My jaw dropped in disbelief. How could he be so oblivious to the gravity of the situation? With a forced smile, I mustered all the strength I had to maintain my composure."Well, well, well, look who decided to grace us with their presence," I said, my voice laced with sarcasm."What brings you here, Elijah? And why on earth are you in such a sorry state?" He stumbled towards me, his words slurring together."Oh, Samantha, my dear. It's been too long," he mumbled.I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his audacity."You do remember that we broke up, right? Or did that conveniently slip your mind?" I retorted.His laughter filled the air, but it was empty, devoid of any genuine emotion."Come on, sweetheart. Let's have some fun. I miss you," he slurred, his eyes glazed over.My heart raced with anger and disbelief. This was the same person who had betrayed me, and now he had the audacity to use me for his own pleasure?Not a chance. I was not about to let him get away with it."No, Elija
I informed Marcus after dinner that I would take Marco to his room for him to rest. Once I settled Marco in his bed, I sat beside him and gently brushed his hair with my fingers."Goodnight, my little prince," I whispered, planting a soft kiss on his forehead.Marco mumbled, "Goodnight, mommy," his eyes already heavy with sleep.As I prepared to leave the room, I heard a knock on the door. I turned to find Marcus standing there, his hands in his pockets and a serious expression on his face."Can we talk?" he asked, his voice filled with hesitation.I let out a sigh, knowing that this conversation was long overdue. After all, we had been divorced for over a year now and had barely spoken to each other since then."Sure," I responded, closing the door behind me and leading him to the living room."I'll pick you up from work. I'm worried that Elijah might harass you again," he expressed with concern.I defended Elijah because I knew he wasn't in the right state of mind.Marcus stared at
"What?!"Marcus frowned.Elijah sneered and retorted, "She belonged to me.I have every right to fight for her."I was in disbelief. These two men, whom I once cared for, were now battling over me as if I were some sort of trophy. I wanted to scream at them, to make it clear that I was not an object to be claimed. But before I could speak, Marcus stood in front of me, protecting me from Elijah."She's not a possession for you to reclaim. She's a person with emotions, and she chose to be with me. Respect her choice,"Marcus asserted.Elijah's jaw tightened, his eyes burning with anger as he glared at Marcus."You have no idea what you're talking about. She was never truly yours. She was just using you to forget about me."I was shocked by his audacity.I couldn't believe what Elijah was saying about our relationship. Watching his behavior made me doubt everything. "I cared for Marcus, and I care for him still. He was there for me when you weren't. He's the one who helped me heal my broken
Sofia's eyes lit up as she saw Marco running towards her, calling out "Mommy Sofia!" I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as she hugged him tightly."Hey Samantha, it's been a while," Sofia said, glancing around the room.Putting on a smile, I responded, "Yes, it has. How have you been?"Sofia shrugged, "Same old, same old. But enough about me, how's my little man doing?" She turned her attention to Marco."I'm good, mom," Marco replied.Despite my irritation at her possessive tone, I bit my tongue. Marco was my son, not hers. I didn't want to cause any tension in front of him, so I simply said, "He's doing great. He's growing up so fast."Sofia's face lit up with joy, and she eagerly joined Marco on the couch. They immersed themselves in play, their laughter filling the room. It was evident that Marco cherished Sofia's presence, and a twinge of envy tugged at my heart. Despite being his mother, it seemed like Sofia held a special place in his heart, a bond that I yearned to sh
As they stepped into the living room, I welcomed them with a warm smile. Marco wasted no time and rushed towards me, arms outstretched, eager for a hug. "Hi mommy!" he exclaimed, wrapping his arms tightly around me. "Hello, my little sunshine," I responded, returning his embrace. Curious about their outing, I asked, "How was the park?" hoping to strike up a conversation with Marco and Sofia. "It was amazing! Marco had a blast playing with the other kids," Marcus replied, a smile lighting up his face. "Yeah, it was wonderful to see him making new friends," Sofia chimed in, offering me a polite smile. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as I observed Sofia's interaction with my son. The sense of insecurity and inadequacy lingered within me. "Mommy, can we go to the mall again tomorrow?" Marco interrupted my thoughts with his question. "Of course, sweetheart. We can go as often as you'd like, as long as I'm not busy, alright?" I responded, tousling his hair. "Yay!" he excl
I groaned and reluctantly grabbed my phone, contemplating whether to pick up or not. A part of me was tempted to just ignore the call and go back to sleep, while another part was curious so I get up and saw Marcus calling."Hey Sam, could you come downstairs for a moment?"Marcus' voice sounded eager, piquing my interest."Alright, give me a minute,"I responded, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.I quickly changed and made my way downstairs, still feeling drowsy. As I entered the living room, I was taken aback by the sight of a beautifully arranged table with candles and flowers in the middle."What's all this?"I inquired, my eyes widening in surprise.Marcus grinned and pulled out a chair for me. "I wanted to surprise you. I want to make it up to you. I love you," he confessed."Thank you. I love you too,"I replied with a smile.I chuckled and motioned towards the table. "I got your favorite Chinese food. And maybe I took a little wine from your liquor cabinet."I couldn't resist laughin
I hesitated, surprised by his question. I gazed into his eyes, searching for the right words to comfort him."Marcus, you are my everything. I love you and our son more than anything," I assured him sincerely.He exhaled heavily, avoiding my gaze. It was clear my reassurances weren't enough to calm his anxieties. I reached for his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze."However, I can't deny that I still have feelings for Elijah. He was a significant part of my life and helped me in many ways. It's not easy to just forget those emotions," I explained, hoping he would empathize.Marcus' jaw tightened as my words sank in. Despite his efforts to remain composed, the pain reflected in his eyes was unmistakable."I get where you're coming from, Samantha. But it's not easy for me to come to terms with the fact that you still have feelings for him. Especially as we're trying to build a life together," he expressed, his voice tinged with sorrow.Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. It paine
Suddenly, a voice resonated from downstairs, belonging to Marco."Mommy, Daddy!" he exclaimed, his face beaming with a bright smile.Marcus and I exchanged smiles, filled with joy at the sight of our precious child. "Good morning, my sweetheart," I greeted Marco, embracing him tightly."How did you sleep?" Marcus asked, playfully tousling Marco's hair."I slept really well! I had a dream where we all went to the zoo together," Marco exclaimed with excitement."That sounds like a delightful dream," I responded, my heart warmed by his innocence.As I gazed upon my son and Marcus, memories of Elijah's words flooded my mind. He seemed determined to prevent our happiness. Did he have some sinister plan or ulterior motive? I resolved to speak with him later, to clarify things once more.I arrived at the mansion where he was temporarily staying and knocked on the door. He opened it, clearly surprised to see me."Can we have a conversation?"I inquired, maintaining a calm tone.Elijah hesitat
After days had gone by, Marcus had fully recovered from the car accident. Samantha's promise to stand by him had filled him with a sense of warmth and comfort. She had vowed to never believe Elijah's lies again, after he had cunningly framed Marcus and made him believe he was the father of Sofia's child. This revelation had caused Samantha and Marcus to break up, but now they both realized that Sofia and Elijah had manipulated their lives out of an unhealthy obsession.One evening, as Marcus and Samantha sat together in their old house, the doorbell rang. Samantha got up to answer it, and when she opened the door, she was met with the sight of Elijah standing on the doorstep.“What do you want?” Samantha asked, frowning.“I need to talk to you,” Elijah said, his voice filled with desperation.“There's nothing to talk about,” Samantha replied.“You've already caused enough damage.”“Please, just give me a chance to explain,” Elijah pleaded.Samantha hesitated, her eyes fixed on Elijah
AUTHOR’S POVSamantha's face twisted in a mix of confusion and anger as she stormed out of bed towards the door, her heart pounding with emotion. When she laid eyes on Sofia, a sharp word escaped her lips."What brings you here, Sofia?"she demanded, her tone dripping with frustration.Sofia met her gaze, her eyes betraying a sense of remorse."I came to talk to Marcus," she murmured softly."I know what went down."Samantha's anger flared even more."Why are you even here?" she pressed, her voice rising."You know exactly why. You and Elijah orchestrated that whole mess, making Marcus think he cheated on me and got you pregnant. How could you do something like that?"Sofia's gaze dropped, tears welling up."I'm truly sorry, Samantha," she whispered, her voice trembling."None of this was supposed to happen. Elijah and I just wanted to split you and Marcus up. We never imagined it would spiral out of control like this. I never wanted to cause you or Marcus any pain."As Samantha absorb
As I diced onions for dinner, my thoughts drifted to the day's events. The presentation went smoothly, and I couldn't wait to celebrate with Elijah over a delicious meal. The scent of garlic cooking promised a tasty dinner.Just as I grabbed the salt, my phone rang, interrupting my focus. The unknown number made me pause, expecting a sales call. But a gut feeling urged me to answer.“Hello?”I answered cautiously.“Is this Mr. Johnson’s wife ?” a woman's voice inquired urgently.“Marcus Johnson?” I clarified, feeling a sudden unease.“Yes. I'm calling from Mercy Hospital. Your husband, Marcus Johnson, was in a car accident and is in critical condition.”The news hit me like a ton of bricks. 'What?' I gasped, barely able to speak. “Marcus?”“Yes, Ms. Johnson. He's in the ER with serious injuries. We stabilized him, but he needs surgery.”Tears welled up as panic set in. 'I'll be there,' I managed to say, my hands trembling.“Third floor operating room. Come to the front desk,” the nurse
As the sun's rays gently filtered through the curtains, the room was bathed in a comforting warmth. Slowly awakening from my slumber, I couldn't shake off the heaviness in my chest. The absence of my son, Marco, was a constant ache that lingered within me. However, today was a new day, and I was determined to mend things with Sofia.Quietly slipping out of bed, I made my way to the kitchen, where the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Sofia was already there, her lustrous dark hair flowing over her shoulders as she poured herself a cup."Good morning," I greeted her softly, stepping closer.She turned towards me, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and warmth."Good morning, Marcus.""I've prepared breakfast," I announced, motioning towards the table."I hope you have an appetite."A smile graced Sofia's lips. "That's incredibly considerate of you."We took our seats at the table, and I observed her as she savored her meal, her eyes gleaming with pure satisfactio
1 month laterAs we arrived at our new home nestled in a charming countryside town, a mix of emotions flooded my heart. I had taken a leap of faith, leaving behind my painful past to embrace a fresh start in this unfamiliar land, accompanied by Elijah and my son.I couldn't help but notice a change in Marco's demeanor - a distant gaze and a loss of appetite. As he stepped out of the car, his small hand reaching for Elijah's, a wave of concern washed over me, gnawing at my thoughts."Are you alright, my love?" I asked, gently running my fingers through his hair.He looked up at me, his eyes holding a glimmer of sadness."I miss Daddy Marcus," he whispered.My heart sank at his words."I understand, sweetheart," I replied, trying to offer reassurance."But remember, Daddy will come to visit us soon, alright?" I fibbed, hoping to ease his longing.Marco's slow nod indicated that my attempt to console him had fallen short. Unloading the car, the contrast between our new home and the one
SAMANTHA POVFrom my veranda, I observed Marcus's car starting up outside the gate. A pang of envy hit me when I remembered he was staying at Sofia's place.Feeling bitter, I walked to my son Marco's room. He was sitting at his desk, deep in thought."Marco, honey," I started, "Did your daddy leave already? Are you finished playing?"Looking at me with his innocent eyes, Marco replied, "Yes, Mom. Mommy Sofia is sick in the hospital. That's why Daddy had to go."I was taken aback by a sudden wave of astonishment. "In the hospital? Why? What happened?"Marco nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea," he replied."Daddy didn't give me any details. But he assured me he'll be back soon."The gravity of the news hit me like a ton of bricks. Sofia, in the hospital? What could have transpired? Could it be a grave matter? Countless thoughts raced through my mind. Is the baby safe and sound?With a hint of uncertainty, Marco added, "He promised to call me later."The days stretched
As I hunched down, fingertips brushing against the edge of Marco's bed, the muted chuckles of my son resonated in the room, a melody of happiness in our modest abode."Marco!" I shouted, excitement coursing through me as I awaited his reply.The game of Marco Polo commenced, each call and response a ballet between father and son, a fleeting moment of joy amidst life's chaos.Suddenly, My phone buzzed persistently in my pocket.“Hello, who’s this?”I inquired."Mr.Johnson?" The voice on the other end was composed, yet tinged with urgency."This is Doctor Thompson from St. Michael’s Hospital. I’m calling about your wife, Sofia."Dread twisted in my stomach, a frigid wave of fear washing over me as I prepared for the worst."She’s not my wife but what happened? Is she okay?" I demanded, my voice betraying the turmoil within."She’s in the hospital. Your baby is unstable now," Doctor Nurse Thompson explained."Sofia was brought in a short while ago. We’re still evaluating her condition, bu
And now, as I watched Marco cry in anguish, I questioned whether it was right to uproot his life just to keep him away from his father. I’m so very confused at those times, torn between my anger and resentment towards Marcus and love for my son.Marcus had no right to be Marco's father after he impregnated Sofia. The words echoed in my mind, a bitter reminder of the pain and betrayal that had torn our family apart.I trusted him so much that he won’t going to cheat but he betrayed that trust, destroying everything we had built together.But even as I grappled with my anger and resentment, a part of me couldn't help but wonder if forgiveness was possible. Could I ever find it in my heart to forgive Marcus for his indiscretions? Could I let go of the pain and anger that had consumed me for so long, and move forward with my life?"It's okay, baby," I murmured, my voice trembling with emotion. "We'll figure this out together, I promise."Marco looked up at me with tear-filled eyes, his sm
Elijah's concern lingered in the air, weighing heavily on my mind as I sat at the migration office, diligently completing the necessary paperwork for myself, Marco, and Elijah. The pen felt like a burden in my hand, each stroke of ink a testament to the life-altering decision I was making.Leaning against the counter, Elijah observed me with a mixture of worry and curiosity. His voice pierced through the silence, cutting through my thoughts like a sharp knife."Are you absolutely certain about this, Sam?"His question hung in the air, laden with implications. Was I truly sure? It was a question that had plagued me for the past week, ever since I discovered that Marcus had impregnated Sofia. I couldn't bear the thought of him being near Marco while harboring a child with another woman."Yes, Elijah. I am sure," I responded, my voice unwavering despite the uncertainty that swirled within me."This is something I need. It's something we all need."I could see the worry etched on Elijah's