The video played on the screen, the damning footage of that night when Nathaniel had kissed me. The guests were murmuring, their gazes shifting between the screen and me. My heart pounded so loudly I could hardly hear anything over it.Nathaniel stood from his chair, scanning the room with a confused expression. He shook his head as if trying to deny what was unfolding in front of everyone.“Ivan, please, it’s not what it looks like. I can explain,” I said, my voice trembling, trying to reach Ivan, who stood frozen, his gaze locked on the screen.“Ivan, nothing happened. It’s a setup! You have to believe me!” Nathaniel added, his voice pleading, but Ivan didn’t even glance at him. He was like a statue, eyes dark with disbelief and rage.Then, in an instant, Ivan turned and punched Nathaniel square in the face. The sound of the blow echoed through the hall as Nathaniel staggered backward, holding his jaw.“I didn’t do anything! It was an accident!” Nathaniel tried to defend himself, bu
“It was them, Nathaniel and Mrs. Carlos,” I cried, sitting on the couch in Brenda’s apartment, still wearing my wedding gown. The veil had been torn into two pieces, and streaks of mascara ran down my cheeks from all the crying. The day I had pinned so much hope on had been completely shattered. Kelly lay quietly in my lap, resting her head, not saying a word since we left the wedding venue. I felt terrible for her, this wasn’t how I’d imagined things would turn out, especially after telling her Ivan was her father.“I knew something was wrong when Mrs. Carlos suddenly changed. I should’ve known she had something up her sleeve. And Nathaniel...”“V, calm down. We’ll figure it all out later,” Brenda said, her voice gentle but firm. “Right now, you need to get in touch with Ivan. He’s the one dealing with the biggest shock.”“I can’t, Brenda. His line isn’t going through, and I’m not sure he even wants to talk to me right now,” I sniffed, feeling the crushing weight of everything. “My l
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared at the hateful comments flooding the internet. The notifications had been piling up on my phone since I woke up, each sharp ding like a dagger, cutting deeper into my already shattered heart.Veronica Carlisle doesn't deserve to be with Ivan Carlos. She's a snake.How could she do that to him?I'm sure Nathaniel never wanted to do it. She probably led him on.How can she fall in love with two brothers?She kissed him, Veronica Carlisle. I never liked her from the start.She's a club girl, what do you expect from someone like that? Poor Ivan. He thought she loved him.The words blurred through my tears, but their sting remained. Each comment felt like a slap in the face. People I didn’t know, people who knew nothing about my life, were judging me, labeling me a monster. They didn’t know the truth. They didn’t know what Nathaniel had done, how Mrs. Carlos had played her part in ruining everything."Veronica Carlisle has no shame."My chest ached,
After hours of waiting for the media and Ivan fans to leave, I pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a black hoodie from my closet. I slipped into them quickly, pulling the hood over my head and grabbing a pair of sunglasses from the table.With everything that had happened recently, the internet scandal, and the hate I was receiving, the last thing I wanted was to be recognized. Any slip-up in my disguise would only attract more attention. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my hoodie as I prepared to leave the house.I had to see Ivan. I had to explain everything. Brenda had suggested it, and I could only hope it wouldn’t turn out badly. “I don’t think this is a good idea,” I mumbled, looking at Brenda, who was doing her best to encourage me. “What if he doesn’t listen to me?”“You have to try, at least,” she replied gently. “If he really loves you, I’m sure he’ll forgive you.”I lowered my gaze, feeling tears welling up as I tried to convince myself that everything would be okay.
“V, please, you need to come out of the room. I’m begging you,” Brenda pleaded, knocking softly on the door.I stared at the door, too drained to even move. My body ached, and I had spent the entire night torturing myself with thoughts of what to do next. Where would I even begin? How would I tell Kelly that her father no longer wanted anything to do with me?Brenda knocked again, more urgently this time. I forced myself up from the bed, each step feeling like a mountain to climb, and made my way to the door. As I opened it, Brenda rushed in, her eyes scanning me, then the room, as if she was expecting the worst, that I had hurt myself. But I hadn’t.Not physically, at least.Brenda’s face softened with relief, but her concern didn’t fade completely. She closed the door behind her and led me back to the bed, sitting beside me.“V, you can’t go on like this. You have to fight for yourself, for Kelly,” she said, her voice gentle but firm. “You’re stronger than this, I know you are. You’
"Mommy, I don't feel so good," Kelly called out as she walked into the room.I rushed toward her, but before I could reach her, she collapsed, falling unconscious. "Kelly, baby!" I cried, trying to wake her, but she didn’t respond. Her skin burned with fever, and her small body felt weak. "Please, baby, don't do this to me. Please wake up."Brenda hurried over, touching Kelly's hand to check her temperature. Her eyes widened in alarm, and without hesitation, she scooped Kelly into her arms. "We need to get her to the hospital. Now."We rushed to the car, Brenda still holding Kelly close. She gently laid her on the back seat, and I slid in beside her, cradling her in my lap. I was trying to hold myself together, but I felt faint, my head spinning from fear and anxiety.Brenda pulled out of the driveway and into the main road, speeding towards the hospital. I held Kelly close, my heart pounding with fear. Her small body felt so fragile in my arms, her face pale as her breathing came in
We sat in the car for a while, the silence thick between us. I leaned back in my seat, my mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. I couldn’t step out into the world without people noticing, without cameras flashing or videos being taken. Starting over or returning to Canada seemed impossible now.“Looking for Ivan feels impossible,” I said softly, frustration seeping into my voice. “I don’t even know where to begin. I can only hope he comes back to me.”Brenda gave me a reassuring smile, her voice steady. “He will, V. I believe he will.”She always tried to find the light in the darkest situations, even when I couldn’t see any hope. But this time, everything felt overwhelming, and my mind was too clouded to think straight.Brenda started the car, pulling away from the hospital. The streets were quiet as we drove, neither of us speaking. The rhythmic hum of the engine lulled me, and before I knew it, I closed my eyes and drifted off into a restless sleep, the weight of the past d
He clicked his tongue. “You know that’s not possible. I can’t leave at this moment, not when I know you need me most in your life.” His voice was firm, but there was something unsettling in his tone, a hint of control disguised as concern. “Come back to the Carlos mansion, and I promise it will ease the stress.”I stared at him, my heart pounding. His words sounded like a lifeline, but I knew better. The Carlos mansion wasn’t a sanctuary; it was a cage. What’s the point of going back to the only place in the world where I’m not clearly wanted? “I don’t need to go back there, Nathaniel,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “That place isn’t where I belong anymore.”His eyes narrowed slightly, a flash of impatience crossing his face. “You’re making this harder than it needs to be, Veronica. Everything can go back to normal if you just let me help.”“I don’t want your help,” I snapped, finally letting my anger surface. “All you do is manipulate everything around you. You don’t care abou