Copyright
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Introduction
Eyla is a single mom struggling to survive after her husband cheated on her and forced her into divorce. Unprepared and alone with her only son, she turns to her old friend Jessica for support and finds a new job as an event planner. As she navigates her new life, Eyla meets two men who both love her deeply: a wealthy entrepreneur who loves her unconditionally and a famous superstar who is out of her reach. However, her ex-husband becomes abusive and tries to kidnap their son, and Eyla must fight for her and her son's safety. Despite the challenges she faces, Eyla finds herself falling in love again and ultimately decides to take a risk on a second chance at happiness.
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Thank you for buying this ebook. I hope you enjoy your read.
NS Raveneir
Chapter 1
Eyla sat at the kitchen table, staring out the window at the bright morning sun. She could not believe her husband, Geoff, had left her to raise their son, Daryl, on her own. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying all night, but she did not want Daryl to see her like this. She got up and splashed some water on her face from the kitchen sink, trying to compose herself. She did not want Daryl to know how much pain she was in or how much she blamed his father for leaving them. All Eyla wanted for her son was for him to grow up to be a kind and decent man, unlike his father.
Eyla peered out of the kitchen window with a heavy heart, her gaze settling on the sight of Daryl, who was absorbed in his toys in the backyard behind the modest house. A new wave of grief washed over her as she thought about the home that used to be full of countless cherished moments and dreams. When Daryl came back through the back door, Eyla quickly wiped away her tears in an effort to hide her sorrow.
"Are you crying, Mommy?" Daryl asked.
Eyla shook her head. "No, just a little dust." Eyla wiped her eyes and said, "Mommy needs to clean up."
Daryl opened the refrigerator, looked at Eyla, and asked, "Can I have my ice cream early?"
Eyla nodded. She walked to the refrigerator and took a small cup of chocolate ice cream.
"Only for today." Eyla knelt down and said to Daryl, "You get it early because you've been a good boy."
Daryl smiled and took the ice cream cup from Eyla's hand, saying, "Thank you, Mommy!"
Eyla got up as she watched Daryl run happily to the backyard. She could feel something painfully piercing her chest. Eyla recognized herself as a simple housewife when she saw all the pictures hanging on the kitchen walls. Eyla had been happily married to her soon-to-be ex-husband, Geoff. After seven years of marriage, everything had fallen apart. She reached for one of the pictures on the wall and smiled bitterly when she saw it. The picture showed her smiling happily with Geoff and their baby, Daryl, in her arms. It had been taken in front of their house five years ago, when they bought it. Eyla wondered when things had gone wrong. She had convinced herself that she was a devoted housewife, taking good care of her child and loving her husband sincerely. She had trusted Geoff completely, believing that they would be loyal to each other until death separated them. Yet it seemed that only Eyla believed in that.
Eyla was lost in thought until the sound of her cellphone brought her back to reality. When she looked at the caller ID on her phone screen, she saw that it was her best friend Jessica. She picked up the phone.
"Hello, Jess..."
"Are you alright, Eyla?" Jessica asked.
"I'm okay..." Eyla sighed heavily. "I'm going to clean up the house; it seems that I have to sell it."
"What do you mean?"
"Geoff, he asked me to sell the house." Eyla started to cry. "He's such a jerk, he doesn't even care about Daryl anymore."
"Poor baby..." Jessica was concerned. "Don't worry, I'm going to send you my lawyer to help; trust me, everything is going to be fine."
"Thank you, Jess." Eyla felt a little bit of relief. "You're such an angel."
"Eyla, I'm your best friend; remember that, okay?" Jessica said before ending the call. "I've got to go; just call me if you need anything."
Eyla clutched her cellphone tightly. She was grateful to have a good friend like Jessica. They had been best friends since high school. Eyla thought it was fortunate that she was not alone during her hardest struggle. She had her best friend to support her. However, the hardest part was dealing with Geoff, who terrorized her almost every day. He kept pressuring Eyla to sell the house and give him the money as soon as possible. If she refused, he threatened to harm her.
Eyla wondered where the love had gone that had kept them together for almost seven years of marriage. Geoff had turned his heart to someone else so easily, while Eyla had tried her best to please her beloved husband. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw fine wrinkles etched all over her face. She was only 29, but the stress had made her physically and emotionally deteriorate. Eyla was saddened by the fact that she was no longer as beautiful as she used to be. Her clothes were unfashionable, her hair was unkempt, and she looked unappealing overall. She lifted her shirt and saw the stretch marks on her belly from her pregnancy in the mirror. "Do you choose her because I look like this?" she asked herself.
Eyla laughed bitterly at the thought that she was no longer perfect. The woman with glowing brown hair, silky smooth skin, perfectly radiant hazel eyes, and a slim body had disappeared. She had become someone she did not recognize. Eyla hated herself. Her world was falling apart. She felt that she did not deserve to be loved by anyone. She believed that Geoff wanted to divorce her because she was no longer pretty. She was no longer desirable, so Geoff wanted to get rid of her and replace her with someone younger, prettier, and sexier. Eyla had hit rock bottom. There was no room in her mind for herself anymore because something in her head was telling her that she had lost and was unworthy of love. Eyla was sobbing once more as the cruel thoughts flooded her mind with destructive ideas.
Eyla sat on the floor and sobbed. She could no longer hold in all the pain. Then she felt small hands reach out to her and hug her tightly.
"Why are you crying, Mommy?" Daryl asked.
Eyla was heartbroken that she had failed to hide her sadness from Daryl. "Mommy just feels a little bit sad," Eyla replied as she put Daryl on her lap and said, "I promise that I'll protect you no matter what."
"I love you, Mommy; don't cry." Daryl wiped away Eyla's tears with his little hands.
"Mommy loves you too," Eyla said as she kissed Daryl on the forehead.
Chapter 2
Eyla was doing her best to control her temper. She was disgusted with the way Geoff behaved during the mediation. It should be only Eyla, Geoff, and their lawyers, but Geoff brought his mistress with him. Moreover, the so-called mistress always interrupted every time they discussed something important about the divorce. Eyla could not hold her anger any longer when Geoff’s mistress put her finger on the house settlement matter. Eyla grabbed the nearest object she could reach and threw it at her.
"Are you mad, Eyla?" Geoff was angry.
Tina pointed at Eyla. "You, you crazy bitch, you’re hurting me."
"You deserve that," Eyla said angrily, and then she got up from her chair. "You don’t have the right to be here; this is my problem with Geoff; I don’t want you here."
Tina was displeased with Eyla, but Geoff’s lawyer tried to stop her, giving a sign to Geoff to send Tina out of the room. Geoff refuted at first, but seeing Tina, who was ready to make a larger disturbance, he brought her out of the room.
The mediation continued when Geoff went back inside the room. It was an odd thing for Eyla; she had to brawl against the man who used to love her. Eyla struggled for her rights because Geoff did not go easy on her. He insisted that Eyla sell the house and split the profits with him. Eyla agreed as long as Geoff also paid child support for Daryl. Geoff agreed easily; it seemed that he could not wait to be divorced from Eyla. After both Eyla and Geoff had settled their agreement, their lawyer left them alone.
"I’m just curious." Eyla asked, "What do you see in her that you don’t find in me?"
"Women are just the same, Eyla." Geoff haughtily said, "I just don’t feel the spark in you anymore."
Eyla was taken aback by what he had just said. Geoff appeared to be more confident in himself than ever before. Eyla felt that spending more time with him was pointless because she realized that Geoff irritated her eyes every time she looked at him. Eyla turned away from Geoff; she did not want to see him any longer. She made the right decision by walking away from him and erasing all of her memories of him.
When Eyla was outside the building, she saw her best friend Jessica waiting for her. Eyla waved at her with a bitter smile hanging on her lips, then she walked in her direction.
"Is there any good news?" Jessica asked,
"I guess so." Eyla was hesitant and said, "Geoff promised me that he would pay for the child benefit as long as I sold the house."
"You could stay at my guesthouse for a while," Jessica said, concerned for Eyla. "Come on, let me help you."
"You’re such a good friend; I owe you so much." Eyla thanked Jessica and hugged her, saying, "Thank you."
Eyla agreed because she realized that she was not fully recovered from her wound, knowing that Geoff cheated on her with Tina, a girl that he met at the gym. Eyla’s life was turned upside down. She was always second-guessing herself if she did anything wrong, which made Geoff betray her. Yet, the real fact was quite hilarious: Geoff gained his confidence after losing some weight, and it happened because of Eyla. Eyla was the one who was concerned about Geoff’s health when he became overweight. Eyla was so concerned about her husband that she encouraged him to lose weight and sent him to the gym. Eyla chuckled as she remembered everything she had done for her husband, not realizing it would lead to the end of her marriage.
Seeing her best friend's sudden laughter, Jessica wondered, "Is something funny?"
"I guess so." Eyla smiled at Jessica and said, "What if Geoff didn't go to the gym like I suggested he should?"
"I understand that you're going through a difficult time right now," Jessica said as she patted Eyla on the shoulder. "But it doesn't change anything; he's no good for you."
"You should have seen him feeling good about himself this morning," Eyla told Jessica about Geoff. "I mean, he thought he was so good-looking that he was irresistible."
"Where did he get that idea?" Jessica mocked Geoff. "He just thought he was a dude and didn't realize he was just a brute."
"We have so many dreams, Geoff and I," Eyla sighed, "people do change, right?"
"But I’m not," Jessica assured Eyla. "I will always be your best friend."
"I’m so lucky that I have you."
Eyla truly appreciated Jessica's help. She felt like a small burden had been lifted off her shoulders. The most important thing for her at the moment was to sell the house, and then she could move into Jessica's guesthouse as soon as possible.
"You should start packing up all your stuff," Jessica said, showing Eyla her phone screen. "I just contacted an acquaintance to help you sell the house."
"Okay, but I'm not sure how I'm going to tell Daryl that his father and I are getting divorced," Eyla said sadly.
"Don't worry, we'll figure it out together," Jessica encouraged her. "I'll help you get through this."
Eyla became a little braver, and Jessica’s words made her strong. There was no way to turn back, and Eyla knew it would not be an easy thing to explain to her son about the complicated matter. However, Daryl must know that his father decided to leave them behind. Eyla clenched her fist, trying to do her best to prove that she could do anything, even without Geoff beside her anymore. In the meantime, she got her friend's support and realized that it was her time to become independent without the presence of a man in her life.
After parting with Jessica, Eyla decided to see her son at preschool. After an exhausting day, she just wanted to see her son's face. Actually, it was time for Daryl to go home from preschool. Eyla was right on time; Daryl had already waited for Eyla to pick him up. Joyfully, he ran and called for Eyla.
"Mommy, mommy!" Daryl shouted,
Eyla opened her arms as Daryl hugged her tight; she kissed his chubby cheek with love. Then Eyla let him go and looked him in the eyes.
"Do you want to buy ice cream?" Eyla asked,
"Yes!" Daryl was so excited, his eyes gleaming, as Eyla took his hand in hers.
Both of them walked side by side on the sidewalk, with Daryl singing his favorite song. The short walk brought them to an ice cream shop nearby, but something inevitable happened, and it was not a good thing. Daryl pulled Eyla's hand, and it made her stop. Daryl pointed his little hand to the café next to the ice cream shop.
Daryl looked at Eyla with confusion and a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Mommy, why did Daddy kiss that lady?" he asked.
Eyla took a deep breath and knelt down to face Daryl, then looked into his curious gaze. "Daryl, sometimes things don't work out between grown-ups, and they have to go their separate ways." Eyla looked Daryl in the eye with concern. "Your father and I have decided to divorce, but that doesn't mean we don't love you any less; you are still our son, and we both care about you very much."
"Is that true?" Daryl tried to understand,
Eyla sighed, struggling to find the appropriate words to explain the situation to her young son. "Your father has found someone else he wants to be with; it's wrong, but it happened, and we have to accept it and move on." Eyla struggled to find the right words. "It's important to remember that this has nothing to do with you, Daryl; even though we are no longer together, you are still loved and cared for by both of your parents."
Daryl nodded, seeming to understand, but Eyla could see the hurt in his eyes. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry, Daryl. I know this is hard to understand, but we will get through it together, and remember, no matter what, Mommy will always be here for you."
Chapter 3
Alone inside her room, Eyla had already packed all her belongings and Daryl’s. She was sad; she could not believe that she had to sell the house. She did not know what to tell Daryl; looking at him playing happily on the back porch made her wonder if he would be sad knowing that he had to leave the house. Little Daryl waved at her; his cheerful smile was Eyla’s only consolation in this hard time. She waved at him back and shouted,
"Have you finished playing, Daryl?"
"Yes, Mommy!"
Daryl went inside the house and brought all his toys with him. Eyla brought the luggage downstairs, leaving Daryl wondering why his mommy brought so much stuff with her.
"Where are you going, Mommy?"
"We are going to move out of this house."
"No, I don’t want to go; I like it here."
Eyla was well aware that Daryl would refuse to go. She hugged him and told him gently that she had to sell the house. Daryl remained upset, crying and refusing to leave. Eyla fought back tears, wanting to be strong for her child. She tried once more to persuade her son that they would be living in a much better place than their current residence. Daryl took a while to agree, even though he was still sobbing, but he left the house willingly. Eyla took one last look at the house. Inside the house, there were so many memories, especially the promise she and Geoff had made to raise a happy family. Everything, however, was in vain—a broken promise that could never be fulfilled.
Eyla then called a taxi to send her to Jessica’s mansion. The only place and option she had until she could stand on her own again. The taxi arrived, and Eyla put all her luggage inside the trunk. She said goodbye to her past in her final glance before leaving, silently inside her heart. The taxi brought Eyla and Daryl to the other part of town, where Jessica lived. During the ride, Eyla's heart was filled with anxiety and fear. One problem was solved; she had a place to stay, but she was concerned about the money. She realized that she could not rely on the money from the house sale because she had to share half of it with Geoff. She realized that she had to find a job soon enough, but she wondered if there was any job for her. Especially since she had been a housewife for the previous six years, she was confused about their future; she was so scared that she would not be able to become a good parent for Daryl. She wished that everything was a dream and that she would wake up and do everything like she used to. The fact struck her that no matter what she wished for, the truth was that she was already divorced and that Geoff did not love her anymore.
Drowning in her thoughts, Eyla did not realize that she had arrived at Jessica’s mansion. When the taxi stopped in front of the gate, Eyla and Daryl quickly got off the taxi. Eyla was waiting in front of the gate until someone arrived to greet her. Eleanor was Jessica’s housekeeper; she helped Eyla bring her luggage to the guesthouse that was behind the mansion. Eleanor opened up the guesthouse, and Eyla was shocked when she saw how wide the premises were.
"I hope you enjoy your stay here, Ms. Eyla." Eleanor stated cheerfully,
"Thank you so much; this place is awesome." Eyla was awed.
"If you need anything, I’ll be in the main house."
"Yes, thank you, Eleanor."
When Eleanor left the guesthouse, Eyla began to explore the property with Daryl. It was a wonderful place. There was also enough separate sleeping space for her and Daryl. Eyla quickly unpacked all of her belongings. She had no idea how long she would be in this place.
When the lights in the backyard were turned on at night, Eyla could see a beautiful view as the lights reflected on the pool. Daryl was still dozing off on the sofa. Eyla let him be that way; he was upset all day. She could not blame him for having to leave his beloved backyard, where he used to play. She went to check on her door when she heard a knock. Jessica called and invited Eyla and her son to dinner with her family.
"Let’s have dinner; Eleanor has prepared us delicious meals for tonight," Jessica said.
Eyla nodded; she accepted the offer and gently tried to wake up Daryl.
Eyla patted Daryl’s head gently and said, "Come on, Daryl, wake up; Aunt Jess has invited us to dinner."
Daryl lazily opened his eyes. He was hungry, so he nodded and followed his mother. Eyla and Daryl joined the dinner. It was their first experience having such a festive dinner in a long time. The dinner table was crowded; there was Shawn, Jessica’s husband, and the twins, Jessica’s children, Tara and Tyson. Daryl was not upset because, luckily, he met the twin and easily became their friend. The jolly dinner was full of laughter, and for a while, Eyla could forget her sadness.
Shawn followed the children as they played in the living room after dinner. Eyla was assisting Jessica in cleaning up the dinner table. She loaded the dishwasher with all of the dirty dishes. Jessica asked Eyla to accompany her to the backyard for a light conversation. They were both sitting on the poolside chair. Eyla was taking in her surroundings and was astounded by the scenery. When she saw Jessica, she realized how fortunate she was. She had a happy life, a devoted husband, and a good job. Jessica smiled, knowing exactly what was on Eyla's mind.
"I know what you’re thinking." Jessica seemed to be able to read Eyla’s thought, "You might think that I live a successful life; I get all of this with my hard work, and yes, everything comes by itself."
"Forgive me; I just feel that life is harsh on me, and I'm sorry that I don't call you often; those endless chores overtake me," Eyla said, her smile bitter for her unfortunate life but also happy that her best friend lived a good life.
"I forgive you," Jessica hugged Eyla, "you are here now; I'll help you get through all of this." Jessica was relieved when Eyla called her after a long absence, and the two of them were reunited once more.
Jessica and Eyla talked for a long time, attempting to make up for lost time. Until they came across Eyla's biggest issue: she needed to find work. Eyla needed to work to support herself, but she was not sure what kind of job would suit her. After all, she had not worked in six years.
"Why don’t you work at my place?" Jessica offered Eyla,
"I don’t know if I could do it." Eyla refused; she felt that she had received all of Jessica’s kindness. She did not want to exploit her generosity much further.
Jessica, on the other hand, pushed her because she knew Eyla needed it.
"Come on, I know you can do it," Jessica urged Eyla. "Besides that, one of my event planners has resigned recently; you can
Impressum
Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
Texte: NS Raveneir
Cover: XN
Lektorat: NSR
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 28.06.2021
ISBN: 978-3-7487-8693-1
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