Flora lay on her bed with a picture in her hand of her and Helia. She sighed as tears poured from her eyes.
"How could I have been so stupid to not see that Helia doesn't love me?" She whispered, holding the picture close to her chest. "Now… now we are truly over with no hope of getting back together."
Hearing the door open, the brunette quickly dried her eyes. She didn't want Layla to see how weak she was, crying over a guy.
"Mommy!" Layla called out. "You home?"
"Yeah, I am in my bedroom." The older brunette called out.
Layla entered the bedroom wearing her uniform which consisted of a white shirt, blue skirt, white socks and black shoes.
Flora sat up on the bed as the seven year old took a seat beside her. "Is something wrong, Mommy?"
"Um… I have something to tell you." Flora stated, trying to be strong. "First thing is that I quit my job today so you will be seeing me home for a while till I get a new job."
"Why not use the money you and Daddy saved to open up your own business?" Layla asked, wondering why she would want to work for someone else. "You mentioned reaching the target."
"That's the next thing I have to tell you." Flora sighed, sadly. "Helia and I are no longer together so I am going to give him back his share of the money."
Layla looked down in sadness. "It involves the lady he has been busy with this week, doesn't it?"
"How do you know about her?" Flora asked, never telling her about Daphne.
"Auntie Stella carried me to the mall earlier this week after school." Layla mentioned, looking up at her mother. "I saw Daddy and her talking at the food court. While Auntie was looking at clothes I called him and asked if we could spend time together. He said he was too busy and couldn't spend time with me. I saw him with the same lady the day after and the following day. Every time I called he gave the same excuse. After the third time I just stopped calling and gave up."
Seeing how hurt Layla was, Flora hugged her. "I am sorry that Helia hurt you. The last thing I wanted to happen was for you to be affected by this."
"So does this mean I no longer have a Daddy?" Layla asked.
"I don't know what to tell you, Lals. I really don't know."
The Next Day
Flora came out of a taxi with a box and bag full of everything Helia gave her including the money. She had on a white blouse, pink mini skirt with a similar colour choker and high heel, knee length boots.
Heading to the house he and Saladin shared, the brunette knocked on the door. Moments later Saladin opened the door. He looked surprised to see Flora.
"What are you doing here? I thought you would be at the hospital, checking on Helia."
"Helia is in the hospital?" She dropped the box.
"Yes, collapsed yesterday at work." Saladin added, stepping out of the house. "Daphne called me yesterday as the ambulance carried him to the hospital. He's awake but is too sad to talk to anyone about what happened."
"Let's go." Flora stated, walking towards the car.
Saladin went to the driver's seat while Flora sat in the passenger seat. The brunette threw the bag and box on the back seat.
Reaching the hospital, they rushed to the male's room. As they were about to enter a doctor and Daphne were coming out.
The elderly male doctor looked at Saladin and asked to have a word with him. He agreed and the two made their way to a more private location.
Daphne looked at Flora and asked. "May I have a word with you?"
"Sure." She agreed, glancing into Helia's room to see the male looking at the wall and had his back turned to her. He had on a white hospital gown.
The two females walked outside and had a seat on one of the benches nearby.
Daphne started the conversation. "I am sorry for been a bother and sticking myself onto Helia for the past week. Just know he does love you and we are not interested in each other."
"I want to believe that but I don't want to accept it only to get hurt again." Flora stated, looking down at the ground.
Daphne looked to her, trying to find the words to convince the brunette. "Flora, even though Helia did say you two were friends I knew you guys were in a relationship. I don't know a lot of persons that would have their friend's picture on their phone, desk, car and a ton in his house. We are just childhood friends and were catching up on old times. Plus I was bugging him to take a few days off and come to my wedding next week to take pictures for me."
"Wedding?" Flora looked up at the blonde.
"Yeah, I am getting married to my boyfriend of four years, Thoren. My photographer called last week to say he couldn't make it again so I came here to find Helia and ask if he could do it. Saladin told me where he would be and that's how I found you two at the restaurant." Daphne explained, still feeling guilty about what happened. "I didn't mean to take up so much of Helia's time and I am sorry for that."
"Okay." Flora said, getting up. "I will stop by his room to see him then leave."
Getting up, Daphne mentioned. "You two clearly still love each other. Please give him another chance. After you left the office yesterday Helia called out yours and Layla's name before collapsing on the floor. I think the only thing he is guilty of is spending too much time with me catching up on the old days and less time with you and his daughter."
"I have to go." Flora stated, walking to Helia's room.
Daphne thought as she walked to her car. 'I really hope those two get back together.'
Flora reached Helia's room to see a nurse. She had on tight, body hugging uniform and was clearly throwing herself on the male. He wasn't paying her any attention.
Two more nurses entered the room, in a similar tight outfit to the first one. Two were blondes while the others were black heads. They all had hour glass figures along with fair and flawless skin.
The brunette quickly thought of something. The engagement she was going to use to purpose to Helia was in her pocket because she was going to return it to the jeweller today.
Putting on the sterling, twenty four karat, blue diamond ring, the female went over to his bed and cleared her throat so the others would notice her. The nurses looked at her, thinking Flora doesn't have a chance against them.
Helia looked at saw the brunette. His heart leap as a smile appeared on his face. "Flora!" He called out, speaking for the first time since yesterday.
"I am not sure whether to call all of you nurses or strippers." The brunette commented, looking at their outfits. "This is what's going to happen. If you have no business in here, leave the room."
A blonde with green eyes glared at her and hissed. "Who are you to tell us what to do?"
"I am Helia's fiancée." She held out her left finger. "Now leave before any of you embarrass yourself even more."
Not putting up a fight they all left the room.
Flora closed the door before taking a seat on the only chair in the room. It was rested against the wall nearest the window and was a good distance from the bed.
Helia, who hadn't taken his eyes off the dark skin beauty since she entered the room, finally spoke. "How have you been?"
"Clearly better than you are right now." She replied, trying not to make eye contact with the male. "I heard you were in the hospital and wanted to see how you were doing."
"Better, now that you're here." Helia replied, hoping she would forgive him. "Flora, I am sorry. It took you leaving me to realize how much I had taken you and Layla for granted. You two are my rock and my heart. After you left the office yesterday I felt like my entire world crashed and I collapsed."
"Basically you collapsed because of a broken heart." Flora tired to summarise it in her head.
"I guess so." He tried to make eye contact with her. "Please, look at me."
"Maybe I don't want to." She muttered, softly knowing she would be trapped in his memorizing blue eyes.
"Daphne and I are and will never be together." He slowly got off the bed. Walking to her, he continued. "We spent so much time trying to catch up that I neglected the ones I love the most in this world."
Flora saw as he kneeled before her. Cuffing her face, Helia forced the female to look at him.
"Helia…" She called out, feeling her heart racing.
"Flora, I know you still love me and I you unconditionally." He professed, without any doubt. "Give me one more chance and I treasure you like the Queen you are."
"You have a lot of begging to do." Flora told him. "You only got one foot out of the dog house. Plus you have a daughter to apologize to."
"I haven't forgotten about my Princess. How mad is she at me?" He wondered.
"I am madder than her." She replied.
Helia asked as he moved to kiss Flora's lips. "Where did you get the ring? It looks similar to the one I have to purpose to you with."
"You were going to purpose to me?" Flora gasped.
Helia nodded. "I was going to do it Saturday."
Flora giggled softly. "Really? I got tired of waiting for you to purpose so I bought a ring and was going to ask the question Saturday. Your friend came and ruined the night."
Helia chuckled for a moment before suggesting. "How about this? You wear my ring and I will wear yours?"
"Not now though. It's going to take time for all parties involved to completely heal from this disaster." The brunette stated.
"Okay." Helia agreed before taking her lips with his for a long and passionate kiss.
The next chapter will be the last one.