Divorce to Destiny: Reclaiming My CEO Husband by Anney GW

428 Desperate Times

428 Desperate Times

(Cass)

+25 BONUS

The first few nights were rough-I stayed in the smallest, cheapest hostels I could find, the kind where you barely feel safe enough to close your eyes. The money I had quickly dwindled away, gone on overpriced vending machine snacks and cramped rooms. Desperation and the reality of being broke in a foreign country hit hard, but I didn't let it break me. Instead, I started traveling by train, hopping from one small country town to another, offering to wash dishes or clean tables in exchange for a meal or a warm place to sleep. Getting just enough money to get me to my next destination, edging ever close to Brussels. It might be a luxury, but it's me. I'm doing it. I'm being independent and I like it.

It isn't glamorous, but it's kept me going. I travel as far as the money I have will get me and try to keep a little for some food.

Upside, I've lost some pounds, and I've tried so many new foods I didn't even know existed. Downside, language barrier is a struggle and it's been two days since anything decent hit my stomach.

Europe, as I discovered, is full of little pockets of culinary magic. Even in the tiniest towns, food is made with care, with heart, and it stirred something in me.

I've always had a passion for plant-based dishes. I'm learning that simple ingredients, when treated with respect, create something extraordinary. I started paying attention, soaking in every bit of knowledge I could.

And yeah, I'm still using a little bit of pot here and there. Just to take the edge off. I can stop anytime I want and it's not a problem.

It's not like I'm popping pills anymore-that's something, right? Baby steps. But I am aware of what I'm running from. That last day, the man was killed, God, I don't want to go to jail.

tell Winona the truth about it all. But for now I just need to get one more job and I'll have the fare to Brussels. This town seems the smallest so far. I clutch my backpack and small

a lot of shops, it's more of

have some work. I have a little money left and I know I need to

and I'm hit by the mouthwatering aroma of deliciousness. My stomach growls, a painful reminder that it's been far too

of people laughing over pints and I see each table is laden with food. It seems strange,

can squeeze me in. Maybe it's

2 chairs and I make my way to that. I guess

higher than I expected for a tiny place in the

1/2

+25 BONUS

428 Desperate Times

any options left. I'll order the cheapest thing, a bowl of vegetable

right now, I'm not going to be fussy about what's in the soup. This will be the end of my money, so I need to get some work and it looks like this

Do you speak English?" I

says something in a language I

to

down and

say. "Just the soup." I spread my last few coins out on the table and point to them

understood and