CandaceA few months had passed since I discovered I was pregnant. I still vividly remembered the shock and, in some ways, disbelief when I saw the positive result. It changed everything—my life, my future, and my relationship with Harald. But what surprised me the most was the change within myself. I had never imagined myself as a mother; I had never been the type of woman who dreamed of children and family. And yet, here I was, anxious, touching my belly that was beginning to show, and feeling an emotion I had never experienced before.I wondered where this new Candace had been hiding inside me all this time. That cold, calculating woman, always in control, was suddenly revealing someone different—someone who wanted to care, love, and protect.I looked at myself in the mirror, running my hands over the smooth curve of my belly. “You’ve changed me,” I whispered, as if speaking to the baby. “You’ve changed everything.”My reflections were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.
Glory I was lying in the hotel bed, checking the clock for the tenth time in just a few minutes. Every second that passed made my heart race faster. The walls, which once seemed cozy, now suffocate me with their silence. These secret escapades with Harald were the only moments when I felt alive, away from the pressures of the Morton mansion and Charles' critical gaze. But that afternoon, something was wrong. Harald had never been this late. I looked at my phone, hoping for a message or call explaining his absence. Nothing. The discomfort in my chest was growing, mixed with anger and disappointment. Maybe Candace had done something. She could easily have pretended to feel ill to keep him by her side. That wouldn’t be new. But why didn’t he call? Do I mean so little to him? Frustration hit me, but I quickly decided it wasn’t worth dwelling on. I threw my things into my bag and left the hotel, my mind already formulating a plan. I couldn't leave traces of my displeasure. Not only that
CandaceThat morning, as I sat at the breakfast table, I noticed that Harald seemed distracted. His eyes were fixed on the phone screen, and his fingers were typing quickly as if he were trying to resolve an urgent issue. My heart tightened a bit. He had always been so present with me lately, but now… Was he talking to Glory, that bitch?I tried to push the thought away, but insecurity overwhelmed me. The idea of Harald still meeting with Glory made me uneasy, even knowing that he was trying to be a good husband because of our baby. I needed to know what was going on."Who are you talking to?" I asked, trying to sound casual, but my voice faltered a little.Harald looked up, apparently surprised by the question. "I’m talking to my father," he replied, letting out a heavy sigh as he set his phone aside. Just hearing the word "father" made the tension radiate from him.I tried to decipher his expression, but his face was a mix of exhaustion and frustration. It wasn’t just the weight of
GloryThe afternoon dragged on, and time seemed to stretch into a suffocating eternity. I was in my room, seated in the armchair near the window, watching the garden outside. The colors of autumn were beginning to tint the leaves, and the cold wind whispered promises of change. But inside me, everything felt stagnant, frozen in a routine of expectations and disappointments.Since Nancy left, the house has become quieter, but not pleasantly. It was a heavy silence, pressing on my chest and keeping me constantly on edge, as if something was about to crumble. Charles, my husband, had been increasingly distant and irritable. Our conversations were monotonous, just the basics to keep up appearances. The only thing keeping me going was the hope of seeing Harald. But even he seemed more distant lately.Suddenly, a light knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I turned, feeling a spark of hope that it might be a message from Harald, but I was surprised to see Nancy. She entered the room
GloryThat afternoon felt heavy, as dense as the dark clouds threatening to pour down on the city. I looked at myself in the mirror for the thousandth time, adjusting my dress and touching up my lipstick, trying to hide the pain locked inside me. Every gesture, every movement, was an attempt to piece myself back together, as I felt I was breaking more each day.Harald was waiting for me at the hotel, as usual. It was the only moment of my week that I looked forward to—the only place where I could leave the weight of my life behind, even if just for a few hours. But that day, something felt different. Deep in my chest, I had an unsettling feeling, a sort of premonition that things weren’t right.As soon as I arrived at the hotel and entered the room, there he was, sitting in the chair by the window. His gaze seemed distant, as if his mind were elsewhere. Even so, when he saw me, he stood up immediately and came over to me. I hugged him tightly, letting all my exhaustion and frustration
NancyThe days passed slowly, and with each one, I felt like I was being pulled back into a life that no longer belonged to me. Pretending to be Bruce's ideal wife again seemed like a temporary task at first, something I would do until I could execute my plans. However, as time went on, the line between what was real and what was an act began to blur within me.The imposing mansions, the dazzling dinners in polished marble halls, the expensive perfumes mixed with the subtle scent of freshly cut flowers—all of it began to feel disturbingly familiar again. Extravagant parties where crystal glasses reflected the golden chandelier lights, social events full of fake smiles and political alliances, luxurious trips to paradise destinations aboard private jets… All of it became part of my daily life once more. And somewhere in the middle of it all, I began to wonder: did I still want revenge? Or was I slowly conforming to this life again?It was hard to realize that, on some level, I was los
Nancy I needed a distraction. In recent days, my mind has been in turmoil, a complete chaos of thoughts that has robbed me of peace. Wandering through the Morton house day after day, feeling the weight of what my life used to be and what it had become, was suffocating. The mere thought of spending another afternoon doing nothing deeply bothered me. So that morning, I decided to clean Bruce's office, a task that, in some way, could offer me relief, even if only temporarily. It was a way to try to regain some control over my life. I had always been the submissive wife, responsible for the household chores, even while living in a mansion and having access to all the wealth Bruce had accumulated. In the past, I was used to following orders and dedicating myself completely to the details of the house. Now, that same role seemed to be the only thing I could still control. The idea of organizing Bruce's office seemed like the perfect way to occupy my mind and hands. As I entered the offic
NancyIn the days following the discovery of the documents in Bruce’s office, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I had seen. Every time I closed my eyes, the names and figures replayed in my mind like an unending film. What lay before me was not just a corruption scheme; it was something far larger and more sinister. The Mortons, the family to whom I had devoted so much of my life, were not merely manipulative and cold. They were murderers.Anger boiled within me, but at the same time, I needed to be smart. I couldn’t rush into anything. I knew that if Bruce or any other Morton suspected I knew something, it would be the end of me. They had too much power. And after everything I had suffered, I couldn’t afford to be reckless.The first thing I did was transfer the photos I took of the documents to a secure device. I didn’t trust keeping anything on my phone. It took me days to set up a secure system to store the information, and even then, every time I reviewed those photos, dread ov