"So what if you can't even stand my sight, I have already set my eyes on you and you are forever mine! -Artemis
Her Secret Admirer
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"Don't do this… please! We can work things out… I-"
"Rhea, please understand. I have to save my business and it's only possible by me marrying Ursula." Jacob didn't even let Rhea complete her words before cutting through. He knew for himself she must have been hurting but alas, what could he do… even if he liked her he couldn't stay committed with her anymore.
With a heavy heart he bid his farewell to the girl on the other side of the phone and hung up leaving behind a devastated Rhea.
Hid under her blanket she cried for a really long time before falling asleep without even herself knowing it.
Getting jilted was not new for her, she has been experiencing the same since she was in middle school. During those days boys who asked her out would abandon her without giving her any reasons. She was disheartened at first but strongly believed that she one day will surely run into someone who would be willing to hold onto her forever. But… as she grew up this faith too was withering down.
Jacob was not the first guy who promised to marry her but gave up on the very final moment, five other guys have did the same to her. But she couldn't blame any of them… They too were in a spot where they couldn't do anything.
The stories of her failed love and marriages were so illustrious in her town that people feared her existence. They labelled her as a jinxed soul who shoved bad luck in every men's life who developed feelings for her. This may look nonsense and Rhea did everything to keep these floating rumours as far as possible from her mind but… if she thinks about it they were indeed true.
All of her ex boyfriends, no matter how well off, were hit by a ominous fate once she entered their life. While one's business would ruin up the other would meet up with a terrible accident, hardly surviving.
All these happenings were witnessed and spoken about; Jacob was her last hope and she truly believed that this relationship would have a happy ending but alas, he too was defeated.
When Rhea finally parted her eyes it was already evening, sun was at the verge of setting and darkness was engulfing her small town. She rubbed her eyes and took a glance at her phone, Jacob's profile picture was removed and neither was his last seen or about visible. She sent a text just to confirm that she was finally blocked by him.
"Cruel fate…" she smiled through the pain before keeping her phone aside and walking downstairs. Her mothe, Beatrice, who was chopping the vegetables for the supper was elated to see her.
She was a beautiful blond woman, Rhea looked a lot like her dad but secrued to inherit her mom's hazel eyes which were the most beautiful in the whole village. She asked, "Rhea, you are up? Do you want coffee?"
Rhea nodded a no before sitting on the chair opposite to her; Beatrice looked at her daughter's faded face and asked, "What is it, Rhea? You don't look happy, is Jacob busy again?" Rhea again nodded a no keeping mum about what had happened earlier.
Beatrice kept aside her knife and said, "Oh, child… then why are you so melancholic. Are you missing him? Don't worry, once you marry him everything will be alright."
Rhea lifted her eyes and looked at her mother who had high hopes for the couple. She felt guilty seeing her like this and this decided to confess it all, she started, "There is no marriage."
Beatrice lifted her eyes and looked back at her daughter, she tried her best to keep her smile intact as she asked, "What do you mean?"
"What else would it mean…" Rhea tried not to cry but her words started to choke as she uttered, "He broke up with me."
Silence engulfed the dining area as none of them had nothing to say. Beatrice supported her forehead with her palm as she veiled, "Oh Lord, why is this happening?"
Rhea kept mum fighting her tears as her mother started to rant, "It's over, now no one will marry you believing on that stupid rumour surfacing about you! It's not only about you, no one will even want to marry Sandra and Kimmy. Oh God, what will I do now… what will be the future of my kids."
Beatrice was a really good woman, it was just that she was really hurt by the rumour of her daughter being cursed. Rhea was already hitting 24, she was running out of time to be wed off. If she failed to prove to the people that words were just a hoax and Rhea wasn't a jinx no one would want to marry their son to any of her offsprings, not even to Rhea's younger siblings- Sandra and Kimmy.
"I- I am sorry…" Rhea could only apologise; just in the moment Philip, Rhea's father, came home from work. Seeing his distorted wife and daughter he was perplexed, he immediately threw away his things and went to check on them, "Honey, what happened. Why are you both in tears?"
Beatrice hugged her husband as she sobbed, "Philip, Jacob abandoned Rhea…"
The man raised his eyes to dart them at his beloved daughter, "Is it true?"
Rhea nodded silently, Philip asked, "Why, what happened all of a sudden?" The girl rubbed her nose, without even lifting her head she replied, "He is getting married to someone else."
As soon as Philip heard this he balled his fist in rage and sneered, "That son of a b*tch, I am going to kill him…"
"No, dad… don't!" The girl stopped her father and said, "It's not his fault… His company is at the verge of bankruptcy, to save it he is getting married under business ties with Young madam Ursula."
Beatrice screamed, "His company collapsed due to God knows who's fault but Philip, everyone will blame our daughter. Everyone is going to point their fingers at her calling her a witch. What are we gonna do now…"
Philip looked at the mother daughter pair, even though he knew it was all senseless hisbwife was right. He took in a deep breath before aiding his daughter, "It's ok, honey. Don't cry… it will be alright." He porued both of them a glass of water and suggested Rhea to go out for a while while he and her mother prepare a good meal for them.
Rhea wasn't really willing to go but when urged by her father she couldn't say anything. After all, a little party won't kill anyone and will help her divert her mind from Jacob.
"That's my girl." Philip cheered his daughter and said, "You go get ready and enjoy a bit. But remember to come back before your curfew."
Rhea smiles before running upstairs to get changed.
