(JARED’S POV)I looked into Arielle’s eyes intently, my chest rising and falling heavily with effort as the rest of the world went silent around us. She looked at me, her breathing matching mine—barely existent, all withdrawn because of the shock of my outburst. All I could hear were my own thoughts, racing."Sorry," I muttered quickly. "It just... came out.""Why apologize for saying you love me?" she asked, her voice quiet but sharp. "And for real—why do you suddenly love me now?"I was taken aback, choked with confusion. What was she saying?But then, she averted her gaze, refusing to meet my eyes. She wrapped her arms around herself, as the cold evening breeze swept over us. I looked up at the sky, realizing just how much time had passed since we started this conversation."Look at how much time has passed," I said softly, then quickly took off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders.“No, thank you.”Her honest rejection stung, but I forced a smile, nodding in understanding.
(ARIELLE'S POV)As I approached my car, I couldn't help but scan my surroundings, half–expecting to see Ashley lingering nearby. But she was nowhere to be found, and I didn't blame her. With her encounter with Jared earlier, staying back was not exactly a good option.As I slipped into the driver's seat, I made a mental note to call her as I got home, just to make sure she made it to hers safely. I started the car's engine afterward, and began my drive home. The roads were quiet, the only sound emanating, that of my car's engine, and the occasional passing cars. I tried to focus on the road ahead, but my mind kept drifting back to Jared.His words still stung, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of hurt every time I thought about it. Why had he said he loved me, only to call it bluff moments later? I replayed the conversation in my head, trying to make sense of it all. I sighed, my head a myriad of emotions. When could he stop being so childish?I was angry at Jared for toying wi
(ARIELLE’S POV)The scent of the dinner wafted through the room, as I focused on my husband, Jared. His dark hair falling just right, framing his straight nose and sharp jawline. Even in his casual clothes, the man had an undeniable presence—broad shoulders, a sculpted chest. He could’ve walked right out of a magazine, yet here he was, with me. It was our anniversary, and in commemoration of that, I had suggested that we had an indoor dinner– just the two of us.Despite his usual aloof self, Jared had created time from his usual busy work schedule, and that was a gesture I considered lovely. Especially when he looked up at me with those smoldering eyes, it was hard to stay upset. I had chosen to sit across from him instead of our usual dinning position–beside him because I wanted to see all of his reactions when I finally broke the good news to him. You see, I just discovered that I am pregnant yesterday from our family doctor, and I stalled the news, so I could break it to Jared
(ARIELLE POV) Oh well, color me surprised! I blinked severally to ensure that I was not seeing wrongly. My eyes widened in shock, my mind trying to process the scene before me. My husband, Jared, was standing beside another woman, a pregnant woman who claimed to be his wife, in a restaurant where I worked. The woman's words earlier reverberated in my ears, “my husband will have you fired!” My heart pounded, breathing suddenly becoming difficult. I felt like I had just been punched in the gut. I took a step forward, my voice raspy and barely a whisper, “Jared?” Jared met my gaze, his composure unwavering. “Hey, Arielle,” he said in a casual tone,, as if being seen in the restaurant his wife worked in with another woman who claimed he was her husband, was a normal occurrence. My eyes narrowed at him, as I expected him to offer me an explanation. Before Jared could respond, Sofia stepped forward, her face a mask of surprisement, “Oh, you must be Arielle! I’m so sorry for the conf
(ARIELLE'S POV) “Ashley, I need to go. Thank you for the information. I will call you back later.”After the phone call with Ashley, I tried my best to handle my whirling thoughts. Jared is always elegant, considerate, and even meticulous. I thought I knew this man after three years’ marriage. However, I've never seen him defend anyone in front of me, let alone break his promise twice. I sighed as I stepped down from my car. Upon arriving at home, nothing prepared me for the sight I was met with. Sofia was seated comfortably in the sitting room, and she was not alone. She was with Jared's mother, and they were conversing and laughing happily. While Jared was sitting alone on the single sofa next to them. “What's going on here?” I managed to ask, a lump forming on my throat. As I approached, Jared rose smoothly, reaching for my coat. “I brought Sofia over because Mom wanted to see her,” he explained, his tone measured. "You could have told me first," I said quietly, "
(ARIELLE’S POV) While Sofia clamped her mouth shut, startled by Jared’s sudden appearance, I slowly rose from the chair, still reeling from the shock of all I had heard.My heart ached—it wasn’t just what Sofia had said, it was the fact that I had to hear it from her, not Jared. I got to Jared and ignored him completely as I walked past, but he tried to talk to me. “Arielle, please listen–” he said, trying to reach for me. I shrugged his hand off and walked upstairs, my eyes welled up with tears. I got to the room and collapsed on the bed, numb, exhausted and disappointed. Just then, a text arrived on my phone. It was from Jared. “I'm sorry,” it read.I stared at the screen for a moment, then switched off my phone, unable to deal with his apologies. Sleep didn’t come easily, and when it finally did, it was restless and full of turmoil.The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed. It meant one thing; he didn't sleep in our room last night. He probably slept in the visitor's room
(ARIELLE'S POV)Before I could unleash my fury, Jared's expression hardened. His voice had a cutting edge to it. “Sofia, those flowers aren’t for you.” He took the bouquet back from her with a firm gesture, handing them to me instead.“They’re for my wife,” he said pointedly, his eyes meeting mine.Sofia’s face flushed. Meanwhile, I could barely hold back a satisfied smirk.However, nothing prepared me for seeing Sofia tear up and turn to Jared. "Jared, Jay-jay. I'm so sorry to interrupt your private time, but... the flower is for me, right? Remember back in high school, you used to bring me lavender flowers, especially on prom nights?"Jared looked thorn, as he looked from me to Sofia. Really? He was contemplating it? That flower was mine for Christ’s sake, he should simply ask her to hand it back to me, the rightful owner.“Arielle,” Jared said calmly, “let her keep it tonight. I’ll get you something even more special tomorrow, I promise.”I couldn't believe my ears. “You are unbe
(ARIELLE'S POV) I retired to the room upstairs, my head throbbing with a migraine. I couldn't believe what had just happened in the dining room. Jared didn't even scold Sofia for insinuating that I poisoned her. He knew me too well, that I wouldn't hurt a fly, not to mention a human being. I didn't like Sofia, alright, but the last thing I wound ever do was hurt her. I wasn't even aware that she was allergic to milk, not to mention putting it in her meal just to harm her. She must be rejoicing now, knowing that her plan to cause a rift between me and Jared had worked. We couldn't even have dinner in peace. Her presence is always disrupting the peace of my marriage. I sighed and collapsed on the bed, wondering what to do to get Sofia out of Jared and I's life. Realizing that I was feeling sleepy, I got off the bed and walked into the bathroom for my night shower. After I was done, I slipped into a comfortable night robe and slumped on the bed in exhaustion. I didn't kno
(ARIELLE'S POV)As I approached my car, I couldn't help but scan my surroundings, half–expecting to see Ashley lingering nearby. But she was nowhere to be found, and I didn't blame her. With her encounter with Jared earlier, staying back was not exactly a good option.As I slipped into the driver's seat, I made a mental note to call her as I got home, just to make sure she made it to hers safely. I started the car's engine afterward, and began my drive home. The roads were quiet, the only sound emanating, that of my car's engine, and the occasional passing cars. I tried to focus on the road ahead, but my mind kept drifting back to Jared.His words still stung, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of hurt every time I thought about it. Why had he said he loved me, only to call it bluff moments later? I replayed the conversation in my head, trying to make sense of it all. I sighed, my head a myriad of emotions. When could he stop being so childish?I was angry at Jared for toying wi
(JARED’S POV)I looked into Arielle’s eyes intently, my chest rising and falling heavily with effort as the rest of the world went silent around us. She looked at me, her breathing matching mine—barely existent, all withdrawn because of the shock of my outburst. All I could hear were my own thoughts, racing."Sorry," I muttered quickly. "It just... came out.""Why apologize for saying you love me?" she asked, her voice quiet but sharp. "And for real—why do you suddenly love me now?"I was taken aback, choked with confusion. What was she saying?But then, she averted her gaze, refusing to meet my eyes. She wrapped her arms around herself, as the cold evening breeze swept over us. I looked up at the sky, realizing just how much time had passed since we started this conversation."Look at how much time has passed," I said softly, then quickly took off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders.“No, thank you.”Her honest rejection stung, but I forced a smile, nodding in understanding.
(ARIELLE’S POV)My eyes trailed after Sofia as she rose from the table. The sudden twist of plans had taken a very hard toll on her and I knew she’d gone into the bathroom to pour out her heart. I almost felt bad for her. Almost. But the air in the room was growing unbearably awkward, and I needed to leave as soon as possible. I quickly nudged Ashley in the side, silently signaling that it was time to go.“We’ll be taking our leave now,” I said and kicked back my seat. Ashley followed suit and picked up her purse from the table. “Oh… but we’re not done speaking yet, my dear,” Mrs. Smith said nicely.“Yes, we don’t know if we have your blessing yet,” Tiana chimed in, her wide eyes looking at me innocently. She put her hand on Jared’s on the table and I could see an unmistakable restraint— just the tiniest bit— from Jared. For a moment, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of annoyance. Tiana reminded me of a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.I pushed the feeling aside and forced a smi
(SOFIA’S POV)The air in the room was charged with raw tension, alive and electric. Jared was still standing by the door with his new girlfriend — my replacement, perched on his arm. She didn’t even have the decency to stand by herself, leaning on Jared the whole time like a silly highschool teenager out with her crush. I rolled my eyes and looked away. I wanted to be anywhere but in the same room with Jared and Arielle. It all felt insanely awkward, like walking around the house with no clothes on. Jared himself looked uneasy at the sight of Arielle in the house but he did well to mask it up almost immediately. He took his arm off the lady and prodded her forward before shutting the door behind them. He stepped into the house and nodded to his mother. “Good afternoon, mum.” Then he looked at Arielle and Ashley, and said a polite, “Good afternoon.”Arielle nodded coolly before Ashley followed suit. I could sense the malice rippling off of her, like a wild hunger to cause Jared s
(ARIELLE’S POV)We walked like robots, mechanically, still stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Who would have known we were walking right into the arms of Jared’s mother?Ashley was silent beside me on the sofa. She had her arms folded across her chest, and I could see the apprehension on her face as she stared at Sofia. For moments after Sofia opened the door for us, my ears lost their ability to receive sound, or perhaps my brain halted abruptly with processing the received sound waves. Either way, I heard nothing but silence and the muffled sound of voices as Jared’s mother called out to the housekeeper. From the edge of my vision, I could see her approach, but I’d been too lost in my mind to realize she was coming over to me.“Shall I get you tea or coffee?” the lady asked politely. I blinked furiously to draw my mind back to the present. All the while, I’d been looking at the pair of Sofia and Mrs. Smith through skeptical eyes. Something didn’t sit right and I could feel
(ARIELLE S POV)The rest of the morning passed quietly as I cleaned the apartment after Dwayne left. His place had a certain charm to it. It wasn’t flashy, but there was a quiet allure in the way everything was arranged. Much like Dwayne himself. Effortlessly captivating.As I was about to tidy up the bed, a familiar feeling washed over me. My period had arrived—earlier than expected. I quickly grabbed a spare tampon from my bag and hurried to the bathroom to check. A little blood, just as I’d thought.I sighed softly.By the time I finished, another ten minutes had passed. No wonder I’d been so emotional yesterday, or the back pain that kept me tossing and turning last night.It’s funny, how your body never feels like it’s changing, but then, just like that, it reminds you time is slipping by, one day after another, unrelenting in its passage. How many more days like this would I have before I’d feel truly different?Life just goes on.I should ask Dwayne if women deal with blood mo
(ARIELLE’S POV)The air had grown colder, the chill creeping into my bones. Dwayne wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. “Are you cold?” he asked, his voice soft with concern.I wiped my tears, shaking my head.All I could feel was exhaustion. My mind had turned to mush, too drained to form a single coherent thought.Dwayne studied me carefully before running his fingers along the side of my face. I turned away. He didn’t say a word, just shrugged off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. Then he handed me a helmet, carefully helping me strap it on.“Thank you,” I whispered as I snuggled closer to him on the motorcycle.I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. They came in waves as we rode, the cold wind stinging my face, but it couldn’t stop the flood of emotions. Jared’s words replayed in my head, over and over, like a broken record. The image of him and Sofia, sitting together, haunted me.“Go to the pub,” I said, shivering against Dwayne’s back. “I need a co
(ARIELLE'S POV)I relied on my memory to remember the box Jared had been in earlier. My heart was beginning to race, and I could feel my hands growing sweaty. I wiped them on my dress, trying to calm myself down.For a moment, I hesitated in front of the door. I hadn’t planned out exactly what to say, but I knew I was ready to talk. If it came down to it, I was even prepared to apologize, to lower my pride for the sake of the conversation we needed to have.This wasn’t just for Jared—it was for our son, for myself, and for all the tangled pieces of our past and present.A strange flicker of excitement mingled with my nervousness.But before I could knock, the door swung open abruptly, and a drunken stranger stumbled out, nearly colliding with me.I winced, recalling my encounter with the three men earlier.Flustered, I hurriedly slipped inside, scanning the room as well. But as soon as I entered, I couldn’t help but frown. The heavy smell of alcohol and bodies hit me instantly. The at
(ARIELLE'S POVAs we drove along the road, I leaned closer to the window, my gaze fixed outside. It wasn’t the scenery that held my attention but the way my thoughts felt heavier with every mile. Then something caught my eye—QuickFix Auto.At first glance, it was just a car repair shop. Ordinary, unremarkable. But as I stared, recognition hit me like a wave.I blinked, the name tugging at a memory I hadn’t thought about in years. Suddenly, it all came flooding back.It was six years ago, early in our marriage. I’d spent an entire day selling cakes at a charity event. The rain had started pouring just as the event ended, and I’d gotten stuck with kids whose parents hadn’t shown up to pick them up yet. I called Jared, frustrated and soaked, filling him in. What I didn’t know then was that he had canceled a flight and rescheduled an important meeting. Just to come for me.But life being what it was, his car broke down as soon as he reached me.I could still remember the two of us, shive