The dinner started out perfectly. Leon sat at the head of the table, looking happier than I had seen him in months, his arm wrapped around my shoulders. Aunt Lou had outdone herself—the roast lamb was perfectly cooked, the potatoes crisped to perfection. I had chosen the menu carefully, every dish meant to make Leon feel loved and welcome after his long trip. Helena and Aunt Lou chatted easily with Leon, while I watched him enjoy the meal, feeling content and proud.But Sarah, seated on the other side of the table, was beginning to ruin the evening with her constant interruptions."Leon," she chimed in suddenly, her voice overly sweet. "Do you remember that one dish I used to make for you? You loved it so much—creamy mushroom risotto with garlic and a hint of truffle oil. I was thinking I should make it again for you sometime."I shot her a sharp look. Leon's eyes flicked toward me, his expression unreadable. I knew exactly what she was doing—Leon was severely allergic to mushrooms,
As Leon held me close, his arms firm yet gentle around me, I felt the weight of the evening crash down all at once. All of the tension I felt throughout the day, all the anger, even the fear—it all swirled in a chaotic mess inside me. I pulled away slightly to look up at him, still trying to steady my breathing."Leon, what if she doesn’t stop?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "What if Sarah keeps coming back, trying to cause more trouble? I don’t think I can handle it."Leon’s expression softened as he brushed a strand of hair away from my face, his thumb gently stroking my cheek. "You don’t need to worry about her anymore, Margarette. I’ll make sure she stays far away from us. From now on, we’ll handle everything. You’ve been through enough alone."His words were meant to comfort, but there was a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that Sarah wasn’t done. Her parting words echoed in my mind, a chilling promise that she wouldn’t stop until she took Leon from me. I lean
And that same evening, after the chaos of dinner had finally settled and Aunt Lou had gone to bed, I found myself sitting in the living room with Leon, the two of us in comfortable silence. He had his arm wrapped around me, and I rested my head against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was calming, a moment of peace after everything that had happened. But there was still something I needed to tell him—something I had been holding back since my encounter with Regina.I sat up slightly, pulling away just enough to look at him, my heart racing as I tried to gather the right words. Leon noticed the change in my posture and immediately grew concerned, his eyes scanning my face."Margarette? You appeared like you wanted to tell me something, is there something wrong?" he asked, his voice gentle but alert. "You’ve been like that since a moment ago."I took a deep breath, knowing that what I was about to say would be complicated. Leon had always been protective of me,
A few days after my conversation with Leon, we decided it was time to move forward with the plan. We couldn’t waste any more time. Regina had given us the information we needed, but we had to tread carefully. We know that Wilma wasn’t someone to be underestimated, and if we were going to help Regina escape her clutches and use what she knew to fight back, we needed to strategize. That’s where Jack, our former lawyer, came in.Leon and I set up a meeting at Jack’s office, and although Leon had been wary about involving Regina, he agreed that her knowledge of Wilma’s operations could be valuable in court. I could see through Regina’s eyes how she was terrified but determined, and I could see the weight of fear pressing down on her as we made our way to the law office.Jack’s office was in a quiet part of town, away from the noise of the city, nestled in a high-rise building with a view of the river. Leon and I arrived first, stepping into the sleek, professional atmosphere of the offi
The evening sky was already dark when we finished with the day. I could forever stare at the stars scattered like diamonds against a deep velvet sky as Leon and I drove in comfortable silence. We had just left Jack’s office, and the weight of Regina’s testimony and the plan we’d put into motion hanging heavily between us. I just coudn’t believe how things had gone back to the same dilemma we had months back with Justin, this time though, it’s Wilma.My mind was racing with thoughts wondering how dangerous things would get once Wilma realized we were coming fo sue her for all the harassment she had done. It may not be directly able to pay for what she did to me but at least, if Regina’s lawsuit against Wilma would prevail, It would also feel like I gave justice to my case when I was still with them.Out of nowhere, I shifted my position and glanced at Leon, his expression unreadable as he focused on the road. His hands gripped the steering wheel firmly and he seemed totally focused a
THE NEXT MORNING.As the first rays of sunlight crept through the curtains, I woke up feeling lighter, as though the peaceful evening Leon had surprised me with had taken away some of the weight I’d been carrying. I stretched out, savoring the warmth of the bed, but when I reached for Leon, the space beside me was empty.I frowned, sitting up slightly and looking around. Leon was already dressed, standing by the window with his phone pressed to his ear, his face etched with concern. Something was wrong.“Yeah, I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Leon said into the phone, his voice low and serious. “Make sure Jack knows. We can’t afford any more surprises.” He ended the call and turned to me, his eyes softened the moment that he saw me already sitting on the edge of the bed.“Good morning, my love” he said, attempting a smile, but I could see the anxiety in his eyes that he was trying to hide.“Leon, who was that on the phone? What’s going on?” I asked, sitting up fully while trying to a
THE FOLLOWING DAYS, I finally decided to step back and allow leon to handle the case for the time being. I decided to just sit in the garden patio and feel in the soft hum of the breeze and the gentle rustling of leaves around me. After all the chaotic things that went through my life, It was just now that I could find sometime alone while staring over the flowers blooming in every corner. Usually, this was my sanctuary, a place where I could gather my thoughts, but today, even the beauty of the garden couldn’t distract me from how bored I felt.Leon had insisted that I take it easy and stay at home while he and Jack worked on the legal case. I had agreed, knowing he was right. But after days of being stuck inside with nothing to do but worry, I was starting to feel restless. I missed being more involved, and though I trusted Leon completely, I couldn't shake the feeling that I should be doing more. As I absentmindedly flipped through a magazine, I noticed Lena approaching me. Her
As the afternoon drifted on, Lena and I kept talking, the conversation flowing easily as the two of us got even more comfortable with one another. And I must say, Lena surely live up to her offer of being a good company. She actually made me forget all about my boredom the past few days.I hadn't realized how much I enjoyed her company until this moment. She had always been the quieter one in the family, content to stay in the background and rarely join the conversations. but there was a depth to her that I hadn't seen before. The more we talked, the more I understood how much Lena had been holding back, and I felt a sense of responsibility to be there for her—like a big sister she could confide in."So," I said with a teasing smile, "do you think you’ll ever tell Jack how you feel?"Lena blushed again, shaking her head quickly. "Oh no, absolutely not. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t even know what to say!"I laughed softly. "You don’t have to tell him right away, silly, but don’t be too hard