Mia was inside the police station. Fortunately, she was not there to be arrested but to look for Officer Parker. The jacket in her hand is the reason she was here, or more specifically, her mother. She made her return the jacket personally. She didn’t let me eat peacefully, nagging until I gave in.
She was right. He had brought me home while I was drunk, so I should at least thank him. Though the secretive smile my mother wore all morning has warned her to look out for me. Mia knows that look. She is well aware of her mother’s tactics, and it looks like she is brewing some sort of master plan. Mia prayed that it didn’t involve her and made a swift escape.
She had been waiting for Ethan to return to his desk for 10 minutes now. She had acquired quite some stares from his colleagues, and some even started gossiping. She should have known something was up when the girl at reception was shocked to find that she was Ethan Parker’s acquaintance. Mia ignored the stares she was well versed in ignoring such things and focused on his desk. It was clean and organized. There were several notes attached to the side, with elegant handwriting on them. It was only fair that she analyzed his personal space when he had entered her bedroom. Mia’s eyes wandered, taking in the subtle details of Ethan’s presence, searching for any hint of his personality.
She was tempted to leave the jacket and go to her office, but something prompted her to stay and thank him personally. Mia decided to go to the reception to find out how much longer it would take him to return. Before she could take a few steps, she saw him, and he hurried into the office. Mia was about to greet him, but then she saw a woman trailing behind him.
She had a similar look to him. Maybe she was his mother. The woman was several inches shorter than him, with the same blonde hair as his and the same shade of aqua blue as Ethan. There was no doubt that she was his mother.
As soon as the thought left her, Ethan said, turning to the lady, “mom! I told you I am very busy. We can talk about your friend’s daughter later.”
“When are you going to talk about it you have been ignoring the topic for days now,” she asked, hands on her hips, she didn’t care that people were staring at them, some of them averting their eyes, chuckling slightly as if it was something they had seen before.
Mia did not move any closer to them, standing awkwardly to the side, not knowing what to do. She was here at the wrong time. There is no way she is going to talk to him while his mother is going at it.
“Oh, Ethan, don’t tell me...” his mother trailed off. “don’t tell me you still could not forget her,” she whispered, though no one heard it, but Mia could hear it. As she was just behind them a few steps away. She awkwardly averted her eyes. She realized that it was a private conversation they were having, and she was eavesdropping, even if it was unintentional.
So, before his mother could say anything, she swiftly made her way out of there, or she tried to, before Ethan called her name, halting her steps.
“Mia!” he said, surprise evident in his words. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, I was just here to return your jacket,” she said, pointing at his desk where she had put the jacket. “Hello Mrs., parker.” She greeted the woman after she felt her gaze on herself. Mrs. Parker narrowed her eyes at Mia. She took a few steps, closing the distance between her and Mia.
“Hello, my dear,” she said, her eyes roaming over Mia’s form in appreciation. “Are you his friend? How come he has not introduced such a beautiful girl to me before?” her tone became dangerous as she turned to glare at his son.
Ethan sighed in resignation. “We are not friend’s mom.”
“You just lend your jacket to any girl, then?” Mrs. Parker questioned, making his cheeks turn pink at the accusation. From behind his mother, Ethan could see Mia holding in her laughter as he was getting embarrassed by his mother.
“We are acquainted through mutual friends,” he said, glaring at both women.
“If I may intrude, Mrs. Parker. Ethan had offered me to drive home after I had drank too much at the party. Don’t worry, he was a perfect gentleman.” Mia assured her, glancing at Ethan and letting him know that this was her thanks for the drive yesterday. “I should be grateful to you that you raised such a perfect gentleman,” Mia added, buttering her up a little bit.
And it worked, as she could see a blush on Mrs. Parker’s pale skin. “Thank you, Mia. May god bless you, I’ll let you guys talk. I have a very important thing to do,” she announced with a twinkle in her eyes and made her exit swiftly. Ethan and Mia were left to stare at her.
“I will also be taking my leave. Thank you for driving me home yesterday.” Mia said, already late for her work.
“Mia, promise me that you won’t drive while being drunk next time.” he asked something like pain glittering in his eyes. Is it connected to the girl his mother was talking about?
“I won’t. I promise.”
Mia’s mom tells her to get ready for dinner with friends, providing a dress (specifying dress code). Nevertheless, Mia feels something fishy behind her mom’s enthusiasm and asks why the dinner is suddenly. Her mother answers, just for friends. Do not pretend that you have not even had a dinner party at home for your friends.” unwilling to yield to the argument Mia says “Okay” and returns to prepare herself.Ethan and his parents reach Mia’s house and upon seeing their destination, he asks a question to his parents regarding their purpose of visiting. His father shoots back, “I told you that we were having dinner with friends and for a second, would you stop asking me questions?”The door opens just then, revealing Mrs. Anderson. She greets them cheerfully, and Mrs. Anderson says “Ethan, it’s nice to see you again,” and he smiles and says, “Same here, Mrs. Anderson,” and they all settle themselves on the couch; Ethan’s eyes are searching in the room for something are for someone.At th
In the dim light of the living room, Mia took a couple of seconds to gather her courage before she started to talk about the subject that she could not get off her head. “Ethan,” she started to say, her voice noticeably trembling, “I’ve been thinking... our situation. I think now it’s time for us to end this charade.”Ethan, engrossed in his book, looked up and their eyes met. “End what, Mia?” he inquired, his tone soft yet curious.“Our marriage, Ethan,” Mia said, as if the words she spoke were leaden. “It has been over a year since our marriage Ethan and it’s not real, and we both know it. We’re both living a lie and I can’t keep pretending anymore.”He has a serious expression. His nerves heightened and a visible shock pulled him through as he heard what she said. His chest tightened and an unknown feeling grabbed his heart.The gravity of the disclosure was evident, and despite feeling appalled, Ethan couldn’t deny that Mia’s honesty had also begun to awaken subtle strings of emot
Mia gazed into Ethan's eyes, in the hope of somehow being able to find some tiny spark of light. "You really think that they will listen to us, Ethan? They have been so sure that this marriage is the right way for us. How can we make them believe our truth?"Ethan, with an unfaltering look, said, "We may not succeed, Mia. It is not going to be easy. But consider, we owe it to ourselves to try. We'll make them see and, most probably, understand by being real, by baring our souls. Through it, we’ll find the understanding we have been seeking."There was a sparkle in Mia's eyes when she subtly tried to convince him. "Ethan, look at it as our cheerful little twist to the story. Plotline that keeps our families intrigued while we sneakily craft our way out. It's the kind of mind blowing plot twist that makes the story more fascinating, like an excellent novel, which we both love so much."Ethan's well-composed anger was brewing, and there was a pain in his heart. Mia's words hit home so de
Mia gives a soft laugh with her eyes twinkling mischievously. “What do you mean, Ethan? Are you saying that you, the great detective, are not up for a little undercover job of the heart? I thought that apprehending criminals was nothing compared to a quest to find a beautiful mistress who would sweep you off your feet.”Ethan finds it almost impossible not to look at Mia’s husky giggle and return a smile to her. “Got it, Mia. However, we have to agree that this is new to both of us. We have found ourselves in the unknown territory of romantic intrigue, wild stuff, and definitely not your typical police duty.”“Why waste precious time and energy on regulations and bureaucracy when you have a spark and charisma to fall back on? And besides, if anyone is able to do a courageous, romantic scheme, it’s certainly you. I have full confidence in your ability to charm the socks off anyone we encounter.” Saying Mia smiles.Ethan’s smile fades, replaced by a serious expression. “Well, Mia, it se
Mrs. Parker’s eyes widened in full shock. "Wait a minute, that's totally unacceptable! Playing a mistress role in real life? How… scandalous," she blurts out her words, the disruption clearly spreading onto her face. "I find it quite upsetting to witness the state of our world now, where people can just do what they want without being afraid of family or society's disapproval." Anger was evident in her words.Sarah's smile awkwardly turned down at the sight of the disapproving look on Mrs. Parker's facial expression. "I fully understand your worries, Ms. Parker. This is a pretty hard time, but as our life goes on, we might find ourselves in difficult situations, but we cope with them as that is the only way to move on.""Challenging circumstances? More like glorifying immorality! Frankly speaking, I can't possibly condone such a manifestation, Sarah.It's disgraceful." Mrs. Parker fires back, her voice showing uncharacteristic sharpness."I respect your opinion, Mrs. Parker, but I can
Feeling the weight of Mia’s words, Ethan realises that even though he is right, Mia also has a valid point: he can’t hold on to a broken marriage. His frustration begins to fade away, replaced by a sense of determination. He meets Mia’s eyes, finding reassurance in them.“You are correct, Mia,” his voice sounds firmer compared to what it was before. “We can’t take back what’s done, but we can direct our paths from here onwards. We work on a strategy that not only spares our families but also minimizes the clusters?” He said.Mia’s face lights up with a beaming smile as Ethan nods in agreement and all her worries vanish, as if she has been granted a precious cure for a disease she had been suffering from until that moment. “Thank you, Ethan,” she replies, giving his hand a warm squeeze. “As a team, we will face this storm together and come out to the better end.”“You know, Mia, you always manage to see things from a different perspective,” a hint of admiration in his tone. “I apprecia
Ethan’s brows furrow in confusion, his mind racing to grasp the sudden introduction of someone entirely unknown to him. As Mia reveals her plan to involve her best friend in their scheme, a mixture of panic and disbelief washes over him. He feels uneasy about the idea of entangling their personal lives with someone new, especially in such a delicate matter.“Where did she come from? I’ve never seen her before or heard of her.” He asks. “You are right, Ethan. I can’t believe I forgot to inform you about that. Olivia has been abroad for the last five years. Finally, she is back, and I think she is the most suitable person for this position.”“Mia, thank you for the efforts of yours, but there is no way that I can proceed with Olivia.” That was going to be unbearable, if I had to play the role of having an affair with your best friend it is too much for pretending, even for an act!“He admired Mia’s determination and resourcefulness; however, the thought of involving her best friend, Oli
Olivia was getting ready for dinner. Mia arranged for Olivia to meet her husband, Ethan. Mia said if everything go smoothly according to her plan Olivia would pretend to be Ethan's Mistress after tonight. It was a test for Olivia and them, Olivia felt a mix of emotions as she got ready.She picked her clothes out with precaution, selecting something that suited her part a bit more sexy. The concept of acting like Ethan’s mistress made Olivia feel unstable and excited. She had no idea how Ethan would react to her disclosure, and she didn't know if she could pull off the role at all.Carefully applying her makeup, she thought about the night all the time. She wondered if the family of Ethan and Mia would be able to figure out her disguise or if she was good enough at it. But she was still quite loyal to Mia and didn't want to disappoint her. Then, she made up her mind to go on, no matter what happens.Taking a deep breath, Olivia pushed away her doubts. She realized this wasn’t just abo
As he rushed to the parking lot, his heart raced. When he reached Mia's car, he noticed it was still there. He hesitated for a moment before rushing over, his mind racing with worry.Inside, Mia was hiding her face in her hands, tears escaping despite her efforts to remain composed. Setting aside her own emotions, Olivia sat beside her, asking "Mia? Are you okay?"a comforting presence but clearly concerned.Memories of that morning flooded back—how they had started the day together.***Flashback to the Morning***Mia had woken Ethan by shaking him gently. "Ethan, get up."He groaned, pulling her closer. "It's Sunday. Let me sleep.""You can sleep later! I’m hungry. Make some pancakes," she insisted."Go prepare yourself and let me sleep," he mumbled."How am I going to prepare breakfast if you’re holding me?" she replied playfully.He reluctantly removed his hands from her waist but didn’t get up. "Ethan, I want your special pancakes." She said."Mia, I’ll make them when I wake up."
Ethan frowned, confused. “What are you talking about, Olivia?”“Just Mia’s friend,” she said, her voice steady but her words cutting. “Not yours. That’s how you see me? Just someone you tolerate because of Mia?”Her words landed like a blow, and Ethan felt the heat rise in his chest. “That’s not what I meant—”She held up a hand, stopping him. “Because it sure sounds like that’s all I am to you. Mia’s best friend. Nothing more.” Her gaze bore into his, searching for something, and when she didn’t find it, she let out a quiet, humorless laugh. “I guess I was wrong to think we’d gotten past that. I thought you genuinely want us to be friends.”“Olivia, I didn’t mean it like that,” Ethan said quickly, his voice edged with panic.“Didn’t you?” she countered, her tone sharper now, though it wavered slightly at the end. “Because it’s starting to feel like the only reason you even bother with me is because of Mia.”“Liv,” Mia chimed in, stepping forward, but Olivia shook her head.“No, Mia,
Ethan got ready for work, the morning sun warming his bedroom. As he buttoned his shirt, he couldn't stop thinking about last night—dinner with Olivia, her playful smile —especially that goodbye kiss on his cheek that somehow felt like more.As he adjusted his uniform, he heard the soft click of footsteps. Mia appeared in the doorway, her arms crossed and a curious expression on her face. “So,” she began, her tone casual but with an edge of curiosity, “how was your date with Liv last night?” Ethan froze for a split second before regaining his composure. He didn’t turn to face her, instead focusing on his reflection. “It was fine,” he said simply, his voice steady. “Fine?” Mia repeated, raising an eyebrow. She stepped further into the room, her arms still crossed. “That’s all you’ve got? Fine?” Ethan finally turned to her, shrugging. “We talked. We ate. Nothing new.” Mia studied him, her look sharp. “You didn’t say much when you got home last night. Now you’re being all vague abou
“Even if it’s not love,” Olivia finished for him, her tone neutral but her eyes watching him closely. She saw the way his expression shifted—hesitation, maybe even guilt.“I don’t know,” Ethan said after a pause, his voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe in some ways I thought after the marriage with Mia, everything is normal in our relationship. Or maybe it’s just me trying to make sense of it all.”Olivia forced a smile, though her chest tightened at his words. So, he might already have feelings for Mia she thought, her earlier confidence shaken. She had thought tonight would give her clarity—about Ethan, about the way he looked at her with a mix of fascination and restraint. But now, it felt as though they were wading into murkier waters, and she wasn’t sure either of them knew the way out.“That’s fair,” she composed her emotions. With a forced smile. “It’s okay, Ethan, not to have all the answers yet. Sometimes, they come when you least expect them.”He studied her for a moment, a
“Let’s see if you can keep your cool,” Olivia whispered, her voice like velvet, “or if I can make you crack.”Ethan felt his throat go dry again, but he forced himself to keep his composure. “You can try,” he said, his tone daring, though his eyes gave away his growing fascination. “But just remember, I’m not that easy to break.”“Oh, I know,” Olivia replied, her voice barely a whisper now, low and dripping with intent. She reached out, her fingers trailing over his hand, the touch sending a shiver up his spine. “But I think tonight I might just be willing to make an exception for you.” Ethan’s breath hitched as Olivia’s fingers lingered on his hand, her touch light yet electric. It was an innocent enough gesture, but the subtle caress held layers of unspoken meaning, each one laced with both temptation and danger. He knew she was testing him, pushing just far enough to see if he’d push back.He cleared his throat, pulling his hand back just slightly as he took a long sip of his wine
Ethan sat at the restaurant, checking his watch and looking around, he replayed his conversation with Olivia. When he’d called earlier, offering to pick her up, she’d insisted on taking her own car, explaining it would make it easier for them to go home separately—just in case he got an urgent call. She didn’t want him to have to detour, dropping her off if he needed to rush off for duty. It struck him how considerate she was, understanding the demands of his job as a police officer, and he felt a genuine respect for her. It was rare, he thought, to meet someone who truly understood the importance of that responsibility.Mia, She got it too. She understood what it meant to live with the phone, always within reach, always waiting for the next call. Yet, sometimes, she’d throw in a small performance in-front of his mom, acting like he puts the job first—something that amused and bewildered him in equal measure. She would sigh, casting him that theatrical, sidelong look, as if he was the
"Ethan," she cut him off, "sometimes I wonder if that dog is more important to you than your family. We hardly see you these days, and when we do, you're always rushing off to walk Mango or take him to the vet or buy him treats.""Mom, that's not true," Ethan protested, but his mom continued. "We're your family, Ethan. We should come first. Not that animal. Now come quick. Your food is getting cold.""Mom I know you're my family but your emotional drama isn't going to work from the last week you're staying at my house and using every trick to make me not have mango at our place. Still, I love you too, the Moon. I'm on my way," Ethan When he looked up, he noticed that John, Bella, and the women had already disappeared into the growing darkness of the park. He stood there for a moment, feeling a strange mix of longing and disappointment, before turning to head home, Mango trotting obediently at his heels.At 11 pm, Olivia stood in the kitchen, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of
“Family is a precious thing,” John said. “And sometimes it comes in unexpected ways, but it is always worth fighting for it.”Ethan turned to John with a bewildered, yet interested, gaze. He began to speak and before he could utter any word, there was the sound of Bella’s voice rang through the air.“Supe’hewo, look” Bella’s excited voice interrupted. “Mango sit! He did it!”When the two men looked back, they were surprised to see the puppy sitting calmly with his tail going round, as Bella was feeding him the treat. Ethan's face lit up with pride smile."That's amazing, princess! You're such a good teacher," he praised, ruffling Bella's hair affectionately.John looked at the interaction, and his eyes became all tender. “You know, Ethan, seeing you with Bella... it reminds me of my daughter when she was that age." The way you look at her, it’s... well, it’s how a father looks at his daughter.Ethan's breath caught in his throat. He looked at John and then at Bella, who was now attemp
*** Few Moments Before ***Bella's eyes lit up with joy as she spotted Ethan playing with the puppy. She picked up the ball and ran towards them, her little legs carrying her as fast as they could."Puppy! Supe'hero!" Bella called out in her adorable g out in excitement.Ethan looked up, his lips turned into a wide smile as he saw Bella running towards him. His eyes sparkled with affection as he opened his arms wide."Come here, you little Barbie girl," he called out playfully.Bella giggled as she launched herself into Ethan's waiting arms. He caught her effortlessly, lifting her high in the air before bringing her close to his chest."Aww, I missed you too, Princess," Ethan said softly, his voice filled with warmth. He showered her chubby cheeks with quick, playful kisses, causing Bella to burst into a fit of giggles."Supe'hero, stop." she squealed between laughs, her little hands pushing at his face.After a moment, Bella's giggles subsided, and she looked down at the puppy waggin