Chapter 2 I'm Heading to New York

"I was so foolish. So foolish." Julia held her head in her hands and wept as if she had never wept before.

Two days later, the new inhabitants of the house were already knocking at the door, demanding to know who she was. Julia hastily gathered a few clothes and made her way to the bus stop.

Sitting there, she pondered how she would traverse this unfamiliar path of life on her own. She felt reluctant to reach out to her parents or her siblings, knowing that it would serve as a constant reminder of her failure to heed their advice. Now without a job or a school certificate, she felt as though she had simply sacrificed her life for a man.

Reluctantly, she dialed Sebastian, her older brother. Sebastian was eleven years her senior. Their parents had always referred to him as their firstborn, with Olivia, Julia's elder sister who was two years older, being their miracle child. Then there was Julia, the baby of the family.

Julia found herself unable to bring herself to dial Olivia's number, knowing that Olivia had strongly opposed Julia's decision to move in with Ethan. She was certain Olivia would be too furious to come to her aid in her time of need, especially considering how kind and helpful Olivia's brother, Sebastian, had been to Julia throughout her relationship with Ethan.

When Julia eventually called Sebastian and poured out her heart to him, Sebastian was incensed. He promptly instructed Julia to wait for him at a nearby restaurant before setting about confronting Ethan.

After confronting Ethan, Sebastian took Julia under his wing, and she soon found herself starting a new life with him in his apartment. However, as Sebastian left for work each day, Julia would spend her time at home feeling aimless and idle. Realizing that her lack of a high school diploma would make it extremely challenging for her to secure employment, Julia broached the topic with Sebastian. She implored him to help her find a job, but he was adamant about wanting her to finish school and pursue a proper career.

Unwilling to have Ethan re-enter Julia's life, Sebastian arranged for her to continue her education in New York. While initially hesitant, Julia ultimately agreed to this plan as she felt in need of a fresh start. Sebastian informed her that she would be lodging with his best friend, Logan, during her time in New York.

Julia cherished memories of Logan, a longtime family friend who had been a frequent visitor since they were children. As kids, he would often stay over and was practically like an older brother to her, given that he was the same age as her brother, Sebastian.

Logan had been incredibly supportive, helping Julia with her school assignments and teaching her how to ride a bike. Despite the passage of time, they had lost touch, but he and Sebastian remained close friends, talking daily about various topics ranging from business and family to the occasional discussions about women. They had a strong bond as good buddies.

When the topic of lodging with Logan came up, Julia refused, citing her need for privacy as a young lady. Instead, she proposed staying with her friend Tracy, who lived alone in her apartment near the university.

Sebastian had reservations about leaving Julia on her own in New York and was hesitant to agree, his protectiveness shining through in their arguments. Julia, on the other hand, felt frustrated at being treated like a child and made it clear that she was a grown woman.

"Stop treating me like a baby. I'm a grown woman, you know," she insisted.

"I know you're a grown woman. I just want to protect you from people like Ethan," Sebastian responded, expressing his concerns.

The situation was going so well until she began attending school. That's when everything took a turn for the worse. She started to go off on her own without keeping her parents in the loop.

"I've made a decision. I'm headed to New York," she declared at the dinner table, catching her family off guard.