Chapter 1

• Emily’s POV
• “I guess it’s true what they say about women with pretty faces. They’re damaged goods in disguise.”
• He peeled off the bed and threw his T-shirt over his exposed chest.
• “David, you don’t have to leave like this,” I pleaded but I actually did wanted him to leave.
• “Nah, it’s all good Emily. I’m going to be fine. I wish you a happy life and I hope you find what it is you’re REALLY looking for.”
• He left the room and shut the door with a very loud slam which made my heart leap.
• I did it again.
• I chased away yet another guy because I couldn’t find what I was looking for in him.
• Of course I wouldn’t find it. I wasn’t looking for something, I was actually looking for someone.
• I slowly walked out to the balcony and stared out at the horizon.
• A feeling of a pound of tears lingered on my chest like crashing waves. My breathing hitched while my blood ran cold throughout my entire body.
• “Why can’t I forget you? It’s been ten years Sebastian. Ten long, lonely years without seeing you or hearing your voice. You’re only memories now but you wouldn’t go away,” I softly spoke as if he was actually listening to me.
• I didn’t like the woman I was becoming. I didn’t want to be responsible for ruining ‘love’ for a person or for people. I was aware that I should accept someone for who they were and not what I wanted them to be but I wanted to love again as well. I needed to love again.
• The look on David’s face when I ended our time together.... I couldn’t stand seeing someone else hurt because I didn’t have my heart and feelings in order.
• I walked back into the room and got into the bathtub. I took an hour bath and stepped into an outfit for a late night party at the club.
• After dressing, applying my makeup and styling my hair, I met up with my best friend who also happened to be my personal assistant, in the hotel’s lobby.
• Gen and I had visited Conovia- a small but beautiful foreign country just beyond the United Kingdom, to guide and establish a water front hotel on one of the beaches. (Ps. Conovia isn’t located beyond the UK. Conovia doesn’t exist. I thought it would be cool to make up a country for this fiction. ☝️)
• “You’re looking sexy tonight boss,” she teased as we got into the limousine.
• “Don’t start with me Gen. I already want this night to be over.”
• “Where’s David?”
• “He left.”
• “Oh Em, I’m so sorry. I really thought that the two of you would of......”
• “I ended it,” I cut her off before she finished her statement.
• “Really? Why?” She turned towards me so that she was looking me straight in the face.
• I heaved a sigh.
• “Oh, I see. You’re thinking about him again.” Gen knew me like if we had grew up in the same house and feed off the same mother.
• “I can’t get him out of my mind and I feel terrible for David. He’s a really great guy Gen, but for some reason, I can’t love him.”
• “Of course not. You’ve been dating him for only three months. It took me two years to fell in love with someone.”
• “This isn’t about you Gen,” I groaned as I sunk myself into the comfortable seat of the lemo as the driver drove towards the night club.
• “Don’t worry sweetie. One shot of Hennessy and you’ll be alright,” Gen said and patted my shoulder.
• ________
• Half an hour later, we arrived at a club. The music was blaring and the atmosphere was cold. I wrapped my arms around myself as Gen and I walked towards the front of the line.
• “IDs ladies!” a very muscular guy wearing black sunglasses, said.
• Gen and I complied and also showed our VIP tickets. There were groans of complains from the other people in the long line when he ushered us inside before they got the chance.
• ______
• The scent of strong alcohol and overused perfumes hung in the air as we made our way over to the bar,
• Gen holding my hand and pushing people out of her path.
• “Bartender! Two shots of ‘henny’ please,” she called.
• “Gen, we’re VIPs. Being here isn’t necessary.”
• “I know that but the vibe here is lit and turn all the way uppppp!” she squealed and threw her arms in the air as she dragged the word ‘up’.
• “You haven’t had one drink yet and you’re already drunk,” I joked.
• “Shut upppp.”
• We got our shots of Hennessy and made our way up to the VIP area but it was boring up there.
• The music was less deafening, the enclosed walls hide the rest of the club from our sights, and there wasn’t anyone else present but Gen and me.
• “Girl, shall we head back downstairs?” she asked with a raised eyebrows.
• “Please.”
• We headed back downstairs and got into the tangled of bodies on the dancefloor. I needed to dance my ‘damage’ self away and when the DJ hit Rihanna’s Please Don’t Stop The Music, I found myself being a free spirit.
• Gen got exhausted quickly. She pulled me towards the bar to have a seat with her.
• “Oh damn, I have to pee.” She made a beeline to the washroom but after a minute, she came back and crossed her legs in front of the other.
• “What’s the matter?” I asked.
• “I haven’t peed because the bathrooms are jammed.”
• “I’m certain you could use the ones upstairs,” I answered, pointing at her VIP bracelet we got from the bouncer.
• “Come with me?”
• “Nah, I’m having my drink.” I took a sip and waved to her. She rolled her eyes and walked away.
• ______
• “EM! EM!” I heard Gen calling from through the now thicker crowd.
• “What is it?” I asked.
• “I saw him. He’s here.”
• “Saw who. Who’s here?”
• “Sebastian.”
• My heart skipped ten beats.