A Colapsing World

Noela's POV

I could see him looking at me coldly. His eyes were so sharp, like someone who hated me and didn't expect me to be here. I think Darren was acting like that because of the woman beside him. The reddish-haired woman took my boyfriend's hand in hers.

"Who is she, darling?" The woman casually asked Darren who I was.

My eyes alternately looked at the two of them, in my mind continuing to question who the woman was. However, without me needing to ask, Darren said her name clearly. "She's the woman I told you about, Emma."

I saw a smile develop on Emma's lips, especially when she had found out about me. Without any shame, they were making out right in front of my eyes.

What a disgusting sight! I never thought that Darren would cheat on me. In the midst of this silence, Darren suddenly let out a voice with a firm tone. "Let's end this relationship right now."

That sentence surprised me. Darren decided to end our relationship in front of another woman's affair. It instantly made my body tremble, there was a stabbing pain, and it weakened my legs to be able to stand straight.

In the beginning, I had just gotten home from work. My body felt tired, and I thought I could rest when I got to this apartment. However, the first sight when the door opened was Darren's intimacy with that woman. They went so far as to kiss deeply.

I tried so hard all this time. I feel like there's nothing wrong with our relationship. It's just an attitude that shouldn't be given to me. I thought that all this time, he loved me regardless of my background.

"I don't think you have any more business here. You can leave now because I don't want to live with you anymore." Darren's words made me cringe. He kicked me out just like that without reviewing our one-year relationship.

During this time, we lived together in Darren's apartment. I didn't pay for anything while I was here. However, I made up for it with many things, like preparing meals, and serving Darren with great effort.

"But, Darren. Why?" There's something I need to confirm again, but he's changed because of the woman beside him right now.

"We're not on the same level, Noella. You're just an ordinary girl and have nothing. Don't you realize how long you've been living with me? I think you're just a stupid woman." Darren was sometimes cold and rude to me. This time, he really couldn't ease those hurtful words.

I always believed our one-year relationship could make him love me more deeply. Despite his attitude, I always thought it was just because of his job. However, now I know another reason why he broke up with me and was more rude than ever.

"Shouldn't you apologize to me? You're the one who cheated on me and brought this bitch here." The emotion I couldn't hold back finally exploded. I wanted to keep this relationship going. However, Darren didn't care about me and just looked at the woman beside him.

"How dare you insult Emma. You should look in the mirror. Don't talk so much anymore, Noella. You don't need to go any further. I've got your stuff ready." Darren started to move and tossed my things one by one into the suitcase.

Without caring what I said, Darren, with Emma's help, started throwing my things out of the apartment. He pushed me out until I fell.

"Look, who's outside now? You'll never measure up to Darren. Just look at yourself in the mirror. You're from the lower class and shouldn't be a burden in Darren's life." Emma seemed satisfied that she had managed to cuss me out and chase me away from Darren's side. Girding her loins, she flashed a wicked smile at me.

I tried to get up, but my legs felt so weak. The one year I had spent with Darren was now wholly pointless. Darren didn't seem to care when Emma insulted me like that. What I had gone through all this time did not produce anything for Darren. My efforts to be able to keep him by my side now paid off with such deep pain.

"Darren, please. Don't be like this. If there's something wrong, we can talk first." I still forced myself to get back in there. However, Emma now seemed to be in control of the apartment.

"Hey, you still don't know yourself wanting to come here. Do you have no shame in your veins? You're being kicked out of here. Get lost!" Emma snapped at me, and Darren smiled wryly at that. 

Irritated by the woman's words, my body quickly pulled her hair. I felt like I had the strength to punish the woman who had cheated on Darren.

Darren saw that we were having a power struggle and immediately pushed my body and saved Emma, who was about to get hit by my fist. "Are you crazy?! What are you doing, Noella? Why are you being so wild? Just leave, and don't ever interfere with my life again!"

I was about to speak again, but Darren closed the door so hard that it startled me. There was nothing I could do now. I didn't know what to do with my life.

I still sat on the floor, hoping Darren would open the door again. But, of course, that wasn't going to happen. I was just about to pick up my clothes, scattered from being thrown by them. I heard my cell phone ring when I saw no name on the screen. My forehead wrinkled. "Who's calling?"

I tried to calm down, so I answered the call.  "Good evening, Miss Noella. I'm the nurse at the hospital looking after your uncle." It was the nurse at the hospital who called me. I guess it wasn't a good thing I would hear next.

"Uncle Martin? What happened to him?" I asked, feeling so worried. Uncle Martin had been my only family.

"Your uncle went into shock and needs surgery. It will cost at least twenty thousand dollars to perform the surgery." The news made me feel like a fool.

My body was frozen, my mind so empty that no other path came to mind. I had no place to sleep, even though I was working, but my savings wouldn't be enough. Especially now that Uncle Martin needed a large sum of money.

I turned my gaze to the door of Darren's apartment. That's right, Darren comes from a wealthy family. The damn man might just be able to help me get Uncle Martin his surgery.

I got up from where I was, my legs starting to stand straight again. However, my body was still trembling slightly, so anxiety came over me. I try to move my hand to knock on the apartment door a few times.

"Darren, please open the door. Please, Darren. I have something important to tell you." I tried to knock hard and call Darren to come out to see me.

I called his name several times, and I even knocked loudly on the door. But he didn't seem to hear my calls. It could have been the woman in there forbidding Darren to come out to see me. However, I didn't want to give up on Uncle Martin.

After I knocked on the apartment door many times, Darren finally opened the door. "Darren, help me. Help me pay for my uncle's surgery. He needs treatment right now." My voice was so nervous I held Darren's hand as I begged him.

Hearing my request, Darren just threw my hand away until I almost fell. His eyes showed anger that could no longer be contained. He raised his voice and emphasized his words. "What you say won't make me willing to help you. Isn't he your uncle? Why should I bother helping him? You can find another way, and don't bother me again, Noella!"

My tears couldn't touch his heart. Sobbing, I was still trying to get help from Darren. I lowered my body position, begging with a pleading face for Darren to save Uncle Martin.

Uncle Martin was like my own parent. Ever since my parents passed away, Uncle Martin was the one who took care of me and looked after me. I don't want to lose him.

"Darren, please. Help me. Uncle needs the money for his surgery today. I don't have that much money for the hospital fees." My head was down, but I caught a glimpse of Emma's feet standing behind Darren, which made me lift my face to look at her.

There was a faint smile printed on Darren's lips. He seemed to be mocking me for what I was going through right now. "I don't care what your uncle is going through. You'd better get over there and don't bother me here. You could have begged and gotten that money from another generous hand."

"Darren, this poor, ugly woman doesn't know herself. This ex-lover of yours has no other advantages. I think she uses her body to get rich men to accept her and give her their money. Luckily, you got away from her early, so you won't lose your money." Emma messed things up. She made Darren hate and insult me even more.

"I thought you were knocking on my door to beg for love from me. However, you are a gold digger, Noella. It seems like all this time you've been with me just to use me, doesn't it? just leave here, and don't show your face in front of me again." Emma's words completely consumed Darren. He changed so quickly.

So complete is the suffering I've gotten today. My lover's betrayal, then he kicked me out of his apartment, and now I have to try to get money for Uncle Martin's surgery. There's nothing else I can do but lament today. My life seemed full of bad luck, and I didn't expect it to come together like this.