Help Me Remember (COMPLETED)

Chapter 38

My biggest apologies to those people who waited for my update! I think my brain exploded because of my pre-board exams. It was like after the exams, my soul just got sucked out of my body and is currently MIA.

Anyone willing to make this story a cover? And what's with people saying "waiting for the ending"? we're still at the 70% mark! I still have to make you cry!😂

Chapter 38

Reveal

Seventeen months earlier...

I was already a college student in my final year. Who would've thought time rolled by that fast? It was as if yesterday, I was still running away from home and now I'm just a few steps to my dreams.

"Are you kidding me? An eleven-page article featuring your paintings and an interview? This is just too amazing! Show a little more reaction than that!" And with that, a teasing shove making me stumble in my steps. I narrowed my eyes playfully at her as I almost dropped the bottle of linseed oil.

Contrary to Zachary's words, I did have friends. Back in college.

Her name was Sarah Wilson. A fellow graduating student with the same major. She had wavy blonde hair and sparkling green eyes. She was tall at five-foot eleven, added to a willowy frame-- a giant compared to my five-foot three. And at the moment, she was grinning at me with those dimples deep in both cheeks and mischief shining in heavily-lashed emerald eyes. A straight nose and full pink lips. She was my best friend... who could pass for a supermodel but she told me to shut up countless time so there's that.

Sarah pouted at me prettily, "Seriously, Scar. If I were in your place, I'd be over the moon! I'm so happy for you!"

I was. Happy, that is. But as I eyed my best friend, I was still testing the waters with her. Sarah's mood had been out of it the last two months. Something went wrong with her scholarship grant and she was having a difficult time with two rejections for student loan. I knew Sarah struggled very much financially. Yet it was hard to watch as she refused my help. Said I wouldn't understand because I was rich so I decided not to offer it again.

She was partly right. I may not completely realize the full extent of her problems as my father was funding my studies. Yes, my dad was paying for college.

It was three months after I ran away to university. I wasn't going to lie, by that point, I was starting to question my own resolution to leave home. I didn't mean the part where I had to get l married to whoever it was that Dad had stuck in his head as part of whatever masterplan. But with the bills piling up on top of schoolwork, it was driving me mad. i knew it wasn't easy but this was... just too much on my plate. I was working two part time jobs after eight hours of school and the whole of the weekends, sleeping little and eating even less. The general courses were exploding with paperwork and I was always tired, always on verge of tears. I wasn't going to lie, I wasn't used to hard work. But I could swear the routine wasn't healthy even for a person used to having a job. My only reprieve being I was a full-tuition scholarship grantee.

Then one Friday after school and before I went to my job, a silver Audi parked in front of my battered apartment. My heartbeat had sped up then. That was my father's car. And when the driver's side opened, I thought my heart was going to explode— only to deflate again when my father's secretary came out.

"Miss Noble," the secretary acknowledged formally.

"Chris," I said. Until that point, I was still waiting for my dad to come out of the backseat.

And as if sensing the direction of my thoughts, the secretary smiled almost apologetically, "The chairman went to Japan for a business proposal."