CHAPTER 23

 JULES 

As the mystery of Emerson's whereabouts persisted, anxiety crept in.Why wasn't she responding? The chime of my phone brought relief and anticipation, revealing a message from Emerson. "I wanna meet you," it read.

EMERSON: I wanna meet you JULES: Are you okay? You've been lost for many weeks EMERSON: I will tell you when I meet you JULES: Then I want to meet you today

A mixture of laughter and tears escaped me. "You don't look fine," I remarked. The revelation that she had been in love, keeping it hidden,and now grappling with the aftermath of a breakup struck a chord,even though it seemed like a recurring theme in my life.

"So Evan is your superhero," I quipped in an attempt to lighten her mood. "Don't be silly; I'm crying here, and you are making jokes," she retorted.

"Well, technically, he is a mafia or something, saving the girl at the last moment," I continued in a playful tone. Her response was laced with anger, "I'm leaving; you can make your jokes alone."

"No, no, no, stop," I implored, sensing her vulnerability. "I was trying to make you feel better. I don't even want to go to university; I don't want to face Evan," she confessed.

Curiosity brimming, I inquired, "Why is Evan bothering you? Listen, you came here after enduring struggles; now you can't abandon your career. You have to be strong; things like this happen in this world."

She hesitated before addressing her boyfriend. "Well, Jules, you didn't ask me anything about my boyfriend," she said. Firmly, I declared, "I don't even want to know his name. If I ever get a chance to meet him, I will surely kill him."