JULIAI shut the door behind me, walking away from the room that made it hard to breathe. As soon as I was out of the vicinity, my legs wobbled, and I felt tears prickling my eyes again. I only acted tough inside, but in reality, I didn’t know what to do. I knew his words held some truth, and that was what I hated the most. I walked until I reached the lobby. I looked around and quickly saw the two of them. Evan was sitting in one of the chairs, holding Andy in his arms. The boy was fast asleep, his small face resting peacefully against Evan’s chest. Evan looked down at him with such tenderness that, for a moment, I felt my breath hitch.It should have been a beautiful picture. It was a beautiful picture. But my chest tightened painfully when, suddenly, an image of Heather emerged right beside Evan. I felt like I was stabbed in the chest. She was dabbing Andy’s forehead with a damp cloth. She moved so gently, and she looked utterly maternal. They looked like the perfect family.
JULIA Dean Jones. He looked to be a doctor now. A resident, maybe? So, it seemed that he actually got to fulfill his parents’ dream. My hands started shaking, and Andy was quickly alarmed. He looked at the man in front of us and glared.However, Dean merely chuckled, raising his hand to ruffle his hair. I stepped back before he could touch Andy. “Woah,” Dean said, raising his hands in surrender. “Feisty now, are we?” I pursed my lips and looked around. “We better go,” I muttered, turning around to leave him. But then, he walked in front of us, the smell of the smoke from his cigarette wafting over us. Andy began to cough, and I quickly took out my handkerchief to cover his mouth. “Hold onto it, bub,” I whispered. Andy nodded and breathed through the handkerchief. “My son has asthma,” I revealed. “Can you please let us go?” “Woah, you didn’t tell me,” he chuckled, placing the cigarette on the ground and stomping it with his foot. “I’ll do anything for our son.” I glared at
EVANDERI entered my apartment, feeling heavier than usual. The way Julia looked at me—it was so suffocating. But then again, I must have made her feel that way several times before. I shook my head and collapsed on the couch, massaging my temples. Just then, the lights opened, making me squint my eyes. “You’re home,” Heather said, revealing herself leaning against the balcony windows. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, and she gave me a pointed look. She was also wearing one of my button-ups while drinking from my wine glass. “Heather,” I muttered, wondering if it was better if I went to my house instead. "Please let rest first," I said, not wanting to argue with her. "A lot has happened." “Oh I know,” Heather said, joining me on the couch and placing her hand on my lap. “Your dad had told me.” I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. Those two had gotten closer ever since the failed engagement party. “What else did he tell you?” I asked, not opening my eyes.
JULIA I looked at my phone and saw multiple texts from Evan. I read through them quietly, biting my lip. “Did you get home safe?” “Is Andy alright now?” “I’ll try talking to my dad. I’ll have the doctor fired, too.” “Julia, please just acknowledge my message.”I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. Why does it feel like he’s suddenly making an effort? I shook my head and sent him a thumbs-up emoji. At least, I hoped that would silence him for a while. I walked through the empty hallways. I was pretty early since Andy didn't have a class today. Well, it was my discretion not to let him go, knowing he deserved to rest after everything he went through yesterday. Coincidentally, Sarah didn’t have any work, too, so it checked out. They were going on a little date today, so I arrived early...a little too early. To my surprise, as I entered the classroom, Mr. Matthews was already there. I stopped in the doorway, my eyebrows raising in surprise. It seemed like he wasn’t expect
JULIA I was in the teacher’s office, waiting for Mrs. White to fetch her cup of coffee from the lounge. I looked around and glanced at my watch periodically. I could already guess what had happened, so I unconsciously clenched my jaw. “Heather,” I whispered, looking around to see if she was there. However, she wasn’t. Of course, she didn’t want to involve herself in this. Finally, Mrs. White arrived with her coffee and our art project. She sat on the chair and was silent for a while. She merely looked at me, staring straight into my soul. Meanwhile, I looked at the final art piece. It wasn't bad at all. However, the background really looked out of place. It seemed like Heather didn’t do anything with my painting of Evan, too. “Miss Johnson, is it?” she started off. I pursed my lips and nodded. “That’s me,” I said.“Hmm, you’re proud of that, aren’t you?” she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Umm, what’s that supposed to mean?” I asked. “That’s not important,” s
JULIA I stepped into the apartment and let out a long, heavy sigh as I closed the door. The scent of sugar and vanilla welcomed me, but even that wasn’t enough to shake off my exhaustion.Dropping my bag by the door, I kicked off my shoes and made my way toward the kitchen, where I heard faint voices and the clanging of utensils. “Mommy!” Andy’s excited voice greeted me before I even rounded the corner.There he was, my five-year-old bundle of energy, standing on his tiptoes by the kitchen counter. I leaned down and pressed a small kiss on his cheek, savoring the warmth of his smile. “Hi, bub. Did you have a good day?” I asked. "Aunt Sarah and I had a fun time," he said. “We even got you a cake!” he then exclaimed, pointing toward the counter where Sarah stood with a wide, knowing grin.“It’s your favorite one,” Sarah added, lifting the box lid to reveal a pink-frosted coconut cake. "Want me to give you a slice?" A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. “Thank you, guys
JULIA "Retiring?" I asked Gianna, who was interrupted when our substitute professor came in. He just wrote the questions we would be answering on the board and went on his way, saying he would be back to collect them by the end of the period. The others also turned toward Gianna's way, curious about her revelation. "That's what I heard," she said. "I had to pass a late assignment to my photography teacher, and it was the talk of the entire faculty room." "Why is that, though?" Harper asked with a frown. "It seems like Mrs. White does not have any plans on retiring this year... or for the many years to come." "That's what I thought, too," Gianna said. I glanced at Heather and saw that her face had gone pale. So, it seemed that she was also unaware of what was happening."Who could it be?" I muttered. "There's another thing I saw that I could only tell the two of you," she whispered, gesturing us to come closer. Harper and I leaned closer to her. "I saw your boyfriend there," sh
JULIA Do I still love him? I looked at the two of them back and forth, a small smile forming on my lips. My mouth opened to respond, but then, the door opened, revealing our substitute teacher. "Times up," he said, already wiping the instructions on the board. "Pass your papers." "I'm not done yet," Harper muttered, quickly writing her answers on the paper. I chuckled and handed my paper to the front. "I finished it while you guys were arguing." They groaned and made use of the few seconds they had. "I'm not accepting late papers," the teacher said, looking around. "Crap," Harper muttered. "I didn't answer the last two questions right." "Same," Gianna said. "I just wrote "art," because everything is art." I shook my head in amusement. Meanwhile, the substitute teacher began looking around. "Who is seated there?" he asked, pointing to Heather's seat. Heather's friend, Nina, looked around while biting her lip. "She went to the bathroom," she said. "She'll be back in a minut
JULIA The day of my first art exhibition had finally come. After the successful launch of our clothing line with Mr. Miyagi, my name had begun circulating in the art world. A year had passed since then, and while I had worked on many projects, this was the first time I was putting my heart and soul on full display.I was a nervous wreck. It was the opening day, and although a lot of people had promised to show up, I felt like it would be an empty exhibition. I stood outside our house and waited for Sarah to pick me up. Evan said he had something to do at his office but would meet me at the exhibition before it opened to the public. After a few moments, Sarah arrived in her brand-new car. She whistled dramatically as she stepped out, running a hand over the hood. "Can you believe it?" she asked, shaking her head in amusement. "Just a year ago, my poor car was on its last breath. Now, look at this beauty. Rui really outdid himself."I chuckled, recalling how stubborn she had been a
MATURE CONTENT AHEADIf you are a minor or if you are not comfortable with this type of content, please skip.RUII had made up my mind.Sarah had been patient, and I could tell. She wanted to take the next step in our relationship. She wasn’t pushy about it, but I could feel it in the way she’d look at me sometimes. I wasn’t dumb. I knew shewanted to have sex. However, the problem was that I had absolutely no experience. So, naturally, I did what any sensible, inexperienced man in his late twenties would do. I overcompensated.I booked an expensive hotel. Well, I didn’t have to pay for anything because Evander gave it to me for free. It was even the penthouse suite. Such an expensive room was given to us for two whole days. I planned every detail. Dinner, room service, the perfect playlist, and condoms that were my size. I didn’t know what size I was, but Evander had given me large ones, saying I was blessed but not as blessed as he was. Sarah was ecstatic when she arrived.“Oh m
HEATHAmsterdam was different from the other places I had been to in the past year. It had a calmer feel that made me feel more grounded. It wasn’t another pit stop to my journey. Instead, it was going to be my new home. I had spent the last twelve months hopping from country to country, working as a marketing researcher while soaking in the culture and the sights of every place I landed in. I had walked through the bustling streets of Tokyo, tasted the spices of Marrakech, and felt the cool sea breeze in Santorini. But there was something about Amsterdam that pulled me in and made me want to stay. Maybe it was the relaxed pace of life or the charming canals. Or maybe it was just because this place offered me the most relaxed job. It was definitely that. In the end, I decided to stay here, knowing I couldn't travel so frequently all my life. Of course, I still thought about Julia from time to time, but not in the way I used to. There was no longing or regret—just the hope that she
RUI“Why did you have to call me?” I asked, gripping the steering wheel as I pulled into the parking lot of the car dealership.Sarah had a habit of calling me for the most trivial things now. Help with decorating her apartment. Help to pick a new phone case. Once, she even called me because she couldn't decide whether to get bananas in her fruit smoothie. It was never anything urgent or anything she truly needed me for. Yet, every single time, I went.I always went.She smirked at me from the passenger seat. “My car is dying, Rui. It makes a noise like a dying cat whenever I start the engine. I need a new one. Besides, I want to arrive at the launch of Ampersand’s new clothing line with Mr. Miyagi in style.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “You could’ve called someone else.”“But I wanted to call you.”Sarah said things like that so easily. She flirted like it was breathing. She was the complete opposite of me, someone who had no experience with women, and yet, she became
MATURE CONTENT AHEADIf you are a minor or if you are not comfortable with this type of content, please skip.EVANDER Julia led me to the bedroom, her hands still on my cock. I could feel her fingers tracing it lightly, and I groaned softly. "You're insatiable," she murmured, her eyes locked on my cock. “Didn’t you just come?” She took me in her hand, her fingers wrapping around my shaft as she stroked me slowly. I groaned, my hips bucking into her touch."I want to taste you," she said. She dropped to her knees, her tongue licking the tip of my cock. I cursed, my hands fisting in her hair as she took me deeper into her mouth. She sucked and licked, her head bobbing up and down as she took me all the way to the back of her throat."Fuck, Julia," I groaned, my hips thrusting into her mouth. She hummed in response which sent vibrations through my body.After a few minutes, she pulled back, her lips glistening with my precum. “I want to try something different. Is that okay?” she shyly
MATURE CONTENT AHEADIf you are a minor or if you are not comfortable with this type of content, please skip.JULIA The drive was quiet but comfortable. The sun was beginning to set, casting orange and pink lights along the horizon, making everything look dreamier. I leaned my head against the window, watching the scenery blur past.Evan’s hand rested on my thigh, caressing my skin every now and then. “Where are we going?” I asked, tilting my head toward him.“You’ll see,” he said, smirking slightly. “Patience, baby.”I huffed, crossing my arms. However, the smile on my lips stayed. After about half an hour, we turned onto a smaller road lined with palm trees, leading to a secluded area near the ocean. The moment I saw it, my eyes widened. The beach stretched endlessly before us. There wasn’t a single soul in sight.A villa stood just a little beyond the sand, its large windows reflecting the colors of the sky.“Evan…” I turned to him, my brows raised. “Just how rich are you?”He
JULIAThe moment I stepped outside into the garden, I felt a lump form in my throat. The soft rustling of leaves and the distant conversations faded into the background as I stood there, facing the two people who had given me life but had also, at one point, chosen to turn their backs on me when I needed them most.It had been so long since I last saw them. In fact, I felt like I still couldn’t meet their gazes eye to eye. Since that day—the day they tried to convince me to give Andy up to Garyn Astor—I had kept my distance. The pain of that moment still felt fresh, but now, standing here, I knew this conversation was inevitable.Evan must have sensed my unease because he leaned in. “We’ll be waiting in the car.”I turned to see him and the others all nodding in silent support before they left. I was grateful for them. Even in moments like this, when I was about to face my past head-on, I was never alone.Now, it was just the three of us.My mother clutched a small bouquet of flowe
JULIA The nerves settled in the pit of my stomach as I adjusted my graduation gown in front of the mirror. My hands trembled slightly as I fixed the collar, smoothing out any creases. After years of struggling... balancing motherhood, heartbreak, and redemption, I was finally here.A soft knock at the bedroom door made me turn. Before I could say anything, the door swung open, and standing there was Evan and Andy. Andy was wearing a tiny version of my graduation gown, the fabric draping over his small frame in the most adorable way. He even had a little cap on, tilted slightly to the side.My hands flew to my mouth. "Oh my goodness."Evan, standing tall beside our son, crossed his arms over his chest, satisfied. "You like it?""I love it," I said, blinking fast, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall."Don't," Evan warned, stepping closer and tilting my chin up with a finger. "You’ll smudge your makeup. You worked so hard on it."A laugh bubbled out of me as I
JULIA Moving day had arrived, and with it came the warmth of a new beginning. I stood in the driveway of Evan’s house—no, our house—watching as the last of the boxes were loaded inside. Sarah stood next to me, wearing a new, expensive blazer that showed her new position. Today was her first day officially taking over Heath’s former role in their company, and she looked every bit the confident professional she had worked so hard to become.“Are you sure about this?” I asked her, hesitating for a moment. “Is it really okay for me to live here?”Sarah chuckled, shaking her head as she handed me some of my belongings that she had packed. “You’re asking me that now? After everything?” Then, she winked. “Of course, it’s okay. More than okay. I can finally have sex in peace.” I rolled my eyes and pushed her away. Even now, she still has such a vulgar mouth. I exhaled, glancing toward the house as Andy came bounding outside, his little feet pattering against the pavement. Evan followed b