Completely broke

Avery sat in the passenger seat, her tears flowing freely, creating a stark contrast to the crisp, tailored navy blue suit of the man beside her. Simon, with his perfectly groomed dark brown hair and chiseled jawline, exuded an air of calm that only intensified her turmoil.

"Get in," he had said earlier and guided her into his car without a word of protest from her.

“Avie…” Simon finally broke the silence, but his gentle call only made her tears flow harder.

She had been crying since she got into the car.

“It’s okay to cry…” he murmured, his hand resting gently on her thigh. “Everything will be fine…”

“Those are empty words! Everything will not be fine! This life sucks! Nothing goes the way I plan, every single time. Just when I thought I had found love…” The pain in her voice was palpable, choking her as she recalled the hurtful words that had pierced her heart.

“Avery, take a deep breath. She isn’t worth the tears,” Simon urged, his voice soft yet firm.

“No one understands me and I feel so alone in this world,” she confessed, her heart heavy with frustration. “My dad tries, but my mom makes it so difficult. Everyone always has something negative to say about me. They judge me because I’m bisexual.” Her voice trembled with hurt.

“Their words should not define you. It’s your right to love who you love. Your sexuality is a part of who you are.”

Avery looked at him skeptically, doubt clouding her mind.

“Really? Because I remember how hurtful your words were when I broke up with you three months ago. I fell for Tiffany, and you insulted me for leaving you for a girl.”

Guilt washed over Simon as he lowered his gaze.

“Avie, that was a difficult time for me. I had genuine feelings for you. Seeing you move on so quickly shattered my heart. I know I said things that were completely out of line. I’m truly sorry.”

“It's not that easy, Simon. Your words cut deep. You told me I wasn't as beautiful as I thought, that there were countless girls better looking than me. Do you have any idea what that did to my self-esteem?”

His expression turned to one of regret. He hadn’t realized the impact his words had left on her.

“Avie—”

“Don’t apologize, Simon!” she yelled, startling him. “Did my mom send you to spy on me? To report back on how miserable I am? Let her know that Tiffany and I are over. I’m sure she’d be thrilled to hear that her daughter is once again on the verge of depression.”

Avery folded her arms tightly across her chest, retreating into her thoughts. Simon’s grip tightened on the steering wheel as he wrestled with how to handle the situation.

Minutes passed before they arrived at her house. Avery muttered a quick “Thank you for the ride” and stepped out, avoiding Simon’s gaze.

From his car, he watched her struggle with her door.

“Do you need help?” he offered, stepping out of the car.

“Somebody changed my PIN,” she replied, frustration lacing her words. “I can’t get in.”

“Are you sure you know the correct PIN? Maybe you mixed things up?”

Avery sighed, reaching for her phone to access her security system. Her heart sank as she discovered she had been logged out.

“Are you serious?” she exclaimed, showing Simon her screen.

“What about your fingerprint? It should still work, right?”

“It’s been deleted from the system,” she said, disbelief etched across her face.

Simon's expression hardened. “We both know who’s responsible for this.”

Avery nodded, her mother’s power evident in the cruel act. The condo Avery stayed belonged to her mom, and she has access to it just like Avery did.

“You should call her,” Simon suggested.

“And beg that witch? Hell no!” She turned back to Simon’s car. “Please drive me to a hotel.”

He dropped her at the hotel, and Avery approached the reception desk, ready to pay for a room. Her heart sank when the transaction was declined.

“Insufficient funds? That can’t be right!” she exclaimed, checking her account balance. To her shock, she found three million dollars had been transferred to an unfamiliar account.

Suddenly, she remembered—she had entrusted Tiffany with her bank password and card details.

“How could I have been so foolish?” Avery berated herself.

She recalled Tiffany’s demeanor had changed after receiving a message back at the coffee shop and concluded she must have received her share that moment.

Frantically, she searched her pockets for spare change but found only twenty dollars. Frustration consumed her as she left the hotel. She was completely broke… under three hours.

Sorrow weighed heavy on her heart.

Her mother’s warning about Tiffany now seemed justified.

She had no place to go, and her pride wouldn’t allow her to call Simon. If she did, he’d send her money or offer to pick her up, but that felt too humiliating.

“What does Mom hope to gain from locking me out?” Avery scoffed bitterly, her voice breaking as she shouted at the empty street, “You’ve won, Mom! And you suck!”

Heads turned, confusion and concern filling the air.

“Is she okay?” “Did she escape from a mental institution?” she heard. But she didn’t care; she had bigger problems.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for her phone, dialing her friend Jennifer’s number. The call went straight to voicemail. Frustration washed over her as she remembered Jennifer mentioning a business trip. Now, she was truly stranded.

Go home? Hell no!

Avery made her way back to her house, seeking solace on the veranda.

***

The bright morning light stirred Avery from her restless slumber. As she blinked away the remnants of sleep, a figure loomed over her. Her mother, Emily.

“You slept here on the porch last night?” Emily asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

Avery let out a soft sigh, pushing herself up from the hard ground, every muscle aching.

“Why didn’t you just come home or call one of the drivers to pick you up?”

Avery scoffed, walking past her mother. “And give you the satisfaction of seeing me miserable? No thanks. I’ll take my chances out here.”

“He’s perfect, Avery!” Emily shouted, stopping her in her tracks. “The man I found for you… He won’t disrupt your life. He’s hardly ever home, always at work, so you won’t have to see him all the time. You won’t have to share a room, and in a couple of years, you can even start a family.

Plus, no cooking or chores for you, and you get to keep living your carefree life as long as you don’t tarnish his reputation.”

Slowly, Avery turned to face her mother.

“Whatever. We had a deal, right?” she said, resignation lacing her voice. “And I don’t go back on my word, so do as you please. Just let me know the wedding date, and I’ll be there.”