Cruel Love

Chapter 9

Pop and Emily left Riya's house, their hearts burdened with the weight of their emotions. They stood outside, the cool evening breeze brushing against their faces. Pop, concerned for Emily's well-being, offered to drive her home, but she declined, insisting that she could make her way home alone. Her voice trembled with a mixture of determination and vulnerability as she refused Pop's offer. She needed this time alone to gather her thoughts, to grapple with the pain that engulfed her.

Pop regarded Emily with concern, his eyes filled with empathy. He knew all too well what it felt like to lose someone you loved deeply. It was a pain that never truly faded but instead resided within the depths of your being, a constant reminder of the love that was now lost. He felt the need to caution Emily, to protect her from doing anything reckless or impulsive that she might regret later.

"I know how it feels to lose someone when you love them more than yourself," Pop said softly, his voice filled with a hint of sorrow. He reached out and gently placed a hand on Emily's shoulder, his touch offering solace and understanding. Emily nodded, her tear-filled eyes meeting Pop's gaze, acknowledging his genuine concern.

As Pop drove away, Emily's mind became consumed by a torrent of emotions. The pain of losing Josh, someone she loved with all her heart, was unbearable. Thoughts swirled within her, memories of their moments together, the laughter, and the shared dreams. Instead of heading home, Emily made a decision, one driven by grief and fueled by a desperate need for answers.

Without a second thought, she rang the doorbell of Riya's house. Her heart raced with anticipation as she waited anxiously for Riya to open the door. When the door finally swung open, Emily's emotions erupted like a volcano. Anger, pain, and confusion mingled in her voice as she reached out and grabbed Riya's neck, her grip tight and desperate. Tears streamed down her face, a silent testament to her shattered heart.

"Why? Why did you lead Josh into such a dangerous world? Why are you alive while he's dead?" Emily's words poured out like a torrent, a storm of grief and rage. Riya stood there, stunned and speechless, unable to form a coherent response. The weight of Emily's accusations bore heavily on her, piercing through the armor she had carefully constructed around herself.

Overwhelmed by her own emotions, Emily's grip on Riya's neck loosened, and she began to cry uncontrollably. Riya, tears streaming down her own face, acknowledged the truth in Emily's accusations. She admitted that she felt responsible for Josh's death and expressed her desire to end her own life. Riya confessed that she didn't know Sir X would cause harm to Josh and expressed deep regret for introducing him to the dangerous world of underground fighting. She sobbed, saying she wished she could have taken her own life instead that day.

Emily, releasing her grip on Riya's neck, managed to compose herself enough to ask a pivotal question. Her voice, though shaken, held a glimmer of curiosity and intrigue. "Which day?" she inquired, her eyes searching Riya's face for answers. Intrigued and shaken by Riya's confession, Emily hesitantly agreed to come inside, needing to hear the full story. Riya took a deep breath, wiping away her tears, and began to recount the chapters of her own life.

Riya shared her past and stated that she hadn't always been an orphan like Josh. Her tale began in a once-well-off family, her father a trader of silk and cloth, and her mother a housewife. However, when Riya was just five years old, her world took a dark turn. Her father's absence on a business trip unleashed her mother's wrath, and Riya and her two-year-old sister became victims of relentless physical abuse.

In her naivety, Riya initially believed her mother was simply in a bad mood. But as she grew older, the beatings intensified, leaving her body marked with bruises, physical evidence of her mother's cruelty. When Riya finally summoned the courage to confide in her father, her mother twisted the truth, manipulating the situation to her advantage. This manipulation strained the relationship between Riya and her father, further isolating her in her despair.