BeatriceI had been feeling terrible since the conversation with Andrew in the morning, and nothing managed to distract me from the guilt that haunted me all day. I ran my hands through my hair and then brought them to my face, hiding it from myself, as I was alone in the small room."What am I doing with my life?" I murmured to the walls. "How can I be so... foolish!"I was angry with myself for always letting Edward influence me. Even though I still loved him, I shouldn't let myself be convinced so easily.I couldn't stand staying in that room tormenting myself anymore and decided that taking advantage of the fact that there was only half an hour left until the end of the workday, I would leave immediately.With the decision made, I jumped out of the chair, my irritation reaching its peak. After grabbing my bag, I hurriedly left the room. I wouldn't wait for Edward to come pick me up. I wouldn't allow him to provoke more tension, in case Andrew also met us at the newspaper's exit.I
BeatriceThe next morning, the first thing I do when I wake up is call Janet. Even though I don't want to bother my friend or ruin her happiness with my problems, I need her help today, and I'm sure she won't object to what I have in mind. After a few rings, Janet picks up the call, and I sigh in relief to hear her usual cheerful tone. We talk for a bit, and she tells me about little Archie, and how he's getting smarter and healthier every day. When she asks me how things are, I tell her the truth about how confused I am with everything that's happening."You can count on my help, Beatrice," Janet says after hearing what I planned to do that day."I'm glad you can help me, Janet," I reply, truly relieved.As agreed, Edward arrives to pick me up at the usual time and greets me in
BeatriceEven though it was already lunchtime, I decided to go to Lucy's office, perhaps I would still find her at her workplace. I had an important work-related doubt that needed to be resolved.Upon arriving at where her desk was located, I found the space empty. I was about to immediately return to the hallway when I noticed some voices coming from the slightly ajar door of Mr. Smith's office. I quickly identified them as the voices of Lucy and our boss, who seemed to be having a conversation. I couldn't just stand there, because if Lucy returned to her desk and saw me listening behind the door, she might misinterpret my presence.However, upon hearing my name mentioned by Mr. Smith, I became completely attentive to their conversation."You also inform t
BeatriceI hurriedly walked to the station until I reached the place where I had arranged to meet my best friend. I could see her from a distance; she seemed to be looking around, as if searching for something or someone, sitting on one of the benches near the boarding platform.When she saw me, Janet immediately stood up and hugged me as if she hadn't seen me in days."It's great that you're here," she said, her hug tight.We stepped back, and I smiled to indicate that everything was okay, despite everything."You're so dramatic," I joked. "We spoke less than ten minutes ago.""How are you dealing with all of this?" Janet's face showed concern.
EdwardWith the firm conviction that our trip to Paris would resolve the issues between Beatrice and me, I parked the car as close as possible to her workplace. However, upon arrival, I didn't find her waiting for me as I had anticipated.Doubt began to creep into my mind. Had she overslept, or was she caught up in some last-minute revision? After a few minutes of waiting with no sign of Beatrice at the building entrance, I decided to step out of the car and start searching for her whereabouts.When I finally reached the floor where my wife worked, I informed the receptionist that I was there to meet her. However, her words left me perplexed."Miss Phillips left a few hours ago, sir," she informed me."It's Mrs. Maddock," I corrected
BeatriceDuring the days I spent in Manchester, I tried to do exactly what I set out to do when leaving London, which was to escape those thoughts and even more so the feelings that Edward evoked in me. It was only when I was back at Janet's house where I was staying, towards the end of the day, that I used my phone to check all the missed messages and calls.Although I had blocked my husband for calls, the messages were still active, and he had tried to reach out through them. However, I chose not to read his messages at that moment, as it wouldn't be beneficial, so I found it more sensible to ignore them.I read and responded to all the others as well. They were from Janet and Andrew, and there was even a message from my cousin, Sebastian, asking how I was and telling me he had already traveled again but with the promise that as soon as he was back in London, he would look for me.I replied that he would always be welcome in my home, and I felt a little guilty about how we had parte
EdwardSeeing the sadness in Beatrice's eyes is painful and uncomfortable, yet I also feel like a hypocrite because, even without intending to, I have caused her a lot of suffering. I realize that I was still doing so, with my unhealthy obsession with controlling her life while simultaneously protecting my heart from the suffering that always accompanies love so closely.“She's not doing well at all, that's a fact” I agree analytically “For this reason, I intend to accompany my sister on this trip. If any bureaucratic issues need to be resolved, she won't have to deal with them, as I will take care of everything.”“It's very kind of you to stand by Abigail in this delicate moment” Beatrice looks at me with admiration.The time had come to talk about another subject, and this one concerned the two of us and no one else.It was time to talk about another matter, and this concerns both of us and no one else."How did you find out about my arrival time?" She asked, sounding curious."Jane
BeatriceI still couldn't clearly express the whirlwind of emotions that overwhelmed me when Edward announced that he would no longer insist on controlling or enclosing me. Everything was confused in my mind at that moment. The feeling of relief, realizing that he finally recognized the error of his conduct, was mixed with a profound sadness for the confirmation of the definitive end of a marriage that, from the beginning, seemed destined to fail. These conflicting feelings left me distressed and lost. However, if there was something extremely positive that I could extract from my trip to Manchester, it was the certainty that it was possible to live a full life, regardless of whether or not I had a man by my side. I learned that you can't simply jump from one relationship to another without first truly understanding what you want. And I was still undecided about many things. Anyway, the news of Abigail's husband's disappearance, with grim probabilities, made me put aside my constant
BeatriceLittle Avery came into the world a few months later, full of health and energy, captivating everyone with her charming smile and sweet temperament. Edward, who had already proven to be a responsible and present father to Timothy, repeated the same loving commitment to Avery. He continued to be the man I always wished for by my side, and his dedication only confirmed that the disappointments of the past were definitively overcome.Our routine was cozy, and seeing our children grow up happy and content filled my heart with joy and fulfillment. Through ups and downs, we remained united, building a lovely and happy family.Two Years LaterBeatriceAfter more than six years of official marriage, Edward decided to sur
AndrewAccepting the invitation to dinner at Beatrice and Edward's house was a sudden decision. I felt hesitant, but at the same time, intrigued by the opportunity to rekindle the friendship that had been shaken by emotional issues.Talking extensively with Beatrice in the preceding days brought much-needed clarity. I realized that the weight of trying to win the love of a woman still in love with her ex-husband was a mistake. The friendship with Beatrice, after all, was much more valuable than any unrequited romantic desire.Upon arriving at Beatrice and Maddock's house, I noticed the presence of Abigail, Edward's sister. An inexplicable nervousness seized me, arousing my curiosity. We exchanged glances, and a subtle tension hung between us, something I admit I did not overlook.
BeatriceWe conversed animatedly during dinner, reminiscing about stories and sharing laughter. I looked at my husband, that beautiful man now entirely dedicated to my needs, reflecting on how much our lives had changed since the day I left that house, determined to forget a year of rejection I lived with Edward and pretend that I no longer loved him when in reality, my love for him only grew each day."While Timothy is almost a young man, Archie is just a baby, and Beatrice is pregnant, soon she'll also have her baby in her arms," Sebastian commented suggestively, looking at Elizabeth, and we all eagerly awaited to hear what he would say next, with smiles of anticipation on our faces. "I also want to have a baby, my love."He didn't disappoint us. We all found what he said very funny, and Elizabeth tu
BeatriceToday I woke up with uncontained joy in my heart. As I got ready for work, I found myself smiling at the mirror, my hands gently caressing the slight swell of my belly. I was radiant, feeling a deep connection with the little being growing inside me.Upon arriving at the office, I was greeted with warm wishes from colleagues and friends. Everyone noticed my good mood, and I couldn't help but share the news of my pregnancy with them. Each smile and congratulations made my day even more special.I was heading back to my office after a meeting when I nearly bumped into Andrew. I hadn't seen him in weeks. The way he had exited my life had left me hurt and confused. However, upon seeing him again, I felt a strange calm in his presence."Hello, Beatrice,
BeatriceDespite everything that had happened between us, my heart insisted that I should trust Edward. I decided to trust him in the same way he trusted me. And so, with the security of his love and confidence in his loyalty, I shared about my pregnancy. His happiness was so evident that there was no room to doubt his feelings."We should tell Timothy," Edward said with remarkable enthusiasm."I'll pick him up from school with you," I said, equally excited. "And together, we can share this news with him."Edward agreed immediately, shutting down his computer and grabbing his work folder. We walked together toward the door. Passing by Edward's secretary, I briefly recounted what had happened when I arrived at his office that afternoon."Who are you calling?" I asked, surprised to see him dialing a number on his phone.Edward just waved his hand, asking me for a moment, but he hugged me, keeping me close to his body while making the mysterious call."Mrs. Steve? Yes, it's me," Edward s
EdwardDespite Beatrice choosing a safe distance between us, the fact that we were willing to clarify everything left me satisfied."I haven't spoken to or seen Louise for months, Beatrice, since that night at the restaurant when we reunited, and she acted rudely and disrespectfully toward you. Something I could never forgive."Beatrice seemed about to interrupt me, opening and closing her mouth several times but managed to stay silent, so I continued with my explanation."Today, Louise showed up at my company unannounced, and I received her as I would with any acquaintance because that's exactly what she is to me now," I made a point to emphasize that. "She was seeking strong sponsorship for her modeling career, and apparently, her finances aren't doing well. She thought appealing to me and our history would be a good idea.""And it seems like it worked," Beatrice interrupted with visible irritation. "You were about to kiss each other."I took a deep breath and struggled to keep calm
BeatriceTo my complete horror, Edward wasn't alone in the room, and the scene before me was, in fact, highly compromising. I was speechless, as I didn't expect to find Louise Orleans in my husband's office."What's going on here, Edward!?"Edward and Louise were standing face to face, with her hands clasping my husband's neck, and he was holding her hands with his own. I was bewildered. What exactly was happening there? Were they about to kiss? The scene denoted an unacceptable level of intimacy."It's not what you're thinking, Beatrice," Edward quickly distanced himself from Louise, removing her hands from around his neck. "Louise was just leaving, right, Louise?"Edward looked at Louise quite eloquently, sugg
EdwardI left home that morning with a wonderful sense of peace and well-being after a family breakfast. Timothy was also radiant."Tell me more about your mother, Timothy. I want to get to know the woman who raised you so wonderfully well. Never forget how special you are to us, Beatrice and me."During the drive to school, Timothy shared emotionally charged details about his mother and life in Kyiv before the war reached the city.When I parked the car in front of the school, Timothy's words deeply surprised me."And I'll be very happy if our family grows, and I get a little brother like Archie."Beatrice and I had never discussed children before; after all, our ma
BeatriceTimothy was ecstatic about the idea of moving to Edward's mansion, which only strengthened my confidence in the decision. Edward invited us to visit the house the next day, keeping the reason for the visit a secret, which made me anxious.When we arrived at Edward's house the next morning, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary that could catch my attention or be the surprise he intended to show us. However, when he led Timothy and me to the first floor of the house, we finally discovered what he had planned."Wow!" Timothy exclaimed, covering his mouth with his hand, his eyes shining with admiration."How beautiful!" I said, equally enchanted.Once again, Edward managed to touch my heart, breaking down the barriers I had