“You’ve got to be kidding,” Brenda said, her mouth forming a perfect circle. “Are you saying Ivan Carlos came to your shop today, after three years?” I nodded, still trying to process it myself. “Yes, Brenda, and now he knows about Kelly. He even asked me if I was married.” Brenda shifted on the couch, settling into a more comfortable position, her eyes wide with intrigue. “What a coincidence! I knew if Ivan loved you, he wouldn’t just let you go.” I rolled my eyes at her comment. “Brenda, this isn’t some romantic reunion. This is far more complicated than that. I don’t want Ivan anywhere near Kelly or me.” “Why?” Brenda’s tone shifted, her expression serious as she studied me, making me feel the weight of my decision. I sighed, rubbing my temples. “There’s so much you don’t know, Brenda. When I left, it wasn’t just because of Ivan. His mother… she made it impossible for me to stay. She threatened me, told me to leave or else she’d ruin my life.” Brenda’s brows furrowed. “What? W
"Kelly, sweetie," I leaned down to her level and gently ran my hand through her hair. "I promise we'll come back another time, but Mom isn't feeling too well right now."Kelly pouted, her bottom lip sticking out in disappointment. It tugged at my heart. I knew how much she had been looking forward to this trip, but I had to do what I had to do.I took her hand softly, squeezing it gently. "I promise I'll make it up to you."She sighed, her small hand resting on top of mine. "Okay, Mommy," she said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "But I really wanted to see the lions today."My heart clenched. “I know, baby. We’ll come back soon, I promise.” I kissed her forehead, hoping that would ease the sting of disappointment. She gave me a weak smile, nodding in understanding, though I could see she was still upset.Brenda shot me a look, silently asking if I was okay. I nodded, but I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep up the charade of calm. Ivan and that woman, whoever she was, were
“Mommy, I got ice cream for you!” Kelly shouted, skipping towards me with a bright smile, holding out a small cup of melting strawberry ice cream. Brenda followed closely behind, but when she saw Ivan, her steps faltered. She gave me a knowing look, her eyes wide with concern.Kelly stopped just a few feet away from Ivan and tilted her head. “Hey, I remember you,” she said innocently. “You’re the one who came to buy some flowers.”Ivan's face softened as he crouched down to her level, offering her a small smile. “That’s right. And you helped me pick the best ones,” he said gently, his eyes shifting between Kelly and me.Brenda cleared her throat, breaking the moment. “Vera, do you want me to take Kelly for a walk around the park while you... finish up here?” she asked, her tone hinting at the tension.“That won’t be necessary, we should head back home,” I replied, trying to sound calm but feeling the tension coil tighter in my chest. I didn’t want any more interactions between Ivan a
“That’s for the patronage,” I said, waving to Mr. Hawkins as he headed out after placing a large order of flowers. “I hope to see more of you.”“Very well, Veronica. Say hi to that little angel for me,” he replied, pushing open the door with a smile.I took a deep breath, returning to the ledger to finish logging the sale when a voice, one I hadn’t heard in years, froze me in place. That voice, cold and commanding, had chased me out of Canada three years ago.“Good morning. My son said he got some flowers from this shop yesterday. I’d like to order more for his wedding ceremony.”The words echoed in my head like an alarm. Slowly, I looked up, and there she stood—Mrs. Carlos. Her eyes widened with shock, her mouth forming a perfect O.“Veronica Carlisle?” she gasped, her voice breathy with disbelief. “Oh my, what a coincidence.”I clenched my jaw, the memory of her threat hitting me like a wave, and I could feel the anger bubbling up inside. This was the woman who had forced me to leav
After putting Kelly to bed, I walked into the living room and collapsed onto the couch, rubbing my forehead and taking a deep breath to steady myself.“Don’t tell me you’re overthinking again,” Brenda said as she entered the room, taking a seat beside me. She grabbed the remote and switched on the TV.“I’m not. I just finished putting Kelly to bed,” I replied, trying to sound casual, though my mind was still racing. “So, how was your day? How did the date go?”Dean, Brenda’s co-worker, had been a new interest in her life, and she’d been excited about their date. The blush on her cheeks was all the confirmation I needed.She smiled, looking down shyly. “It was pretty amazing. Dean’s so easy to talk to, and he comes from a wealthy family.” She turned to the TV, flipping through channels, but suddenly her eyes widened, nearly popping out of her head. “Oh my gosh!”Curious, I followed her gaze to the screen. My stomach dropped. There, on the screen, was a video of Ivan Carlos, my Ivan, an
The next morning, I woke up feeling drained, a dull ache throbbing in my head. I took some painkillers before dragging myself to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. By the time I’d finished making pancakes, Brenda and Kelly walked in, the bright energy between them a stark contrast to how I felt.“Good morning, Mom,” Kelly chirped as she made her way over to the tray of pancakes, her small hands gripping the edge of the table as she stretched to peek at what I’d made. “Mommy, I want to see. I want to learn how to make breakfast.”I smiled at her eagerness, but before I could respond, Brenda swooped in, tickling her sides. “Hey, baby, don’t grow up too fast!” she teased, making Kelly giggle. “When you’re a bit older, I’ll personally teach you everything you need to know.”Kelly pouted, crossing her arms dramatically. “But that’s so far away! My teacher says I’m like a tiny pebble.” She held her fingers close together to demonstrate, her face serious in the way only a determined child cou
Ivan stood near the center of the room, looking every bit the star he was. He was dressed in a tailored suit, laughing with a group of guests. But it wasn’t him that made my heart sink, it was her. Nora White. She stood by his side, her hand casually resting on his arm, her smile bright and genuine as she looked up at him. They looked perfect together.The thought of her reminded me of Isabel and at that moment I started to wonder why it wasn't Isabel Ivan was getting married to rather than a totally different person. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to keep walking. I wouldn’t let them see the hurt in my eyes. Not yet.As I made my way through the crowd, Ivan’s gaze finally landed on me. His expression froze, shock washing over his features as he took in my presence. He excused himself from the group and started walking toward me, confusion and something else, something I couldn’t quite read, written across his face.“Veronica?” His voice was barely audible over the noise of the pa
“All I’ve been waiting for is a moment when you’d stand up to my mother,” Ivan whispered into my ear as he held me in his embrace.His words sent a rush of confusion and anger through me. I pulled out of the hug hastily, glaring at him, my heart pounding with disbelief. How could he say that now, after everything? I turned to Nora, who stood a few feet away, her arms crossed, staring at me with amusement in her eyes.“You think this is funny?” I snapped, my voice shaking with emotion. Nora raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “Funny? No, just… interesting. I didn’t think you had it in you.”Mrs. Carlos groaned in frustration, her eyes darting between me and Ivan, her anger barely contained. “Mark, Frank. Get this lowlife out of here.“The whispers in the dining hall increased with gasp and chattering. As the two bodyguards standing by the door rushed towards where I was ready to pull me away but Ivan came between us, his figure blocking them from reaching me.“No one is ta