Weeks have gone by since Sabrina last saw Benedict. Barely able to decide what to feel-hurt , anger , or maybe just numbness-Sabrina didn't know how to handle the pain. Its absence had grown so ordinary that it almost felt easier to bear the load when he was not around, but loneliness weighed heavily on her during quiet mornings. She had grown accustomed to the sound of silence, but now it felt louder than ever.Recently, something else had changed. She hadn't been feeling well. Almost every morning, nausea greeted her, making it hard to keep anything down. She was exhausted, too, as if she were carrying a weight she couldn't see. At first, she dismissed it, thinking it was just the stress of everything with Benedict. Then her period didn't come. Days turned into weeks.With each passing morning as the cars rolled down the driveway while she lay there, she grew worried about whether she had to see where his car was or wasn't. She felt both a flicker of hope and a chill of fear at what
Sabrina sat alone in the dim light of early morning, shaking in her hands, clutching a positive pregnancy test. She stared at it and just could not understand what this little line meant to her. After all, she should have been experienced with this happenstance, bubbling over and full to the brim with delight. When she thought of being pregnant, it was under very different circumstances—sharing news with a husband who loved her, supported her, and cherished her. Now, the reality stared her in the face: she would bring this child into a world of broken silence with a man who hardly glanced at her, viewing her as an inconvenience. Hours later, Sabrina finally resolved to call Benedict again. She dialed his number, her heart pounding with the hope that somehow, someday, it would be enough to finally reach whatever small portion of his heart remained. This time, though, the ringing went straight to voicemail, and she whispered a message she had no hope of him ever hearing. "Benedict, it'
Sabrina is riding in the back of the car as it pulls toward Thompson Mansion, the grand estate her husband's family calls home. She stands out against the magnificent mansion, framed by tall gates and meandering grounds, like some castle where, honestly, she never really belonged. But tonight, dusk settling in a golden haze, Sabrina felt more disconnected than ever. Her world has shrunk, grown quiet. Benedict's absence cast a dark shadow over her life.She hadn't wanted to burden her mother-in-law, Teresa Thompson, with the news just yet. But with her mother, Leila, egging her on to tell Teresa, Sabrina knew it was time. Time to face the truth, and maybe, just maybe, seek a little solace.The car pulled up, and Sabrina stepped out, her body heavy with the weight of everything she hadn't shared. She hadn't expected this day to go smoothly. Nothing about her life seemed to go the way she wanted anymore.Leila was sitting on the porch, a calm smile on her face. She welcomed Sabrina into
As Sabrina settled back onto the pillows, a quiet resilience began to beat in her chest—a feeling she hadn't experienced in years. She allowed herself to glance around the room, letting reality sink in—she was going to be a mother with or without Benedict's approval or belief. Where she had once dreamed of their future together, she now realized that hers didn't need to end where his indifference began.She had spent so long trying to piece together the broken shards of their crippled marriage, hanging onto every crumb of affection that Benedict had dangled in her way, no matter how small or short-lived. It was freeing and terrifying. In the warm light of Teresa's encouragement, a new path lay before Sabrina, one of joy and strength untainted by Benedict's presence.She was carrying this child, a part of her, a new life she got to nurture and protect. And if Benedict refused to believe, if he turned his back on them, then so be it. She would give all the love, strength, and happiness
The next morning, Sabrina moved around the kitchen preparing breakfast when nausea hit her hard all of a sudden, almost doubling her over. Morning sickness had taken hold, leaving her weak and exposed. It was just then that she heard the creaking of the front door and the pounding inside her chest. That was the moment she had imagined a hundred times in her mind: the confrontation with Benedict. But when she saw the giant figure of Benedict standing there at the door, she lost some of that confidence.Benedict walked in. Dark shadows of dislike surrounded him. "If you want to puke Sabrina, don’t let me see it," he said in a tone dripping with sarcasm. "Honestly, do you really want to act like the dramatic pregnant woman now?"He was stabbing her with words full of cruel mockery that turned her inside out. Under the heavy weight of his judgment, she felt smothered, small, and inconsequential in comparison to him. It was more than a fight; it was a battle of wills, and inside her own m
Benedict hadn't come home again, but Sabrina was so accustomed to that becoming her reality. Nights turned into eternities of endless silences, and hope, clung to helplessly about his returning to her, slowly flew out the window. She had grown used to the emptiness; the hollow ache that arose from sharing a life with someone who hardly gave her a moment's notice. So, she went to the Thompson house, where she intended to visit her mother, Leila, who for the last twenty years had been the maid for Benedict's family. Memories of her childhood flooded through her mind as she stepped into the familiar mansion. There, after school, she spent a few hours with her mother, who folded laundry or prepared meals for the Thompsons. Even then, she’d catch glimpses of Benedict in the halls, though he never really noticed her. Years later, now she was his wife, yet he barely acknowledged her. It was in the kitchen that Sabrina encountered Leila, her mother's hands now bearing witness to years of se
The week was a haze of packing, paperwork, and goodbyes. Sabrina helped her mother move into a little house in her hometown, which, though modest, seemed warm and cozy. Her neighbors welcomed Leila with open arms. The place felt simple and warm again. Here, she was just Sabrina, not "Mrs. Thompson." She could breathe.Yet, as the days passed, an ache began to settle in her chest. She hadn't heard a single word from Benedict. No calls, no texts, nothing at all. A part of her was relieved—it was simpler to forget the ache of his indifference when he was away; however, as her day of departure grew closer, the hurt crept back in. She would return to an icy, hollow house, a husband barely looking at her, and a marriage that felt more like a punishment cell.Sabrina stayed a week in her mother's town, helping Leila settle in, making sure she had all the things she needed. She was comforted by all the familiar habits of home—toothpaste and shirts, the warmth of her mother's small but cozy ho
This was the nightmare journey back to the mansion, a cruel countdown, mile by mile bringing her closer to that reality she feared and had no choice but to face. Sabrina's heart is a tempest of emotions: dread, hurt, hope. Beneath it all, still clinging somewhere down deep, was the chance that maybe his coldness would turn around, and Benedict would prove he cares; that he'd call or text, asking when she'd be coming home. But the word of him was silence, this void that hollowed like an ache in her breast.When she finally opened the door to the mansion, night had fallen deep. It was dark-dark enough to feel ominous, like any feeling she had inside was dark. She parked outside the house and sat inside the car for a while as her fingers clutched the car wheel, as if clinging to it for life itself. Going inside, entering into the life that she chose to remain in, felt like entering a vacuum. But she had promised herself—and, thereby her child—that she would try.With a deep, steadying br
Three years had gone by since Sabrina left, and Benedict channeled all his energy into his work, determined to rebuild everything he'd lost. His company, which nearly collapsed, was slowly regaining its reputation and steadily climbing back to where it once was. This was a blur of meetings, contracts, and late nights in the office. The work was grueling but kept him focused, drowning out the ache in his chest that had never quite gone away.But no matter how much he repeated to himself that success was enough, it was not. He still woke up in the middle of the night haunted by the memory of Sabrina's face-the look she gave when leaving with their child. His son, Saben—he was turning two now, and Benedict had never been able to hold him, to tell him he loved him or see his first steps. Being without his son was a pain he could not think about too much without going over the edge into despair.His office was now filled with documents, ledgers, and new partnership proposals. His team was
The weight of his promise settled over him, heavier than the silence that had enveloped his life since Sabrina left. The city below pulsed with life, oblivious to his turmoil, a stark contrast to the emptiness he felt within. He knew that simply finding her wouldn't be enough. He would have to prove to Sabrina that he had changed—not with words, but through his actions.And the hours bled into one another as his mind replayed every moment he'd failed her and every time he'd dismissed her love and every time she waited for him, only to find him indifferent to it all.The regret was suffocating. And it was fuel.He rose from his chair, took up a notepad, and began jotting down ideas-ways to rebuild what he'd broken. He would find Sabrina, but when he did he would not be the man she left behind. He would be the man she and their child deserved.Across the ocean, Sabrina sat in the nursery she set up for Saben, rocking him gently in her arms. Gently lit with the nightlight, the room was w
Her words seemed logical, but only made it worse for Benedict. He closed his eyes, and visions of Sabrina danced through his mind: the way she used to wait for him every night, her hopeful eyes, the quiet strength she had always shown despite his coldness. In fact, he had not only lost Sabrina but driven her away.And the baby," Teresa said quietly, her voice trembling a little. "Can't help but think about Benedict, my grandchild. They must be out there somewhere, growing and living.and I cannot even see them, know them.Her words were like a knife cutting through him. Benedict straightened, his jaw compressing. He didn't even want to admit it, but he had avoided thinking about the child. The possibility of fatherhood was something he'd just settled for another day. Now, seeing that his child was out there, it became an awful emptiness."I never thought I'd say this," Teresa continued, her voice heavy with emotion, "but I'm angry with you, Benedict. Angry that you let this happen. Sab
Standing there, with the outside world slowly fading away from her, Sabrina felt an intensity of clarity beyond anything she had ever felt. The dim hum of hospital monitors and the soft glow of lights emanating into her window from the city were all muted by the profound silence of the moment. She clutched Saben close, his small body warm against her chest, soft breaths a reassuring reminder of the life she had made—one that depended entirely upon her.Her heart swelled as she studied his delicate features. His tiny hands curled into fists, his lashes brushing against his rosy cheeks, and the faint hint of a smile that tugged at his lips even in sleep. He was perfect. A pure, untainted blessing born from the chaos of her past. In his innocent face, she saw her strength, her resilience, reflected back at her."I have everything I will ever need, that's you, my baby," she whispered, her voice shaking with a mixture of thankfulness and determination. Pressing her lips to his soft forehea
Sabrina was a thousand miles away from everything Benedict knew. For her, Paris was an refuge, a place of peace, of healing. The city had wrapped arms of surprise around her, and she had thrown herself into work, into a life for herself and her child.But despite all these new beginnings, there were still moments when loneliness crept in. The desire for the family she would have once wanted, for Benedict. She still loved him, despite everything. She couldn't help but return that love she had for him, no matter what. But the pain of betrayal, of simply being treated as an afterthought in their lives, was too deep to handle. Thus, she left.Now, as the due date approached, Sabrina started thinking about the future—not the one she had envision with Benedict, but one she was going to create on her own, for her child.Her baby deserved better than a broken home. Her baby deserved love, security, and a family, even if it wasn't the one she once hoped for.But as much as Sabrina wanted to sl
Teresa sat in the living room of her house in the quiet darkness of the evening, a glass of wine sitting untouched on the table before her. The soft ticking of the clock on the wall filled the only remaining silence in the room, but in her mind, there was no silence; she had just gotten off the phone with Benedict, and the finalized divorce news still weighed at the center of her heart.She loved Sabrina like her daughter. She had always seen in Sabrina all the warmth, kindness, and grace she had hoped for in a daughter-in-law. Now, it was all gone. Sabrina was taken out of their family, and with her, the future of that grandchild becomes worrisome.Teresa took the wine glass, but did not drink from it. She simply let her eyes lose themselves in the space inside the glass as if lost in a thought. Sabrina came from humble beginnings. Teresa knew that raising a child on her own, without the security of having Benedict, without the financial backing that protecting and advancing her fami
Benedict sat in his sleek office, with papers all over the top of his desk, completely consumed by the stack of contracts in front of him. The phone buzzed once more, but he didn't answer. He had reached a point where all the business dealings, mergers, and partnerships had taken over his life. It had taken months, but finally his company was back on track. The bankruptcy was a distant memory, and now he had an empire flourishing with partnerships coming in and investors clamoring at the door.But as his business grew, something inside him changed. The hollow hollowness that had plagued him after Sabrina left had begun to recede into a dull ache, an ache that he learned to ignore. His world was centered on success - on his success - with little room for regret or thoughts of the past. That was all before the call came. He glanced at the screen of his phone and saw the name of his attorney. A strange, unfamiliar tightness spread across his chest. He hesitated, his fingers lingering
The gentle knock at the bedroom door extracted her from the reverie. In the doorway was "Wendy." Her warm heart immediately saw written on Sabrina's face all the storm and turmoil that had raged behind those bright eyes. She crossed the room without a word and held her granddaughter close."It's all right to feel sad, Sabrina," Wendy whispered softly, her voice calm and soothing. "You have been through so much, and only natural that you would want things to be different."Sabrina leaned into her grandmother's embrace, letting the tears she had been holding back stream freely. "I just. I thought he might change. That he'd realize how much he meant to me, to us."Wendy drew back a little, her hands reaching to cup Sabrina's face. "Some people only see what is right in front of them when it's too late, though. That's not something you get to carry around, my dear. You've already given so much of yourself. Now it's time to pay attention to you and that gorgeous baby."Sabrina nodded, wipi
The next morning, she was awakened by the birds at the window chirping their melodies out into the air, spilling through the slats of blinds. Warm buttery smells of fresh-baked croissants drifted about the house, and a smile crossed her face. She stretched, yawned lazily, had the comfort of her bed, and then slid out to greet the day. Her dreams from last night lingered, filling her with a quiet determination.Wendy and Leila were already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. Wendy was always going to be that matriarch, coordinating the perfect spread, while Leila softly sang in the background, sorting out a vase of fresh flowers in the table center."Good morning, dear," Wendy said, eyes lighting up upon seeing Sabrina come into the room. "How are you feeling today? Does the little one let you sleep well?"Sabrina nodded, touching her belly. "We slept well, Grandma. Thanks."Leila turned, holding a plate of warm pastries. "Sit down, sweetie. You've been working so hard lately; you des