Free When Past & Present Collide: WP&PC by Sarah Hardy

scared.”
    At this point my whole body screamed with pure agony, the shivers had set in and my whole resolve  had shattered me. My body slumped and broke into a thousand pieces.
     
                 

Chapter Seven
    Another sleepless night

    Ella
         Sometimes in life we make mistakes and I can definitely say I had made a fair few over the last few years. My first mistake was getting together with Matthew Stone. Well, what can I say about that really? I had chosen to venture out on my own, make a name for myself away from my mum and dad. God rest their souls.
    I know what you’re thinking. Why? Well, why indeed. I had it all growing up, the best of everything but I never really wanted it. The money, the fancy clothes, the expensive holidays; nope, not me. I wanted to go the beach in the summer with my friends, go shopping with them to simple clothes stores, but mum wouldn’t allow it.
    Don’t get me wrong , I’m grateful for all they have done, but I felt isolated. So when I turned 18 I wanted to work where no one knew my name, or knew of me. This is where Uncle Frank came in; I used his name, Jamison instead of my father’s name, Hardy. I had it changed so the press would leave me be and I could work on my own merit and not my fathers.
    I met Matthew when he was working at Westwood’s, which ironically is now called Stones as the lucky git worked his way up the slimy ladder to the top. Anyway, to cut a long story short I fell in love, or so I thought. I thought if you loved someone, you would do anything to make it work, no matter what.
    Matthew had no clue of my family background and after being together for a couple of months; my parents had passed, so he never got to meet them.
    Anyway, after being together just over a year the heartless bastard that he was threw me out. I turned up after work one evening to find all my belongings on his step, when I tried to enter his apartment he refused to let me back in.
    The arsehole told me the only way he would allow me back is if I was to work for his old friend , Jacob Green. He wanted me to spy on his business, over-charge the clients and pass him the work. If I didn’t before, then the pictures in his hand soon had me changing my mind. There sat in his hands were pictures of us in intimate positions and more of me naked. Shit, how could I not? Matthew never knew who I was and I couldn’t allow those pictures to hit the internet. Images like that would soon spread and I’m certain someone would recognise who I was. I wouldn’t allow my parent’s name to get tarnished. So with my head down I accepted his offer.
    Little did I know I would fall head over heels in love with Jacob Green. I tried though; trust me, I tried not to fall in love. But Jacob was persistent. Many times I told him I was sorry, obviously he never knew what I was truly sorry for. I know what you’re thinking, why didn’t I just tell Matthew where to go? I did try, but he had me followed. He knew Jacob and I were an item and this made him more determined. But Matthew got his sweet desert when I was in hospital. He told Jacob the truth. Oh yeah, the fucking shit added his two bobs worth into it and extended his idea of the truth.
    This is why Jacob and I have been living separately for so long. He did finally forgive me the day I went into labour, but by then it was too late for us. It took us over an entire year to finally decide that our true love was worth the gamble and then this happened.
    Yep , hell indeed.
    And now , Jacob and I can’t even look at each other. He destroyed me when he pulled me in front of everyone, like I was to blame.
    How dare he question me? I know he’s hurting.
    But fucking hell, aren’t I? Did I not lose Samuel too?
    I don’t know who he thinks he is. Yeah actually, I fucking do. Master Jacob Green or so his parents would call him. I laugh to myself. Oh my God, she still cooks and cleans for him after all this time. How the fuck can anyone get on in