followed the girl to the altar where my life was being written to its new fate. I am getting married. Walking down the altar, I remembered everything. Everything that had occurred. I ever imagined the things that might have occurred if destiny could have played its role a bit differently. I remembered everyone. I remembered how and why I decided to go for this marriage. I remembered everything and everyone that led me to this day at the altar. I looked ahead; I saw the man I was getting married to. He smiled at me, draw his hand to help me climb the stairs. He had always been this kind and loving. He had always been so nice to me, and now I am about to get married to him. I held his hand, and he helped me climb up. I looked around and saw the girls looking at me with utter envy and jealousy in their eyes. They all wanted to be at my place. The groom kissed my hand and whispered,

"Let's be ready for the new beginning"

The beginning… that was it, I thought. How did this begin? I remembered what others had told me and my mind drifted to where it all began.

***** Flashback begins *****

20 years back…

Mrs. Sarah Morgan, the servant of Davidson's House, was cleaning the window when she saw Mrs. Ella Davidson coming at a distance. Mrs. Davidson was a beautiful, proud woman. She carried herself with great dignity, composure, and goodwill. If it has not been for Mrs. Davidson, Mrs. Morgan would have never been able to survive. She had no family but an evil man, her husband. Mrs. Davidson helped Mrs. Morgan to rebuild her life and live at peace. Mrs. Morgan runs to the door to welcome Mrs. Davidson.

"Good evening, Sarah. Aren't these roses beautiful?" Ella said looking at the roses she bought from a local flower shop. Ella looked at Sarah's face and realized she was troubled.

"Oh… what's wrong Sarah?" Ella asked in concern.

"It is Mr. Davison, madam," Sarah said with a little hesitation.

"Robert? What is wrong with him? Is he back?" Ella asked.

"Yes, he came to some while back. He looked very upset" Sarah told Ella.

"Oh, I see. Please put them in water. I will look into the matter" Ella said. Ella gave flowers to Sarah and went to the small library on the first floor of the villa they lived in. Ella knew that she would find her husband, Robert there.

Ella went upstairs and heard Robert talking with someone loudly. Ella waited outside the door, so as not to disturb Robert during his call.

"Everything? Everything! How could you put everything in line for a single deal? How could that happen? I never agreed to this. I want it back. You heard me…." Robert spoke loudly.

"I don't care. I never agreed to this. It was not my decision. Hello! Hello??? Hello?????" Robert screamed.

Robert throws the phone on the floor, smashing it. Ella heard the loud noise and ran inside. She saw Robert pulling the phone wire angrily. Ella ran towards him and grabbed his hands. Robert saw Ella and collapsed on the floor. Ella supported Robert and hugged him while Robert hugged her back. Robert dug his face into Ella's long brown hair. Ella felt Robert's warm breath on her neck. Ella was worried, more worried than she was letting on. Robert moved away from the warm embrace of her wife and faced the large open window of the room from where a cool breeze entered, making the entire atmosphere quite chilly.

"What is wrong, darling? Please tell me. What had happened?" Ella asked.

"We are broke, Ella" Robert turned and answered Ella. Ella did not respond for a moment. She did not understand how that could happen. She would have shunned the matter away at other times or laughed at the stupid joke, but this was no joke. Robert was not stating such things out of humor. Ella sighed loudly, not knowing how to respond to that, and Robert looked at her in grief and embarrassment.

"What? How? Wha.. t happened?" Ella asked.

"Everything went down. We put everything of our own into this foreign deal, and now everything is ruined. We were playing on foreign grounds, unknown to us, so we did not know the risks. We knew nothing" Robert was talking more to himself than to Ella. Robert could not believe how he was responsible for such a grave mistake.

"If it was not very promising then, why did you take the risk," Ella asked calmly. She did not want to upset Robert anymore.

"Because it was promising. There was a huge profit. It would have been perfect. It would have saved this family for centuries to come. I was thinking about our son, Ricker. Ricker's future would have been secured. He would not need to do anything. If…" Robert spoke of the distant future… the possibilities that he wanted to attain but he failed in doing so.

"Oh, my darling… are there more ifs? Besides, Ricker is only seven. He does not care about the future or profit or any of the things you are concerned with right now. We have so much time to think about that, and our business is good, and we are doing well for ourselves. Why do you want to take risks and stress like that? We have everything we need right here. We don't need anything else," Ella said. Robert knew Ella to be a proud and wise woman. He knew Ella was right. Robert did make a mistake, a mistake that might cost him everything.

"I am so sorry" Robert apologized for his foolishness.

"It's alright. Many even don't have what we have" Ella told Robert.

"And what is that?" Robert asked.

"We have each other, we have our son and a happy home," Ella said proudly with a broad smile, trying to cheer up Robert. Ella looked at Robert and realized something else was there.

"We have a home, right? Robert, we still have this house, right?" Ella asked Robert.

"Not sure for how long" Robert said. Before Ella could ask more, Sarah knocked on the door. Ella looked up and asked, "What is it, Sarah?"

"Someone has come to meet Mr. Davison. He calls himself, Mr. Greg White" Sarah said. Sarah could feel the tension in the room.

Robert stood up and Ella smiled at Robert before he left to meet his guest.

"Is everything alright madam?" Sarah asked Ella with a concerned expression.

"It will be, Sarah. I know it will be" Ella said with hope. She has not lost hope… not yet.

***** Flashback ends *****

"Do you Emma White take this man as your wedded husband?" Emma heard the marriage officiant, and she snapped out of the past. It was the moment of decision and the only moment that mattered to her. It could change everything, and Emma decided something for herself… a decision that could change her life forever.

"NO" Emma said.

A loud bang was heard, and Emma heard a painful scream. Everyone turned to look at the fallen man.