HaraldI drove through the dark, deserted streets, the silence only interrupted by the low purr of the car engine. The city seemed asleep, as if the world had taken a brief rest after the chaotic events of that night at the Morton mansion. Streetlights intermittently illuminated the road in front of me, creating shadows that danced across the asphalt, but my mind was far away, lost in the events of the Christmas dinner I had just witnessed. It had been a night I would never forget, and the emotional impact of it reverberated inside me like a bomb ready to explode.I had finally done the unthinkable: rebelled against my father. For the first time in years, I found myself breaking the invisible chain that bound me to Charles Morton's tyranny. I still couldn't believe what I had done. I felt a visceral fear coursing through my veins—the kind of fear that paralyzed me and made me question every decision. But at the same time, a wave of relief washed over me. It was a strange relief, like
HaraldI was still processing what I had just heard. Glory's words echoed in my mind, over and over again, like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. "I killed Charles." I couldn't understand what that really meant. Every time I tried to rationalize what had been said, it seemed like the surrounding reality crumbled a little more. I knew that my father and I had a complicated relationship, filled with abuse, manipulation, and resentment. Maybe, at some point, I wanted him to disappear, for him to leave the scene. But imagining that this had actually happened — and at the hands of Glory, the woman with whom I was emotionally involved, the person I thought I knew — was an idea that tore me apart inside.The cold of the night seemed to envelop my body, but it didn't bring the relief I expected. Leaning against the porch wall, I tried to organize my thoughts, but everything was chaotic. My head was spinning, and I felt a growing pressure in my chest. What should I do? What would anyone do
HaraldAfter I ended the call with Glory, I rushed to the bedroom, my head spinning from everything that had just happened. My hands shook as I tried to quickly unbutton my shirt, as if every second wasted was crucial. “I killed Charles.” Glory's words rang in my mind over and over, like an ominous echo that I couldn't shake. It couldn't be real, it couldn't be possible that she had actually done that. As much as my father was a monster in many ways—someone who controlled and manipulated me—he was still my father. And Glory, the woman I had fallen for so deviously, had taken his life. I threw on some jeans and pulled a random jacket from my closet, my hands still shaking as I tried to process what I needed to do next. I needed to find glory; I needed to understand what the hell happened. Maybe she was in shock, maybe she was confused—I didn't know. But I had to go to her. I had to resolve this. Before I could get out of the closet, the door was slammed open, and Candace appeared. He
GloryThe night was already advancing when I realized that Harald would not come. Every second that passed was a blow, a wound that deepened, reminding me of how much I had been betrayed. I looked at my cell phone once again, waiting for a message, a call... anything. But nothing. He abandoned me.I felt my body shaking, not from fear but from pure anger. The man who said he loved me, the man I sacrificed everything for, simply disappeared when I needed him most. The despair I felt was quickly replaced by a coldness that took over me completely. If Harald wasn't coming, I needed to make my own decisions. I couldn't stay there. I had to run away and disappear before everything fell apart.Furthermore, when I got out of bed, the sheets were still messy from what had been a normal day until a few hours ago. Now everything was turned upside down. I passed Charles' body, stretched out on the bedroom floor, his eyes still open and empty, as if he were watching the ceiling without really see
NancyThe morning sun peeked through the trees in the Morton mansion's garden, its filtered light creating dancing shadows on the stone floor. My feet felt heavy as I said goodbye to Amber and Peter in the driveway. The cold winter air mixed with the warmth of a moment that I didn't know if I wanted to prolong or shorten. Peter's suitcase was already in the car, and he, always so excited, talked about all the things he wanted to do in New York."You're going to love New York, my boy," I said, bending down to his level. I adjusted his jacket and stroked his hair. He laughed a sweet laugh, so innocent and carefree about everything around him. I envied the simplicity with which he approached life."Yes, mom. It gonna be awesome! And I'm going to bring you gifts!" Peter replied, his eyes shining with excitement of the trip. The driver was already waiting, the car engine purring softly, ready to take them away.Amber, on the other hand, was different. I watched her sideways, waiting for th
NancyI was leaning against the large window, watching Charles' wake unfold with a mix of relief and discomfort. Relief knowing that my children, Amber and Peter, were far from all that farce, in New York, and discomfort because, even without wanting to, I was there, in the middle of it all, witnessing every morbid detail of this performance. Nothing there seemed genuine. Charles Morton's death was a spectacle, and everyone played their roles perfectly.Bruce, of course, was at the center of it all. Dressed impeccably in black, he seemed to fulfill his role as a grieving son almost automatically. His serious but restrained expression, the way he received greetings and condolences—everything was so calculated. I watched him from a distance, recognizing the mechanical gestures of someone suffocated by responsibility but without allowing any emotion to escape.It was then that I noticed three young women approaching, wearing clothes that were clearly inappropriate for the occasion. Tight
NancyWinter had already covered everything with its icy blanket, and the air outside the great Morton mansion felt thick and sharp. The wind blew in gusts, carrying with it a damp cold that made even the stones on the path to the cemetery seem frozen. The branches of dry trees swayed in the distance, casting long, flickering shadows on the lawn that led to the family mausoleum. The snow, which had fallen lightly the day before, covered the ground in a thin layer of white, almost as if it was announcing the arrival of something dark and definitive.Inside, the wake had already gone on for hours. The heated air of the mansion was unable to dispel the oppressive feeling that hung over us all. The smell of mortuary flowers mixed with the expensive perfume of the women present created a suffocating atmosphere, as if mourning were just another formality among many others. Every person in that room seemed more concerned about being seen than actually feeling the loss. There was no genuine p
Nancy"Are you going to deny that you were in love with our father's wife, brother?" Bruce roared, his voice echoing through the hall like thunder. He was on the verge of breaking down, his face contorted into a mask of pure hatred. His breathing came in ragged gasps, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white. The veins in his neck stood out, and there was saliva accumulating in the corners of his mouth, which he involuntarily spat out with each scream.Those words seemed to have a physical force, like a slap in the face of everyone present. The silence that followed was suffocating, interrupted only by the sound of heavy breathing and the cold wind outside, which blew against the windows."Arrest this useless person!" Bruce shouted again, now turning to the police officers who were present. "You heard what I said! He killed our father! That worm!" His voice was a mix of despair and revenge, echoing in the hall like a desperate plea for justice — or perhaps f
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