Her Doubtful Heart E-Book

NS Raveneir

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Eyla's world crumbles when her husband, Geoff, shatters her trust with infidelity. Stripped of her role as a housewife, she is thrust into the daunting realm of single parenthood. Her plight is overwhelming, and she struggles to make ends meet for her and her son. Yet, fate intervenes when her dear friend, Jessica, extends a helping hand, providing Eyla with a roof over her head and a job that will change her life. As an event planner, Eyla is transported to uncharted territories, opening doors she never thought possible.

However, a twist of fate propels Eyla into a new chapter of her life when she meets Catherine Healey, the wealthy heiress of an esteemed international fashion company. Catherine agrees to hire Eyla for her birthday bash, but with a catch: Eyla has to secure the attendance of the illustrious superstar, Skylar Dazeln. This task seems insurmountable, but Eyla is determined to make it happen, even if it means seeking help from an old acquaintance, Alexis Mackenzie.

Unfortunately, Eyla's troubles are far from over, as her ex-husband's shadow looms over her every move. In a cruel twist of fate, Daryl, her only son, is kidnapped, and Eyla is plunged into a world of chaos and uncertainty. Yet, amidst the turmoil, Eyla finds herself falling deeply in love once again. However, with love comes sacrifice, and Eyla knows that the road to happiness will be a treacherous one.

As Eyla navigates through the highs and lows of her journey, her heart remains filled with doubt. However, with unwavering courage and determination, she rises above the challenges that threaten to tear her apart. Can she emerge from the trials unscathed and find the happiness she so desperately craves? Dive into the pages of "Her Doubtful Heart: A Single Mom's Triumphant Journey Through Divorce, Kidnapping, and a Second Chance at Happiness" and discover the answer.

Leseprobe

NS Raveneir

Her Doubtful Heart

A Single Mom's Triumphant Journey Through Divorce, Kidnapping, and a Second Chance at Happiness

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

Copyright

Copyright 2021©NS Raveneir. All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the copyright holder, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the copyright holder.

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Introduction

 Eyla is a single mom struggling to survive after her husband cheated on her and forced her into divorce. Unprepared and alone with her only son, she turns to her old friend Jessica for support and finds a new job as an event planner. As she navigates her new life, Eyla meets two men who both love her deeply: a wealthy entrepreneur who loves her unconditionally and a famous superstar who is out of her reach. However, her ex-husband becomes abusive and tries to kidnap their son, and Eyla must fight for her and her son's safety. Despite the challenges she faces, Eyla finds herself falling in love again and ultimately decides to take a risk on a second chance at happiness.

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Thank you for buying this ebook. I hope you enjoy your read.

NS Raveneir

Chapter 1

Eyla sat at the kitchen table, staring out the window at the bright morning sun. She could not believe her husband, Geoff, had left her to raise their son, Daryl, on her own. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying all night, but she did not want Daryl to see her like this. She got up and splashed some water on her face from the kitchen sink, trying to compose herself. She did not want Daryl to know how much pain she was in or how much she blamed his father for leaving them. All Eyla wanted for her son was for him to grow up to be a kind and decent man, unlike his father.

Eyla peered out of the kitchen window with a heavy heart, her gaze settling on the sight of Daryl, who was absorbed in his toys in the backyard behind the modest house. A new wave of grief washed over her as she thought about the home that used to be full of countless cherished moments and dreams. When Daryl came back through the back door, Eyla quickly wiped away her tears in an effort to hide her sorrow.

"Are you crying, Mommy?" Daryl asked.

Eyla shook her head. "No, just a little dust." Eyla wiped her eyes and said, "Mommy needs to clean up."

Daryl opened the refrigerator, looked at Eyla, and asked, "Can I have my ice cream early?"

Eyla nodded. She walked to the refrigerator and took a small cup of chocolate ice cream.

"Only for today." Eyla knelt down and said to Daryl, "You get it early because you've been a good boy."

Daryl smiled and took the ice cream cup from Eyla's hand, saying, "Thank you, Mommy!"

Eyla got up as she watched Daryl run happily to the backyard. She could feel something painfully piercing her chest. Eyla recognized herself as a simple housewife when she saw all the pictures hanging on the kitchen walls. Eyla had been happily married to her soon-to-be ex-husband, Geoff. After seven years of marriage, everything had fallen apart. She reached for one of the pictures on the wall and smiled bitterly when she saw it. The picture showed her smiling happily with Geoff and their baby, Daryl, in her arms. It had been taken in front of their house five years ago, when they bought it. Eyla wondered when things had gone wrong. She had convinced herself that she was a devoted housewife, taking good care of her child and loving her husband sincerely. She had trusted Geoff completely, believing that they would be loyal to each other until death separated them. Yet it seemed that only Eyla believed in that.

Eyla was lost in thought until the sound of her cellphone brought her back to reality. When she looked at the caller ID on her phone screen, she saw that it was her best friend Jessica. She picked up the phone.

"Hello, Jess..."

"Are you alright, Eyla?" Jessica asked.

 "I'm okay..." Eyla sighed heavily. "I'm going to clean up the house; it seems that I have to sell it."

"What do you mean?"

"Geoff, he asked me to sell the house." Eyla started to cry. "He's such a jerk, he doesn't even care about Daryl anymore."

"Poor baby..." Jessica was concerned. "Don't worry, I'm going to send you my lawyer to help; trust me, everything is going to be fine."

"Thank you, Jess." Eyla felt a little bit of relief. "You're such an angel."

"Eyla, I'm your best friend; remember that, okay?" Jessica said before ending the call. "I've got to go; just call me if you need anything."

Eyla clutched her cellphone tightly. She was grateful to have a good friend like Jessica. They had been best friends since high school. Eyla thought it was fortunate that she was not alone during her hardest struggle. She had her best friend to support her. However, the hardest part was dealing with Geoff, who terrorized her almost every day. He kept pressuring Eyla to sell the house and give him the money as soon as possible. If she refused, he threatened to harm her.

Eyla wondered where the love had gone that had kept them together for almost seven years of marriage. Geoff had turned his heart to someone else so easily, while Eyla had tried her best to please her beloved husband. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw fine wrinkles etched all over her face. She was only 29, but the stress had made her physically and emotionally deteriorate. Eyla was saddened by the fact that she was no longer as beautiful as she used to be. Her clothes were unfashionable, her hair was unkempt, and she looked unappealing overall. She lifted her shirt and saw the stretch marks on her belly from her pregnancy in the mirror. "Do you choose her because I look like this?" she asked herself.

Eyla laughed bitterly at the thought that she was no longer perfect. The woman with glowing brown hair, silky smooth skin, perfectly radiant hazel eyes, and a slim body had disappeared. She had become someone she did not recognize. Eyla hated herself. Her world was falling apart. She felt that she did not deserve to be loved by anyone. She believed that Geoff wanted to divorce her because she was no longer pretty. She was no longer desirable, so Geoff wanted to get rid of her and replace her with someone younger, prettier, and sexier. Eyla had hit rock bottom. There was no room in her mind for herself anymore because something in her head was telling her that she had lost and was unworthy of love. Eyla was sobbing once more as the cruel thoughts flooded her mind with destructive ideas.

Eyla sat on the floor and sobbed. She could no longer hold in all the pain. Then she felt small hands reach out to her and hug her tightly.

"Why are you crying, Mommy?" Daryl asked.

Eyla was heartbroken that she had failed to hide her sadness from Daryl. "Mommy just feels a little bit sad," Eyla replied as she put Daryl on her lap and said, "I promise that I'll protect you no matter what."

"I love you, Mommy; don't cry." Daryl wiped away Eyla's tears with his little hands.

"Mommy loves you too," Eyla said as she kissed Daryl on the forehead.

Chapter 2

Eyla was doing her best to control her temper. She was disgusted with the way Geoff behaved during the mediation. It should be only Eyla, Geoff, and their lawyers, but Geoff brought his mistress with him. Moreover, the so-called mistress always interrupted every time they discussed something important about the divorce. Eyla could not hold her anger any longer when Geoff’s mistress put her finger on the house settlement matter. Eyla grabbed the nearest object she could reach and threw it at her.

"Are you mad, Eyla?" Geoff was angry.

Tina pointed at Eyla. "You, you crazy bitch, you’re hurting me."

"You deserve that," Eyla said angrily, and then she got up from her chair. "You don’t have the right to be here; this is my problem with Geoff; I don’t want you here."

Tina was displeased with Eyla, but Geoff’s lawyer tried to stop her, giving a sign to Geoff to send Tina out of the room. Geoff refuted at first, but seeing Tina, who was ready to make a larger disturbance, he brought her out of the room.

The mediation continued when Geoff went back inside the room. It was an odd thing for Eyla; she had to brawl against the man who used to love her. Eyla struggled for her rights because Geoff did not go easy on her. He insisted that Eyla sell the house and split the profits with him. Eyla agreed as long as Geoff also paid child support for Daryl. Geoff agreed easily; it seemed that he could not wait to be divorced from Eyla. After both Eyla and Geoff had settled their agreement, their lawyer left them alone.

"I’m just curious." Eyla asked, "What do you see in her that you don’t find in me?"

"Women are just the same, Eyla." Geoff haughtily said, "I just don’t feel the spark in you anymore."

Eyla was taken aback by what he had just said. Geoff appeared to be more confident in himself than ever before. Eyla felt that spending more time with him was pointless because she realized that Geoff irritated her eyes every time she looked at him. Eyla turned away from Geoff; she did not want to see him any longer. She made the right decision by walking away from him and erasing all of her memories of him.

When Eyla was outside the building, she saw her best friend Jessica waiting for her. Eyla waved at her with a bitter smile hanging on her lips, then she walked in her direction.

"Is there any good news?" Jessica asked,

"I guess so." Eyla was hesitant and said, "Geoff promised me that he would pay for the child benefit as long as I sold the house."

"You could stay at my guesthouse for a while," Jessica said, concerned for Eyla. "Come on, let me help you."

"You’re such a good friend; I owe you so much." Eyla thanked Jessica and hugged her, saying, "Thank you."

Eyla agreed because she realized that she was not fully recovered from her wound, knowing that Geoff cheated on her with Tina, a girl that he met at the gym. Eyla’s life was turned upside down. She was always second-guessing herself if she did anything wrong, which made Geoff betray her. Yet, the real fact was quite hilarious: Geoff gained his confidence after losing some weight, and it happened because of Eyla. Eyla was the one who was concerned about Geoff’s health when he became overweight. Eyla was so concerned about her husband that she encouraged him to lose weight and sent him to the gym. Eyla chuckled as she remembered everything she had done for her husband, not realizing it would lead to the end of her marriage.

Seeing her best friend's sudden laughter, Jessica wondered, "Is something funny?"

"I guess so." Eyla smiled at Jessica and said, "What if Geoff didn't go to the gym like I suggested he should?"

"I understand that you're going through a difficult time right now," Jessica said as she patted Eyla on the shoulder. "But it doesn't change anything; he's no good for you."

"You should have seen him feeling good about himself this morning," Eyla told Jessica about Geoff. "I mean, he thought he was so good-looking that he was irresistible."

"Where did he get that idea?" Jessica mocked Geoff. "He just thought he was a dude and didn't realize he was just a brute."

"We have so many dreams, Geoff and I," Eyla sighed, "people do change, right?"

"But I’m not," Jessica assured Eyla. "I will always be your best friend."

"I’m so lucky that I have you."

Eyla truly appreciated Jessica's help. She felt like a small burden had been lifted off her shoulders. The most important thing for her at the moment was to sell the house, and then she could move into Jessica's guesthouse as soon as possible.

"You should start packing up all your stuff," Jessica said, showing Eyla her phone screen. "I just contacted an acquaintance to help you sell the house."

"Okay, but I'm not sure how I'm going to tell Daryl that his father and I are getting divorced," Eyla said sadly.

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out together," Jessica encouraged her. "I'll help you get through this."

Eyla became a little braver, and Jessica’s words made her strong. There was no way to turn back, and Eyla knew it would not be an easy thing to explain to her son about the complicated matter. However, Daryl must know that his father decided to leave them behind. Eyla clenched her fist, trying to do her best to prove that she could do anything, even without Geoff beside her anymore. In the meantime, she got her friend's support and realized that it was her time to become independent without the presence of a man in her life.

After parting with Jessica, Eyla decided to see her son at preschool. After an exhausting day, she just wanted to see her son's face. Actually, it was time for Daryl to go home from preschool. Eyla was right on time; Daryl had already waited for Eyla to pick him up. Joyfully, he ran and called for Eyla.

"Mommy, mommy!" Daryl shouted,

Eyla opened her arms as Daryl hugged her tight; she kissed his chubby cheek with love. Then Eyla let him go and looked him in the eyes.

"Do you want to buy ice cream?" Eyla asked,

"Yes!" Daryl was so excited, his eyes gleaming, as Eyla took his hand in hers.

Both of them walked side by side on the sidewalk, with Daryl singing his favorite song. The short walk brought them to an ice cream shop nearby, but something inevitable happened, and it was not a good thing. Daryl pulled Eyla's hand, and it made her stop. Daryl pointed his little hand to the café next to the ice cream shop.

Daryl looked at Eyla with confusion and a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Mommy, why did Daddy kiss that lady?" he asked.

Eyla took a deep breath and knelt down to face Daryl, then looked into his curious gaze. "Daryl, sometimes things don't work out between grown-ups, and they have to go their separate ways." Eyla looked Daryl in the eye with concern. "Your father and I have decided to divorce, but that doesn't mean we don't love you any less; you are still our son, and we both care about you very much."

"Is that true?" Daryl tried to understand,

Eyla sighed, struggling to find the appropriate words to explain the situation to her young son. "Your father has found someone else he wants to be with; it's wrong, but it happened, and we have to accept it and move on." Eyla struggled to find the right words. "It's important to remember that this has nothing to do with you, Daryl; even though we are no longer together, you are still loved and cared for by both of your parents."

Daryl nodded, seeming to understand, but Eyla could see the hurt in his eyes. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry, Daryl. I know this is hard to understand, but we will get through it together, and remember, no matter what, Mommy will always be here for you."

Chapter 3

Alone inside her room, Eyla had already packed all her belongings and Daryl’s. She was sad; she could not believe that she had to sell the house. She did not know what to tell Daryl; looking at him playing happily on the back porch made her wonder if he would be sad knowing that he had to leave the house. Little Daryl waved at her; his cheerful smile was Eyla’s only consolation in this hard time. She waved at him back and shouted,

"Have you finished playing, Daryl?"

"Yes, Mommy!"

Daryl went inside the house and brought all his toys with him. Eyla brought the luggage downstairs, leaving Daryl wondering why his mommy brought so much stuff with her.

"Where are you going, Mommy?"

"We are going to move out of this house."

"No, I don’t want to go; I like it here."

Eyla was well aware that Daryl would refuse to go. She hugged him and told him gently that she had to sell the house. Daryl remained upset, crying and refusing to leave. Eyla fought back tears, wanting to be strong for her child. She tried once more to persuade her son that they would be living in a much better place than their current residence. Daryl took a while to agree, even though he was still sobbing, but he left the house willingly. Eyla took one last look at the house. Inside the house, there were so many memories, especially the promise she and Geoff had made to raise a happy family. Everything, however, was in vain—a broken promise that could never be fulfilled.