“Benevento, signora Jessica.” The driver at the airport terminal greeted her with a smile on his face as he got her suitcase and put them in his vehicle. His sleek black uniform and cap shone brightly against the beautiful morning sky in Italy. “Ahh, my bad. I am your Carlo, your personal driver in the city of Florence.”“Grazie” Jessica answered, remembering the word she had learned during her flight to Italy. It was still shaky but she had put in a lot of effort to practice for this new phase of her life. The long flight to Italy had been exhausting and draining but the beautiful landscape in the city of Italy took it all away as she watched her spirits begin lifted.“Long flight?” Carlo asked with another smile on his face because he recognized the tired look on her face. It was the same with the numerous passengers he worked with everyday outside the airport.“Yes, Carlo. Very long if I must say.” Jessica said, still taking the wonderful structures in front of her in the city of
The beautiful rays of the morning sun waltzed right into Jessica’s apartment, majestically taking over the entire space which welcomed it in through the large widows placed strategically in the apartment. She opened her eyes and studied the entire room since it was her first time waking up in her new apartment in Florence, Italy. Jessica stretched lazily in her medium sized bed, taking in the cool breeze that accompanied the sun like a partner in crime. Florence was going to be her haven for the next few years of her life, a place where would start her life all over, away from the memories in Los Angeles. Here, she could make a name for herself in whatever industry she chose and she would do this while raising a child.Jessica glanced at her clock on her bedside table. “Gosh, it’s already 9:30am. What time did I finally get to fall asleep last night?” She wondered, placing her feet into the comfy shoes that had already been placed by the side of her bed.Her antenatal check-up was in
Ethan Mitchell was found on his king-size bed with every limb of his body spread out. He was tangled in the silky sheets that he had imported a few months ago for his comfort, while the remnants of food and drinks from the previous night still clung to his body. As the early morning sun made its way into his bedroom through the heavy curtains he had hung, he squinted his eyes regretting why it was morning already. To his left and right, lay two women without any form of clothing on them but the mess they had created on his bed; empty bottles of wine, glasses covered in lipstick smudges, and the smell of what seemed to be bodily fluids from a hot night.The door to Ethan's bedroom slammed open, forcing everyone to wake up immediately as they jumped to see a woman standing in front of them. It was Ethan's mum, Victoria Mitchell, standing above them and judging each of them with her dark eyes that were filled with disgust. She took a deep breath in, processing what had become of her son
Ethan quickly splashed water on his cold face, the chill sending jolts through his entire body and bringing back the excitement of last night's party. The person he saw in the bathroom mirror as his reflection made him sad because he had become a shadow of his former self. His red eyes from intoxication, his beard unshaven, and the outstanding smell of alcohol that he could wash off his body despite his efforts to scrub it all away before he met with his grandfather.His grandfather's call earlier that morning had been abrupt and shocking, as it left him no chance to give reasons why he wouldn't be able to make it. Ethan deep down knew that this could be the chance he had spent the last five years of his life waiting for but he couldn't show up and look at a person from a ship wreckage. With such little time, there was only some facial magic he could perform so he wouldn't be late. As he buttoned up one of his numerous crisp white shirts, he couldn't help the nervousness he felt as he
Five Years Later- Jessica's POVJessica pulled her vehicle to the front of her daughter's school, her heart melting as she watched the school authorities bring Avery to the gate where she was waiting. The little girl's hair was completely blonde which was shocking for a girl her age, her curls bouncing as she jumped happily upon seeing her mother's car, her face lighting up with a wide grin. Jessica stepped out of her black vehicle, opening her arms as her daughter hurried into them for a big hug."Mama!" Avery called out at the top of her. "You're here.""Of course, sweetheart." Jessica smiled as she planted a kiss on her daughter's face. "So, how was school today?"Avery jumped on her toes, excited to see her mum come pick her up from school. "It was fun! We made art today, Mum. Painting and playing outside before Miss Nina told us a story about the space in the sky." She narrated, her eyes widening as she twisted her body from left to right because of how excited she was."Can
Jessica sat on her beautiful marble desk which was carved out by one of the best marble artists in Italy while she flipped the new Fashion Daily magazine. She had been offered a front-page spot and was finally getting to see it after many months. Her assistant, Genevieve, had just dropped off a lot of mail, but somewhere in the pile, one seemed to stand out to her. It was different from the others, delicate, purple-colored, and had a crest that brought back memories she had finally buried after a while. Her breath stuck in her throat as she realized that the Mitchell family had finally found her out after five years.It was Ethan's grandfather.She quickly scanned through the contents of the letter in her hand, her heartbeat palpitating as she read each word of it. Ethan's mother was coming up soon and her father-in-law was apparently trying to get a custom-made dress for her as a gift. They had requested no other brand than hers, Griselda, to do the job, so this made Jessica know t
"Can you believe that he asked for a DNA test just a few weeks after the baby was born?" Olivia said letting out a sigh, leaning back into the spa chair as her long nails were being punished. She looked at her friend, Harriet, who sat a few inches away from her, completely engrossed in her phone. "I mean, after everything we had been through together I thought we had each other's trust."Harriet finally looked up with a sympathetic face, still not fully part of the conversation. "Men are dogs and they are all the same. You give them your all and they throw it back in your face like it was nothing.""Not all of them, I must say." Faye corrected from another corner of the room. She wiggled her toes happily as the pedicurist finished another layer of coating her nails with polish. "Harriet's boyfriend spoils her but she isn't telling us about it."Harriet let out a smug smile. "Exactly. Stephen knows everything he needs to know about treating a woman right. I'm not out here like the r
"Welcome back to Los Angeles, Jessica Johnson." Ricky teased, bumping his shoulder into hers as they walked through the airport terminal. His voice as usual was playful, but Jessica could sense the underlying romantic tension between themselves as they made their way towards the fleet of black SUVs. Avery, her five-year-old daughter, held her mother's hand as she bounced excitedly at the sight in front of her."Wow, I haven't been home in years," Jessica muttered silently, taking in the familiar sights in the distance. She could feel a rush of various emotions running through her body as they stood together. "Let's hope nothing soils this moment for us.""Hey, we are here now. Let's enjoy it to the fullest." Ricky said to her, showing her his flirty yet reassuring smile. "Besides, you're not alone this time around. I'm here with you and Avery is also here with you. Right, champ?""Yes!" Avery jumped, smacking her tiny hands into Ricky's as she responded to his high-five.Jessica n
Jessica sat across from her lawyer, Lois, in a very meticulously organized office which was in downtown LA. The room had the smell of leather and freshly brewed coffee in it, the bookshelves completely cramped up with legal books, and accolades that adorned the walls. Jessica began to slowly lose her composure as she began to speak of her past, the memories jumping and eating her from the inside out."I waited for five years, Lois" Jessica said, her voice now trembling with emotions that she had tried to suppress for so long. "Five long and very painful years. After all the tests, and endless outings of looking like a disappointment before finally getting pregnant. There I was thinking that a miracle had finally happened."Lois leaned closer, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Ethan Mitchell? Wow, I never knew all of this had happened when you came to me many years ago. How did he feel when you broke the news to him?"Jessica let out what seemed to be a very bitter laugh. "Ne
Jessica's knuckles began to whiten as she held the edge of her desk tightly. Across from her, Olivia still leaned against the wall of her office, an irritating picture of confidence on her face. The air in the room began to feel suffocating, her once peaceful office had to turn of lionesses."Olivia, speak plainly," Jessica said to her, keeping her voice so she wouldn't cause a scene in her workplace. "What do you want here?"Olivia took a step forward, her heels making a sound as they clicked on the polished floor underneath her feet. "Oh, sweet sweet Jessica." She began, her tone as slippery as honey. "I'm here to give you a simple deal. Dump Ricky and give the father of your daughter more access to her. That's all I want."Jessica's eyes closed in on her. "And why would I do that for you?"Olivia smirked, fetching her mobile phone from her sleek Birking bag. "Because if you don't do as I say, this right here might just end up in court as evidence during your custody battle." She ta
Jessica leaned back on the cream coloured sofa in her parent’s living room, the envelope that she had received from Ethan’s lawyers lying on the coffee table untouched. The legal notice couldn’t feel more heavier than this, it was like a boulder had been dropped on her thoughts.Her mother, Janet, sipped on her ice tea, her eyes fixed on the document. “Hmm, custody battle?” she repeated to herself, her voice barely audible to others.Jessica nodded, her hands folded together. “So Ethan really wants Avery, Or at least, Olivia has gone and poisoned his mind. I’m sure she has her hands behind all of this.”Her father, Joseph, leaned closer, the look on his face very stern. “This man has no right to do this. After being absent for many years, Jessica. How dare he! When you’ve been the one raising Avery, alone. This is just absurd.”“I know.” Jessica said, her voice cracking as she spoke. “But after many years of knowing Ethan, I’m sure he is going to try to do everything that he can
Jessica gently unfastened her daughter’s coat, her hands shaking slightly as her thoughts continued to cause chaos in her mind. The boutique encounter with Olivia had thrown her off balance more than she wanted to admit.“Mommy, can I have my hot chocolate now?” Avery asked, her voice cutting through Jessica’s clouded mind.Jessica managed to smile at her, brushing back the strand of hair on Avery’s face. “Of course, sweetheart. But first, go wash your hands and I’ll go in and make it extra sweet for you.”As Avery skipped towards the direction of the bathroom, Jess exhaled for a moment, her chest tightening up.Ricky stepped into the room, his sharp blue-coloured suit, which was wrinkled from a long day of work. “You’re late.” He said with a playful tone before he noticed the look on her face. “What’s wrong?”Jessica hesitated, glancing towards the bathroom to make sure that Avery would be unable to hear anything. “You wouldn’t believe that I ran into Olivia today.”Ricky’s jaw dropp
Jessica buttoned her little girl's thick coat and adjusted the scarf on her neck, the frosty air coming through their breaths as they stepped out into the noisy and bustling streets in their car. The sidewalk was packed with snow, festive lights adored the windows of every shop they could see. It had been months since had given herself time to relax, and Avery's excitement was just too contagious."Mommy, please can we go to the toy store first?" Avery begged her gloves hand pulling on Jessica's coat.Jessica smiled, blowing away a strand of hair from her face. "We're for clothes, Avery. But I promise, if we finish early, then we can go look at toys that you like."Avery's face lit up with excitement, and she skipped along beside her mother as they entered a chic boutique filled with winter wear for the season. Jessica let her daughter wander ahead of her, her eyes glowing as she saw the colorful display while she inspected the racks of coats.Her phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling a
Jessica sighed deeply as she walked right into the door, the weight of the previous week still heavy on her shoulder. Ethan's visit to her office had just found its way back to her mind, and the more she tried to let of it, the more she found herself haunted by the thought. Returning to work would always give her a temporary place to escape from everything, but every moment since she found her office, has always been one that brought her the same unease.She placed her Gucci bag on the countertop and walked into the kitchen, hoping to get something to eat and retire to bed without much conversation. But Ricky was already staring at her from across the room, his eyes narrowed in on her, and concern filled in his eyes."Hey," he said quietly, trying not to startle to her. "Long day?"Jessica hugged him, managing to reply with a smile on her face as she let go immediately. "Ueaj, something like that."Ricky watched, his gaze searching her entire countenance. "Jess, are you okay? Late
Jessica's parents' home where she lived with Avery and Ricky was quiet as the evening began to settle in, a soft glow from the moon casting a warm light across her daughter's room. Jessica sat right on the edge of her daughter's bed, watching her prepare her blankets so she could snuggle into them. After a long, especially with her ex-husband, Ethan's unexpected visit to her office, this was what she considered a peaceful moment.Avery's room was a girly mix of pinks and some purples here and there, decorated with fairy lights that glittered all day, some stuffed animals on the bed, and a shelf that contained all her favorite books that she loved to read before going to bed. Jessica stretched out her hand to pull the covers to her daughter's chin, smiling at her as she prepared Avery for bed."Mommy, will you tell that story where the princess gets to build her castle?" Avery asked politely, her eyes still sparkling with excitement.Jessica laughed softly. This story had gradually bec
“Jessica, the next LA expansion for the company is going very well.” Mark, her new project manager began, his voice strong and confident. “Good, but let’s try to focus on our brand’s consistency no matter what.” Jessica responded, shaking her head as she encouraged the team. “We can’t let our LA branch feel left out from our core values and mission.”“Right.,” Lisa chimed in, a new member to the team. “I’ve created a list of potential influencers that can help solidify our online presence. This is one of the smartest way for reaching out to the LA crowd.”Jessica let out a big smile, preparing to reply, when the glass door of her office suddenly swung open, and she froze in her seat. Ethan stood there, hair scattered and visibly drunk, leaning heavily on the door frame so he wouldn’t fall to the ground. His eyes were red, and the smell of alcohol reeked from his body.“Ethan?” Jessica’s voice returned to her, feeling surprised and shocked, while the various members of her teams excha
Jessica pushed open the door leading into her parent's house, releasing a small sigh as she set down her bag and slipped out of her shoes. She had been at the office, longer than she had planned, but the meeting was crucial as she was preparing to open another branch of her company in Los Angeles. Still, she felt some guilt knowing that her daughter must have waited for her the whole day.She walked gently down the hallway, passing the large living room where she spotted Ricky, his feet were on the coffee table, the soft glow from the lamp casting its shadows across the room. He looked, finally taking notice of her, and welcomed her with a gentle smile."She's asleep?" Jessica wondered, her voice as low as a whisper, pointing towards Avery's room which was down the hall.Ricky nodded, dropping his feet down to the floor and sitting straight. "Yeah. But she tried her best to stay awake for you. Asked me at least three times when you'd be back from work."Jessica closed her eyes tig