"Uhhhh," the indecent sound of pleasure filled the room and the whole house. Although the house was far from silent, the noises of two people engaging in such intimate activities were unmistakable, coupled with the indecent sounds of skin on skin and the soft gasps of breath that were carried on the air, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Isabel had just walked in, and that was when she heard the sound; she thought it was her imagination or that her ears were playing tricks on her. But as she drew closer, the sound of heavy breathing became louder. She shook her head; not now, please!!! He definitely must be watching a movie, right? She thought, trying to convince herself to believe otherwise. Her mind raced with possibilities, each more scandalous than the last.

Taking a deep breath, steadying her heartbeat, and trying not to think of the indecent sound, Isabel turned the door handle and stepped inside; the sight before her was like a punch to the gut. There, in the middle of the bed, was Jake, on another woman. Isabel's legs buckled, her eyes fixated on Jake's sweaty, entwined figure. 

"Jake" she whispered, her voice barely escaping her lips. But he didn't hear her, too caught up in his moment of passion to notice her presence.

Isabel's face contorted, tears streaming down her cheek. A strangled cry escaped her throat "Jacobs!!!" He had betrayed her in the worst way possible. How could he do this to her? Isabel's mind was racing, her emotions a jumbled mess. 

Isabel and Jacobs were lovers who had gone through 'thick and thin', she believed Jacobs even to the grave. She can't afford to chest another pain, not now.

Isabel had called Jacobs, pleading for his help. Her mother was in dire need of a heart transplant, and the surgery was going to cost two million. She had trusted Jacobs to help her, to be there for her in her time of need. But instead, she found him in the arms of another woman. 

Isabel stumbled backward, holding onto the door's handle for support as her gaze drifted from Jake to the floor. The room spun, her vision blurring. All she wanted was to save her mother's life, but now everything seemed impossible.

Jacobs was caught off-guard, and his first instinct was to deny everything. But when he saw the shock and pain in Isabel's eyes, he knew there was no use in trying to cover up the truth. 

He tried to explain himself, but the words just wouldn't come. All he could do was sit there, frozen, as she looked at him in disbelief. The door was locked, so how had she gotten in? 

"Isa…Isabel" Jake stammered, as he tried to make sense of the situation. He had to convince her that it wasn't what she was thinking. "This isn't what you think it is," he said, desperation in his voice. But Isabel just stood there, her gaze fixed on him.

As Isabel looked on in shock, the woman with Jacobs cowered under the duvet, trying to hide her face but her chestnut brown hair betrayed her.

Isabel's heart was breaking. She felt like she couldn't breathe. 

Betrayal and heartbreak crashed down on her.

She was drowning in her tears overwhelmed by a pain she'd never known before.

The agony left her shattered and raw.

How could Jake do this to her? After everything they've been through? She thought she had a supportive partner but all along, he was just after his own desires, his own pleasures. She tried to steady her breathing, but it was no use. The tears kept coming, and her heart kept breaking.

With no thought of where she was going, Isabel burst out of the house, gasping for air. She stumbled blindly through the front door, desperate to escape the scene she had just witnessed. 

Her phone rang. The caller ID flashed a number she recognized - it was her mother's doctor. Why was the doctor calling her at this hour? Isabel's heart sank as she answered the call.

"Hello, Doctor Max," she greeted, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Hello, Isabel," the doctor's voice was kind, but it only served to remind Isabel that her mother was in the hospital, and her condition was still critical. Isabel's heart ached as she thought of her mother, lying in the hospital bed, fighting for her life.

"We have a donor now, and you have less than seventy-two hours to make a payment, or else, we will be forced to give the heart to someone else. You know the number of people who want a donor too." the doctor's voice brought her back to reality. She sighed. Deeply.

"I know Doc. It's alright, doctor. Get everything ready for the surgery. I promise to pay in, please." She begged, hopelessly hoping that a miracle would happen at the last minute. But how could it happen if she doesn't do anything? She sighed and right there, she made up her mind that if selling herself off as a slave to someone else will make her mother survive, she's willing to do it. Her mother was all she had in this whole world.

Outside the house, she pulled out her phone and sent a text to someone she knew. The phone beeped a few minutes later, and she saw the response. A few more back-and-forth messages, and then she put the phone away. 

She looked up and saw a taxi parked nearby. She approached the driver and told him where she needed to go. He started the car and pulled away from the curb. She sat back in her seat, her mind racing with thoughts.

Leaning her head against the window of the taxi, she felt as if she had been dealt one blow after another this year. She sighed, blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill over. Bringing out her phone again, she glanced at the wallpaper – a picture of her and Jacobs, smiling and happy. It felt like a lifetime ago before everything had gone wrong. She let the tears fall, sobbing silently as the taxi drove on.

Now and then, the driver would steal a peek from her and shake his head in pity. There's nothing he could do except to drive her to her destination. 

After what felt like an eternity, the driver finally stopped at the entrance of a high-end hotel that screamed luxury. She got down, paid, and turned towards the entrance. Her heartbeat increased every minute. She calmed herself down and as she took the first step, her phone beeped. A message from Ava, her best friend.

"Hey, Bel, where the hell are you, and why are you not picking up my damn calls? What are you up to? I've told you that I will give you the money tomorrow. You know what, just pick up my call now," the message read. 

Isabel read the message and her eyes welled up again. Ava had promised to give her the little money she had saved up for herself, but she felt like Ava had done a lot for her, and she wouldn't want to be a burden to her, which was why she rejected her offer. She has to find a way by herself.

Almost immediately, her phone started ringing and it was from Ava. She sighed and turned off the phone, throwing it into her purse, her resolve unshaken.

She was about to walk in when the restaurant's hostess walked towards her.

"Are you Miss Isabel?" The hostess asked.

"Yes please," Isabel replied politely.

"Right this way, Miss Isabel," the hostess said, leading the way to a table that was tucked away in a quiet corner of the restaurant. Seated at the table was a lady in the same age bracket as Isabel. She was impeccably dressed, her clothes exuding an air of sophistication and wealth. 

"Hello, Lia," Isabel said, trying to keep her voice steady. But her round eyes, usually filled with warmth and kindness, now reflected only pain.

"Isabel, it's been ages" Lia replied, her smile wide and dazzling. But there was something cold and calculating in her eyes, something that made the hairs on Isabel's neck stand up.

Isabel and Lia had been coursemates during their university days, but they'd never been close friends. They were more like enemies and only got to talk mildly during their final year in school. 

But looking at Lia now, Isabel could see that she had already achieved the kind of success that Isabel could only dream of. Lia looked put together, polished, and completely at ease with herself, while Isabel was still fighting off the trials that were coming her way. 

"Have a seat, let's drink and catch up." Lia offered, gesturing to the empty chair across from her. Isabel sat down, feeling reluctant and out of her depth. She hadn't come here to catch up with Lia, but she obliged, nonetheless.