Chapter 4 Leaving

"What do you mean by where I'm going to stay right now?"

I asked her again as fear built in me.

"Listen, Gwen-" turning to face me properly, her hands went first to my eyes to wipe my tears off, but I wasn't having it. She better tell me what she had in mind and stop all the formalities.

"Just spill it Laura. Zane won't let me stay?"

She just nodded sadly, this time her eyes met mine. It appeared that she was deeply hurt by the whole situation.

"But why?"

"Because it's the Patricks."

"What about the Patricks?"

"He doesn't want to get in their bad books, you know what they say, housing your friend's enemy?"

My jaw dropped sadly and my brows arched dangerously into confusion.

"But no one will know I'm here. Listen I can't just be kicked out of here. You and I know that I don't have anywhere to go to."

"I know--I can help you with some money if you want. You can rent a hotel, and stay for some days while we figure this out."

She explained calmly. Sadness was plastered all over her face and I could tell how terrible she felt for not being able to help me.

"But who will know I'm here. Listen I don't even plan on staying long, just for a little while then I'm gone. I can't go to the hotel with this crazy news over the internet, you know people will take pictures of me and make more headlines. "

I lamented while my eyes searched deeply into my bestfriend's own. It felt so bad to see the defeat on her face.

I almost told her I warned her about Zane, but I had to hold my mouth.

Zane worked as a nurse in one of Dr Lucas's hospitals in Chicago.

I leaned back to my seat as I couldn't blame him that much. The Patricks had a thing for hunting down their enemies, including their enemies' friends.

Or to be more specific, Leticia and Sane, because my husband Oliver wasn't that way.

But it still hurt so much that I wasn't allowed to stay for at least a few days.

I Wished I could scold Laura so bad, but I couldn't since she couldn't help the situation too. It wasn't her fault.

After a short period of silence, with Laura breaking it, she said, "going home will absolutely hide you from all the dramas online, Gwen. Off your internet connection and take some days to think of the way forward, my darling."

She suggested, but I felt a hitch in my throat immediately she mentioned me going home.

"Go home? Come on, why would you hate me this much to suggest that I go home?"

"You know I don't hate you, my darling, and going home seems to be the only way forward."

She stated. Her face pitiful.

I sank into my thoughts, mad at how stupid I had been.

I hadn't worked in the past two years, because I took Dr Lucas's advice to quit my job and focus on getting pregnant for Oliver.

Now my account balance was as good as a dry well.

I had also merged my account with Oliver's, because Leticia told me that it was the family's tradition for a wife to merge her account with her husband's.

And I can't just get into the field to get a job because I hadn't renewed my practice license since it expired.

Laura knew about all these and that was why she suggested I go home to my mother's house.

And my mother's house? It was as good as hell.

I have been so foolish that I fear to look at myself in the mirror because I might see a clown standing there.

"You know I've been such a fool, Laura. If only I listened to you when you warned me about quitting my job, merging my accounts and all of that."

I whimpered.

"I have been so foolish for love. Loving a man that didn't think twice before tossing me into the bin."

I continued.

Laura pulled me closer and gently patted me on my back.

"Zane agreed you can stay for the night."

"Just the night."

I sounded after her, my mouth curled up in a little smile.

I didn't know how it managed to get there, and Laura chuckled slightly.

She'd have laughed loudly if it weren't that we were not happy.

The "just the night" statement reminded us of a funny experience at the club when a man walked up to her thinking she was a prostitute.

His words were, "I'll love to spend the night with you. Just the night, whatever bill you call, I'll pay."

It was a very funny experience, because I remember we laughed so much that the man was ashamed of himself.

Finally, she led me into the house and showed me the room I'll sleep in.

The next morning, I took a flight back to New York to my mother's house.

While on the flight, I dressed to disguise myself with an old wavy wig and a face cap I got from Laura. The internet was still hot and I didn't want to flame it further.

With every second that passed by, I yearned to terminate my journey and go back to Chicago. The last time I was in New York was two years ago.

My heart drummed drastically, unaware of what to expect.

But I needed a place to be at the meantime while I apply for my license to be renewed.

I tapped gently at the door of a detached duplex at the estate.

The door opened almost immediately, and my mum was at the door.

"H-Hi mum, how did you get to the door so quickly." I stuttered at the face with no emotions that stared at me.

It was not like I was expecting an answer. I just didn't know what to say.

"What are you doing here, Gwen?"

Her voice croaked as she left the door ajar and walked back inside.