VIVIENNEI sat in the office, sorting through fabrics and design sketches for our upcoming fashion collaboration. Ezekiel was sitting across from me, going through some papers. Since the kids started their new school year, I finally had the chance to return to work, but I carefully balanced everything. I only stay at the office while they’re at school and always head home when they do. I just can’t bring myself to leave them alone again after what happened with the kidnapping. It’s still fresh in my mind, and I want them to feel safe and know that I’m there for them. Either Ezekiel or I make sure one of us is always present, no matter how busy we get. Their security and happiness come first now.Ezekiel and I had been working on this project for a few weeks now, and I had to admit, it felt good to be back in the creative flow. “Hey,” Ezekiel suddenly called out, pulling me from my thoughts.I glanced up, and he was leaning back in his chair with that familiar playful smile on his f
“ARE YOU LEAVING already?” Genesis asked Vera as he walked beside her. They just stepped out of the classroom. Vera’s backpack was bouncing lightly as she walked with Genesis. The school day had ended, but she wasn’t leaving just yet. She glanced around the school grounds, wondering where her brother was.“No, not yet,” Vera replied, shaking her head. “I’m waiting for Vince. He’s at soccer practice. Then we’ll wait for our mom and dad to pick us up.”Genesis smiled. “That’s nice. You always wait for each other?”“Yeah since our parents said we should always stick together,” Vera said, shrugging. “We usually leave together.”As they reached the field, Vera spotted Vince practicing alone. He was dribbling a soccer ball. His focus was intense, like he was shutting out everything around him. Vera watched for a moment, admiring how good her brother was at soccer.Genesis noticed her watching Vince and nudged her lightly. “Do you play soccer too?” he asked, his tone playful.Vera shook h
“LET’S SEE WHAT you’ve got.” Genesis smirked as he rolled the ball toward the center of the field. Vera watched nervously, sensing the tension between the two boys. She knew Vince could be competitive, but she didn’t want him to take this too far.“Guys, it’s just a game,” Vera said, trying to ease the tension.But Vince and Genesis were already focused, their eyes locked on each other as they prepared to play. Vera sighed, stepping back to let them have their match. She just hoped it wouldn’t end in a fight.Vince narrowed his eyes, determined to show Genesis what he could do. He dribbled the ball quickly, moving with confidence, but Genesis stayed right with him. Every time Vince tried to break away, Genesis was there, keeping up."Not bad," Genesis said, stealing the ball from Vince with ease.Vince gritted his teeth, running to catch up. He wasn’t used to someone matching him like this. He managed to get the ball back, but before he could make a solid move, Genesis was in front o
VIVIENNE“Vince, Vera, remember to behave,” I reminded them as we walked into the event. I shot a quick glance at both of them, giving my best serious-mom look. They nodded, though I could see the excitement bubbling in Vera’s eyes and the slight nonchalance in Vince’s. He was always calm and composed, but I could tell he was curious about the fashion show, even if he wouldn’t admit it.“They’ll behave, don’t worry,” Ezekiel assured me, a soft smile on his face as he placed his hand gently on my back. “Right, kids?”“Yes, Dad,” they both answered in unison, making me feel a little more relaxed. We were attending one of the biggest fashion events of the year. I had been invited as a guest to a fashion show hosted by Aton, the most famous designer of our time. It still felt unreal that we were here. Honestly, I was shocked when Aton himself contacted me. I hadn’t spoken to him in months, and I didn’t think he’d even remember me. But somehow, he did. And not only did he remember me, bu
AFTER ATON HINTED about the seemingly weird relationship of Ezekiel and Vivienne, Vivienne couldn’t help but gulp. “Well, a lot has changed since then.” It was Ezekiel who answered. His voice was calm but strong. He didn’t look away, meeting Aton’s eyes with confidence. It wasn’t regret, just a statement that things were different now.Aton raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more behind Ezekiel’s words. But he didn’t push for details. He gave them a small smile instead. “I see. Well, I’m glad to see you both here. Life has a funny way of bringing people back together, doesn’t it?”Vivienne nodded, giving a polite smile. “It sure does.”Aton smiled and turned to Vivienne. "By the way, I’m really looking forward to seeing you at the upcoming award ceremony. I heard we’re both nominated for Best Designer of the Year."Vivienne blinked, surprised that Aton had even known about her nomination. She had been too busy with her own work and family to think much about the awards. She even a
VIVIENNE "Is what Genesis said true? Were you messing with the lights?" I asked as I turned to Vince, trying to keep my voice steady. Vince’s eyes widened, and he shook his head quickly. "No, Mom! It wasn’t me. It was Genesis. He was the one doing it. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen—" Before Vince could finish explaining, Genesis cut in smoothly. "Come on, Vince. Don’t try to turn this around on me. I caught you messing with the lights, and now you’re trying to frame me for it." He said it so convincingly. His voice was calm and his expression was innocent.I sighed, trying to calm myself and not blush because of shame. I knew Vince never liked Genesis. In fact, Vince always seemed uncomfortable around him. As much as I wanted to believe my son, I couldn’t ignore the possibility that Genesis might be telling the truth. After all, it wasn’t like Vince to get along with him, and maybe his frustration got the better of him tonight.I took a deep breath, my mind swirling
VINCE WAS STILL fuming as he sat in the backseat of the car, replaying last night’s events over and over in his head. He couldn’t believe his mom didn’t trust him. ‘I was telling the truth! Why didn’t she believe me?’ The thought bothered him so much that he clenched his fists just thinking about it. The worst part was that Genesis got away with it. His stupid grin when he blamed Vince for messing with the lights—it was still fresh in Vince’s mind.At least his dad believed him. Vince felt a little bit better knowing that his dad was on his side. ‘Dad knows I wouldn’t lie about something like this.’ But still, the fact that his mom thought he might have done it made him feel more upset than he wanted to admit.When he got to school the next morning, Vince was still grumpy. He walked through the hallway with his sister, Vera, next to him. She kept trying to cheer him up, but nothing seemed to work. “Hey, Vince, are you still upset about last night?” Vera asked as they walked towar
VERA’S CHEEKS WERE still burning as she stormed out of the canteen. ‘I can’t believe Vince said that,' she thought, her mind racing. 'Genesis? My crush? No way!’She shook her head, trying to push away the idea. Sure, she admired Genesis, but it wasn’t a crush. Or was it? Her face turned even redder at the thought, and she groaned in frustration.It’s not true, she told herself. ‘I don’t like him like that. He’s just… he’s just cool, that’s all.’But the more she tried to convince herself, the more confused she felt. ‘Why does Vince have to tease me like that?’As she hurried out of the canteen, trying to escape her brother’s teasing, something caught her attention. A group of boys stood near the entrance, crowding around a smaller girl. The girl looked terrified, clutching her lunch tray as one of the boys tried to snatch it from her.“Come on, just give it to us!” one of the boys jeered, shoving the girl lightly. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she held onto her tray tighter, r
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