A Wife for the Billi Chapter 121: SOFIA

Chapter 121: SOFIA

I have heard and read about a person’s life shattering, but none of it came close to experiencing it in reality.

I didn’t care if I was disturbing the serenity of this working place, I ran for the elevator. Vera’s voice calling,

"Hey, stop running!"

Normally, I just needed to press the button once, but I didn’t care, I kept pounding on the button until the metal doors dinged open.

Once inside, I did the same for the descent button, perhaps it had more to do with not wanting anyone to join me. I sagged to the cold hard floor as the doors sealed shut, like the sudden plunge down, my tears began to fall like a fountain that had been barricaded for a long time. Hot streaks cascading my cheeks, gaining momentum as the memories of seconds ago replayed over and over again in my mind.

It all felt like a horrible dream. A dark nightmare that I couldn’t wait to wake from. Except that for the last seconds it had been Alicia’s words still reverberated in my ears,

"Five minutes"

"Am I understood?"

Never had the leash she had on my neck felt more tight. I was breathing, but it also felt like I was suffocating. I was feeling a lot of things at the same time, emotions colliding and crashing within me.

Anger. Hurt. Regret. Sorrow. Fear.

And others I couldn’t even place a name on. That was how it felt for someone’s world to shatter. It happens so suddenly, without warning. One minute you’re standing and the next you are falling, with hard jagged rocks on your wake.

Rocks that will impale you in place. Trapping and crushing you firmly to your fate. The illusion of escape was, as its name, a delusion.

The elevator dinged signaling the end of my solitude and emotional ride. I knew what I had to do, what must be done for the situation not to get any worse. For the wound in my heart not to fester with pity.

Forcing myself to stand, I wiped my tears as thoroughly as time allowed, plastered my best smile and walked out.

It hurt, but I forced myself to stretch it a bit further as I responded to greetings from people in the lobby.

"Sof!" Someone called.

It was Emily, but I couldn’t stop. If I dared stop to speak with her, I doubt my tears would be held back any longer. Even as I turned to signal her that I couldn’t talk, my tears were on the brink of falling.

I didn’t care if she understood the signal I made with my finger, I turned and kept walking. The noise of traffic and the heat of the sun felt good as I stepped outside. But that could only last a while, with haste I hurried down the street to board a cab. I hadn’t even thought of calling for an Uber, I was a mess.

I was surprised when a cab screeched to a halt a few paces from where I stood, my hand raised to hail. But then again, life had dealt me a huge blow, perhaps this was its pathetic way of making up for it. As if there was any making up for it.

I boarded the cab, muttering an inaudible greeting to the driver. I didn’t bother taking in his appearance, I just sat facing the window.

"Where to?" The man gruffed.

"Leek Park" I replied, not taking my eyes off the window.

"That’s fine, fair lady. How’s your day going?"

"Just take me to my destination, I’m in no mood for a chitchat" I snapped.

He grumbled something that sounded like "young people these days