VIVIENNEI was sore down there after Ezekiel and I had multiple rounds, in different positions. We were like freed animals who were kept in the zoo for so long—wild and kept wanting more. So, after ‘fucking,’ we cuddled in his bed. I laid on Ezekiel's chest, my head resting against the warmth of his skin. His hand moved gently through my hair, brushing it in slow, comforting strokes. We had finished just before dawn, and now we were lying together, cuddling in each other’s arms. And as the minutes passed, the reality of what had happened started to settle in. I had given in again. Damn!What are you doing, Vivienne? Why do you keep letting this happen? I scolded myself as I lay there, feeling Ezekiel’s warmth beside me.The walls I had carefully built up around myself seemed to crumble whenever I was near him, and last night was no different. Despite everything, I couldn't deny the pull between us.The room was quiet except for the sound of our breathing. I could feel that I knew
VIVIENNEThe next morning, we all sat together for breakfast—Ezekiel, the kids, and me. Vince and Vera were munching on their pancakes and their eyes were also full of curiosity."Mom, where did you sleep last night?" Vera asked suddenly, her innocent eyes wide as she looked at me. I almost blew out the coffee I was drinking because of her question. Vince glanced at me too and then at Ezekiel, waiting for an answer.My heart skipped a beat, and I felt Ezekiel's eyes on me. I met his gaze for just a moment, trying to stay calm. "I-I slept in the guest room," I said, my voice steady. Gosh! What’s with the stutter, Vivienne?I held my breath, hoping they wouldn’t ask any more questions."Okay," Vera said, satisfied with the answer. She went back to her pancakes, and I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Vince didn’t say anything. He just nodded slightly before taking another bite. He didn’t seem to suspect anything, which was a small mercy.After breakfast, it was time to go home. Ezeki
VIVIENNE“What’s up, guys?” Ezekiel arrived a little later, arms full of food—pizza, fries, and pints of ice cream in different flavors. The kids’ eyes lit up as soon as they saw him. Ezekiel and I exchanged smiles. "Dad brought pizza!" Vera cheered, jumping up and down.Vince grinned, trying to act cool, but I could see how happy he was too. "What flavors did you bring?" he asked, eyeing the ice cream."Let’s see," Ezekiel said, placing everything on the kitchen counter. "We’ve got chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Everyone’s favorites."The kids immediately started grabbing plates and bowls, excited to dig in. I glanced at Ezekiel, and our eyes met for a brief moment. There was something unspoken between us as if we both knew that what we were doing now was just... casual. Just flings, as I had said. Even though we didn’t say anything, I knew we were both thinking the same thing.As the kids settled down with their food, we all moved to the theater room to watch a movie. Vince
EZEKIEL“What are we going to watch?” Vivienne asked as soon as we entered their theater room. I noticed that she even locked the door. I tried so hard not to smirk and just shook my head. “Let’s pick something.”We settled onto the couch, and Vivienne handed me the remote. “Your choice,” she said, leaning back and getting comfortable.I started scrolling through the movie options, trying to find something that felt right for the fire that I’ve been feeling right now. Eventually, I landed on an old favorite we both knew well. It was an R-21 film with lots of nasty scenes. When Vivienne noticed what I did, she eyed me meaningfully as she tried to hide her smile as well. “I know what you’re thinking,” she said. I raised an eyebrow, trying to look innocent. “Really? Would you mind telling me?” I asked mischievously. She just shook her head as she tried to focus on the leftover food. As the movie began, we sat in silence, each of us wrapped up in our own thoughts. Every now and t
VIVIENNE“I’ve been working on this office for you. I think you’re really going to like it,” Ezekiel said as we drove to his company. “It’s right next to mine, so we can work closely on the collaboration.”The city passed by in a blur, and Ezekiel was talking excitedly about the office he had prepared for me.We were now heading to Harrington Luxe here in New York. He wanted to show me my own office in his company in preparation for our collaboration. Yes. We would still collaborate for a collection but not with Alex anymore. I couldn’t work with that bitch after she hurt my son. And since Vince was also Ezekiel’s son, he felt the same way. “That sounds... great, Ezekiel. I’m sure it’ll be perfect.” I nodded, trying to focus on what he was saying. But my mind kept drifting to the last time I had walked into his company. The memory of that day was sharp, clear, and painful. I had gone there to catch him cheating with Alex, and the way the staff treated me—like I didn’t belong, like
EZEKIEL“Gosh! I’m glad I finally see you again!” Caroline said as soon as we left Vivienne’s office. She hadn’t changed much—still the same bright smile, the same energy. We hadn’t seen each other in years, but it felt like no time had passed at all.“Me too. How’s your life?” I asked, more laid back than her. “Still the same. I divorced my husband last year,” she told me. “How about you? Still single after your divorce too?”I had a hard time answering her question. Well, how am I supposed to explain that I’m chasing my ex-wife again, right?So, instead of telling more, I chose to answer the easiest response.“Yeah. I guess so.” “You know, our parents were convinced we’d end up together someday. They practically planned our wedding before we even hit high school,” Caroline recalled as her smile faded just a little while she looked at me. I nodded. “Yeah, I remember that too.”Caroline sighed, a wistful look in her eyes. “It’s funny to think about now. Back then, I guess I didn’t
VIVIENNE COULDN’T HELP but smile at how Ezekiel acted. The bitterness she felt when a gorgeous woman tried to talk to him faded away completely. “How’s your catch up with Caroline?” she asked after Ezekiel came back. But instead of answering her question, Ezekiel just stared at her meaningfully, as if telling her to behave. “What?” Vivienne asked again as she tried to act innocently. Ezekiel let out a breath, trying to calm himself. “Nothing,” he said more calmly. “I just noticed my employees were being a bit too... helpful earlier.”Vivienne felt the urge to smile foolishly but she restrained herself.“They were just being polite,” she just said while secretly liking how Ezekiel was acting.Ezekiel settled down to the chair in front of her. “Polite is one thing. Hovering around you like that is another,” he replied, crossing his arms. “I don’t want them bothering you while you’re working.”She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a slight smile. “Are you jealous, Ezekiel?”
THAT’S RIGHT, MA’AM ALEX,” an unknown caller confirmed.Just as Alex sat in the dark room, her fingers tightened around the glass of whiskey. The bitter taste matched her mood as she listened to the person on the other end of the call. “So, Vivienne went to Harrington Luxe?” Alex asked using her sharp voice.“Yes, and it looks like she and Ezekiel are planning to continue their collaboration,” the caller confirmed.With that, she couldn’t help but clenched her jaw. “Without me? I should have seen this coming,” she muttered. Bitterness was evident in her tone. Her anger bubbled up by that realization. She tightened her grip on the glass.“Anything else?” she asked.“No, that’s all I’ve got for now. I’ll keep you updated, Ma’am Alex,” the caller replied before hanging up.Alex set the glass down on the table a bit too forcefully. The sound echoed in the quiet room as she almost broke it. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but the memories started flooding back.It had
EZEKIEL NEVER THOUGHT he’d feel so nervous, yet here he was. He couldn’t help but pace back and forth in the hospital room while Vivienne lay on the bed, breathing deeply as another contraction hit. His palms were sweaty and his heart was racing so damn fast. He couldn’t even sit down for a second. This was nothing like the business meetings, nothing like the deals he’d spent his life preparing for. This was something else. He’d missed the birth of the twins, and he knew he couldn’t miss a second of this moment with Vivienne.He’d missed the birth of the twins, and he knew he couldn’t miss a second of this moment with Vivienne. Back then, he hadn’t been there to hold her hand, to see the twins take their first breaths. This time, he’d promised himself he’d be present, no matter how terrifying it felt. Vivienne noticed his restless pacing and reached out to catch his hand, tugging gently. “Zeke, calm down,” she said, chuckling despite her pain.He stopped, looking down at her, his
VINCE WAS SITTING alone in the school canteen while he was lost in his own thoughts. Unlike his twin sister, he wasn’t worried at all about having a new sibling. In fact, he was excited. He couldn’t wait to have someone younger around to teach things to, especially about computers and coding. He’d already planned it out in his head that he’d show their new sibling all the basics, and someday, they’d be able to talk about complex stuff too. Just the thought of it made him smile.As he stared into space while planning all the lessons he’d someday teach, someone placed a small box in front of him. Vince blinked when his train of thought was interrupted. He looked down at the box, noticing it was wrapped neatly with a bow on top. Then he looked up and saw Maesei, the little girl he, Vera, and Genesis had helped when she was being bullied a while back.Maesei was standing there, looking shy and nervous. Her cheeks were red and she avoided his gaze, looking down at the table instead.Vin
GENESIS SPOTTED VERA sitting alone on the bleachers, looking lost in thought as she watched Vince at his soccer practice. She was unusually quiet, her small frame slumped forward, and her chin rested on her hands. Genesis found this strange. Usually, Vera was energetic and loud, always cheering for her brother or chatting away.With a grin, Genesis walked over and sat down beside her. “Hey,” he said, nudging her gently. “Why do you look so sad? Thinking too hard?”To his surprise, Vera’s lip started to tremble, and before he knew it, tears spilled down her cheeks. She let out a small, choked sob, and then it came—all the tears she had held back, spilling out in big, messy drops.Genesis's eyes widened and he instantly panicked. “Whoa, hey, hey—what’s wrong, Vera?” He fumbled, trying to figure out what to do. He’d never seen her cry like this before. “Did something happen?”Vera shook her head but kept crying, covering her face with her hands. Feeling helpless, Genesis reached over
THE AFTER-PARTY was winding down and Piper was more than a little tipsy. She leaned heavily on Jeremy, her bubbly personality even more vibrant after a few too many glasses of champagne. Jeremy sighed, his arm steady around her as he led her through the crowded room.“Come on, Piper,” he said while rying to sound patient. “Let’s get you home.”Piper let out a laugh as she rolled her eyes. “Oh, Jeremy, you’re so lame! Why didn’t you drink anything tonight? There were bottles of wine that cost more than you’d make in a month! You could’ve at least had one!”Jeremy shook his head, guiding her carefully through the doorway. “I don’t drink much. Besides, someone had to be responsible for you,” he said in a calm voice. She threw him a mock offended look, then smirked. “Oh, please. Responsible? You’re missing out! Once-in-a-blue-moon kind of party, and you’re just standing there, drinking water. So boring.”He just nodded, too tired to argue. He knew she was half-joking, half-serious, but
EZEKIELForgiving isn’t easy. It’s one of the hardest things you can do, especially when the person who hurt you is someone you once trusted, someone you loved deeply. I’d always respected people who could forgive the ones who wronged them, who could find it in their hearts to let go of pain and bitterness. And tonight, watching Vivienne, I felt my admiration for her grow even more.I thought I’d reached the limit of how much I could love her, but seeing her forgive my mother—that changed things. Vivienne had already forgiven me before, a forgiveness I never thought I deserved but clung to, knowing how lucky I was to have it. And now, she was doing the same for my mother. I looked at Vivienne, her calm expression, her steady gaze, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful. She was truly incredible, a woman who could forgive despite the hurt, and in that moment, I knew I was the luckiest man alive.After my mother’s apology, we found a quieter spot away from everyone else. I turned to V
VIVIENNEIt was never too late to rise up again after you’ve hit rock bottom. I’d learned that lesson over and over, but standing here now, it finally felt real. So many times, I thought that scandal with Aton would destroy everything I’d worked for. I worried people would only ever see me as the woman caught up in a messy scheme, but here I was, with a new chapter in front of me. This was my second chance—not just to clear my name, but to make it stronger than ever. Viatrix. That name still had power, still had life.I looked around the room, taking in all the smiles and congratulatory handshakes. Ezekiel and I had just launched our fashion line that we had been working on, and the event couldn’t have gone any better. Everywhere I turned, there were people celebrating with us, praising the collection, the designs, the way we had merged our ideas and brought something beautiful to life. For the first time in a long time, I felt truly proud of myself and what I had accomplished ag
EZEKIELIt was never too late to change. I knew that now. I wouldn’t deny to myself or to anyone else that I had made mistakes before. Too many to count, honestly. I’d been an ass. I didn’t know what I really wanted back then. I wasn’t sure of what the right thing was or how to treat Vivienne the way she deserved. I’d lost sight of things, caught up in my own mess, letting my insecurities and past hold me back. But now, standing here in Switzerland, away from the noise and all the misunderstandings, I felt something I’d never felt before—a clear sense of certainty. I loved her. I loved Vivienne in a way that was different, in a way that wasn’t clouded by doubt or fear. She was the woman I wanted to spend my life with, and I’d failed to see that in the past. But I had the chance to make it right, and I wasn’t going to let it slip by.The soft breeze carried the scent of lilies as I stood at the end of the aisle, waiting for Vivienne. My heart pounded, and I could feel the tears gather
VIVIENNEBefore, I was just dreaming of a good husband. A husband who would love me, who would prioritize me, who would stand by my side no matter what. It felt like a faraway wish, something I’d only imagine late at night. When I first married Ezekiel, it wasn’t like that at all. He only married me because he felt he had to; it was a shotgun marriage after all, coming right after the surprise of my pregnancy.Back then, Ezekiel couldn’t even get over his ex, Alex. I knew it. Everyone knew it. I always felt like a stand-in, a shadow, never really the one he wanted. I was just a substitute. But now, looking at him today—seeing him boldly defend me, even against his own parents—I can’t ignore how deeply he’s changed. Before, Ezekiel always followed his parents’ words without question, like he was bound by some invisible chain. They had such a hold over him, and I’d come to accept that their influence would always come first. So now, seeing him stand up to them—for my sake, no less—fe
EZEKIELMy fists balled as I scanned through each line of conversation on Vince’s laptop. Each word felt like a punch. And I gritted my teeth, trying to contain the anger boiling within me. Genesis had been right. It was real that the contents from Aton’s phone had transferred over. Everything was here—messages, plans, and schemes that Aton and my own fucking father had discussed. Each message was worse than the last, detailing how they intended to bring down Vivienne and tarnish everything she’d worked for. I could feel Alice and Ronaldo leaning in, reading over my shoulder. Alice gasped, covering her mouth as her face turned pale. She shook her head. “I can’t believe they could plan something so evil,” she whispered, horrified.Ronaldo’s expression darkened, his eyes sharp and filled with rage. “This won’t slide,” he said firmly, his voice low and steady. “I won’t let them get away with this.”His words fueled my resolve. I nodded, swallowing hard, though my mind was racing. Ju