I need your help.
Era read the message on her phone and opened the next one.
Please.
She turned off her phone and looked up at her boyfriend surrounded by a group of photographers posing proudly on the red carpet arranged to take pictures to capture the moment. He lifted the small golden award in his arms occasionally and smiled at the numerous flashing light, with many hailing and cheering for him in the background. Era couldn't stop staring at him. His flawless high cheekbones and perfect blonde hair highlighting his baby blue eyes and that charming dimple smile of his.
Era shook her head.
How could anyone not fall in-love with someone like him?
If not for his rotten attitude, he would have been the perfect match for anyone.
Malcolm Neal Foxworth.
The man who scammed her with more than half a million dollars, poisoned two of her patients ''accidentally'' and tipped the media of her dad being admitted to Hell's paradise of demonic possession. The havoc he's done in her life were many, to name a few. It was not that they really loved each other. To him, she was the woman at the top he wished to ruin. But to her, he was just an experiment.
She wanted to see if her darling father hadn't entirely ruined her ability to love another deeply romantically due to his heavy brainwashing on her. And she is not happy to say that the experiment failed in flying colors.
When he approached her with the prospects of them being an item, of course she said yes, and it has been so far one of the worst decisions of her entire life.
She saw him waved at the camera and lifted her trophy to kiss it with his pink lips and winked at his lovely fans that has gathered to wish him well. She stood straighter and more confident when he spotted her standing all alone amid the chaos and began to approach her with the hoard of cameramen at his tail and people willing to get one or two words from me.
''Hello, love.'' He greeted in that irritating sing-song tone of his. ''Came to congratulate me for being the chief exorcist whip of the year?'' He placed his hand on his chest as if deeply touched.
She would never understand why this mole rat broke up with her when she should be the one. His reason for their sudden split was because she denied him when he asked that he wanted to be her first. How could she let him when she was still struggling to like him genuinely as a friend? They once had this great idea of merging their exorcism centers and being the greatest of all time. But that plan failed when she found out that he had scammed her of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
''Oh, you shouldn't have.''
The brainless girls behind him giggled as the cameras kept flashing at them non-stop. Everyone was eager to capture this historic moment. Ex chief excorsit whip of the year meeting with the new chief exorcist whip of the year and surprisingly ex-boyfriend would make headlines for days. She has never been a stranger from the news since the day she said yes to this man.
''How much did you bribe them with to give you what is not yours? The seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars you stole from me?''
He laughed. That is one of the many problems she has with him. He never takes things seriously. Even when they were both a so-called couple of the lifetimes. He would always play around with massive things he did that annoyed her and having her considering getting a therapist at some point.
''Was that why you scammed me?''
He pushed his lips out and faked a hurt look. ''You hurt me. How much is seven hundred thousand dollars that you so fucking hunt me about it day and night, Era.'' A small smirk highlighted his handsome face.
Era folded both of her hands across her chest and took a step towards him. That had the coward taking a cautionary step back in response.
''Seven hundred thousand dollars I earned and worked my butt off for it while you cruise around like the fucking clown you are living off your parent's damned money fucking those girls capable of giving you STDs.''
The silence that followed her slap was intense. Everyone paused on taking snapshots of them as Malcolm's friendly face grew grim and angry for the first time.
''Was that why you were so afraid of sleeping with me? Because you thought I could give you STD?''
''Took you eleven months to figure that out, genius.''
Malcolm pinched the bridge of his nose and stared at his feet to smile. He raised his head up to look straight into her eyes, determined to break her spine completely with his next words.
''Now you will know why you will remain a virgin to the point of death, Era. You are not the type of woman a reasonable man is looking for. I'm just glad we broke up as soon as possible before I froze up to death with your icy self.''
It was his turn to have her falling back in shock at his cruel words. They made her eyes sting painfully with tears. But she dared not let it fall unless the cameras flashing all over her face will portray her as a weakling.
Be unfazed. You feel no pain. Maintain full composure.
''You can't love and be loved. No wonder your father started grooming you up at the early age of ten to be a worker for him rather than to be a woman. He was doing you a favor, and you returned his kindness on your life by roping him with demonic possession and caging him right in Hell's Paradise.''
Malcolm shook his head sideways at her as a single tear streamed down the corner of her face. Both of her hands trembling at her sides as she maintained eye contact with him.
''I feel so sorry for you love. All the best in finding love out there.'' He scoffed while staring her up from head to toe like it was going to be impossible for her to out there. He left with the crowd of people cheering him up as they ran after him, curious to know his secret to winning this award over everyone and how he got so lucky.
If she remembered clearly, no one showed the slightest amount of interest when she would win more than five awards in a night. She slowly turned in her heels, hands clenched tight around her purse.
No one really cared until she failed or messed up.
She did not lock up her father and definitely didn't lie about him being possessed. If she wanted, she could have left him all alone in their family house to rot and die because of the possession. But the last time she checked, she was incapable of watching even the most undeserving of people to suffer and die yet.
She walked as fast as she could, bringing the back of her hands to her face to wipe her tears, towards her car. Stephanie and Josh already waiting for her, and they looked like there was an emergency. It was evident on their faces as they discussed over Steph's phone.
"What happened?" She asked as she neared them. They raised their heads to her and Stephanie passed the phone over to her.
She collected it and read the text on the bright screen of the iPhone.
Tell that snob boss bitch of yours that it is an emergency. I need her help right now!
The text was from her beloved brother, Joel Ashworth.
☆☆☆☆☆
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞;
Hi angels! (Devil's smirk)
Please check out my other baby (The Heartbeat Of A Monster) if you like this story. It is ongoing and daily updates is promised!
<3!