When The Love Comes

I slapped him. Hard. His cheek reddened, but he didn't flinch. 

"How could you?" I whispered, my voice barely audible, the tears threatening to spill. I hated him. I hated him for doing this to me.I turned on my heel, walking away with my heart in pieces behind me. I couldn't even feel the sting in my palm anymore. All I could feel was the cold emptiness creeping into my chest.

I found a bench by the sidewalk, the world blurring around me as I curled up, my face hidden beneath my coat. I cried. Silent, guttural sobs racked my body, and I couldn't stop them. I wasn't even sure when I fell asleep, the weight of the day pulling me into unconsciousness.

---

I woke to the screech of a passing car, disoriented and cold. I glanced at my watch—half an hour late for work. Damn it. 

I rushed to the address of my next client, a tour I couldn't afford to mess up. Not after everything that had happened. 

When I arrived, breathless and apologetic, the waiter at the restaurant looked at me with a mixture of pity and disappointment. 

"Sir Epics has left. He's displeased with your service. He's decided to speak to the manager," the waiter said, his voice clipped. "He's on an important business trip, and you wasted his time. Miss Teal." 

I stood frozen, the sinking realization that my personal life had affected my work. The man I was supposed to escort had been an important client, and I'd ruined everything. 

The waiter didn't wait for my apology. Instead, he turned and walked away, starting the engine of the luxury car and leaving me standing alone on the curb. I swallowed the lump in my throat. 

I had just lost everything.

---

In the shadows of a sleek black car, Alexander, the mysterious man who had orchestrated this cruel lesson, looked down at Teal's profile on the tablet. 

"She'll learn," he muttered to the waiter beside him. "People like her need to be taught a lesson before they waste my time."

---

"I can't believe this is happening," I muttered under my breath. Just because I was a few minutes late for a client, the manager fired me. Me! The one who had worked without a single day off for the past three years, the one who earned the title of best employee at Delara Tourism and Entertainment.

Biting the inside of my cheek in frustration, I stood at the bus stop, waiting to head home. The notification of my dismissal from the company still stung like a slap across my face.

When I got home, my mother was standing at the door of our apartment, her arms crossed. I had been paying for the rent ever since she retired early.

"Teal, you are late, this is midnight, what were you doing till this hour? What will the neighborhood think about you? " she said dryly. 

"Oh come on mom, I've lost my job. Isn't that exactly what you've wanted all along? For me to stay unemployed so I could marry Darian after high school?"

I let out my words, raising my voice a little, honestly all she cared about was her reputation, what about me. 

"I did not like the idea of you working in such young age, I didn't know how they employed you in the first place, but glad you lost it," She replied, she followed me inside, I was over my nerves.

I threw my bag on the sofa and turned to face my mother, "Yes mom, it doesn't matter. I don't need a job if I marry Darin, right? He's rich enough that I'd never have to work again. I could live like a princess. No worries at all."

I sighed, frustration creeping into my voice. those were her usual words, to marry that fucking Darin. 

When she saw the pissed mood of me she said "Getting that job was a blessing, but you're still young, Teal. You'll be fine. Darin's family is wealthy. You won't have to work. But remember, you're not getting any younger. I'm only saying this because I want what's best for you."

I didn't respond, the weight of her words sinking in. It was true—I had worked hard for the job, and losing it stung. But it was nothing compared to the pain of losing Stephen. Five years of love, and yet, here I was left a lone. It didn't make sense. Why now?

I stormed off to my room, slamming the door behind me. Throwing myself on my bed, I whispered, "Do what you want, Stephen, but I'm only giving one chance to anyone who comes into my life—and you were the first to break it."

---

The next morning, I woke up late. My mind was still stuck in yesterday's mess. As I walked down the stairs, I could hear voices coming from the living room. With a glance, I noticed Darin's mother sitting there, talking to mine. They were both too friendly for comfort. No doubt, they were scheming about my marriage.

I couldn't take it anymore. I had to leave. I needed to find a job, or I'd drown in this.

"Oh, Teal, dear! It's been so long," Darin's mother said, her voice as smooth as honey. "We were just talking about you with your mother."

Her gold jewelry caught the light. Everything about her screamed money.

"Hello," I said flatly, just wanting to escape into the kitchen and get my coffee before heading out to look for a job.

But then her words froze me. "We've set the date for your wedding with Darin. How does today sound?"

I turned to her sharply. "What? Are you out of your mind? I'm not marrying Darin today—or ever!" I let out a long sight, unable to contain my frustration.

My mother rushed to cover my mouth, trying to silence me, but Darin's mother just looked at me, her eyebrows raised in disbelief, she was angry.