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
Sabrina rose from her seat, her body aching not just from the physical toll of the night but from the weight of every broken promise, every ounce of love she had wasted on a man who saw her as an accessory. She padded mechanically to the closet, her limbs propelling her out of the situation. She packed in a flash, her fingers acting of their own volition as she tossed a few clothes, some papers, and the essentials into a small suitcase. She lost her mind as she tried to think of where she would go or what she could do from there.As she closed the bag, another sharp bout of pain hit her—she would have to move away from everything in this world she knew and about which she had dreamed. But when she ran her hand over the bulge at her stomach, she felt a renewed strength flow through her. Her child deserved so much better than this. *I deserve better than this,* she felt, an unrelenting strength growing inside. This was not just about leaving Benedict; it was about reclaiming herself, th
As Sabrina drove away from a life shared with Benedict, an empty hollow feeling could be felt inside of her chest, though something inside her continued to hold her steady and resolute. She left behind the heartache, the rejection, and constant struggle in her relentless pursuit for a love that Benedict was never willing to give. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she veered off on the unfamiliar path. She knew the trip wouldn't be easy, but for the first time ever, she had chosen herself-and that felt like a powerful beginning.Thirty Years AgoThe early morning sun in California shone kindly over the rolling hills of Napa Valley, but the woman standing atop a vineyard hill cared little for the beauty surrounding her. Mrs. Wendy Taylor was impeccably dressed in a tailored suit and pearls, which reflected her status and wealth, as she sized up the estate with a calculating cold gaze. She had had no sentimental reasons for visiting this place or an appreciation of her surroundin
One afternoon, while unwrapping the old boxes that had been kept in the living room who knows how long, Sabrina caught herself wondering who could be so adamant about knocking on the door. Puzzled, she furrowed her brow and wiped her hands on a towel to rid them of the dust from work.It was a late afternoon, and she was unwrapping old boxes in the living room when there came a sharp knock at the door. Sabrina would frown and rub her hands on a towel before going to answer."You, stand there by the door," Sabrina blinks at the stranger in her doorway. "Can I help you?" Her voice comes out a little uncertain and open.The woman smiled warmly, but there was something mysterious in her eyes. "I think I'm the one who should be saying that, my dear."She paused for a moment, taking in Sabrina's features. "You look so much like your father." And the light of mentioning Sabrina's father lit her heart on fire. She never knew her father. Only her mother's stories, which made him seem like a my
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 ove
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
Pregnant or not, Sabrina always joins her university's competitions. She never lets go of an opportunity to compete. Her hands lay gently on her baby bump under the soft lighting from her studio's single overhead lamp. Rain was drumming against the window in a soothing rhythm as she thought. In front of her lay a mannequin draped in the beginnings of her latest design - a gown which would be inspired by her journey. The fabric rippled like waves across the ocean she had crossed to start this new chapter in Paris. She smiled faintly, brushing her fingertips along the intricate stitching. "We did this," she murmured to her unborn child. "Every stitch, every sketch - it's for us." The baby responded with a soft flutter, and Sabrina laughed out in that quiet joy filling her. It was her sanctuary now, a place where creativity could breathe and dreams take shape. It's everything she wanted but never knew she needed-the simplicity, the focus of it-and yet, far removed from the life left beh
Each passing day, Sabrina's reputation as a designer continued to grow. She threw herself into every project, creativity flowing through her with a fierceness that stunned her professors and peers alike. Her passion for fashion was undeniable, and with each passing week and growing baby bump, the fire inside her to create something that would make her and her child proud had grown just as fervently.There were moments when she couldn't handle it at all-when the countless hours spent in studio sessions and the burden of carrying a child became unbearable.. But every time, she'd think of what Leila said, of the promise she had made to herself and to her baby, and somehow, that's enough to keep her going.As time went by, Sabrina's designs started to stir the waters in the fashion world. Her name started to get whispered with other established names of the best up-and-coming designers in Paris. Rave reviews coupled with subsequent competition entry to make her more stable in the world of
Sabrina's days in Paris had blurred into one another, with classes, sketches, fabric swatches, and runway rehearsals consuming every waking moment. She was awakened each morning by early rising and deep breaths as the external city outside her window slowly came to life. She was not unaware of what she was up against—it was more than a career to which she was joining. This was her chance at building a future, for herself and for her unborn child.Despite the constant fatigue that came with being pregnant, Sabrina never lost her will to draw. Every design she made was a gesture of love — not only for the unborn baby but also for that which she would be crafting for the future. She learned to balance her dreams with her physical limitations, leaving her feeling exhausted yet pushing herself forward while still needing a lot of rest when necessary.There were days when the exhaustion threatened to consume her. She spent long hours sitting at her desk, going over and perfecting her design
Meanwhile, Benedict sat in his office, the faint lights of the city casting shadows on the massive heaps of papers on his desk. The room was silent, except for the tick-tock of the clock, each tick singing of the growing pressure mounting against him. The company was at the point of impending doom - once a blooming empire now teetering on the point of collapse. Investors were pulling out, and employees were on their toes. But he had become so caught up in his work and in pride that he hadn't seen this coming.He sank back into his chair, the weight of fatigue pressing down on him like a stone. Still, it wasn't all this-all the chaos and the meetings, nights, and stress-that hollowed him out. It was an absence he hadn't acknowledged before, one that seemed to creep in during the quiet moments.Sabrina.And this memory of her name was like a knife cutting through him as he recalled, in vivid memory, the smooth contours of her face, the gentle smile she habitually wore, the way she would
As Sabrina emerged from the conference room, she could barely hold herself in. Her heart pounded within her chest as she scanned the hall for Wendy and Leila. The meeting had gone better than she had dared hope for—she was officially accepted into one of Paris's most prestigious fashion schools. Her dream, once a far-off spark, was now almost within reach.She glanced in just beyond, holding her breath. Wendy's face alight as she caught sight of Sabrina coming into view; Leila leaped forward, her eyes raking Sabrina's face for the answer."Okay?" she ventured, her voice full of anticipating question. "How was it?"Sabrina took a deep breath. A large, shimmering smile burst forth on her face. "I got in mom," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. "They loved my designs. They said… they said I have potential."Wendy beamed, pulling Sabrina into a tight hug. "Of course you do, dear," she whispered. "I've always known you had it in you."Leila's eyes sparkled with pride as she reached