The study was cold; on the desk were shadows flickering as the only desk lamp did its best to illuminate the room. Ethan stood at the window, his gaze fixed on the horizon far ahead of him. His mind continued to race, each thought fighting with the other, dragging for his attention. Olivia’s release didn’t make any sense to him. The bail, the timing, and the secrecy involved in it showed that someone had gone to great lengths to ensure that she walked out of there free.Clenching his fists, Ethan let out a very much-needed sigh of relief that he hadn’t realized he was holding for minutes. His hand moved to the paperwork on his desk, the reports he had gathered to find Olivia’s secret benefactor. Every lead he found pointed to the same conclusion that kept him unsettled. He grabbed his phone and dialled a number.“Ethan, darling, why are you calling so late at night?” His mother’s voice came in very warm, the kind of warmth that had helped him get away with being pampered as a young ch
Ricky’s apartment had this cosy feeling to it, exuding a sense of wealth and warmth that Jessica found herself happy to be part of, admitting all the chaos from the recent days. The scent of garlic and herbs took over the air, making her stomach rumble once she stepped inside.“Ricky, this smells amazing,” Jessica said, taking off her coat and placing it on the rack that was by his door.Ricky emerged from the kitchen, a huge smile on his face. “Of course, I would prepare only the best for you. I know you’ve been through enough, Jess. Tonight is a night where you forget about the rest of the world, even though it is for a short while “Jessica smiled at him, touched by the thoughtfulness in his heart. “Thank you, Ricky. You didn’t have to do all of this for me.”“Are you kidding? This is just the beginning. Wait until you see what I have planned for dessert.” He winked, leading her into his dining room where the table was already set for two. A single candle standing in between the pl
Ethan sat in the dim light of his penthouse, his fingers drumming a rhythm on the edge of the glass in front of him. The whiskey swirled inside in the glass, a deep amber colour that looked like his current situation. His phone vibrated on the table, drawing his attention as he checked to see if Jessica had finally replied to his message.I want to see AveryHis message had been read but he had not gotten any reply. He had texted her many hours ago, every word showing his frustration, especially after the revelation he had gotten from his mum. He had called and sent messages to follow up, but this was all he got in return. Her cold detachment, her refusal to even let him spend a little time with their daughter.His thumb hovered over his phone screen, his mind racing, but the words seemed to leave before he could even think of them. He threw the phone back down on the table, the screen lighting up one more time to mock him.His penthouse had become noisy and chaotic. Laughter filled t
Jessica sat at the edge of her chair, hands cleaned tightly around her cup of tea making her knuckles turn white. The steam turned in the air, but the tea inside the cup had become cold, forgotten due to her nerves. Lois stood a few feet away from her, flipping through a binder filled with notes, legal jargon and a few highlighted sections.“Jessica,” Lois said, her voice bold but not unkind to her friend. “I need you to focus. Tomorrow isn’t just going to be about formality. The jury will decide Avery’s future. I need you to be prepared to answer their questions properly.”Jessica nodded, but her gaze was still fixed on the floor. Across the room, Ricky leaned against the wall, his arms crossed with a confidence hovering around him that she wished she had right now.Lois sighed, pulling out a chair across from where Jessica sat. She leaned forward, placing her hands on the table. “Let’s try again. What will you say when you are asked if you would like to co-parent with Ethan?”Jessic
“This marriage is over, Jessica!” Ethan Mitchell screamed at the top of his voice, his eyes red and filled with anger as his shaking wife tried to keep her test results away from his wrath. Behind her was the pregnancy test kit she had earlier peed on which showed her a positive sign meaning she was pregnant for Ethan, after 5 long years of trying. Love making with the man of her dreams, Ethan, these past few years had only happened when he was intoxicated so she was elated when she realized that soon she would be hearing the cries of a baby in their home.. “What is the meaning of this, Ethan?” Jessica asked as she felt tears run down her eyes uncontrollably. How could this happen now? Why did the universe hate her? “Olivia is pregnant with my child and I can’t let you hold me back from being a father to my unborn child.” Ethan informed her without any warning, no hint of remorse on his face. “Olivia? Your personal assistant from the office?” Jessica echoed back at him, her
Jessica stood looking at the positive sign on the pregnancy test kit. She wondered how her own husband could chase her out of her matrimonial home to bring in another woman. His actions had always shown that he felt nothing for her but this felt like a dagger being pierced into her heart. Filled with rage, Jessica decided to not involve Ethan in the life of their child. She wasn’t going to tell him he was going to be a father now. He had finally lost and she was finally done fighting for a lost cause.Sticks and stones really couldn’t break her bones but Ethan’s words cut deeper than any weapon on earth. How could someone be so cruel? Why? What else was he searching for? These questions ran through Jessica’s mind as she wiped the tears from her eyes.Jessica had always desired to be loved by Ethan but there she was, standing in the living room like a woman from the streets. Scattered hair, rumpled clothes and a broken heart courtesy of her first love. It had finally dawned on her tha
Days had gone by without any word from Ethan and Jessica couldn’t take it anymore. She drove immediately to court and filed for a divorce from Ethan Mitchell. He wanted it over so she was going to make it happen for him as she couldn’t take it any longer. He was already engaged to be married to his new bride and baby mama so she was going to respectfully remove herself from the picture.Their marriage had been the worst five years of life, she had always set aside her needs and wants to please a man who wanted nothing to do with her. This was going to be the last time that was going to happen.“Ethan wants me gone?. Then so be it”She looked at the notifications on her phone and saw many missed calls from Kelvin, Ethan’s best friend, but she wanted nothing to do with him anymore. They weren’t even close to start with so why was he blowing her phone with calls and texts. He hadn’t done any harm to her but she was trying to cut off all that reminded her of Ethan, her new ex-husband.
“I should have known that fool would side with Jessica. What a punk.” Ethan said as he walked out of the club. He always knew that somewhere deep down in Kelvin’s heart he felt something for Jessica but couldn’t speak up because she was with him.Somehow, Ethan’s mind was ravaged with questions and thoughts about divorcing Jessica for Olivia. He knew she was high maintenance and loved all the expensive things of life and she was about to become his wife so he was willing to take up the challenge. Jessica was a good wife, always there for him even though he never truly needed her or cared for her. She made sure he was happy even when it was at the expense of her own happiness. What a pity.He decided to return back to his home after a sour celebration with his friend, Kelvin, to be with the woman his heart longed for. He decided to stop by a flower shop to pick up flowers for the woman who carried his child in her womb. To him, no one else cared and loved him like she did, not even hi
Jessica sat at the edge of her chair, hands cleaned tightly around her cup of tea making her knuckles turn white. The steam turned in the air, but the tea inside the cup had become cold, forgotten due to her nerves. Lois stood a few feet away from her, flipping through a binder filled with notes, legal jargon and a few highlighted sections.“Jessica,” Lois said, her voice bold but not unkind to her friend. “I need you to focus. Tomorrow isn’t just going to be about formality. The jury will decide Avery’s future. I need you to be prepared to answer their questions properly.”Jessica nodded, but her gaze was still fixed on the floor. Across the room, Ricky leaned against the wall, his arms crossed with a confidence hovering around him that she wished she had right now.Lois sighed, pulling out a chair across from where Jessica sat. She leaned forward, placing her hands on the table. “Let’s try again. What will you say when you are asked if you would like to co-parent with Ethan?”Jessic
Ethan sat in the dim light of his penthouse, his fingers drumming a rhythm on the edge of the glass in front of him. The whiskey swirled inside in the glass, a deep amber colour that looked like his current situation. His phone vibrated on the table, drawing his attention as he checked to see if Jessica had finally replied to his message.I want to see AveryHis message had been read but he had not gotten any reply. He had texted her many hours ago, every word showing his frustration, especially after the revelation he had gotten from his mum. He had called and sent messages to follow up, but this was all he got in return. Her cold detachment, her refusal to even let him spend a little time with their daughter.His thumb hovered over his phone screen, his mind racing, but the words seemed to leave before he could even think of them. He threw the phone back down on the table, the screen lighting up one more time to mock him.His penthouse had become noisy and chaotic. Laughter filled t
Ricky’s apartment had this cosy feeling to it, exuding a sense of wealth and warmth that Jessica found herself happy to be part of, admitting all the chaos from the recent days. The scent of garlic and herbs took over the air, making her stomach rumble once she stepped inside.“Ricky, this smells amazing,” Jessica said, taking off her coat and placing it on the rack that was by his door.Ricky emerged from the kitchen, a huge smile on his face. “Of course, I would prepare only the best for you. I know you’ve been through enough, Jess. Tonight is a night where you forget about the rest of the world, even though it is for a short while “Jessica smiled at him, touched by the thoughtfulness in his heart. “Thank you, Ricky. You didn’t have to do all of this for me.”“Are you kidding? This is just the beginning. Wait until you see what I have planned for dessert.” He winked, leading her into his dining room where the table was already set for two. A single candle standing in between the pl
The study was cold; on the desk were shadows flickering as the only desk lamp did its best to illuminate the room. Ethan stood at the window, his gaze fixed on the horizon far ahead of him. His mind continued to race, each thought fighting with the other, dragging for his attention. Olivia’s release didn’t make any sense to him. The bail, the timing, and the secrecy involved in it showed that someone had gone to great lengths to ensure that she walked out of there free.Clenching his fists, Ethan let out a very much-needed sigh of relief that he hadn’t realized he was holding for minutes. His hand moved to the paperwork on his desk, the reports he had gathered to find Olivia’s secret benefactor. Every lead he found pointed to the same conclusion that kept him unsettled. He grabbed his phone and dialled a number.“Ethan, darling, why are you calling so late at night?” His mother’s voice came in very warm, the kind of warmth that had helped him get away with being pampered as a young ch
The air inside the police station felt stagnant to Jessica, heavy with the smell of doughnuts and coffee. Jessica stood just inside the doorway, her gaze still scanning the busy lobby. Officers began to move around, their radios crackling with breaking voices, but none of it registered in her. Her focus was completely on finding answers. Ricky placed a reassuring hand on her lower back. “Are you ready for this, love?” he asked with a soft voice. Jessica nodded, though there was a tightness in her throat that betrayed her. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”They both approached the reception desk, where a woman whose eyes looked very tired, with a no-nonsense expression on her face, tapping angrily at her keyboard. Without even looking up, she asked. “Yes? How may I help you?”Jessica leaned in slightly. “Sorry, but we’re here to find out about Olivia Locke. She was recently released here on bail, and we’d like to know the details of her release.”The receptionist finally looked up at th
The office was just as sleek and fierce as Lois herself. Polished dark wood filled most of the space, from the shelves that held legal books and tomes to the expensive desk that kept Jessica away from the woman who was there to help her save her daughter. Jessica adjusted the strap of LV purse nervously as walked inside. The air smelled of leather and freshly brewed coffee, and the morning light coming in from the talk windows felt more sterile rather than warm.Lois glanced up from her Lenovo laptop, her glasses perching down on her nose. “Jessica,” she said, standing to give her a welcome hug. Her handshake was firm, her countenance welcoming and soothing. “Thanks for coming just in time. Take a seat. We are going to be discussing a lot today.”Jessica sat across from Lois’s desk stiffly in her chair, the smoothness of the leather gracing her palms as she held onto the armrest. She nodded silently, her throat feeling itchy as Lois began to shuffle a huge of papers.“I know this isn’
The quiet singing of birds settled over Jessica’s house like a blanket, comforting yet very heavy. She stood at the large window in her living room, holding a coffee mug in both hands. Steam rose into the air in tiny wisps, curling up as the sunlight formed different patterns on the marble floor. It should have been a peaceful moment for her, but her mind would let her be, her thoughts moving between her unexpected visit from Ethan last night and her new relationship with Ricky.The sound of hesitant movement behind her caught her attention. She turned around to see Ricky walking into the living room. His expression was guarded, but he smiled at her. He picked up his mug, though, from the way he took his eyes away from her, it seemed like the drink was just a little excuse to occupy his hands and keep them busy.“Morning,” Jessica said, offering him a small smile in return.“Mor..morning,” he said, clearing his quiet voice. He crossed to the other side of the room, taking a seat on th
The sound of the doorbell echoed through the Johnson house, pulling Jessica from her thoughts. She glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall to see that it was 8:47 p.m. Too late for casual visitors to stop by. Avery was already tucked in bed, and Ricky had left an hour ago to go get some documents from his apartment.Her stomach began to twist as she walked to the front door to find out who it was since the camera room was far from where she was. She peered through the peephole on the door, she froze when she recognized the face.Ethan.For a moment, Jessica considered not walking back to the kitchen and not answering. Her fingers hovered over the lock for a moment, but the second ring felt more insistent than the first, it destroyed her indecision. She unlocked the door and opened it just enough to lean against the frame, blocking his view of the rest of the house behind her."What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice clipping.Ethan stood on the front porch, his hands buried in
Jessica faced the clock as she quickly hurried down the hallway, the sound of her wedge heels echoing against the floors. "Avery darling, we have to go! We are going to be late again!" she called out to her daughter, trying her best not to sound impatient.From the bedroom door, Avery appeared tightly holding her backpack, her tiny face looking all confused. She pointed at the tall man standing near the door. "Why does he always have to follow us around, mummy?" she asked, her tone showing frustration. "I don't need him watching me all the time, mummy. Please."Jessica crouched down to her daughter's level, smoothing a hand over her little head. "He's here to make sure that you are safe, sweetheart," she explained softly. "You know how we have like an extra seatbelt when we drive or the alarm system at home? It's not because anything's wrong, it's just... important to be ready for such situations."Avery looked at Kyle, the new bodyguard, who stood like a shadow near the front door wi