After a 30-minute drive, Zac finally arirved at Jenny's apartment. Zac and Jenny got out of the car together and headed towards Jenny's room on the 10th floor.
Zac and Jenny were now inside the apartment, sitting facing each other, lost in their thoughts.
Silence.
"Zac," Jenny began the conversation.
"Hmm..."
"Zac, why don't you just divorce Isabelle? She can't give you a child, either," Jenny asked.
"I'm sorry, Jenny. If I divorce Isabelle, we'll have a difficult life. Do you want to live a hard life and not be able to buy branded things?"
"No, but I also want to have you entirely. Instead of sharing with that barren woman."
"Be patient; I'll convince Isabelle to forgive me and take me back. Once she trusts me again, we'll take over her company," Zac lied.
"Alright. I'll try to be patient for our future," she replied, sounding defeated, and Zac nodded.
**********
In a different place, Isabelle had just returned to her hotel after spending the day visiting the mall and the relaxing on a beach.
Isabelle stared at the ceiling of her room and let out a heavy sigh.
"Do you always spend time with her? Whenever I ask you to go out, you're always busy. Is it because of Jenny that you have no time for me, or do you not love me at all?" Isabelle often wondered if Zac truly loved her or just her money.
Isabelle couldn't sleep; she kept tossing and turning in bed. Finally, she decided to get up and go outside to get some fresh air.
Isabelle walked along the beach in a pink dress, alone in the middle of the night.
After her feet became tired from walking along the shore, Isabelle decided to sit down and open a can of drink she had bought at the minimarket.
The drink and snacks she had bought at the minimarket were to keep her company as she spent the cold night by the beach. The night breeze and the sound of the waves were soothing.
"Alone?" Someone suddenly spoke as he sat down next to her.
Isabelle just glanced at him from the corner of her eye, showing no intention of responding to the man she thought was acting too familiar.
"Anthony Carver." The man extended his hand towards Isabelle.
Isabelle remained silent, ignoring the man sitting next to her who continued to stare at her.
"Snacking, huh?"
Feeling disturbed by the man's presence, Isabelle intended to stand up and find another quieter place to sit.
"Heartbroken," the man guessed. "Forget about the guy who wasted your time. Life is not always straightforward. Sometimes we're happy, and other times we're sad. That's life."
The man's presumptuous words made her abandon her plan to move. Perhaps she did need a stranger to confide in right now. After all, isn't it safer to confide in someone you don't know?
"You're still young. If you break up, just find someone new."
Isabelle chuckled at the man's know-it-all words. If life were really that simple, why do people get stressed and even attempt suicide?
"Have you ever had your heart broken?" Isabelle finally spoke.
Anthony laughed, not expecting the girl next to him to make a sound.
"Yes, I have. It was someone I loved, but she chose someone else. Because that person was richer than me." He smiled bitterly, revealing the depth of his wounds.
"Do you want to know what I did to forget her?" He asked and was nodded by Isabella.
"I worked day and night tirelessly. All I had in mind was making a lot of money. So I could be a successful person, and no one could look down on me. Not even my parents."
Isabelle listened intently to Anthony's story, feeling a sense of connection with this stranger who had faced heartbreak like she had. As the waves gently lapped at the shore and the cool breeze ruffled her hair, she found comfort in sharing her thoughts with him.
"That sounds like a tough journey," Isabelle said, breaking the silence that had hung in the air for a while. "But I can understand the desire to prove oneself, to be successful in the eyes of others."
Anthony nodded, his eyes distant as he recalled his own struggles. "It was indeed challenging, and at times, I felt like giving up. But I kept pushing forward, and eventually, success started coming my way. I realized that the best way to heal was to focus on myself and my own growth."
Isabelle sighed, the weight of her own problems heavy on her shoulders. "I wish it were that simple for me. My life feels so complicated right now. Love, trust, betrayal-it's all become such a tangled mess."
Anthony turned to Isabelle, his gaze compassionate. "I understand that life can get messy, but sometimes we have to untangle those knots one at a time. It might seem daunting, but you have strength to overcome this, just like I did."
Isabelle managed a faint smile. "Thank you for listening. I didn't expect to have this conversation with a stranger."
Anthony grinned, his eyes warm. "Sometimes, talking to a stranger can be liberating. We can share our thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement. And who knows, you might find a different perspective."
**********
TO BE CONTINUED...