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
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
Nancy“Peter? Did you do the task I asked you to do?” I asked as I entered my son's room. The ten-year-old boy stood in front of the various computers wearing a headset, entertained as animated images of gunfire and death flashed across the computer screens. I took a look at the boy's room and sighed. “You might as well start tidying your room, darling,” I grumbled, starting to pick up the dirty clothes that were scattered around the room, footballs, expired food, etc. “Why would I do that, Mom? Isn’t Dad paying a bunch of servants to do this work?” replied the boy. “Even so, you still have legs and arms, my little man; you might as well put your dirty underwear away where they belong,” I replied, sighing again, seeing that he wouldn't be leaving the computer anytime soon. “You’re such a grouch, Mom. This is typical of women; Dad was right when he said that you are a bunch of wimps who are only good for housework and serving men,” he said, mirroring what his father always said. I
Nancy “So does this mean that Ford Buildings was unable to meet the schedule for the first phase of the investment? It's time to cut off their funding then,” I heard my husband say as he came up the stairs and walked down the hall to our bedroom. After dinner, the men of the house always had a conversation by the fireplace while drinking wine and then retiring to their rooms; today was no different. I was nervous because I didn't know how Bruce would react when he saw the surprise I prepared for him. After dinner, I had rushed to tidy the room. “Ha, no that, McCoy. Morton Investment didn't become the best in the region by doing charity and being condescending. I demand that you defund these fucking idiots by tomorrow!” He was shouting into his cell phone, but he stopped in surprise as soon as he opened the door and found red rose petals scattered across the floor and on the large bed, contrasting with the milky white sheets, a table with champagne, chocolate, and even a decorativ
Nancy“This is a disaster,” said my father-in-law as he paced the living room with his hands on his hips and a dismayed expression on his face. My scream had woken everyone in that house, so now my father-in-law, his wife, Bruce, and I were in the living room to see what we were going to do with the whole situation. “As a prestigious family that we are, we have a reputation to uphold in this city, so a cheating scandal could very well ruin our name,” said the man, basically worried about the family business. “It’s not that deep, Dad. We're fucking billionaires; these bastards would still lick our balls under any circumstances,” said Bruce, clicking his tongue. He was sitting next to me on the couch, relaxed with his legs apart as always, shaking one of his legs like he was a little annoyed at being caught. I was on the other side of the sofa, curled up in the corner, covering myself tightly with my nightgown, staring at the floor, still having the vivid image of the sex scene I witne
Nancy“Is this serious, mom? Are you seriously going to leave Dad and me and go away?” asked my son as soon as he entered the room. I was packing my suitcase to leave. “Oh, son,” I said, going over to him and hugging him tightly. “I'm sorry you're facing this difficult time. I'm really sorry, my dear…”“You don’t have to leave, Mom,” he pleaded. “Stay with us.”“Unfortunately, I have to go,” I said to him, caressing his face. “Are you going to leave me here alone?” He asked. I shook my head, feeling my saddened heart. “You can come with me, Peter,” I suggested, and he moved away from me. "No! You have to stay here and not leave. Do not be selfish. Who will take care of me? It’s not fair for a mother to abandon her child,” he said, and I felt accusation in his words. “It was your father who told you to say those things, right?” I asked, stepping back. “Yes, and he is right, but you still want to leave me alone here. I hope you suffer, you bitch!” he shouted and ran out of the roo
NancyThere was a bus stop five hundred meters from the Morton property. I always looked at that empty and little-used place whenever I was in my husband's family's private car heading into the city to do everyday things like shopping or going to my schoolchildren, and today I dragged my suitcase to that bus stop and sat there waiting for public transport to show up. But where was I going? It didn't take long for me to realize the difficulty I was going to face, in having a place to go. Where was I going? What would I do from now on? I realized that I was so comfortable in my marriage that I never thought about myself individually. How would I survive a divorce? I was a thirty-eigth-year-old woman who had practically never worked in my life, as I had spent half my life taking care of my husband and children. But now that I was separating, how was I going to survive in this world alone? By the time I left the Morton house, I hadn't even stopped to think about it. I just desperately wa
Nancy The following afternoon, I decided to make a delicious dinner for my friend as an apology for what had happened between us in the fitting room of that clothing store because Lanie tried to help me recover so much, but I messed up big time. I understood that Lanie only wanted the best for me; it was hurting her to see me as low as I was. She was trying so hard to help me that it was time for me to thank her in some way. So I decided to make steak with mashed potatoes, some typical food, to remind her of home. I was seasoning the steak to cook when my cell phone rang, receiving a call. I picked up the device to see who was calling me, and my blood froze when Bruce's name was there on the screen. Likewise, I dropped the device on the kitchen counter and recoiled my hand as if I had been stung by a bee. Why the hell was this man calling me? What did he want for me? Couldn't he see that I hated him now and that I was repulsed? Disturbed, I picked up the cell phone again and answ
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