EthanThe house was quiet. Too quiet for me to live in. I stood in the living room, staring at the space where Reina had been sitting only moments ago. She had walked out after another argument, and I was left to pick up the pieces of a conversation that went terribly wrong.It always went wrong no matter how hard I tried. I felt like everything was slipping through my fingers, like no matter what I did or said, nothing could fix this.I was beginning to accept my fate because everything was becoming frustrating on my end. I could not count the number of times I had sighed. It was countless. I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated and tired of everything that was happening. This was not how things were supposed to go. We had a good life. We had a good family. Why couldn’t we just go back to the way things were before? Before RiRi’s name came up again, before all the secrets I had tried so hard to bury started to resurface.Was IG really necessary to tell your spouse all you
EthanI didn't inform Reina of where I was going. It was even easier because she was not talking to me that much. I just had to wave my car keys in her face and move out.As I drove down the road, the night air was thick. It was almost suffocating for me. I got to the meeting spot in no time and I walked through the park towards where I was meant to meet her. It had been years since I last came here, but everything still felt so familiar to me.Too familiar. The memories I had long tried to forget kept coming to me as I took each step. I tried so hard to shove them aside. That Was not why I was here. I was here to know the truth and not to remember anything in my past.RiRi said someone was watching us. Watching my family. I had to figure out if this was just another one of her mind games or if there was any truth to what she had said. Either way, I could not afford to take chances. It would be very risky to do such a thing. The park was nearly empty, just a few scattered peop
ReinaIt was late, too late for anyone to be out, especially Ethan. But there he was, slipping out of the house as quietly as a shadow. I stood by the window, barely able to believe my eyes. He thought I won't see him or what? I don't want to believe that that thought crossed his mind?Back to the most important thing that bothered me. Where could he be going at this hour? He did not say anything to me, neither did he drop a notice or a clue. He did not even look my way. It was very very unlike him.I know we have been fighting and not talking to each other but, it still didn't make sense to me that he left without telling me. My heart kept beating fast as I watched him walk briskly down the driveway and disappear into the night. Something didn’t feel right to me. Even after our constant argument, it was clear that he was hiding something from me and whenever I brought it up, he shrugged and said that he only hid it from me because he wanted to protect me. Now, watching him snea
Ethan The way everything drastically changed caught me off guard. I began to regret being out in the night with my wife sleeping in the hour, unaware of what was happening. I knew I should not have come here. I knew it the moment I stepped out of the house. The lies were piling up faster than I could manage, but what choice did I have? Keeping Reina safe meant keeping her in the dark. That's all I could do. As I made my way through the quiet streets, my mind was a blur of thoughts, every shadow I passed feeling like a threat. RiRi had called again, and this time her voice was more desperate than ever. She needed help, and I couldn’t ignore her, no matter how much I wanted to. She had just left here a few minutes ago. What then is happening? I parked my car and sat for a moment, gripping the steering wheel tightly. This wasn’t just about RiRi anymore. it had not been for a while. There were people after her, dangerous people. And now, I was tangled in their web. I was
Heart-wrenching Betrayal. REINA I raised my head to find my husband, Ethan walked into the living room, arms tucked together with my step sister as I clutched tightly on the wiper I had in my hand as my heart wrenched in pain at the sight. “You’re back….” I tried to ignore the sight of my husband being so close with another woman and tried to welcome him warmly but he slammed a file on the table, Interrupting me coldly. “Sign it.” He commanded as I saw the smirk on my step sister’s face. My gaze diverted to how she held onto Ethan. This wasn’t the first time I have seen them been so close. I have had to endure the sight of them always together for the past two years even when he was married to me. I bent down to pick the file and opened the driest page. It read Divorce agreement! The file slipped off my hands due to choke. “What the hell are you doing?! Sign the fucking papers and get out of my house, you filthy whore!” My husband breathed in rage, impatience tinged his voice a
REINA SIX YEARS LATER As I catwalked with confidence, my suitcase beside me in the airport lobby, I scanned for any sign of Bruce, and there he was with a cardboard over his head that read “Welcome Back, Reina.” I smiled and walked up to him amidst the crowd of people waiting for their loved ones. “Welcome back, Reina,” Bruce greeted, hugging me. “You look….” “Hot?” I winked, finishing his words as he nodded with a chuckle. I smiled, flipped my hair backwards, and removed my sunglasses. “Of course, I can’t still remain the same old Reina they knew before.” I chuckled, and Bruce understood exactly whom I was referring to. “I am just happy you are living well, Reina.” “Living well?” I asked as he took my suitcase, and we headed out of the airport. “I am not living well, Bruce. Not until I have my revenge on those who killed my child,” I said with a chilly smile as Bruce opened the car door to the sleek limousine he had arranged for me upon my arrival. As he settled in beside me
REINA I pushed him away when it seemed I had had enough and shot him a glare. “Even if you are a fan of mine, you should restrict yourself from acting so irrational in public, Mr. Steele,” I said through gritted teeth to show how I was pissed at his behavior. “What are you saying, Reina? You’re my wife,” Ethan immediately replied like a little boy who was trying to defend himself when he was already caught in the act. Director Steve's eyes widened at the revelation while my body stiffened in rage. “Ex-wife,” I corrected with a cold tone and smiled when I saw the overall shock on his face. “You know each other before?” Director Steve chimed in. “Yeah, she is…” “Don’t make that mistake again, Mr. Steele. My girlfriend doesn’t appreciate her ex trying to claim a certain ownership over her,” Bruce slipped his hand around Reina’s waist as Ethan chuckled in disbelief and his eyes diverted to the hand Bruce placed protectively over me. Nice one Bruce, I thought within me as I snuggle
REINA “You can’t do this, Ravenna.” Ethan made to come close to me, but Bruce blocked him with his hand. “Keep a safe distance from my girlfriend.” “She is not your girlfriend. She is my bloody wife, now you stay away.” Ethan snapped at him while Bruce's stance remained firm. “Don’t act so cute, Ethan. My Sterling Group is as powerful as your Walters Group, so don’t command me like one of your lackeys or I’ll really get pissed,” Bruce warned. When Ethan saw how serious Bruce was, and the small probability of winning against the heir of the Sterling Group, he stepped back but still had his eyes on me. “Can we have a brief talk? Alone?” I could see the pleading look in his eyes. Like hell I cared. “No,” I replied. “If it is about the project, I won’t change my mind.” “Ethan….” Ravenna grabbed Ethan’s arm, who was completely uninterested in her at that point. “Ignore this wench, I will create another project and head it to save Walters Group, trust….” Ethan brushed her off as she