Painting Paper Hearts | ✔

Chapter 29- Hope for Hope

*********

Please show your support by voting/comment/sharing this chapter.

*********

"Emerald, are you there?"

Leave me alone.

"Emerald, if you're not feeling well, we can call the doctor."

Just... leave.

"Emerald, dear, the doctor will come in a few minutes. We're all worried about you."

I don't need one. I just need some time alone.

My eyes stung so bad that I just want to keep them shut, lie down and sleep off the pain. What's worse was that I kept my family worried about me. I didn't want them to see me like this. I'd rather rot here.

Another knock on the door made me press the pillow harder on top of my head, my body flat on the bed and for the past hour or so. I just laid here and cried my heart out in silence. I managed to sneak my way into my bedroom while they were all busy talking to their new guest.

"Emerald, I'm coming in," my mother's voice casted concern. The high pitched creak of the door resonated in the room. I felt her presence around me as she sat at the edge of my bed. "You're better than this, Emerald. If you have a problem, talk to me."

Her warm hands caressed my back. With all my will and courage, I sat up to face her. My beet red eyes met hers, anticipating my mother's disappointed eyes, but I met the opposite of what I expected.

Tears began to rain down my cheeks and to my sheets as my mother whispered soothing words to my ear. There was a fresh cut in my heart and I couldn't conceal how much it ached right now. My mother's arms wrapped around me as I wept like a child, muttering my apologies to my mother. I didn't even know why I was apologizing in the first place.

"What are you apologizing for?" she asked me and it made me nervous.

How should I start? How was I supposed to tell her that I did this silly game and actually fell in love to the person I dealt with? The better question was; how would she react if I told her about Marcus?

"I-I haven't been completely honest with you, especially about the house," Ah, the guilt of playing with fire in order to keep the house had come crawling to me.

"Is this the real reason why you're crying over it? Because you're not honest with me?"

I shook my head slowly and she left out a sigh.

"Perhaps... this is about the boy in your sketches?"

I gave her a curt nod. "Mom... I know you're gonna get mad but please, hear me out. The house- the man in my sketches, he offered me a deal. It was just a brief deal where I had to act as his fake girlfriend-"

"His what?!" My mother's furious tone made me duck my head in shame. She stood up, her nose flaring in anger. "Emerald Beatrice Wren! Just what the hell have you got yourself into?!"

Once she called me in my full name, mad was merely an understatement. I might need a fire extinguisher to cool her down.

"Mooom, just- listen, please. You can give me hell later but just sit down and listen."

My mother was unstoppable this time as she walked back and forth with her kitten heels tapping loudly against the floor.

"What went through your mind to accept such an absurd deal!? What if he scams for a living?! A rapist!? A murderer!?"