Chapter 10: Please Help Me

As Victoria made her way to meet Myra that evening, she was struck by a car. It wasn't a particularly violent collision, but she felt a bit shaken up and disoriented. The driver of the car apologized profusely and offered her some cash, which she accepted. Though she didn't feel any physical pain, something about the incident felt off. She couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Victoria rushed towards the restaurant, barely able to contain her excitement. As she approached the outdoor seating area, she spotted Myra sitting at a table, engrossed in her phone. Victoria let out a squeal of delight and raced over to the table. As she sat down, she felt a rush of relief and joy at finally seeing her friend. The accident had slipped her mind entirely.

Myra was so engrossed in her phone that she didn't notice Victoria's approach at first. But when she heard a familiar squeal, she looked up and saw her friend running towards her. Myra quickly rose from her seat and opened her arms, ready to embrace Victoria.

Victoria and Myra hugged each other tightly, as if they were trying to make up for the time they had spent apart. They hadn't seen each other in over a year, and it felt like no time had passed at all.

After a few minutes of laughing and chatting, Myra finally spoke. "Oh my God, Victoria, you look so good," she said. "You've grown so much taller!"

"And what happened to you, Myra?" Victoria teased. "You're getting shorter by the day!" They both laughed, knowing that it was all in good fun. Myra wasn't as tall as Victoria, but she was perfect just the way she was. "I've missed you so much," Victoria added, the sincerity in her voice palpable.

Myra blushed and giggled. "Thank you," she replied. "It's so great to see you again!"

"Come, take a seat," Myra said, gesturing to the chair next to her. Victoria sat down and smiled. Myra leaned forward and asked, "So, how's life been going? I hear you're dating someone famous - tell me all about it!"

Victoria's smile faltered, and Myra noticed. "Wait," Myra said, "you're not dating anyone, are you?" Victoria shook her head, trying to hide her annoyance. But Myra could tell something was off.

"We broke up," Victoria said, barely sounding good. No matter how she tried, she couldn't forget Sebastian. She loved him a lot.

"Oh no!" Myra exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest in surprise. "I'm so sorry to hear that! You're such a wonderful person, I can't imagine why anyone would want to leave you." She offered a sympathetic smile. Victoria forced a smile, but Myra could tell it was strained.

"Please don't worry about it," Victoria said. "It's all in the past now. We've both moved on."

Myra could tell that Victoria was not being completely honest when she said she had moved on, but she decided not to press the issue. Instead, she asked, "So, what's been going on in your life lately? Are you seeing anyone new?" She smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

Victoria gave a nervous laugh and replied, "Actually, I just got a new job, and my boss is really young. He asked me to have dinner with him tomorrow." Myra squealed like a teenager.

"Ooh la la!" Myra said teasing Victoria. She leaned forward, brimming with curiosity. "And tell me, is he cute?" she asked.

Victoria turned red, but she couldn't help smiling. "I don't know if I'd say he's cute," she said, "but he's definitely attractive."

Myra clapped her hands together in delight. "Oh my gosh, you've got a work crush!" she teased. Victoria couldn't help laughing at that.

Victoria couldn't help but feel a little happy at Myra's enthusiasm, but she also found it a bit exhausting. It was like Myra hadn't changed since they had been in school together. She was still just as bubbly and talkative as ever. "What about you, Myra?" Victoria asked, eager to shift the focus away from her own personal life. "Why are you suddenly back in town? Where have you been?"

Myra gave a sheepish smile. "That's a long story," she said.

Victoria rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "There's no story that's too long for your mouth, Myra," she said. "It runs like a tap that's been turned on!" The two of them laughed.

"Okay, okay," Myra said. "I'll tell you the short version. My older sister came back to town a few weeks ago, and I had to come back to take care of some things for her."

Victoria opened her mouth to speak, but instead of words, all that came out was an "O" - a sound of agreement or affirmation. She nodded her head in response to Myra's question. "So you're not staying permanently?" Victoria asked. "Are you going back? And which of your sisters?"

Myra laughed. "For now, I have no idea if I'd stay permanently or not," she said. "But, to answer your question, it's Malia. She's the one who came back."

Victoria nodded thoughtfully. "The last time we were in college, you said you had two sisters - Malia and Maya," she said. "Is Maya still living in Greenland?"

Myra nodded. "Yep, Maya is still in Greenland," she said. "She's working at a law firm there and seems to be doing really well."

Victoria grinned. "Well, good for her!" she said. "I always knew she'd go far."

Myra nodded again. "Yeah, she's always been a smart cookie," she said. "But enough about my sisters. What's been going on with you? How's Dad, Mom, and your little witch sister, Valerie?"

Victoria shook her head and answered Myra's question. "I honestly have no idea how my dad is doing," she said. "But, Valerie is still with him. I saw her recently before she went back to stay with him. But my mom and Adrian are at my house right now."

Myra's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, wow," she said. "I didn't know your mom and Adrian were visiting. That's exciting!"

Victoria smiled. "Yeah, it's great to have them here," she said. "My mom is helping me with some stuff around the house, and it's nice to spend some time with her. It's been too long since I've seen her."

Myra nodded in agreement. "I know how that feels," she said.

Victoria's eyes lit up as she added, "And guess what? Adrian just got accepted into the same college that you and I went to! I'm so proud of him. He's really grown up."

Myra's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh," she said. "That's amazing! It's so cool that he's following in your footsteps. Are you and your mom super proud?"

Victoria nodded. "We're over the moon!" she said. "But it's kind of bittersweet, too. He's growing up so fast. I can't believe he's already in college!"

As Myra listened to Victoria's words, her eyes lit up. "I mean, Malia is only a few years older than I am but now she has a daughter. And the little girl is 8 years old!" She spoke about her elder sister.

While Myra spoke, Victoria couldn't help but recall the tragic day when she had a falling out with Sebastian. She had gone to celebrate his 35th birthday, only to be shocked by the discovery of his daughter and wife. Myra's words triggered these memories, prompting Victoria to ask, "I hope your sister's husband is not an untrustworthy douchebag? I hope he is someone reliable and wonderful for your sister?"

Myra sensed the pain behind Victoria's words, understanding that something was amiss. 'Could her ex-boyfriend be a cheater?' Myra pondered. Just as she was about to respond to Victoria's inquiry about her in-law, they both heard laughter—feminine giggles coming from near the door beside them. Startled and a bit disgusted with the laughter, they turned to look, shocked by what they saw.

Victoria was especially taken aback by the sight of Sebastian, who was accompanied by a woman she had never met. She watched as the woman giggled and smiled up at him, and felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but she couldn't keep her emotions at bay. The pain she felt was too intense.

Unlike Victoria, Myra's surprise was rooted in the recognition of the man at the door as Sebastian Quinn—the very man she was going to tell Victoria about. He wasn't just any man, but her sister's husband, her in-law.

The fact that he was with another woman, someone Myra didn't recognize, made things all the more awkward. Myra could only imagine the mortification of telling Victoria, 'Hey, that's my sister's husband, my in-law, and he's here with another woman!'

She wished she could disappear into thin air rather than be faced with the situation. In the midst of her anxiety, she did not know what to say or do. She was frozen in place, like a deer in headlights. The situation was so uncomfortable.

Myra suddenly stood up from her seat and said, "Victoria, it was lovely meeting you, but I really must be going now. I'll call you, okay?"

Without waiting for a response, Myra hurried out of the restaurant, not even looking back. Victoria watched as Myra rushed out, her expression a mixture of confusion and concern. She wondered what could have caused such a sudden exit but she was also thankful Myra left because she didn't want Myra to see her breakdown.

Seeing Sebastian with another woman, acting so affectionate, was too much for Victoria to bear. What made it even worse was the fact that he was married, and that she had been the one he had cheated on his wife with. Now he was doing the same thing to a different woman.

Victoria couldn't believe that she had been so blind to his true nature. No one would ever have suspected him of being a womanizer, and yet here he was, living up to the worst stereotypes. 'What a Con man.'

Victoria stood up from her seat, gathering her belongings. They were standing by the restaurant door, oblivious to the world around them. Victoria didn't want to see them display their affections so publicly. It was too much to bear. She made her way out of the restaurant, not wanting to witness any more of their romantic gestures.

Victoria had decided to walk home, but she hadn't even made it halfway there when it started to rain. "Oh no," she groaned. "I didn't bring an umbrella!" She tried to shield herself from the rain as best she could, but it was a losing battle. She was soon soaked to the bone.

Victoria found herself drenched and shivering, seeking shelter under the eaves of a nearby building. As cars drove by, she would step out onto the street and wave her arms, hoping to flag one down. But no one would stop for her, and she soon realized that it was probably because it was so late - nearly 9 PM. She felt hopeless and alone.

Victoria made a silent promise to herself. 'The next car that comes by, I'm going to flag it down,' she thought. She was determined and ready for action.

Then another car came by, but she could barely make it out because it was so dark and rainy. She dashed out in front of it, waving her arms wildly. To her surprise, the car slowed to a stop.

As Victoria looked into the car, she could not help but feel a sense of relief. She smiled gratefully at the driver, and asked, "Please, could you give me a lift? I'd be so grateful." But the driver simply stared at her, expressionless, and then nodded his head backward.

It took Victoria a moment to realize what this gesture meant. He was indicating that he was a chauffeur, and the man in the backseat was his employer.

Without thinking twice, Victoria quickly ran to the back seat and knocked on the window. After what seemed like an eternity, the man in the back seat rolled down the window, and Victoria could feel the warm air from the car escape outside. She was wet, cold, and shivering, but she was determined to get a ride home.

She looked inside the car and saw that the man in the back seat was hidden in shadow, so she could not make out his features. She implored him, "Please, I really need a ride. My house is not far, and I'm freezing. Please, I'm begging you."

As Victoria spoke, her lips trembled and her teeth chattered from the cold. Her body shook, and she knew she was dangerously close to hypothermia.

Desperately, she repeated, "Please, I really need to get out of this rain. My house isn't far, and I'm getting cold. Please, I beg of you, I'll do anything." She wanted to cry, but she knew tears would only make her colder. She tried to steady her voice, but it was a futile effort.

The man inside the car said nothing. Victoria couldn't see his face, and she wasn't sure if he had even heard her. Then, without warning, he rolled the window back up. Victoria felt a wave of panic wash over her. 'What did this mean?' She didn't have to wait long to find out. With a rev of the engine, the car drove away, leaving Victoria standing there in shock. She had even managed to note the car's license plate number, as if that would help her now.

Victoria watched the car speed off, and a feeling of despair washed over her. She felt a deep and visceral sense of rejection and loneliness.

After everything she had been through, she had thought that maybe, just maybe, someone would be willing to help her. But just like everyone else, this man had turned his back on her. She began to cry, but her tears turned to anger. She felt the rage and pain and sadness rise up within her, threatening to consume her.

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