Bleeding Heart 💔

CHAPTER TWELVE

I emerged from my room, my eyes still red and puffy from the previous night's tears. Lilly was already up and about, her phone buzzing with notifications as she scrolled through social media. But when she saw me, she quickly set her phone aside and rushed to my side.

"Hey love, how are you?" Lilly asked, her voice filled with empathy.

I shook her head, trying to hold back tears. "I don't know, Lilly. How should I feel?"

Lilly nodded understandingly. "We'll pull through this, Sarah. I promise."

I flopped down onto the couch, my hair a tangled mess, my eyes welling up with fresh tears. Lilly sat down beside me, her voice filled with determination.

"Listen, Sarah. We can try to find Desmond, but let's be real, it's a long shot. And even if we do find him, are you sure you want him in your baby's life?"

My voice cracked as I spoke. "I don't know, Lilly. You've said it yourself, finding him is a long shot, and if - and I mean a big if - we do find him, would he want the child? What if he rejects me? Would he even remember me?" I sighed before continuing, my voice showing my exhaustion. "I don't want to take that gamble."

Lilly nodded fiercely. "Then let's leave this city, start fresh somewhere new. You're an incredible builder, Sarah. You can start your own firm, build a new life. And I'll be right there with you, every step of the way."

My eyes widened, hope flickering to life in my chest. "Really, Lilly? You'd do that for me?"

Lilly grasped my hand, her grip tight and fierce. "I'd do anything for you, Sarah. We're in this together, always. And I know you'll make an amazing mom, and an even more amazing business owner. We'll build a new life, a new future, together."

I felt a surge of determination and gratitude. I knew I could count on Lilly, no matter what. And with that knowledge, I felt a sense of freedom, of possibility, that I hadn't felt in weeks.

"Let's do it," I said, my voice firm and resolute. "Let's start fresh, and build something amazing together."

Lilly grinned, her eyes shining with tears. "We will, Sarah. We will."

With our decision made, Lilly and I started brainstorming. We poured over maps, researching cities and towns that would be a good fit for our new start. We discussed business ideas, and my passion for construction sparked a plan to start a sustainable construction firm.

As we chatted, my phone buzzed with a text from my former boss. "What does he want now?" I muttered, my eyes scanning the message. "He's apologizing for his actions and wants me to come back to the company."

Lilly raised an eyebrow. "The nerves! Don't let him bother you. He threw you away just because Jason asked him to without pausing to consider all the good work you've put into the company. You're better off without them."

I nodded in agreement. "You're right. Let's focus on our new beginning. We deserve a fresh start, free from toxic people and situations."

We decided to go shopping for groceries, the refrigerator was practically empty and Lilly believed that shopping would help me feel a lot more better.

As we shopped for groceries, I felt some of my worries fade away for a while but my joy was shortened because I suddenly tensed, my eyes fixed on a woman in the distance. Lilly followed my gaze and saw a middle-aged woman with a familiar face.

"Who is it?" Lilly asked, her voice low.

My voice was laced with so much anger and venom. "My mom" I hissed.

Lilly's eyes widened in surprise. "What is she doing here?"

My face twisted in a mix of emotions. "I don't know, but I don't want to find out. Let's get out of here."

We quickly finished shopping and made our way to the checkout. As we loaded our groceries into the car, my mom appeared beside us.

"Sarah, darling! What a surprise to see you here!" she exclaimed, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

My eyes narrowed. "What do you want, Mom?"

My mom's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "I just wanted to reach out and see how you're doing. I know we didn't part on good terms, but I'm your mother, and I care about your well-being."

My laughter was bitter. "You didn't care about my well-being when you believed Sonia's lies over mine. You didn't care when you chose her over me. I told you this before, you only have one child now and that's Sonia."

Before my mom could make a retort, Lilly stepped forward, her voice firm. "Sarah doesn't need your toxic behavior in her life. She's moved on and is starting fresh. Leave her alone."

My mom's face turned red with anger, but she seemed to realize she was outnumbered. With a huff, she turned and stormed off, leaving Lilly and I in an uncomfortable silence.

My eyes welled up with tears. "I'm so sorry, Lilly. I didn't mean to drag you into my family drama."

Lilly engulfed me in a warm hug. "You didn't drag me into anything, Sarah. I'm here for you, no matter what. We're in this together, always." The drive back home was silent. The kind of silence that comes when everyone is lost in their own thought.

As we entered our apartment, I took off my shoes at the door and took a seat in the living room, my mind a roller coaster of emotions.

Lilly glanced over at me, noticing my distant expression. "Hey, what's on your mind? You've been quiet since we left the grocery store."

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "Just thinking about my mom and our encounter earlier."

Lilly nodded understandingly. "That was definitely uncomfortable. But you're doing the right thing by distancing yourself from her toxic behavior."

I appreciated Lilly's support. "Thanks, Lilly. Just talking to you makes me feel better."

Lilly smiled. "Anytime, Sarah. That's what friends are for. But are you fine? You seem a bit...overwhelmed."

I nodded, trying to brush it off. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Lilly looked concerned. "Sarah, Are you sure you're fine?"

My composure cracked, and I let out a sob. "I'm so scared, Lilly! I'm terrified of keeping this baby! What if I'm making a huge mistake? What if I'm not good enough? And the father....what if he's married? Oh God, what if he's married and has a family of his own? I don't even have any idea where he is. This child would grow up and start asking about their father, and I wouldn't even know where to begin! And the construction firm...oh Lilly, what if it all falls apart? What if we fail? What if no one takes us seriously because we're just two single women trying to make it in a man's world?"

Lilly's expression softened, and she reached out, putting a comforting hand on my arm. "We'll face all of that together, Sarah. One step at a time. We'll figure it out. And we'll make it work, because we have each other."