She was taken to the security office and made to sit on a monoblock in front of a long rectangular table.They removed the shopping bag from her hand which contained her new blazer. They even took her hand bag.Ember didn't feel threatened because she was sure she hadn't broken the rules. She did not steal anything either which they kept accusing her of.The door swung open, and a man in a different style but same black uniform walked in. She learned from his name plate that he was the Chief Security Officer of the Shopping Mall.His tone was firm and authoritative as he commanded, “Check her possessions.” The men who escorted her to the room moved at lightning speed. The next thing she knew her shopping bag was carelessly torn open, her blazer spread on the table, carefully inspected to make sure nothing was hidden inside.When they found nothing on the Blazer their attention shifted to her handbag. One of the men opened her bag, then emptied its contents on the table, sending her b
Upon arriving at the police station, she was immediately detained in a cell. Not only was no one communicating with her, but she also had no idea how long she would be held.She had been pacing back and forth for quite some time before the ache in her lower legs from standing for so long forced her to stop.Unfortunately, there wasn't anywhere to sit inside, and she had to keep standing. But unable to take her aching legs anymore she sat on the hard, dusty floor.As Ember huddled in the corner of an empty cell, she reflected on how everything had transpired so quickly that the details of how she got to the police station were a blur.It was as if she were entrapped in a horrible dream. She tried to convince herself that it was all a nightmare, but the gnawing sense of despair she felt made it clear that she was indeed awake. She took a deep breath and rose to her feet, putting her hopelessness aside."Could you please lend me a phone?" Ember spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Icen mumbled soothing words into her ears till she relaxed. Her sobs gradually faded into quiet whimpers till no more sounds came from her lips. When the storm inside her subsided, she collected herself and summoned the courage she could muster to look at him.As she looked up, it immediately came to her notice that he was staring at her. She swallowed hard in response and with best efforts she fought his unblinking gaze.Even though he wore a cold mask to cover his emotions, something that resembled worry and concern danced in his eyes and didn't slip past her notice.She couldn't read his thoughts and Ember would give up everything to find out what he was thinking right now. Unable to take the silence anymore she opened her mouth to express her gratitude but no words emerged from her lips. Now that she's returned to her true self, she realized how dreadful she looked and her reflection on the car window confirmed her worst fears.Her hair was all over the place, her eyes swollen, a
When Ember arrived at her apartment, the first thing she did was eat. Because she wasn't in the mood to cook, she settled for instant cup noodles and some garlic bread from her pantry.She stripped off her clothes to change after finishing her humble meal. She had just finished changing into a plain white shirt and black baggy pants when the doorbell rang.A frown made its way into her forehead.“Could that be Xiana?” She mumbled under her breath while taming her long hair into a ponytail after brushing it. On second thought, she considered the huge possibility it could be Icen.She stopped guessing and placed the brush on her vanity mirror. She walked barefoot across the carpeted floor and opened the door to find out.Her mouth dropped to the floor when she saw her unexpected visitor. The color in her face drained too.“M-mom!” She gasped in disbelief. Her fingers suddenly turned icy-cold. She blinked rapidly to make sure her eyes weren't playing a trick on her. But even after doing
Elizabeth would rather have Chloe as her daughter than Ember, even if she doesn't tell her that outright. The truth was that her mother was much nicer to her cousin than she was to her own daughter. Ember felt betrayed since she was treated differently like she doesn't belong to the family.She's tried her best to make her mother happy ever since she was a little girl so she could gain her love and respect, but it seems nothing she does is enough. Her mother has never found a redeeming quality in her. Either Ember is a complete failure, or nothing she did mattered.Mother's should love their child but why can't Elizabeth do that to her? She had asked herself that question for years but she still hasn't found the answer until now.Sometimes she questioned whether or not she really was Elizabeth's biological child. Chloe used to make fun of her for being adopted when they were both young. This was an idea she had previously dismissed, but recently she's begun to wonder if there might be
Ember took a sharp intake of air when her ex’s name was mentioned. She attempted to gain composure and put her attention on the conversation. Still, her mind kept wandering back to memories of her tumultuous relationship with Thunder and now to his upcoming wedding to her cousin which she couldn’t believe she will have to attend.“Is everything OK?” Perceiving her shocked reaction, Hazel quickly enquired, her features replete with anxiety. “I-I’m fine.”If you don't feel like going, you don't have to push yourself. Icen told me it’s up to you to decide. He wanted you to come on your own accord. Don’t force yourself to agree on something which is against your will.”Ember fell silent as she considered her options.Would she want to witness her ex-lover marry the woman he had an affair with? She posed this question to herself, and her immediate response was a resounding “NO.” With that answer in mind, she decided not to go.However, on second thought, she realized it could be an excell
The Chief Security Officer was accompanied by two security guards who had interrogated her the day prior.Ember was so overwhelmed with fear that she could not move, standing still like a statue that had been frozen in timeHer heart began to beat faster as the realization that she may be in trouble again crossed her mind, yet she did her best to remain calm and collected despite the fear.Gathering her strength and courage, she inhaled deeply and steeled herself for whatever was about to come. It felt like an eternity before they finally reached her.A brief friendly nod from the man gave her a sliver of assurance and her worries began to subside.The Chief Security Officer removed his cap and bowed his head, and the men standing behind him imitated his gesture. “Ms. Heart,” he began, he could not hide the embarrassment he felt when he spoke, but his attitude was surprisingly polite. “We are deeply sorry for the mistake that was made yesterday, and I have come here to express our
“Icen and Thunder had been best friends since they were teens.” Hazel's words dissipated as she was momentarily mesmerized by a sapphire blue Swarovski gown worn by one of the mannequins.Ember was in a state of riveted anticipation as she waited for her to continue.“Both of them vowed that they would attend each other's wedding, come what may. Though there was no more friendship between them, Icen chose to honor his pledge.”Ember was stunned to learn that her ex and her boss had been close in the past, however, what perplexed her most was the fact that their friendship had since dissipated.She was bewildered how this occurred.Not once in the course of the three years she had been together with Thunder did he ever speak of Icen’s name, nor did he allude to having a best friend.“What happened to their friendship?” Her eyebrows arched up in curiosity.“I wished I knew the full details,” Hazel expressed with regret, “What I know is both of the men were captivated by the same woman, h