My Darling I am no More

chapter 17 towards a new beginning

Eliza clearly remembers her first day at university in her past life. It was a big change for a simple country girl like her. At 19, she had never even been to a city before. With a full scholarship, she found herself at a prestigious law school in the capital city.

Eliza's dreams were pure: to make her parents proud and help others. The bustling city with its luxuries was a whole new world for her. Her father's words echoed in her mind: never desire things beyond your reach, it will only bring pain. Happiness comes from what you have, not what you lack. This was the Wilson family way of life.

On her first day in class, Eliza saw him. It was like a scene from a movie, everything stopped around her. Somehow, she ended up sitting next to him. He was captivating, and she couldn't help but steal glances. Her upbringing urged her to be content, but this new feeling was overwhelming.

Eliza didn't know it then, but he came from a wealthy family. Law school was just a formality for him, a family tradition. They were well-respected figures in the army and business world, with their own law firms. Eliza would only learn about this later, when she herself worked for one of their firms.

At university, most students came from wealthy backgrounds. There was also Maria, who wasn't a law student but was taking an extra law class. Eliza wondered why rich people like Maria would bother with law school. Maybe, she thought, it was to avoid breaking the law, or perhaps to get away with it in the future. Maria was known for her intelligence and wealth, and she would become Eliza's undoing.

Eliza's crush was always polite to her, but over time, he grew distant. Eliza was clueless about the reason. Blinded by her infatuation, she neglected to make other friends. Maria, however, would occasionally come over to chat, perhaps drawn to Eliza's good grades, which Eliza often helped her with.

After graduating, Eliza learned that her crush belonged to a very rich family. Her hopes dwindled, and she ended up at a law firm – coincidentally, one owned by her crush's family. By then, Maria was already engaged to another wealthy man. Rumors swirled that Eliza's crush had a thing for Maria and was heartbroken by her engagement. Eliza never knew the truth.

At the law firm, Eliza would occasionally bump into her crush, who remained cold towards her. Then, one day, she saved his father, gaining the man's favor. He pushed for an engagement between Eliza and his son. Eliza, despite her doubts, agreed, not wanting to disrespect her future in-laws.

The engagement period was strange. Maria somehow started working at her fiancé's office and would often visit. Eliza, though uncomfortable, tried to ignore her jealousy, believing Maria was a friend.

One day, Maria took Eliza to a hotel where she met some strangers. Later, Eliza's fiancé confronted her with photos of those people, accusing her of scheming with his business rivals. He called her a gold digger, shattering her belief in their connection. Eliza, always prideful, didn't beg or plead. This attack on her integrity was too much to bear. She silently left.

Even her crush's father never contacted her again. Eliza realized Maria was behind it all. A tragic accident took away Eliza's beauty and then, her family. All that remained was a hollow life.

She never saw her ex-fiancé again, but sometimes she'd catch glimpses of him on TV, with a beautiful woman by his side. He never treated her like that. A part of her knew there was a misunderstanding, but another part knew he never loved her. In his eyes, she would always be a gold digger.

Eliza changed her name to Hazel, her sister's name, as only they remained. Her mother, in her grief, believed Eliza was Hazel. The experience left Eliza questioning the very nature of love. Without respect and dignity, could it even exist?

"No," she would answer, if asked. Maybe, in his place, she would have felt the same hatred. He wasn't wrong to be wary. It was her own unreasonable hopes that blinded her.

Eliza's past life ended like a dream cut short. Now, reborn, she stepped off the train in the capital city, not with excitement, but with a deep breath and a newfound resolve. Her past wouldn't define her future. She would love again, but on her own terms, with someone who cherished her as much as she cherished them. And most importantly, she would never trust blindly again.