NoahI sprinted up the stairs. My heart was pounding in my chest, dread curling in my stomach. “Neil, are you okay?!” My voice echoed off the walls, sharp with panic. “Who’s there?”A dozen scenarios raced through my mind. Could it be my mother again, making one of her surprise visits? She had a habit of appearing unannounced. But something in my gut told me this wasn’t her. The air was thick with a tension that chilled me to the bone.Almost at the top of the stairs, I heard it—a voice, familiar yet unexpected.“Hey, Neil!”It was soft, sugary. The kind of voice that felt out of place here, in my sanctuary.“Auntie Clara! You gave me such a fright!” Neil’s excited voice cut through the tension.Clara.My pulse quickened. My hands curled into fists at my sides as I reached the landing. What the hell was she doing here, showing up at my home uninvited?I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself before turning the corner. When I finally stepped into the hallway, I saw her standing by th
NoahClara’s eyes locked onto mine, her expression unreadable. Her smile was slightly too wide to be genuine. I could almost see the gears turning behind her pretty facade. But what exactly was she up to? “Why do you ask?” I replied, my voice sharp. She studied me for a moment before finally speaking.“Well…” she began, her voice soft and deliberate, “I think I lost a necklace at the mansion. It might still be in the guest room, where I used to stay.” Her lips were curled into a thin smile, but the gleam in her eyes sent a shiver down my spine. “I don’t want to go when Raymond is there. Maybe... one day, when he’s out, you could take me there and I can look for it?”Her words were simple enough. But something about her tone, the way her gaze lingered on me, made me uneasy. Why would she only remember that necklace now? And why the mansion, of all places?I forced a smile, though every instinct screamed at me not to trust her. “I, uh, unfortunately don’t have a key to the mansion anym
NoahThe wedding was everything Cassandra had dreamed of—a true fairytale brought to life. The venue was set on a sprawling estate, surrounded by lush gardens that seemed to stretch on forever. Twinkling lights were woven through the trees, casting a soft, romantic glow across the scene. Rows of white chairs lined the path to the altar, draped in delicate lace and adorned with blush-colored roses. The air was warm, carrying the sweet scent of flowers mixed with the faint aroma of champagne. It was breathtaking—luxurious, romantic, and undeniably perfect for Cassandra.I stood by the aisle, my heart beating faster with every passing moment. As Cassandra’s maid of honor, I had the best view of everything—the guests arriving, the intricate floral arrangements, the beautiful way the sunset painted the sky with pink and orange hues. But my thoughts kept drifting, tugging me in a direction I wasn’t prepared to face.Raymond.As the best man, he stood directly across from me. He was facing
NoahRaymond watched me approach from the fountain, his expression unreadable. Though there was something pensive in the way his eyes tracked my movements. I could feel the weight of unspoken words between us, thickening the air. The quiet buzz of the wedding reception faded into the background as my heart pounded in my chest. Each step I took toward him felt heavier, filled with the dread of what was to come.His gaze didn’t waver. It wasn’t the same Raymond I had once known—there was a sadness behind his usual confidence. A vulnerability that caught me off guard. As I drew closer, I steeled myself, summoning the courage to tell him the news.“Can we talk? Privately?” I asked, my voice steady but brittle. He didn’t respond right away. He just gave a small nod, then stood up. The way he carried himself, shoulders slightly hunched, told me this conversation wasn’t going to be easy.We walked in silence toward the garden at the back of the estate. The lights twinkled softly above us, c
NoahThis wasn’t the first time I received photos of Owen cheating on me. The blonde hair and slender build of the woman kissing him reminded me of my best friend Josie. Could it be…? No, she would never do that to me! With trembling fingers, I dropped my phone. How could my husband cheat on me?! I thought I was the most important person in his life.After 7 horrible years at the orphanage, I was adopted by Owen’s family. I saved Owen's life when we were young. His family was so grateful that they took me in. How could Owen betray me after everything we went through?! We grew up together and were always inseparable. We fell in love and got married when we were 22 years old. I can’t believe that was almost 3 years ago now.But Owen had been acting very strange lately. These photos seemed to explain why… I had to confront him. “Owen?” I called out. “Owen, where are you?” He didn't answer. He must be upstairs.I walked up the stairs and heard him talking to his friend Simon on the pho
NoahMy heart sank when Owen picked up the phone. The screen clearly said “Josie”. He answered: “Hello? Yes, of course, sir. I can take a look at those documents for you.”I couldn't believe Owen was lying to my face. He glanced at me, then quickly walked over to the kitchen.When he thought I couldn't hear him, his voice softened. He sounded so sweet. Although I couldn’t hear his words, the way he spoke to Josie reminded me of the beginning of our romance.Owen was still trying to hide his betrayal from me. He must have forgotten that he gave away his secret last night, when he called me Josie. Those pictures on my phone left no doubt. He was cheating on me, with my best friend.I leaned up against the wall. I felt weakened by my fever and this emotional rollercoaster. I stared at my husband as he came back inside the living room. He avoided my eyes.It felt as if he had become a stranger. In the past, he would’ve never let me suffer like this.“I’ll pick you up later.” Owen said, re
NoahRaymond quickly let go of me as Owen approached us. Just before taking a step back.I stumbled over to my husband. I wanted to lean on him for support, but he didn’t seem to care about me at all. All I could read on his face was anger. I tried to be strong and stand by myself, shivering with fever.“So, you’ve got a new love, huh? I saw you flirting with my uncle!” Owen spat his angry words at me. I turned pale. How could he say this to me? Especially after what he had done? I wasn’t the one who couldn’t be trusted!“Owen! How dare you talk to her like that! It’s not our family’s manner!” Raymond berated him. He was fuming with rage at the injustice. He also knew about Owen's betrayal.Owen was a little timid when Raymond got angry. Although Raymond was only 31 years old, he had become a successful CEO. He had idolized Raymond when he was a child. And now, Raymond was also his boss. Owen had recently started working at his company.Raymond’s fists were clenched and his tense musc
NoahI just couldn’t accept it. I loved him so much. How could he cheat on me?“Why, Owen? I thought we loved each other. I thought we would be together forever. Did I do something wrong?” I cried.Owen didn’t respond. He drove us home in silence. His cruelty was too much for me to bear. I stared at the raindrops on the window. I felt more depressed than ever.That afternoon, Owen left again. I tried having some food and a nap, hoping that would help me heal. But I just couldn't fall asleep until Owen came back home in the early evening.I had to talk to him. I got out of bed and met him at the top of the stairs. “Owen, we need to talk about what happened. You can’t keep going out and avoiding me.”He was obviously drunk again. All he said was, “I don’t have anything to say to you. I am moving out, Noah. I supposed our years of marriage is a mistake!”I took his hands in mine and begged him to stay and try to work it out. But he shook off my hands and pushed me away.I was standing ri