Chapter 52 – comforting embrace
Fiona POV
“I’m sorry ma’am but your card has been blocked,” the shopping mall cashier said, handing me back my card.
“What!” I said, shocked by the sudden revelation “That’s not possible. That card has been working perfectly fine so how come it’s suddenly blocked”
“I don’t know ma’am but you can’t pay with this card,” the cashier said.
“Hey if you can’t pay then return what you bought and allow those in the line to pay for their goods. You can’t keep us here waiting. We all have places to be at” someone yelled from the back and I instantly felt embarrassed. I dipped my hand into a handbag and brought out another card as I handed it to the cashier.
“It’s also blocked ma’aHerher response made my heart pound loudly in my chest.
“Did Greg block my card?” Just thinking about it now, I suddenly realized that he did it. He always does this whenever we have any issues or misunderstandings. He would block my card, seize my car, and even sometimes order me to step out of the house.
“Do you have another card ma’am or perhaps do you have cash?” She asked softly, throwing a warm smile at me and trying as much as possible to make me feel relaxed and comfortable.
I forced a smile as I looked at her, embarrassment slowly creeping into me “No I don’t. I will just have to drop the clothes and other things back” I said shamefully.
Turning back to return everything I bought, tears gathered in my eyes as I thought deeply about how my life had suddenly turned into a loveless marriage with an uncompassionate, unkind, and abusive husband.
“These poor folks will just come into any mall they sew when they know they don’t have the money to buy anything” I heard someone say as I walked past them and I only increased my pace, leaving the payment counter. I wiped the tears from my eyes as I looked at myself in the restroom mirror, looking at how far my life had come because of a wrong decision I made.
I sluggishly walked out of the restroom and took another door out of the mall, staring at my feet. I bumped into someone and their phone fell “I’m sorry. I’m sorry” I said hastily, not looking at the person I bumped into as I tried to wake past the person.
“Fiona” I heard a familiar voice calling my name, and as I raised my head, my eyes fell on the man who I ought to have married.
“Anthony,” I said weakly, my voice barely above a whisper as I stared at him in shock.
“Hey, are you okay? You look pale” he said, his two hands on both sides of my shoulder with his eyes staring at me in concern.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry about your phone. Please excuse me ” I said as I struggled myself out of his hold and walked away, heading to my car.
I searched for my car key in my bag, my hands trembling when I heard the car engine starting. I raised my head from my bag to my car as I saw my driver whom I didn’t come to the mall with driving the car away.
Fear gripped me as I dropped my bag on the ground and rushed to the car but I was too late as he already drove away. I went back to my bag and brought out my phone.
Dialling Greg’s number, I placed the phone on my ears but there wasn’t any sound of ringing. Removing the phone from my ear, I looked at the screen and found out that my network connection had been cut.
I sighed as I placed the phone back in my bag and sat on a bench close by. This was all Greg’s doing. He was doing all this to punish me. First, he blocked all my cards then told my driver to take my car and now disconnected my network.
“Hey” I heard Anthony’s voice behind me and I instantly cleaned the tears on my cheeks and turned away from him. I didn’t want him seeing me like this and I hated to be a burden. “Does he always do this?”
“Do what?” I asked, trying to pretend that I didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Take away your car and block your card” My eyes widenened as I turned to stare at him.
“You saw all of that?” I asked in shock.
“Yes Fiona, I saw everything and Greg isn’t someone you should still be with. He is a heartless animal and he doesn’t deserve you” Anthony said, his words opening the wounds in my heart a tear spilled out of my eyes.
“I’m tired. I’m exhausted and I just want to be far from here, be far from all these” I mumbled as Anthony engulfed me in a comforting embrace and I leaned into his arms.
His arms wrapped around me tightly, giving me the solace I desperately craved for. His hand gently strokes my back and I can feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my cheeks.
Eventually feeling a bit better, I slowly pulled away. His hands loosened their grip but still hung on my shoulders.
I looked into his eyes, filled with affection, concern, and understanding and I managed a small warty smile “Thank you” I uttered, expressing how grateful I was for his comfort.
“You don’t need to thank me. I will always be here for you because I love you” I could see and hear the sincerity in his voice but I blinked away as I shifted far from him on the bench.
“Can you take me home please?” I said, averting my gaze from his.
Anthony sighed the shook his head positively as he rose to his feet and stretched his hand for me to take but I ignored him and stood on my own. I was already married and even if I wanted to be with Anthony, I couldn’t because I would just be a burden to him and nothing more.
He opened the passenger door for me and I boarded the car. He closed the door, walked around, and entered the car. Starting the car engine, his phone rang and he picked up the call putting it on loudspeaker.
“Sir you have to come to the office right now. There is a problem” I heard a rushed female voice from the other end of the line.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.