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
She quivered in her voice but stood firm. "You left him. You left us. Do you have any idea how many times I wished to know my father's family? Longed to feel part of it? And now you just appear as if everything is fine."Tears started flowing from her eyes, for every single word seemed to hit her very soul, bringing forth hurt and anger at the same time. She felt utterly wronged that after all these years, Wendy was there, proposing that they could just fix everything as if time could erase itself.Wendy's eyes lowered, her hands shaking as she bound them together. "I don't ask for forgiveness, Sabrina. I don't expect it. I only wanted you to know that despite how I've failed, I'm here now for you. I came to make amends, whatever that means."The room grew quiet, save for the ticking of the clock. For one moment, nothing seemed alive in that room except that ticking. Sabrina gazed at Wendy, noting that even in this stiffness of posture, there was weakness. She could feel her own walls
And so Wendy stood outside Leila's small home, her hand shaking a little as she raised it to knock on the door; but it opened before she could do that, and there stood Leila, her eyes wide with surprise and a touch of wariness." Wendy," Leila said quietly, flicking a quick look down at Sabrina, who was at play on the floor of the living room playing with a doll. "Leila, I… I came uninvited," Wendy's voice quivered as she clutched her purse tightly, her knuckles white."I just… I need to talk to you both." Leila hesitated but nodded, stepping back to let Wendy inside. Wendy looked at Sabrina, who looked up before quickly returning to her doll, her face expressionless, almost guarded. "Thank you, Leila." Wendy gently spoke, her voice almost a whisper as she settled on the edge of the couch. It was a small, simple space, so different from the life she was used to. It no longer mattered to her now though.She was here for something that money couldn't give back to her. Leila sat across
Benedict looked out of the great office window, allowing the blurred city skyline to converge with his thoughts and memories of Sabrina. With each passing day, the absence was felt more, though a part of him did not want to acknowledge it. Sabrina loved him. He knew that. She had stayed with him all these years, through everything he had done in order to give her reason to leave. She was loyal, resilient, forgiving – everything he had ever taken for granted.She had left, and every nook and corner of their home felt empty without her warmth, without her soft laughter and gentle presence."No, no," he muttered to himself, his hands in fists. "She'll come back. She loves me too much to be away for so long.".He slumped back in his chair, fighting off the growing ache in his chest. Remembrances of the last time he saw her danced through his head - the hollowing of her eyes, drained of that quiet light he always admired, even though he hadn't admitted it. But he'd pushed it aside. He hadn
Teresa knocked on her son's mansion door. Her excitement made her heartbeat feel like it was going at an extremely fast pace. She had already prepared a small bag of gifts-some supplements and treats-she wanted to bring to her son for his daughter. She could hardly contain her anticipation as she knew that in just a couple of months, she would finally hold her first grandchild in her arms. The thought of Sabrina's gentle smile as she thanked her was enough to make Teresa's heart feel a little warm. She was so glad for her son and for his bride, though she realized that her son had his… limitations.As she reached out and up to open the door she called out, her own voice filled with delight, "Sabrina! Sabrina, are you home?But before she could knock, the maid, hastily opening the door, looked tight inside her face with a worrisome, wringing hands, and kind of confused appearance about what she had to say."Madam Teresa," she replied lowly, averting her eyes.Teresa immediately picked
But as Teresa left the room, a heavy silence settled over Benedict. There he was alone and in the midst of the mess he had created, and the love he had smashed to pieces. The walls convulsed inward on him, presenting vivid reminders of how the emptiness Sabrina's presence once filled. His heart twisted painfully, now pressed with the weight of his mistakes that, at last, allowed him to finally break.Benedict was looking at a bottle of supplements. The truth of Sabrina's pregnancy was like a punch to his chest-she was carrying his child. I did not remember the last time he showed her kindness, and more so, love. Now, the mother of his child, the woman who had stayed by him through everything, was gone.A desperate hope flared to life within him. He had to set things right. He had to prove to her that he could change, even if it was going to take years to regain her trust. He could see now, in jarring clarity, just how much he had hurt her, how much she'd given him, and how callously h
One evening, when the setting sun painted the sky with soft hues of orange and pink, Benedict realized it was time to do something more to prove himself to Sabrina. Though he had been patient in giving her space, as she needed it, he felt the load of time. He wanted her to know that this was not a joke; he had serious intentions about them-that is, rebuilding their family. He fussed in front of the mirror over the knotting of his tie. Tonight had to be flawless; tonight was only one stop on the journey for that future he was setting to build with her.He took a deep breath and checked his time; his message was sent-simple as could be: "Would you go on a date with me? A real one this time. Just the two of us. I'll take care of everything. Sabrina’s response came a few minutes later: “Okay, Benedict. I’ll be there.” The thrill of anticipation coursed through him. It wasn’t just another dinner or a casual outing. This was his chance to show her that he was committed to more than just bei
"Everyone has a breaking point," she said to herself, a fierce determination in her voice. "And I’ll find theirs. With a steadying breath, she reached for her phone and dialed a number she hadn’t called in years.When someone finally picked up, she spoke in a chilling, calculated tone. "I need your help," she said. "It's personal, and I'm willing to pay—no questions asked." Then, there was a silence before the voice responded with, "What are you looking for?" Clara's obsession had finally peaked and had reached its dangerous point where all the calculated moves were going into desperation. She was storming around her apartment, with her anger barely under control. Her fingers tapped out on her phone as she scrolled through contacts with fury. "I need someone ruthless," she whispered to herself, narrowing her eyes at the number. Dialing fast, she tapped her foot impatiently. When the line clicked, a gruff voice answered, "Who is this?""It's Clara Hemp," she said coldly. "I have a job f
That evening, as they went back in the house, Benedict extended his hand toward Sabrina. She was hesitant for that moment, between uncertainty and hope, and then let her fingers intertwine with his. But warmth of his touch sent down shivers on her spine, reviving long buried feelings. The house was silent, the only sounds coming from the refrigerator humming in the kitchen and the gentle patter of Saben playing with his toys in the living room. Benedict looked into Sabrina's eyes; they were filled with warmth. "Thanks for trusting me today," he whispered softly."I know it's not easy."Sabrina sat there in silence, feeling the full weight of his words. She just looked at their joined hands and felt this nostalgic feeling. She was reminiscing about the early days when they were together and their relationship so carefree and easygoing. It included all of the laughter and whispering promises but how he looked at her as if she was the world. "Benedict," she started, her voice breaking."I
But even as regret flickered in her heart, Clara's pride refused to let her admit defeat. Every failure only fueled her desperation, and her obsession with Benedict and Sabrina grew darker. If she couldn't have Benedict, then she would ensure he couldn't be happy with Sabrina. She planned something ugly in her mind to spoil the fragile peace. Her hatred was a clouding judgment that she convinced herself that she had nothing left to lose.Sabrina and Saben became the obstacles on her path to vengeance, and she intended to remove them. Week after week passed since Clara stalked Sabrina, Benedict, and Saben, watching their daily habits through school drop-offs, a family outing, seeing him chuckle with Saben and hold Sabrina's hand. The sight alone inflamed her blood with those moments. It wasn't envy; it was something within herself-a sore that she could never seem to let heal. One evening, Clara sat in her dimly lit apartment, pouring over photos she had secretly taken. Images of the ha
As Clara stormed out, defeated, Sabrina turned to Benedict. She saw, for the first time, not the man who had hurt her but the man who had grown-a man who was willing to fight, to change, and to put his family above everything else. His transformation was undeniable, and in his eyes, she saw sincerity and regret mingled with hope. For a moment, the weight of their shared past pressed down on her chest, but alongside it came a newfound lightness. She didn't fully trust him yet, but she couldn't deny the shift in her heart.The walls she had built so carefully were beginning to crumble—not in an explosion of emotion, but in slow, deliberate cracks that allowed just enough room for forgiveness to seep through. He looked into her, his expression relaxing. "Sabrina," he murmured softly, coming closer. "Thank you for sticking up for me out there. I know that was no easy feat." "Yes,Sabrina." she said in barely audible tones, her voice strained with emotion. "But it wasn't just about you. It
The lies were vicious but gained currency quickly; soon an onslaught by trolls online threatened Sabrina's character. Sabrina wanted to and tried to tune out some of the comments, not easy. One evening, tearing through her phone, it brought tears to her eyes; Benedict found her in the living room tightly clutching her device: "Don't read that crap," he took the phone from her face. "None of that is ever true." "I know," Sabrina whispered, her voice trembling. "But it still hurts.". Benedict pulled her into his arms, holding her close. “We’ll get through this, Sabrina. Together.”Despite Clara’s relentless efforts, Benedict and Sabrina refused to crumble under the weight of her schemes. Each attack only solidified their resolve to protect their family. Late-night conversations, whispered promises, and shared moments with Saben began to fill the cracks in their fractured relationship. Benedict was no longer the man Sabrina had known once. He had transformed into a devoted father and man
Clara paced in her dimly lit apartment, her manicured nails tapping rhythmically against the glass of wine in her hand. Her world was crumbling; her reputation lay in shambles and the career she had fought so hard for was now in ruin.The press conference held by Benedict absolved Sabrina from all accusations and portrayed Clara as a liar. It was simply humiliating. “This isn’t over,” Clara hissed to herself, her lips curling into a bitter smile.“Sabrina might think she’s won, but I’ll make her pay. I’ll make them all pay.” She retrieved her phone and started frittering through social media, where anger gave fingers to tremble as there would be pictures of Benedict with Sabrina and Saben in the park. And they looked happy, glowing, as if nothing ever could touch their perfect family. It was sick."They'll regret this," Clara murmured, her voice venomous. She opened a new folder on her laptop titled Justice and began gathering information. Photos, old messages, any scrap of detail she
Gradually, Sabrina began to discover another Benedict. He had come off of that workaholic, snobbish man she was acquainted with earlier. He proved to be patient, attentive, and truly committed to amends. Whether helping Saben build a treehouse in the backyard or volunteering to cook family dinners – much though his culinary skills left many things to be desired - actions were louder than words for Benedict.One evening, as Benedict tucked Saben into bed, Sabrina stood by the door, quietly observing. Saben had his giggles as Benedict attempted to read him the bedtime story in funny voices, his deep baritone an amusing contrast for the whimsical characters."Goodnight, Daddy.""Goodnight, champ," replied Benedict, leaning forward to kiss his forehead.And then Benedict turned and met Sabrina's gaze. Some things said no word. But in the expression exchanged, forgiveness did not shine. Still, there was some sort of acknowledgment made here—a tiny baby step toward mutual comprehension.Ben
From then on, Benedict accepted fatherhood with a vengeance in him. He set out and, for the first time ever in his life, chose to be in Saben's life. The same corporate head who used to pride himself on contracts signed, profits generated, and profits accounted for now stood beside those he had never meant for anything.Each morning, Benedict made it a point to drive to the Taylor mansion to have breakfast with Saben. The first time he arrived, the boy’s face lit up with pure delight. “You’re here, Daddy!” Saben exclaimed, running into Benedict’s arms. It was a moment Benedict would never forget—the simple yet profound joy of his son’s embrace.Benedict started planning his days around Saben, such that he was there for every milestone that occurred. Whether it was school events or homework, he was also there to cheer him through soccer practice.“Daddy, look!” Saben called one afternoon, holding up a drawing he had made of their family. It was a colorful crayon illustration of Saben,