Chapter Four

With quivering lips and tears streaming down her cheeks, Samantha rushed to her office, the fluorescent lights above casting a harsh glare on her distraught face. She hurriedly packed her bags, her fingers trembling as she clutched the sealed envelope that was meant to bring joy but now felt like a cruel joke. She had hoped to make him the happiest man on earth, but the reverse was painfully true.

Her footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, a stark contrast to the usually bustling office. The cold, sterile air felt suffocating as she made her way to the parking lot, the scent of cleaning supplies mingling with her own salty tears.

Reaching her car, Samantha tossed her handbag onto the back seat with a shaky hand, the soft thud barely registering in her chaotic mind. She turned on the engine, the roar of the car a brief distraction from the turmoil inside her. Placing her hand on her belly, feeling the slight bump beneath her trembling fingers, she broke down, her sobs echoing in the confined space.

“I promised you today was going to be a very special day because I was going to introduce you to someone very special. I couldn’t even keep my promise. I’m so sorry.” Samantha's voice cracked, her words barely audible between her uncontrollable sobs. The weight of her rejection pressed down on her, each tear a testament to her heartache.

Samantha had never felt this lonely in her entire existence. She cried and cried until she could cry no more, her tears soaking the front of her blouse, the fabric clinging uncomfortably to her skin.

After what felt like an eternity, Samantha started the car engine and drove out of the office building. The city lights blurred through her tear-streaked vision, creating a surreal, dreamlike landscape. She had no idea what was going to happen next, but she knew she needed her bed and, for sure, that she needed to cry more.

She drove in the direction of her apartment, the familiar route offering little comfort. In about twenty minutes, she arrived.

“What the heck?!” She mumbled with a stuffy nose, her breath hitching as she unlocked the car and stumbled out. She didn’t even park her car properly, her movements shaky and disoriented.

Outside her apartment building were pieces of furniture and household items she recognized as hers, including her luggage and clothes, haphazardly strewn about like discarded remnants of her life.

“What the hell is going on? These are my things. What are they doing here? Why are you touching my belongings?” She demanded of the first man she encountered, her voice a mix of anger and desperation.

“Are you Miss Samantha Brooks?” he asked, his expression impassive, as if her world wasn't crumbling around her.

“How the hell did you get into my apartment? What are my belongings doing here?”

“We are carrying out the instructions of Mr. Blake. He ordered us to empty the apartment.”

She stared at the man in horror as another round of tears built up in her eyes. Of all the things Ethan had put her through today, she never thought he could be heartless enough to leave her and the precious human growing in her belly homeless.

“Please, you can’t do this to me. This is my home,” she sniffled, her head already pounding from the amount of tears shed.

“I already told you, ma’am. We have no business with you. We are only acting on the boss’s instructions. And based on what I know, another person is moving in tonight.”

“What? My home? Please, I’m sure you all must be mistaken. I’m not a terrible person to warrant Ethan throwing me out. It must be some sort of mistake.”

“Look, Ethan and I are not on good terms right now, but that doesn’t mean we won’t reconcile. Please, talk to the other men and ask them to take my things back in. I honestly don’t feel good and I need my sanity so much right now.”

“If you have any problem with this, then I suggest you call Mr.Blake. We will only stop if he tells us to. Excuse me.”

Samantha stared helplessly, a tear rolling down her cheek as she watched him approach the other men, telling them to hurry up with clearing out the apartment. She covered her mouth with her hands, trying to contain her sobs as she watched more of her things being thrown out, the sight ripping her heart to shreds.

Seeing there was nothing she could do for now, she hurried to her car, got in, reached for her handbag in the back seat, took out her phone, and dialed Ethan.

“Please pick up your phone,” she cried, her voice a broken whisper as the phone rang continuously. It eventually went to voicemail. She dialed him again and again, but he didn’t pick up.

Wiping her tears with the back of her palm, Samantha started the car engine and drove out of her estate. She honestly had no idea where she was going. She started driving in the direction of the office but changed her mind, reminding herself that the security guards would not allow her in no matter what.

With puffy eyes, Samantha made a U-turn and drove in the direction of Ethan’s home, even though she knew that she would probably not meet him there.

After what felt like forever, she got to Ethan’s estate and pulled up in front of his residence.

She rolled down her window, punched in what she knew to be the code for the gate to open, but it declined.

Thinking she had made a mistake the first time, she carefully punched in the passcode a second time. “Please, no… Don’t tell me Ethan changed this,” she whispered, her voice tinged with desperation as she punched in the passcode once more.

Fresh tears welled up in her eyes upon realizing what had happened. She reached for her phone and dialed Ethan, but his number didn’t go through.

Samantha dialed another number, hoping for some sort of response.

“Hi, Rose,” she sniffled when the person on the other end picked up the call.

“Ro… Rose, are you there?” She removed her phone from her ear to glance at it, hoping Rose hadn’t ended the call.

Seeing that the call was still ongoing, Samantha returned the phone to her ear.

“Hi dear, I can hear you.”

“I don't understand what's going on Rose. Ethan blocked me!!!” She had no idea when she started crying all over again, the realization hitting her like a physical blow.

“He sacked me. He wouldn’t even look me in the eye to hear me out or explain to me what I did. I got to my apartment and he directed that all my stuff be thrown out. I tried coming in, but he changed the passcode. Why, Rose?”

“I did nothing to him, and yet he has done nothing but humiliate me. I need answers, Rose. This pain is too much for me to bear,” she sobbed, the words spilling out in a torrent of anguish.

“He came to the office with a lady. His assistant said they are getting married this weekend. How is that even possible, Rose? He literally proposed to me a few days ago. I didn’t do anything to hurt him. I don’t know why he’s treating me this way,” Samantha said in a rush, finding it hard to control herself as she burst into another round of tears.

“Please, calm down, Samantha.”

“I’m trying. I just need an explanation. I lost my job, my home, and my fiancé all in one day. Today was meant to be one of our happiest days, Rose. I wanted to tell him something, but he kicked me out of the office. He wouldn’t even look me in the eyes.”

“I can’t remember doing anything to offend him. I don’t know what I did to deserve all of this,” she cried over the phone.