Victoria

The thunder roared and ravaged the earth as it rained cats and dogs.

I lay curled on my worn out mattress, tears staining my torn pillow. I had just lost another job.

Another thunderclap and I jumped right out of my bed and sprinted to a far corner of my tiny bedroom, my two hands covering my ears. I didn't like the thunder.

I stayed curled into a ball bawling my eyes out till the thunderclaps subsided. The storm was over as it seemed but not the storm inside me.

As I stayed curled up, my left hand placed on my forehead as my right hand played with the hole in my worn out night dress, a million thoughts racing through my mind. Life was really cruel, I thought. Nothing worked out in my favor.

I sat there for what felt like hours till I got the strength to do what I must do.

I got up and took slow hesitant steps to my tiny cooking area that can't be classified as a kitchen.

As my feet stepped into the area, I took a good look around, bearing in mind that it would be the last time I would see the space I had grown to love, no matter the size.

I grabbed the kitchen knife with a shaky hand while exhaling a large amount of air from my tense body.

I made my way back to my bedroom, closing the squeaking door behind me. I mentally prepared myself for the pain.

I lifted my heavy sad ocean eyes to the Mother Mary figurine placed neatly on my reading table, beside my favorite books.

"Forgive me, mother, I don't have the strength or will to go on anymore, I have lost everything, my heart is heavy and my very soul is shattered. Accept my soul oh pure virgin." I finished as a lone tear slipped from my beautiful sad eyes.

My attention went back to the knife in my hand. Grabbing it with both hands, I lifted it above my head and closed my eyes.

I took a deep breath because I knew what I was about to do was not easy.

Before I could swing my hands that held the knife into my stomach…

DING!

I opened my eyes in a flash, staring at the now lit up screen of my phone.

Unknowingly, the knife dropped from my hands as I made my way to the bed.

I picked up my phone and read the notification on my screen.

"BILLIONAIRE ALESSANDRO ROSSI HAS CONFIRMED SPLIT FROM SUPERMODEL WIFE, ROBERTA ROSSI."

I scoffed in disbelief at the news. I stared intently at the man's picture displayed on my phone screen. A drop dead gorgeous man.

Subconsciously, I traced my slender fingers over his features. A Greek god in human form.

I did not know for how long I stared at his photo as he stared right back at me, deep into my troubled soul.

Breaking away from the compulsive gaze, I shook away the feeling swirling inside me as I tossed my phone on my bed.

Unbelievable! Barely two years into their marriage they are separated already.

Rich people's problems. I wondered if rich people find true love in life. If I ever got close to a man like Alessandro, I thought, I would hold him tight and never let go. He seemed like a decent and nice man even though he never smiled in pictures, just a smirk. Only a crazy woman would let him go.

Well, that was not my problem.

I got up, forgetting my previous death sentence passed on me by myself, as I made my way to my small bathroom.

I turned on the faucet and felt the warm water cascade from my blond untrimmed hair down my naked back. I needed this.

I placed my both palms on the bathroom wall to let the water stream down my back. It felt good.

I thought a million thoughts before turning off the tap and getting out of the shower. I couldn't afford a very high water bill right now. I was jobless and broke.

I walked out of the bathroom naked, drying my body with a towel. I lived alone so it was just me all the time. Besides, it was a habit for me. My best friends visited most times but not today.

I rummaged through my wardrobe for my workout attire, I needed a run to clear my head and think positively. Putting my workout gear on, I sat on my bed tying my shoelaces, as my phone rang.

My screen lit up with "BABE." That was one of my best friends, Grace calling me. Babe was a nickname the trio adopted back in high school for each other. Victoria, Grace, and Daniel.

"Babe," Grace said slowly over the line.

"Hey," I said, gripping my phone tightly against my ear and right shoulder as I continued with what I was doing.

"What happened Victoria, I heard you got fired for indecent behavior."

I used to work at the mall with Grace. Our married boss Ronald, had eyes on me.

"No way he broadcasted that lie to you guys too."

I said as I fell back into the bed, my right hand slung lazily over my eyes, and my left hand held the phone tightly to my ear.

"What happened, Vicks, what did you do, how did this happen?" She scolded me like a mother would.

"Mr. Ronald groped me without my consent and I slapped him, that's all." I shuddered recalling the nasty experience.

"You should have let it go, Vicks, now look, you're jobless and broke."

Tears welled up in my eyes at my best friend's words. I couldn't believe she would tell me to keep calm while someone took advantage of me.

"No Grace! No, you don't get to tell me how I should feel or how I should react, you of all people should know what I've been through. Grace, I can't seem to get anything right in my life! I'm neck deep in debt, I just lost my father, my mother is a drug addict who ran off with a boy to God knows where My rent is due, my food will probably not last till the weekend, I just got fired and humiliated!" I lashed out at Grace, saying the last part while sniffling.

I tried to wipe my tears away with the back of my hands. Life must hate me so much.

"I'm so sorry babe, please forgive me. I forgot just how much you have on your plate." She sounded apologetic.

"It's fine Grace, maybe it'll be better if I'm gone. The world doesn't like me."

"Don't say that Victoria! I love you and I need you here. I'll help you look for a job, babe. We'll get through this together."

"Okay, I have to go."

I was not in the mood right now, I needed to clear my mind and think. I needed a run.

Grabbing my phone, I stood up from my bed and made my way to the door.

My feet kicked something and I bent down to inspect what it was.

It was the knife I had grabbed from my kitchen.

I picked it up and made my way to the kitchen.

Placing it back in its position, I stared at it for a second longer.

One thought ran through my mind.

Without Alessandro Rossi's strange intervention earlier I might probably have killed myself already.

It was strange how someone who does not know that you exist, could be your savior.

Little did I know that our fates would soon be entwined.