AmberI stood frozen in front of the TV, my heart sinking, as I watched the news of my father's trial. There he was, in that orange uniform, his wrists cuffed, surrounded by security guards. The image was devastating, though not completely unexpected. I knew this moment was coming, but witnessing it, seeing his expression so blank and lacking its usual sparkle, was more than I was prepared to face. This was the man who had always been the central figure in my life, the pillar of our family, and now he had publicly fallen.He has always been a figure of power and authority, a steady presence that inspired me to move forward, but also secretly terrified me. There was always something in his eyes and in his words that made it clear: he was capable of anything to achieve what he wanted. This, at first, fascinated and intimidated me, but as I grew up, I began to realize the consequences of this “anything.” There were rumors of obscure negotiations, of alliances broken without explanation,
AmberAs soon as I passed through the entrance, I noticed that the atmosphere was strange. It was one of those galas, planned to be perfect, full of guests in expensive clothes and smiles that didn't seem genuine. I felt like I was in a showcase, observed by eyes that judged without disguise. People, one by one, moved away when they saw me, as if the mere fact that I was there bothered them or, worse, embarrassed them. The barely concealed whispers, the sideways glances, the giggles... everything seemed like a stark contrast to what this same crowd was like to me before, when everyone wanted to fawn over me and everyone wanted to be by my side.I took a deep breath, forcing myself to keep my head up. I was used to being Amber, the influencer, the daughter that everyone wanted around to take photos of to appear on my networks. My presence has always been associated with status. But today… today it felt like I was a nuisance, a walking embarrassment. Every face turned and every look tha
AmberThe night was silent when I left that party. Everything around me seemed muffled, as if the darkness and cold had the power to freeze the memories that tried, tirelessly, to emerge in my mind. I got into the car, closed the door and let the engine growl gently before deciding my destination. There was no other place I could go but there.I drove through the empty streets until I reached the cemetery. The iron gate creaked, almost as if announcing my arrival. The path to Kris's grave seemed longer than I remembered, but perhaps it was my guilty conscience that made each step difficult. When I finally stopped in front of the tombstone, a whirlwind of emotions invaded me. Kris. The boy who pretended to be my boyfriend for three years. The boy who was thrown into the middle of the lies and manipulations that my father and I created. And he paid with his life.I knelt down slowly, looking at the cold tombstone. If I could go back, I would change everything, I would undo every mistake
NancyToday I was dressed formally and impeccably. The fabric of my dress feels heavy on my shoulders, as if reflecting the weight of this moment. I chose this outfit to feel strong, almost armored. Beside me, Jake wears a dark suit, and holds my hand firmly. He knows how important this is to me. In a few minutes, I will finally be a free woman, unburdened by the infernal contract that has tied me to Bruce for so many years.We are in the courtroom, a cold and characterless room. It's hard to think that this impersonal space is the setting for one of the most crucial moments of my life. The justice of the peace is in front of us, waiting for the process to begin. The silence is absolute, interrupted only by the footsteps of an officer as he opens the doors for Bruce to enter.When he appears, I feel a rush of emotions. I haven't seen him since he was arrested, and the difference is frightening. Bruce looks smaller and weaker, with his prisoner's clothes too loose for his haggard body.
NancyIt happened so fast that I barely had time to react. Bruce's hands were tight around my neck, and everything around me began to darken. The air felt more and more distant, like I was drowning, and no matter how hard I tried, my weak arms couldn't push it away. He looked at me with a hatred I had never seen before, while his strength threatened to tear me away from the world.Panic gripped me, and I struggled, trying to pull his hands away, but each movement seemed to only intensify his fury. Desperation was setting in, and my thoughts were becoming confused. However, amidst the darkness, a familiar voice echoed, breaking my state of paralysis. It was Jake. "Let her go, Bruce!" he shouted, his voice resounding in the room like thunder.Jake's eyes were filled with fierce determination. He moved forward, trying to push Bruce away from me. "Let go of her now!" Adrenaline coursed through his veins, and I could see the worry written all over his face. The fight between them was bruta
NancyToday was a special day. My children, Peter and Amber, were flying back from New York, and I got ready early to pick them up at the airport. The emotion was so strong that my heart was beating fast from the moment I left the house. Upon arriving at the lobby, I looked among the people disembarking, and finally saw their faces, passing through the crowd.I walked towards them with quick steps and open arms. When I finally reached them, I hugged them tightly, pulling them towards me. "I missed you so much," I murmured, holding them as if that moment could last forever. "I love you so much."Amber smiled at me, hugging me back affectionately, but I noticed that Peter was more serious, his eyes fixed on me with an expression of curiosity mixed with uneasiness. He didn't take long to get straight to the point."Mom," he began, his voice filled with a tone that mixed anxiety and concern, "what happened? I want to see my dad." He paused, and his gaze was full of questions. "Where is he
NancyI took my kids to Jake's house. I felt my heart racing with anxiety, hoping that the meeting would be a good start to our new phase. Jake was a wonderful person, someone who radiated joy and kindness, and I knew he had a special way of winning people over. Still, he wanted Peter and Amber to like him naturally, in their own time.I parked the car in Jake's driveway and took a deep breath before getting out. I looked at Amber and Peter in the backseat, trying to convey the calmness that I myself was seeking."Ready to meet someone special?" I asked, trying to sound confident.Amber smiled, looking relaxed. "Of course, mom. I'm curious to meet Jake."Peter, on the other hand, crossed his arms and looked away, mumbling, "I don't know why we're here. I just want to go home."I sighed, understanding his resistance, but decided to give it time. Likewise, I knew that this new situation would require patience from all of us. "Let's go in," I said, trying not to show my anxiety. "Jake pr
NancyJake had insisted that I stay with Amber and Peter at his house while the whole situation was resolved. The mansion and all the Mortons' assets had been confiscated by the government, and being there, in that simpler place, brought me an unexpected tranquility. Jake welcomed us with an open heart, and I felt that, despite everything, I had found a form of peace with him.Amber, especially, seemed to be loving every detail of Jake's house. I watched her laugh and play in the room, her lightness lighting up the space in a way I hadn't seen in a while. The simplicity of the house, Jake's affection and even the way he let her just be a teenager... that was good for her. I could see it in every smile she exchanged with him, in the games they played together.But Peter was another story. Every day, he became more withdrawn, as if he were carrying the weight of the world alone. He didn't talk to anyone, he didn't even look Jake or his mother in the eye. Any attempt I made at dialogue e
Nancy“Argh, don’t tighten it too much… You’re hurting my neck!” Peter was grumbling with a grimace as I straightened his tie.“Remain calm; just lift your chin; I’m almost done,” I told him, adjusting my collar. Today was my wedding day with Jake. I was already dressed as a bride and everything, and the ceremony would start in a few minutes. I was so nervous. Not only that, but I really hoped everything would go well.He grumbled in disgust. “Did you know that children shouldn’t be present at their parents’ weddings, Mom?” he said, making me frown.“What? Why do you think that?” I asked.“Because naturally, children are not born before their parents marry. It's not the natural order of things, let alone divorce and second marriages,” he said, being clear in his opinion, as he didn't want to accept my relationship with Jake.I sighed, smoothing his jacket after straightening his tie. “You're getting so big. You're even taller than me.” I smiled softly, and I stroked his black hair. “I
NancyMoments later, Jason and Jake were in the wine cellar, somewhere in the mansion, talking about wine and things like that. Laura and I were walking in the manicured gardens of their mansion, which were so beautiful and comforting.“Why aren’t they coming?” I asked after a while, looking behind me to see if her husband and my fiancé were coming to catch up with us, since they were just getting us some wine to drink and talk on the sofas that were there in the garden under a cozy porch."Oh my God! Jason must have stuck him with a long wine conversation,” Laura said with a long chuckle. “We received bottles of the first line from a friend of ours in Chicago, Carter,” she added.“Are you talking about Joshua Carter?” I asked because I knew that name and knew that he had a wine production company.“Yes, I am,” Laura nodded. “What a fortuity that you know him, too.”“Um, I actually met him because of Bruce,” I said. “The Mortons were an influential family, and from time to time Bruce
NancyJake and I traveled to New York to visit our friends who lived there, the couple Jason and Laura Davies, who, since the last time we had seen them, had evolved a lot in their relationship, that is, when I met them, they were still fighting and trying to see what they were going to do in their relationship because they also had issues to resolve. But I remembered Laura's words, when she told me at the time that her husband had hurt her heart, but that nothing he had done compared to what Bruce had done to me. So today it was very satisfying for me to be able to see the two of them together and happy after having solved all their problems. They had even had another set of twins, and they seemed so happy now that their eldest daughter was playing with the babies, running around exuding happiness and joy while Jake, I, and the couple were sitting on the mansion's porch, drinking wine and talking about everything that had happened. This couple had been very important in helping us
Nancy "What? Give it back in kind and make him taste his own medicine? What are you suggesting, Lanie?” I asked, being a little dumbfounded. She and I were still at the dinner table, and she had just suggested that. She shrugged now. "Yes. Didn't your husband go to bed with someone else? Then you also go to bed with another man, and then you become equals,” she explained, making me gasp. “How can you suggest such a thing? Do you think I'm such a vulgar woman up to this point? Do you think me going to bed with another man will solve things for me?” I asked, shocked that she was suggesting such a deviant thing. “It probably won't solve anything, but it will make you feel a little better. What is it? Do you think Bruce deserves happiness after all these years he played with you?” She retorted. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to smudge my body by getting involved with someone I don’t know just to get revenge on him,” I countered. Lanie laughed, waving her hand. “I don't see it
Days were passing, and I thanked the heavens that everything was going so well, but today in particular, it was a year since Lanie, my dear friend, had died, and I was terribly sad remembering her.I remembered how she had done everything she could to cheer me up when I was at rock bottom after finding out who Bruce Morton really was.I remembered in detail what the season at her house had been like and how much she helped me, God in heaven...Nancy On that day, the ringing of my cell phone woke me up, and I felt my lamp, picked up the device, and saw that my daughter was calling me. “Hi, my love,” I said as soon as I answered, rubbing my face with my hand, still drowsy. “Hello, Mom? Haven’t you come home yet?” Amber asked on the other end of the line. "Um… Not yet, darling,” I replied a little fearfully. It had been two weeks since I was at my friend Lanie's house. "Um... Okay? When do you plan to return?” She asked in a somewhat petulant manner. I sighed. “To be honest, I
NancyThe last few weeks had been a whirlwind of emotions. After everything that happened with Candace, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off our shoulders. The scars of pain and struggle were still there, but the feeling of relief was in the air. It was a new beginning for all of us. Like a good mother, I tried my best to care for Candace, and now, seeing her at home, taking a deep breath and starting to rebuild her life, my heart is filled with hope.It was on a mild morning that we realized that life was returning to normal. Amber's laughter echoed through the house as she tried to decide what to wear for a date. I watched her from the kitchen, where she was preparing a simple but nutritious breakfast. The smell of toasting bread mixed with the aroma of fresh coffee, creating a welcoming atmosphere.“Amber, do you need help?” I asked, trying to hide my smile at seeing her so excited and nervous at the same time.“No, mom, I can do it!” she replied, a little louder than usua
CandaceThe joy I felt holding my daughter in my arms was indescribable. After hours of pain and struggle, the little one was finally here, and I couldn't stop smiling. It was a girl. The doctor had shown me quickly, and I couldn't believe that this little creature, so perfect, was my daughter. I felt a wave of love that I had never experienced before, and that feeling enveloped me like a warm blanket on a cold day. I looked at her face, so small and vulnerable, and wondered what the future held for us.Jake and Harald were in the room, both overjoyed with the news. The energy was contagious, and the happiness in the atmosphere was palpable, like happy music that filled every space. The smell of disinfectant mixed with the light scent of flowers someone had brought, creating an atmosphere of celebration and hope."Look, Candace, you did an amazing job!" Jake said it with a wide smile that lit up his face. He seemed genuinely touched, and I could feel that he was genuinely happy for me
NancyThe morning seemed perfect, the kind of day I always imagined as a normal family, without constant tension or fears. Recent times had been full of challenges, losses and changes, but being there, in Jake's house, surrounded by the people he loved most, brought a feeling of completeness. Everything felt a little lighter. Of course, there were still traces of the past that occasionally appeared in our conversations and gestures, but something had changed within me, and perhaps even within my children.That day, we decided to have a family lunch. Me, Amber, Peter, Jake, Harald, Ivor and Candace, all gathered at a table for the first time, without formalities and without protocols. I wasn't sure what to expect from this meeting, especially with Harald there, a presence that, some time ago, would perhaps have been unthinkable in such an intimate environment. But, little by little, everyone had found a way to live together, with the wounds still healing, but now ready for a new phase.
NancyThe next morning, very early, before the sun even fully illuminated the house, I was already awake, organizing my thoughts. I knew I needed to talk to Amber and Peter, just the three of us, without Jake around. This moment was very important, and I wanted them to feel comfortable saying what they really thought, without fear. I knew this conversation was necessary, as there was a lot at stake. Jake was part of this new life I wanted to build, but most of all, my children needed to feel part of it.I took a deep breath before entering their room. Amber was already stretching, her eyes still sleepy, but she noticed my presence and smiled. Peter, still sleeping soundly, had a serene face, something rare to see. I approached him gently, touching his shoulder lightly. “Peter, honey, are we going to wake up? I need to talk to you and Amber. Just the three of us, without Jake.”He opened his eyes slowly, still confused from sleep, but nodded. Amber looked at me with a mix of curiosity