~ CharlesJapan had been oddly cold today, but I still couldn’t escape my duties. I had to meet my business partner. I was invited to the man’s main house for lunch, a traditional house that maintained the heritage of ancient Japanese houses, which I considered very beautiful.The one person I knew would appreciate it more was Megan, but I didn’t dare bring her here, not with the tension between us. Moreover, she would refuse my invitation even if I asked.Since I traveled, we have spoken only once, and that was the day I arrived in Italy. I remembered vividly how that conversation went, and to this date, I still regretted letting it end that way…That day, I was feeling jetlagged, but I took Megan’s video call.“Hey, handsome, how was your trip?” She asked with a smile.I wished her excitement was contagious, but it wasn’t. I wasn’t moved by it; I only felt my heart stir up a bit, which made me uncomfortable. “Tiring,” I answered her nonchalantly.“That’s normal; you should rest,” sh
~ CharlesSurprisingly, Megan was the one who welcomed me at the airport. There were a lot of reporters, and she shamelessly hugged and kissed my lips, much to my surprise, but I responded quickly by twirling her during the kiss.The sound of increased camera clicking made me know we would make the headlines today, and since it was for good, I didn’t mind.In the car, however, the Megan I met out there became a totally different person. She brought out a wet wipe and wiped her face of whatever DNA got on it from our kiss, then she brought out her ear pods and blocked out whatever sounds I was going to make in the future.I watched her in awe, noticing the changes she made while I was away. Her hair was still blonde but with darker roots, as if she was letting it return to its original color naturally.Her skin was radiating like milk, and she looked healthy, but I could feel that something about her had changed. Something I couldn’t place my fingers on.The only time she spoke to me w
~ Charles“I don’t mean to brag, but my daughter-in-law and son promised me a grandchild before the end of the year,” my father announced.I immediately shot my head to Megan, who had an equally shocked expression on her face. She clearly had nothing to do with this.I groaned internally, feeling frustrated by my father’s pressure. Suddenly Megan and I became the center of attention; some family members even dared to congratulate us, while the rest looked at us with eyes filled with envy.After the dinner, I confronted my father. “What was that about, Dad?”“I was securing your position permanently,” he replied.“Maybe you don’t know this, but Megan and I are not a real couple!” I said, running my hands through my hair. “Why do you have to drive me mad the same day I returned? Can’t I have a moment of rest with you?”“You must think I am a fool for assuming I don’t know that your relationship with Megan is flagged by default.” My father sipped his favorite Arabian tea. “I already had t
~ Megan“I want you to invite home your lover, Max, or whatever he is called,” Charles said, his expression serious.“Why?” I asked the burning question on my mind.“Because I don’t trust easily,” he replied, not explaining further.“I trust Massimo; that should be enough,” I argued.“Don’t be stubborn, Megan; I just want to be sure that you have settled with the right person,” Charles drawled.“Hold on, Charles, are you jealous or something?” I asked, grinning at him for the first time in a while.Charles returned the grin, crossing his legs. “I was just wondering the kind of man that made you forget me so quickly.”My smile quaked. Charles was truly a narcissist, as Massimo had speculated. I was almost one hundred percent sure that he didn’t love me, but he became concerned when I began to show signs of moving on from him, but continuing this façade was important, and I was advised not to let him know right away.There was nothing between Massimo and me. The whole idea was actually
~ MeganMy excitement bubbled over into the next day, but when I saw Charles in the morning, everything crumbled.“Megan…” His lips trembled. “Janette is dead.”My eyes widened. “How did it happen? What happened?”Charles shook his head, sobs racking his body. “The doctor said she had a complication from an infection she contracted while she was in a coma. It killed her, Megan. I feel responsible.”The news hit me like a sledgehammer, and I struggled to find the right words to comfort him.I pulled him in for a hug. “Don’t say that, Charles. It’s not your fault.”“But I was the one who caused her to commit suicide,” Charles cried. “How many deaths do I have to be responsible for? How many people do I have to hurt before I learn?”I didn’t understand what he meant, but I knew he was in pain. With the whole Janette incident, it took a miracle for him to regain a sense of normalcy in his life, and now it was gone.“I never got the chance to make things right with her. I pushed her away,
~ CharlesTexas felt different. The air was heavier, as if burdened by the weight of my past. The funeral had come and gone, leaving behind a void that seemed impossible to fill.Janette’s family welcomed me, though they never supported what Janette did to me. But I couldn’t bring myself to tell them what I did to her in revenge.As I stood by her grave, guilt and regret gnawed at me. Megan tried to comfort me over calls, but I couldn’t bring myself to respond. The pain of losing Janette, the woman who was my first love, was consuming me.Days turned into nights, and the grief only grew, becoming my constant companion.Janette’s death reopened old wounds, wounds from what I had done to Jenny. I found solace in solitude, distancing myself from the world. The echoes of her laughter haunted my dreams, a harsh reminder of what I had permanently lost.One evening, I received a call from Megan. I hesitated before answering, unsure if her attempts to reach out were driven by concern. The con
~ MeganMy phone fell out of my hand when I heard the news. I abandoned my bags and ran outside where the car was parked.I entered the back seat, screaming, “Take me to Valley Hills Hospital, now!”The driver was quick to respond. He fired up the engine, driving out of the estate with speed, understanding the urgency of the matter at hand.I was just informed that Charles was involved in a car accident. It was the last thing I expected to hear. Only a couple of minutes ago, we had the biggest fights of our relationship, but now, he was struggling for life.The drive to the hospital felt somewhat long and suffocating; I couldn’t stop my hands from trembling. I tried to think positively, but it was almost impossible; the only thing I could do right now was to hope and pray.As the car pulled over in front of the hospital, I hopped out and dashed inside, disoriented, and asked the nurses at the reception for directions.Charles was in surgery; that was what I learned. I ran to the waiti
~ MeganI allowed Bianca to cry her eyes out without interrupting her until she was calm. I assisted her to a seat, and then I sat with her, wordlessly comforting her.At long last, she stopped and looked at me through her swollen eyes. “Thank you, Megan,” she said, her voice heavy with emotions.I nodded with a smile then intertwined my fingers with hers. “Charles is going to be alright, Bianca, so don’t think too much about it,” I assured her.Bianca’s eyes became moist again, but she tried her hardest to fight the tears. “He will be fine,” she affirmed.I caught my father-in-law stealing glances at us, and I knew he wanted to console his wife, but he was still mad at her for what she did to Charles.Even though what happened to Charles was a tragedy, I was able to learn that he was suffering from depression because he blamed himself for Janette’s death.That explained all the walls he was putting up. He didn’t want me to suffer the same fate as Janette. Unbeknownst to him, his reje
~ Charles“Megan,” I began, my voice quivering with the burdensome weight of what I needed to say. Her eyes turned to me, full of curiosity and concern, as I confessed the truth that had eaten away at my peace and sanity for years.Megan lost her mind for a moment, kicking, punching, and calling me names. She refused to believe that I was capable of such an evil act. She said she saw the silhouette of the hit-and-run driver, and it wasn't mine. She accused me of taking the fall for someone, and I tried to explain that I was not, but she wouldn't believe me.“Megan, it is the truth, and I can't keep running from it,” I said, my voice steadier with resolve. “I need to own up to what I’ve done.”Megan remained in denial, but I felt ecstatic, more than I have felt in years. It was ironic, huh? I was feeling relieved just knowing that I was going to pay for my crimes. Megan refused to follow me, so after I said my last goodbye to my son, I drove myself to the police station, knowing that
~ MeganI ran out of the office panting. When I saw my sister, I told her everything and I took the flash drive that had the video with me.My sister had a brilliant idea. She smirked as she spoke. “Tomorrow is Charles’ wedding with that snake. Why don't we crash the wedding and expose the truth?”My eyes lit up. “You are so bloody smart and wicked, Lena,” I smirked.With determination burning in our hearts, Celena and I hatched a plan to crash Charles’s wedding, and Lucian was ready to help us in any way possible. We would expose May tomorrow for her deceit. Armed with the evidence that still had its primary source alive, I knew it would be a piece of cake to expose May.The next day, we arrived at the venue of the wedding, our hearts pounding with anticipation and nerves. We were determined to make our move before it was too late.As we stealthily made our way inside, I felt like I was in one of those dramatic telenovelas, and I was the female lead ready to rain hell on the villains
~ MeganThat was the last conversation I had with Charles before our divorce was made public. Without giving an explanation to the public, he began his wedding preparations, forcing people to speculate about the reason for our separation. Unsurprisingly, there were people who guessed it right and immediately began to cyber-attack Charles and May.I avoided the media and crowded locations because I wasn't ready to face them yet.Every day felt like an endless battle as I tried to survive the storm of emotions that raged within me. The pain of my separation from Charles made me feel vulnerable and broken because neither of us wanted it. But then I knew I had to stay strong, for myself and for the life that lay ahead of me with Charles.As the days crawled by, I found solace in quiet moments, mostly spent alone, where I could reflect on the memories we had shared and the love that had once bound us together. But even in the midst of my grief, a flicker of hope remained, a tiny flame tha
~ Megan"But my father... he has always been too focused on the business, even when he is supposed to be retired. He is hell-bent on protecting the family name at all costs. He can't see past that, even if it means our happiness."Tears welled up in my eyes as I shook my head in disbelief. It was as if things were about to head south, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. "I can't believe he is doing this to me... I thought we had his support.""So did I," Charles admitted, feeling a lump form in my throat. "But it seems like... like he is willing to throw everything away for the sake of that company."I wrapped my arms around Charles, seeking solace in his embrace. “We’ll get through this, Charles. We always do, no matter how tough the going gets. As long as we have each other, we are going to be fine.”I knew that no matter the challenges that lie ahead, we would overcome them, as long as we had each other, we would be fine.“I love you, Megan,” Charles whispered, pressing a
~ CharlesIt was a big shock to meet Megan at my father’s house. I could only hide my surprise by pretending to be unsurprised to see her. As she stepped aside for us to chat, her presence seemed to fill the space, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of conflicting emotions.“Charles?” she narrowed her eyes. “You didn't tell me that you would be coming here,” her voice a mixture of apprehension and determination.“Honey!” I replied, mustering a smile despite the turmoil brewing within me. “Why are you here? I mean, you didn't tell me that you would be seeing Father today…”She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her gaze steady. “I needed to talk to your father, Charles. It's about May and her crazy claims.”My heart sank at the mention of May’s name. The mere thought of her sent heavy waves of frustration through me. But I pushed aside the emotions, focusing on Megan, or better still, trying not to break character so she wouldn't know I came here for a reason.I laughed awkwardly
~ MeganI spoke earnestly, my voice tinged with frustration and desperation, hoping to convey my innocence to my father-in-law amidst the gravity of the situation."She deliberately manipulated the situation to make it appear as though I pushed her down the stairs. But I swear, Father, I would never do such a sinister thing, no matter how upset I may be. You know me, you know that I love Charles a lot and care about this family. I couldn't harm anyone, let alone a pregnant woman for that matter."My father-in-law regarded me with a mixture of concern and contemplation, absorbing my words carefully. "Megan, I've known you for years. I know the kind of person you are, and I find it hard to believe that you would intentionally harm anyone, let alone May."I felt a wave of relief wash over me at his words. Perhaps he was beginning to see through May's deceitful facade."But," he continued, his expression serious, "we can't ignore the evidence before us. May's injuries, her condition... Th
~ MeganHearing that May tried to seduce Charles infuriated me, and I couldn't help but confront the insolent girl. I had been excusing her attitude all this time because I could understand that she was going through depression, but trying to seduce Charles was going too far.I found May sitting in the living room, flipping through a magazine as if nothing had happened. My anger reached boiling point as I approached her.“What the hell do you think you were doing last night?” I snapped, unable to contain my frustration.May looked up, her expression shifting from indifference to mild surprise. “Oh Megan, what a surprise. Did you come to keep me company? Don't bother, I am fine all by myself.”I scoffed at her stupid attempt at feigning ignorance. “Cut the crap, May. I know what you tried to do to Charles yesterday. Seducing him? Seriously? Are you that dumb?”May's facade faltered, and a flicker of guilt flashed across her face before it was replaced by defiance. "What are you talking
~ CharlesI don't know if it would be wrong to say I hate the mother of my unborn child, but I really do. She is a literal pain in the ass who cares little about how her actions affect others. I glanced at Megan, who came along with me to the hospital. She was oddly quiet, but I could see genuine concern etched in her brows for a woman who attempted to ruin her marital life.I don't believe people like Megan should exist in this flawed world with people like May and me; she was literally a saint amidst wolves. She didn't even get upset that our day was ruined by the news; she was rather scared that something might have happened to May.The doctor came out shortly after and spoke to us, telling us the situation of that crazy lady. “She is battling with severe depression; she can't be left alone, otherwise, it might not end well next time,” the doctor said.I immediately flared up. “So we have to hire a caregiver for her now? We might as well just put her in an asylum.”Megan shot up to
~ Charles"Please, I need to talk to Megan urgently," I pleaded with Celene, but she wasn't ready to listen."Leave, Charles. I don't want to call the cops on you," she threatened, arms crossed.I had been coming over all week long with the hopes of seeing Megan, but her family was uncooperative. At first, I thought she wasn't home, but after checking all her usual locations, I could only debunk that she was home.I knew she didn't want to see me, but I didn't want to give up just yet. I needed her to know that I was sorry for all the hurt my past actions were causing her.Today, like the previous days before it, I came to plead with her family members to allow me to visit her, but I froze when she opened the door."Megan…" I tried to grab her, but she turned on her heels inside the house. Without a second thought, I followed her. "Megan, please wait.""Leave me alone," she cried, running up the stairs."Mr. McCall, you should leave. My daughter doesn't want to speak with you," Mr. Co