Content Warning: This chapter contains themes of abuse, domestic violence, substance use, and trauma. Reader discretion is advised.———[Vivienne]I glance back at Sunny, watching her sleep peacefully. Looking at her now, you’d never guess the hell she went through. She looks like any other woman—like you or me. But knowing how the men in her life treated her, there’s a strange anger burning inside me, seething under my skin.I hate it. I hate that this is the reality we live in today. It happens so often around us that sometimes we don’t even realize how messed up it all is.I look over at the other woman on the couch next to Sunny. “What about her?”“Elle?” Ruby asks, just to be sure.I nod, remembering her name from last night. She’s the one who picked the lock.“She was abused by one of her teachers in high school. When she tried to report it, the principal turned it around and accused her. To shut her up, they gave her failing grades and kicked her out, claiming she didn’t deserv
[Vivienne]Rosita runs out of the room so fast, we all can’t help but laugh our butts off.Goodness, it feels like forever since I’ve laughed this hard.While Ro takes care of the call from Harvey and tries to explain herself or whatever, Ruby and her gang grab their stuff and get ready to leave.“So, it was great having a girls’ night out,” Ruby says, and each of the girls with her agrees, grinning widely.I shake my head, holding the door. “Is that what it was? A girls’ night out?”She shrugs. “Of course, what else could it be?”I know what she means, and I do my best to play along. “Well then, thank you for the good time. I had a lovely night.”“No problem, darling,” she winks, sliding her arm around Sunny’s shoulder. “We’ve got your back. Remember that.”“I will,” I say, knowing I won’t forget this. “Thank you, again.”Once they all leave, I head back inside, grinning to myself.Ruby and her gang are strange, but they have good hearts, and I suppose that’s all that matters.And th
[Caden]“I just got the call, sir. Mr. Halest has already made it to the restaurant. What should I tell them?” Betty asks.I glance at my wristwatch. It’s going to take at least fifteen minutes to get there. “Tell them I’m stuck in traffic. I’ll be there in twenty.”“Right, sir.”The call disconnects as the elevator doors open to the ground floor. I walk out of the building and head for my car, already waiting.But before I can reach it, a man steps into view, moving with all the time and grace in the world, leaning back against my car.My mood immediately sours, not that it’s been good to begin with.He folds his arms and smiles. “Long time no see, Caden. Did you miss me?”I stop in my tracks, staring him down. “It’s funny you think I have that kind of time.”He chuckles, ignoring the edge in my voice. “Oh, come on. A little time for friends and family? Only a heartless man would say that.”I don’t even have the energy to roll my eyes. “Take your crap somewhere else. I have somewhere
[Vivienne]“Oh, Vivienne, you’re finally home!” Mom welcomes me as soon as I walk through the door.I hug her, and she hugs me back. “Sorry, Mom. It took me a while. Life just got very hectic.”“You think I haven’t heard that before?” she pulls away, pouting. “Your father has used every kind of excuse in the book, sweetheart. Now, you don’t get to tell me the same.”I chuckle. “Okay, okay. Sorry. Happy now? I’ll try to drop by once a week from now on.”“It’s still not enough, but a good start nonetheless.”She finally smiles and leads me toward the dining room. “Come on now. We have so much to talk about. Let’s chat in the kitchen. I’m still not done with dinner.”I raise an eyebrow. “You’re making dinner? All by yourself?”She gives me a side-eye. “Just because I let the chefs handle most of the things around this house doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten my skills. I can still cook a decent dinner if I put my mind to it.”I feel bad for saying something like that. “Mom, that’s not what I me
[Vivienne]I don’t know what to say.Part of me wants to leap at the opportunity, to embrace the challenge and prove him right. But another part feels like it’s about to drown in the sheer enormity of it all.The truth is, I don’t want to disappoint him—not like I did when I chose Caden over everything he made me believe in.“Dad, can you give me some time? I promise I’ll think about it.”He smiles understandingly. “Of course, darling. Take all the time you want. Get back to me whenever you think you’re ready.”Just then, Justine, the maid, knocks on the door and calls us down for dinner. When we enter the dining room, I can see that Mom has outdone herself; the table is set with an elegant spread that looks almost too beautiful to eat.“Wow, Mom, this looks incredible,” I say, genuinely impressed.She beams at the compliment, her earlier mood swings seemingly forgotten. “Thank you, sweetheart! I thought we could celebrate your return home.”Dad pulls out my chair, and I take a seat.
[Vivienne]This time, when Harvey turns, it feels like I have his attention.But before I open my mouth again, and finish what I started, he holds me by the shoulders and kisses my forehead.“Look. I get it. And I know where you’re getting with this. But no. I really can’t do this right now. Emma is…she’s doing great. But she’s not like other kids. She needs special care and I can’t let some innocent woman—or any woman—get burdened by the needs of my child. It’s just not fair.”Tears prick my eyes for the reason that I don’t even know. It’s maybe my brother has a heart of gold and it shows. I love him so much for this. But is it really the truth or he’s just too scared to move on?“Why don’t you let her decide that? Ask her on a date or something. I’m sure if you talk—”“Like I said to Mom, Viv, I have a lot on my plate right now, and this is just not the right time,” he says, taking a step back and checking his phone. “I’ve got to go. Emma’s nanny is sick, and she wants to leave earl
[Vivienne]I laugh at that, trying hard to hide my actual thoughts. I grab a chair and shake my head when he offers me a drink. “I’m fine. Thank you.”“As you wish,” he smiles and then leans back in his chair. “So, the dinner went well, I heard?”I think hard about what he said, only to realize maybe it wasn’t that complicated in the first place. “Harvey told you?”He chuckles. “More like I caught him on the phone after he probably made his grand exit and had no choice but to endure his twenty-minute rant.”I wince, feeling bad for him. “Yeah. He was pretty mad.”“I can only imagine. Family dinners are like navigating a minefield sometimes, aren’t they?”“Exactly! One wrong step, and you’re blown to bits. But I think it’s just him trying to figure things out. He’s feeling the pressure.”“Pressure can be a double-edged sword,” he says thoughtfully. “It can either push you to new heights or leave you paralyzed with fear. Sometimes, it’s a matter of choosing which way to let it affect yo
[Vivienne]The elevator jerks to a halt, and the lights flicker before plunging us into total darkness.Elijah curses softly under his breath. “Well, this is just fantastic.”I blink, trying to adjust to the sudden blackness. “Did we just—?”“Yep,” he cuts me off, sounding calm despite the situation. “Elevator’s stuck. Don’t worry, it happens from time to time. Building’s old.”I can hear him moving, likely reaching for his phone. “Let me just call maintenance, and we’ll be out in no time.”“Great. Stuck in an elevator. Just what I needed today.”“Hey, if you’re going to get stuck in an elevator, at least you’re stuck with me. It could be worse.”I laugh, despite myself. “Always looking at the bright side, huh?”“Well,” he says, his voice moving closer, “I try to make the best out of bad situations. Keeps life interesting.”“You’re impossible.”He chuckles, and I hear him tapping away on his phone. “They’ll get us out soon. In the meantime, consider this a forced break. I bet you have
[Sasha]I can’t believe I’m back here.After everything this family has done to ignore me, to ensure I never received a single penny from them, I’m still here, hoping for some help.Never in my life did I think I’d be in a position where I’d have to beg for my next meal. But here I am, and it’s the only option I have left. After selling the company and using half of the money to pay off the loan shark, and the other half to cover Dad’s hospital bills and pay the overdue salaries of employees we’d kept waiting for years, it wasn’t surprising that I was left with absolutely nothing.It doesn’t help that my idiot brother, Arthur, is nowhere to be found. Ever since he was released from the hospital and learned what I had to do to get rid of the jerk he borrowed from, he’s completely disappeared.Damn it. If I see him next time, I swear to God, I’m going to kill him.“How long is this going to take?” I ask, standing up from the couch as I spot one of the maids of the Lawrence residence pas
[Vivienne]“Where are you? You were supposed to be here hours ago,” I say over the phone, carefully walking down the stairs per the doctor’s instructions during my last visit.“On my way, I swear. Just got caught up in a call and couldn’t put it off,” Rosita says huffing, and not at all sounding as if she’s in a car.I reach the end of the stairs, frowning. “Have you even left? Please be honest with me.”“Of course,” she says as a matter of fact, but then right after a moment, she blurts out. “Actually, no.”Before I even respond to that, she rushes to explain. “Before you get mad, just hear me out. I swear I was leaving, I was almost ready to leave the house, get into my car, and reach you, but then…then someone came over and it seemed like urgent. And I could have told you all about that but…but…but…”“Hey, hey, hey,” I laugh. “Calm down, Ro. You’re making me sound like some tyrannical friend or something. It’s fine, really. The only reason I asked you to come over is because you sa
[Caden]Since our last meeting at the courthouse, I decided to keep my distance from Vivienne.A few weeks have passed now, and I think it’s enough time and space she might have needed to get used to the new reality of our lives—the kind of reality where she sees me around more often. The kind of reality where she allows me to be there for her and our child.“Excuse me, sir,” Betty Adams—my assistant—pulls me out of my thoughts.I look up to find her standing at the door. “The meeting starts in five.”The meeting. Of course. My last task of the day. After this, I’ll be free to visit Vivienne.Speaking of which—I get up from my chair, reaching for my suit jacket. “Did you find Vivienne’s new address?”I hear footsteps behind me. “About that…”When it feels like she’s going to leave it at that, I turn around, frowning. “What’s that supposed to mean?”“I mean, I tried, sir.”She must be out of her mind. “Well, clearly, you haven’t tried hard enough.”“But, sir—”“Leave it.”I walk past
[Vivienne]I can’t believe he’s here.But why?“Hey,” I manage, even though his unexpected appearance has completely thrown me off. “Long time no see.”“You don’t say,” he replies, placing the glass of water on the table in front of me when I make no move to take it. I might have zoned out for a second there. “So, how have you been? And may I just add—you’re a very hard person to find.”I smile faintly. That’s exactly what I’ve been aiming for since moving to my grandparents’ home in the hills. “Maybe that’s the point. I like my life quieter these days, away from all the chaos.”“I get it,” he says with a soft chuckle, his expression neither offended nor prying. “For a while, I thought it was me who chased you away, you know—with all those talks about faking an engagement and everything.”Oh. Right. I almost forgot about that. The proposal he made—the arrangement he thought would make his mother happy.Too bad I had far more pressing problems to deal with at the time.“Trust me, it wa
[Vivienne]“Are you sure you want to attend this event?” Harvey asks as I walk into my walk-in wardrobe, trying to pick an appropriate evening gown for the night.“Of course, I’m sure. I wouldn’t have asked you to accompany me if I wasn’t,” I shrug, leaning towards a stunning black dress but quickly getting distracted by a shimmery white gown with a sexy slit.“That, I understand. But considering your health…”“I’m fine, Harvey,” I roll my eyes. It’s been two months since that night when I rushed myself to the hospital after spotting blood on my sheets. “According to my doctor, I’m well past the risk phase, and I can start getting back to my daily routine.”“But still,” he says, sounding as if he still has doubts.Look, I know he cares. He’s my big brother, after all. I’ve known about his possessiveness for a very long time. But the reason I don’t want to spend my days sitting like a duck at home is that I’ve started to get terribly bored.Besides, tonight’s event is kind of special.
[Sasha]“What the hell is this place?” Dad fumes, glancing around the cramped, one-room apartment I brought him to straight from the hospital.“It’s…” I glance around myself, wrinkling my nose at the awful smell wafting in from the nearby window. “…something.”“Sasha,” Mom calls out, drawing my attention. Her voice holds a mix of confusion and concern. “What is this? Why aren’t we home?”“Mom, there’s something you should know,” I begin, feeling beads of sweat forming on my forehead and trickling down my back. I turn to Dad, bracing myself. “Remember the loan Arthur took from that loan shark?”“Of course, I do. How could I forget the biggest disappointment of my life?” he huffs, walking over to the old, sagging couch in the corner. He pauses before sitting down, noticing the thick layer of dust covering it, and chooses to stand instead. “What I don’t understand is—what are we doing here? Didn’t you hear what the doctor said? I need rest. I need to be home. And this place is far from i
[Caden]“Congratulations, Mr. Lawrence. You got what you wanted.” My advocate—Atlas Norman—extends his hand for a handshake. “Despite my better judgment, of course.”I return the handshake, albeit a little reluctantly. “You say that as if I ruined your fun.”“Well, you did. Especially since I enjoy a good challenge. But either way, my client’s satisfaction is what matters most. So, I’m glad I could be of service.”I have a strong urge to roll my eyes but manage to keep my composure. “Thanks for your efforts.”“All my pleasure. Now that the restraining order has been lifted, you need to be very careful with how you conduct yourself, Mr. Lawrence. As the judge mentioned, all eyes will be on you, and if you mistreat your ex-wife or the unborn child in any way, the order could be reinstated. From this point on, it’s about walking on eggshells. I hope you’ll remember that.”Of course, I do. That’s all I can think about—how not to screw this up.I might not have been the best husband a woma
[Vivienne]I answer the call—it’s Elijah.“Hey,” I say, watching Theo get up and resume pacing back and forth across the room.“Hey. How are you now?”“Much better. In fact, I’m just waiting for my discharge papers.”“That’s good to hear, Vivienne. I’ll come by to visit as soon as I can.”“Sure.” But something about his tone feels off. “Is everything okay? You sound… serious.”Elijah exhales, his tone growing heavier. “I won’t lie to you. I just got word from your ex-husband’s attorney.”The mention of Caden makes my throat go dry. Why is he suddenly everywhere today? Why can’t he just leave me alone?I shake my head, trying to dispel the rising anxiety. “What the hell is he up to now?”“Nothing good, if I’m being honest.”“Just tell me already.”“They’re preparing to file a motion to contest the restraining order.”“He’s doing what?” Did I just hear that right? Is Caden out of his mind? Why would he fight something he never cared about in the first place? What’s his goal here? A sudde
[Vivienne]“Ms. Sinclair?”I snap back into focus, realizing I’ve zoned out again.Damn it. Why am I thinking about him again? What is there to even think about? He broke my heart, shattered my life, and yet, here I am—wondering what else I could’ve said, what more I could’ve done, just to get some reaction out of him.I shake my head, trying to pull myself out of this vicious spiral. It’s the same toxic loop I always fell into when we were married—constantly questioning myself. What could I have done differently? What could I have said better? Anything that might’ve made him stay a little longer, look at me with more than passing interest, spend more than just a fleeting part of his day with me. Anything that might’ve made him care for me like a real husband, like someone who actually loved his wife.But no. I can’t let myself fall back into that labyrinth of false hope and endless what-ifs. Not again.Taking a steadying breath, I force a smile for the doctor, doing my best to seem c