David stormed into the house, slamming the door behind him with a force that made the walls tremble. The living room was dim, shadows stretching across the floor, and Sammy barely looked up from her place on the sofa. Her eyes followed him as he tossed his jacket onto a chair and loosened his tie, his face tight with frustration.“Rough day?” she asked casually, though she already knew the answer. It was a question she often posed, hoping he would share something—anything—but not her. Not Yvonne. David’s only response was a grunt as he headed to the kitchen to pour himself a drink. Sammy’s gaze returned to the magazine she’d been pretending to read, but the tension in her jaw betrayed her own frustration. She knew why he was upset; she’d seen the change in him over the past weeks, the way his mood darkened after every encounter or mention of Yvonne. It was always Yvonne—whether spoken or unspoken, she was the ghost that haunted their marriage.Although he speaks about her with resent
The weekend morning at the villa was quiet, the kind of calm that had settled over Yvonne, Micheal, and the twins as they finally embraced a semblance of family life. The children’s laughter echoed faintly from the garden, mingling with the sound of distant birdsong. Yvonne and Micheal had spent the previous evening reading stories to Jack and Lily, drifting off together in a contented haze.That peace shattered when a knock came at the door of the master bedroom, urgent enough to jolt them from sleep. Micheal's eyes flickered open, and Yvonne stirred beside him, rubbing her eyes in confusion.“Mr. Langston, sir,” a deep voice called from the hallway. Micheal sat up, already feeling a thread of unease unraveling the morning. He knew his staff rarely disturbed him without good reason.A guard, one of the villa’s longtime employees, stood just outside the door, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. “There’s... a woman at the gate,” he said carefully, hesitating. “She claims to be... the m
The hallway leading back to the master bedroom felt longer than Yvonne remembered. The villa’s elegant decor, usually so warm and comforting, seemed cold and distant. Her legs wobbled, her knees buckling beneath her as they moved. She felt the walls closing in on her, the weight of what had just happened crashing down like a wave she couldn’t outrun.Suddenly, the ground tilted, and Yvonne’s vision blurred. Before she could hit the floor, strong arms encircled her waist, pulling her back from the brink of collapse. Micheal’s grip was firm and steady, holding her close as she struggled to catch her breath."Yvonne," he said urgently, his voice a low, worried murmur. "Are you okay?"She couldn’t speak. Her throat felt tight, and the world spun as she clung to him. Her eyes were wide, unseeing, her mind trapped in a whirlpool of fear and doubt. Micheal’s heartbeat thundered against her chest as he held her, refusing to let go.Without waiting for an answer, Micheal swept her off her feet
Yvonne steadied herself, determination flashing in her eyes. She pulled back from Micheal’s embrace, her hands lingering on his shoulders as she looked deeply into his worried gaze. She could read his vulnerability, the silent fear that perhaps she would decide to blame him, to distance herself. But she knew better — they didn’t need to fear each other. The real threat was out there.She took a steadying breath and reached for his hand, her voice calm yet resolute. “Micheal, before we make any drastic decisions, we need to verify her claim.”He hesitated, his fingers tightening in her grip. “Are you sure we need to do that?” he asked, almost in a whisper. “I already sent someone to follow her. It’d be easier to make her… disappear. I don’t want her interfering in our lives.”Yvonne’s gaze hardened, her tone unyielding. “No one is disappearing, Micheal. We can’t just brush her off without knowing the truth.”Micheal sighed, his shoulders tense as he tried to argue, but Yvonne shook her
The day went on as usual, despite the turmoil in the adult's mind.Micheal’s fear was palpable. He was clinging to Yvonne so much that the children had asked why their daddy is stealing their mommy’s attention all to himself.Micheal felt like if he looked away, Yvonne might disappear. He knew her past and despite acting along with her proclamation of being strong, Michael couldn't forget the onl word Yvonne had spoken to the woman. She had said “she already came between them.” Micheal was worried and it reflected in his sleep. Yvonne watched him toss and turn in the middle of the night. Sometimes holding her so tight she felt like her bone would break and other times, he would be covered in sweats.Yvonne woke the next morning with Micheal’s arms still wrapped around her, a quiet warmth radiating between them as the morning light began to filter through the curtains. For a moment, the memories of yesterday felt like a distant echo, softened by the peace she let herself feel despite
The new Micheal received was simple. Rebecca was clean and had indeed just returned to the country and was picked up by one of his mother's security detail from the airport.So far, there wasn't a lie in the woman’s claim. His men that had been tailing her since the previous day also had something to share and it wasn't pleasing at all.The woman was said to be shopping for children's toys as if preparing for a meeting with Lily and Jack. Micheal had vowed to not keep things from Yvonne, hence he had no choice but to share.There was a sense of foreboding in the air, the usual warmth of the family outing muted by the weight of the news Yvonne and Micheal were about to share.Yvonne sat on the carefully laid mat, her fingers nervously tracing circles over the fabric as she waited for Micheal to join her. Her eyes darted around the environment, lingering on the twins, smiling and playing carefree, each memory piercing her heart with an aching fondness. She could hear Micheal’s steady f
The night unfolded with an eerie stillness in the Langston home, broken only by the soft sounds of Yvonne and the twins moving up to bed. Jack and Lily had clung to her since the moment she had comforted them, refusing to let go of her hands as if she were their lifeline. They nestled beside her, each of them burrowing into her arms with a desperation that made Yvonne’s heart ache. She could feel their steady, rhythmic breaths calming, their bodies finally relaxing against her. But she knew the pain still lingered within them, quietly nestled between their small frames and the darkness of the room.As Yvonne lay there, staring into the dim ceiling above, she gently ran her fingers through Lily’s hair, soothing the child until she fell into a deep sleep. Jack’s hand rested on her shoulder, his little fingers curling every now and then, as if needing reassurance she was still there. Every so often, Yvonne could feel a soft hitch in their breaths, the remnants of their earlier tears, and
As dawn crept into Micheal and Yvonne’s home, a soft blush of sunlight spilled through the curtains, casting gentle shadows across the room. But the calm of the early morning was shattered as the door to Micheal’s bedroom opened, and Jack and Lily hurried in, their bare feet making quick, urgent sounds on the floorboards.“Daddy!” Lily’s voice wobbled with worry, her hands clasped tightly together as she peered around the room. Jack, standing close beside her, mirrored her anxious expression, his gaze scanning the bed.Micheal stirred, his sleep-heavy eyes opening as he registered the children’s presence. He sat up, rubbing a hand over his face, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. “What’s wrong?” he asked gently, sensing their unease.Lily’s voice quivered as she explained, “Mommy … she wasn’t there when we woke up.” The simple statement hung in the air, heavy with fear and confusion. Jack nodded silently, his small fists clenched by his sides.Micheal let out a soft sigh, pull