ALEX HELD A glass of hard liquor, swirling it as she sat on the plush sofa in her living room. She had been drinking steadily since her party had gone downhill, a night that was supposed to be her grand success turned into an absolute disaster. Her phone lay face down on the coffee table, buzzing intermittently with messages and notifications. Each buzz kept on reminding her of the embarrassment she wanted to escape.The news had been brutal, featuring her and Vivienne in a way that clearly painted Alex as the villain. Vivienne, the now glamorous and successful mystery designer, and Alex, the bitch who “abused” the famous designer’s son. Alex couldn't bear to look at her phone and see the comments and messages, so she opted to drown her sorrows instead.As Alex sat alone, nursing her drink, her mind fumed with thoughts about Vivienne. Everything about her infuriated Alex. The fact that Ezekiel had married her first was bad enough, but now, Vivienne had returned to make her life even
VIVIENNEWhat a day! I couldn’t believe all of that happened in just a day!I still couldn't believe that I had finally introduced the kids to their father. The moment had felt surreal, like stepping into something I had long avoided even in my imagination. Them knowing the truth has its pros and cons. The pros are that I wouldn’t have to overthink anymore about how to tell them or whether Ezekiel would believe they were his kids. The weight of that secret has been lifted off my shoulders. But the cons are just as heavy. It was so sudden, and I wasn't even able to have a break from what happened earlier.Although I never really expected to tell the truth that way, I think, it was best that it happened. At least now, my overthinking habit at night would be lessened. I thought Ezekiel would insist on talking to them even more, but fortunately, Vince had said he needed to do something, so Ezekiel decided just to visit us tomorrow.I needed to talk to someone about everything that had h
VIVIENNE“Alright, you two,” I said to Vera and Vince, kneeling down to their level. “Remember, whoever finishes their class first should wait for their twin. Don’t go wandering off alone, okay? I’ll come pick you up after.”They had classes today. Vera with her dance class and Vince with his soccer class. While we were still in Paris, those were the things they were focusing on since it was still their summer vacation in New York, where their actual classes were being held. Vera nodded eagerly. “I’ll wait for Vince, Mom. I promise,” she said. Vince gave a small, serious nod. “I’ll wait for Vera too, Mom.”I smiled at them. “Good. Now, let’s get going. We don’t want to be late.”We made our way down to the hotel lobby, their small hands in mine. As we stepped into the parking lot, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a message from Ezekiel.“Can I visit the kids today?” the message read.I frowned as soon as I read his message. I knew it was wrong, but part of me
EZEKIELI felt surprisingly okay, considering everything that had happened last night. Witnessing Alex kissing Albert should have left me shattered, but it didn’t. The happiness of knowing I had kids with Vivienne was strong enough to overshadow any pain. All I could think about now was my kids’ sake and how to make things right for them.“Can I drive you home, Vivienne?” I asked, hoping she’d say yes.Vivienne hesitated, her eyes darting away. “I’ll just call my driver,” she said, pulling out her phone.I stepped forward, already opening the car door for her. “Please, Vivienne. Let me do this.”She looked at me as if she was trying to see through me. With a sigh, she put her phone away and got into the car. I closed the door behind her and walked around to the driver’s side, feeling the distance between us more keenly than ever.As Vivienne settled into the passenger seat, I leaned over to help her with her seatbelt. Our faces were inches apart, and for a moment, our eyes locked, f
VIVIENNE"Mom, is this okay?" Vera asked as she tried to smooth down the front of her shirt.Today, we were planning to watch the soccer match with Jeremy—just like what he suggested after our first dinner date. I helped Vera and Vince get ready. Vera twirled in her little jersey, looking up at me with bright eyes. I smiled at my daughter and nodded. "You look perfect, sweetie,” I said. Vince, on the other hand, was more concerned with the fit of his shorts. "How about this, Mom? Are these too long?" he asked, frowning as he adjusted the waistband."They're just right," I reassured him. "You both look great."I glanced at myself in the mirror. I had chosen a casual yet stylish outfit for the day: a pair of trousers, a simple white blouse, and comfortable stilettos. It was perfect for a day out at a soccer match and didn’t scream 'date' but was presentable enough for any encounter.Just as we were about to head out the door, my phone vibrated with incoming messages. I quickly check
VIVIENNEEzekiel’s arrogant demeanor was really starting to get to me. He always seemed so sure of himself. He had to be humbled at some point. It couldn’t always be his way. I knew he wanted to make up for lost time, but he had to understand that things weren’t so simple. And he needed to consider the feelings of other people. Someone needed to bring him back down to earth, and maybe that someone had to be me. I’d have to show him that he couldn’t just walk back in and expect everything to revolve around him. Feeling responsible for Jeremy, I made a quick decision. "I’ll ride with Jeremy," I said, breaking Ezekiel’s hopes. The arrogance in Ezekiel’s face faltered, and he gritted his teeth.It was somehow satisfying to see his expression. Yes, he was their father, but I had been the one raising Vince and Vera all these years. Ezekiel needed to understand that being a father was about more than just showing up. He needed to learn humility and patience. And if it took me standing my
EZEKIEL FELT bitterness crept within him when Vivienne chose to ride with Jeremy. It stung not being chosen at that moment. He hated that feeling, the feeling of being left out. But as he glanced down at Vera, who was happily chattering away, his heart warmed. Luckily, Vera liked him so much that even though Vivienne and her twin brother were riding with Jeremy, Vera stayed beside Ezekiel. That small gesture meant the world to him and took away some of the bitterness.But still, it didn’t change the fact that Vivienne didn’t choose him. Ezekiel gritted his teeth as he pulled into the arena parking lot. He felt a mix of frustration and jealousy boiling inside him. His tight grip on the steering wheel showed his tension. Vera, seated beside him, noticed her father’s bad mood.“Dad, are you okay?” she asked with her voice full of concern.Ezekiel forced a smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m fine, Vera. Just a bit stressed.”“Is it because of Jeremy?” Vera asked innocent
VIVIENNE COULDN’T BELIEVE what had just happened. Ezekiel had kissed her in front of everyone—Jeremy, the kids, and the entire arena. Her mind raced with confusion and shock. The crowd around them cheered loudly, not really aware of what was wrong with what Ezekiel did. Vivienne glanced at Jeremy, who looked stunned and hurt. Vince and Vera were wide-eyed, staring at their parents.Ezekiel, however, seemed pleased with himself. He smirked and looked at Jeremy, as if he had won some imaginary competition. Vivienne’s cheeks flushed because of embarrassment. She had been uncomfortable with the idea of kissing Jeremy in front of the kids, and now Ezekiel had made things even more complicated. She could still feel the imprint of his lips on hers, and it left her feeling unsettled.Yet, on the other hand, Vivienne’s heart kept pounding in her chest. It was as if her heart was betraying her and feeling happy with something she was not supposed to be enjoying. She wanted to say something,