NoahI looked at Raymond, feeling the weight of everything that had transpired. The mix of hope and hurt in his eyes was undeniable. I could see how deeply this situation was affecting him. I hesitated for a moment. I couldn’t bear the thought of breaking up our family. But he had broken my heart and shattered my trust."I... I don’t know, Raymond. I need time to think,” I said honestly. “I think I should move out for a bit, and go back to my old penthouse. We both need some time and space, to cool off and reconsider everything."His face fell. A mix of sadness and resignation clouded his features. “I understand,” he said, his voice heavy. Despite his acceptance, I could see the strain in his eyes. It was clear that he was hurting, but I had to do what was right for myself. The betrayal was still fresh. It was clear that Raymond had cheated on me. And while Clara's manipulations had played a role, Raymond’s actions were his own responsibility.As I wrestled with my thoughts, a messa
NoahI stared at Raymond, my heart pounding as his words sank in. “Oh…” I struggled to find the right words. “When… when are you leaving?”His face fell, a look of disappointment crossing his hazel eyes. I could see that my choice of words, “when are you leaving” instead of “when are we leaving,” had hurt him deeply. The realization that I was speaking in terms of separation rather than unity stung. I felt a pang of regret, wishing I could take back my words.“I’m not leaving without you, Noah,” Raymond said, his voice laden with sincerity. After a long pause, he continued, “Take as long as you need to consider it.”“Okay… I’ll think about it…” I said, my voice breaking. Tears welled up in my eyes, making it hard to see clearly. “Goodbye, Raymond.” I could barely get the words out before the tears began to spill over. Neil had decided to stay behind until I was settled in. He ran up to me, his small face crumpling with sadness.“Goodbye, Mommy,” Neil cried, his voice trembling.“I’ll
RaymondAfter Noah left, I was a shell of myself. The mansion had turned into a place of suffocating despair. I tried to hold it together for Neil’s sake, but the effort was exhausting. I worked from home, unable to bear the thought of walking into the office. My reflection in the mirror was a ghost of its former self. My unshaved stubble and eyes heavy with sleepless nights, were nothing like the man I had been only a week ago. I was losing myself in the despair of losing the love of my life.Every day, I replayed the events over and over, searching for some clarity. I wished I could explain to Noah that nothing significant happened with Clara. But the more I replayed it, the more I doubted myself. Clara’s ‘accidental’ kiss—why hadn’t I pulled away sooner? And the incident at the tennis court, when Clara leaned into me, making me uncomfortable—why did I let it go that far? The night we spent on the couch, watching that movie, why didn’t I just go to bed? Not only that, my belief in
NoahI clutched the phone to my ear, my knuckles white, as I paced across the penthouse floor. “Don’t lie to me, Raymond. I know Clara was with you,” I demanded. My voice was tight with frustration and lingering betrayal.“Noah, no… Clara’s visit was unsolicited. I immediately sent her away,” Raymond’s voice came through, calm but tinged with desperation. He sounded sincere. But how many times had I trusted his words only to be hurt again?I hesitated. My anger wavered as a soft, uncertain “Oh…” slipped from my lips. I wanted to believe him. But the image of Clara in our home gnawed at me. “I hope you’re telling me the truth, Raymond,” I said, my voice softening despite myself.“I promise you I am, Noah,” Raymond insisted, his tone even more earnest. “She was only here for two minutes. Ask Neil if you want to fact-check.”I let out a slow breath, some of the tension draining from my shoulders. “Okay… Sorry for freaking out, Raymond.” My words were quiet, almost a whisper. It felt str
Noah“Hi, Mr. Weston. It’s so good to hear from you. How is my mother? Is she okay?” I tried to keep the panic out of my voice, though my heart raced with anxiety.“Evelyn is finally out of quarantine, Noah. You can visit her now,” he answered, relief and warmth evident in his voice.“Oh, thank God! Thank you so much for letting me know. Neil and I will visit you both tomorrow.”As I hung up the phone, a wave of emotions crashed over me. I had waited so long for this moment. To finally reunite with my mother. To introduce her to Neil, the grandson she had never met. The thought of seeing her again brought tears to my eyes, but they were tears of relief and gratitude.“Neil,” I called, turning to my son, who was watching the fish in the zoo’s aquarium. “Guess what? You’re going to meet Grandma tomorrow!”Neil’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really, Mommy? I finally get to meet Grandma?”I smiled at his enthusiasm. “Yes you will, darling. And we want to make a good impression.”The next
NoahMr. Weston, Evelyn and Neil all looked at me with expectant faces. I didn’t know what to say. I hesitated, the question cutting deep. The painful look in my eyes must have given away my inner turmoil.“Raymond, uh… Things are a bit… complicated right now,” I replied, my voice tight with emotion.Evelyn noticed my distress immediately and changed the subject. She turned to Neil with a warm smile. “So, Neil, how are things in school?”Neil started chatting away about his friends and teachers, and proudly announced he got the best grade in his class this semester. “That's amazing, Neil. You must make your mommy very proud,” Evelyn said with a warm smile.“He sure does,” I replied, smiling gratefully at Evelyn for the smooth distraction. A little later, she asked if I wanted to take a walk through the garden with her. While Neil was playing fetch with the little dog on the other side of the lawn, we strolled through her quaint vegetable and herb garden. The air was filled with the s
NoahThe sound of Cassandra's excited voice filled the air as she spun around, a whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm. I watched her with a mix of amusement and hesitation. Vegas? I wasn’t sure if I could. My heart was still heavy, weighed down by everything that had happened with Raymond. The idea of celebrating anything just felt… wrong.“I know you’re my maid of honor, Noah, so traditionally you would be in charge of organizing my bachelorette party. But with everything you’re going through… I thought I’d take it on myself,” Cassandra explained, her smile bright and infectious.I opened my mouth to protest, to tell her that I wasn’t up for it. My mind was a fog of confusion and sadness. The last thing I felt capable of right now was partying in Las Vegas.“Oh… I don’t know, Cass… I’m not really in the best space right now,” I began, trying to find the right words to let her down gently. “Exactly,” she interjected, her tone firm yet gentle. “This will be the perfect distraction, Noah
NoahThe policeman, tall and broad-shouldered, pulled me up against him. “You are under arrest for being too beautiful tonight,” he said, his voice low and playful.Oh no… Suddenly, it dawned on me. Did Cassandra hire a stripper for me?! The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt my face flush with mortification. I glanced over at Cassandra, who was laughing so hard she could barely stand. The other girls joined in. Their laughter echoed in my ears, making my embarrassment even more unbearable.I couldn’t believe this was happening. How did I go from dealing with marital chaos, to being the center of a bachelorette party gone wild in Las Vegas? I wanted to disappear. To melt into the floor and escape the humiliation. This wasn’t me. I wasn’t the kind of person who enjoyed this kind of attention. Especially not from a complete stranger who was only here because he was paid to be.The other stripper, equally as muscular but with a charming grin, focused on Cassandra. “Good e