My eyes flutter as light shines through the window, waking me up from my deep sleep. A tiny weight settles on my chest, and I open my eyes to see my son Max smiling down at me, his big brown eyes filled with excitement.“Dada...” he chuckles, kissing my face. With his tiny tongue.“Yes, my love.” I brushed his hair out of his eyes, kissing him back before sitting up and wrapping him in a warm embrace. “Good morning, my little sunshine,” I say, feeling grateful for the precious moment shared with my son.“Moning,” he tried to say in his baby voice, making my heart swell with love.I slowly sat with Max sitting on my lap, turning my head to see two beautiful blue eyes looking up at me.“Daddy,” Summer said softly, her gaze filled with curiosity and wonder. My heart melted at the sight of my two children, each with their own unique charm and personality.I smiled, brushing her hair away from her face, feeling blessed to have such beautiful children. “Good morning, my loves,” I whispered,
****BEN****Rage burned in my veins like a wildfire, consuming everything in its path. I threw my fists against the wall, feeling the pain shoot up my arms as I struggled to contain the overwhelming emotion. The red haze clouded my vision, blurring everything except the overwhelming need to release this pent-up anger.She can’t get married to that bastard. She is mine, only mine; no one but I have the right to be with her. No one but I can make her happy.“Ahhhh...” I growled as I heard footsteps approaching, and two pairs of legs stopped before me. “What’s going on here?” a voice asked, breaking through the haze of anger that had consumed me. I turned to see the bloody bastard standing with his nasty smirk that I wanted to wipe off his face with my bare hands. “She’s mine,” I snarled, feeling the rage building up inside me. “And I won’t let anyone take her away from me.”“Oh Ben, I know she is yours; isn’t that why I am helping you claim her back?” The voice belonged to Justin Hollis
***Hailey*****I stared at the mirror in front of the mirror for a long time, trying to analyze my reflection and understand what was missing.“I don’t know what seems to be lacking,” I thought to myself, feeling a sense of unease as I continued to search for answers in my own reflection.Hollis gifted me this beautiful cream-colored dress with a halter neckline and intricate lace detailing that hugged my figure perfectly, making my baby bump look even more pronounced. The dress made me feel elegant and confident, but as I looked at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still not quite right.I tried to fix my makeup and adjust my hair, but the unease lingered. It wasn’t until I noticed the missing accessory that completed the outfit that I finally understood what was lacking.“Today is significant. I need to look my best,” I thought to myself as I applied soft pink lipstick and a touch of shimmering highlighter to complete my look. But I am yet to be s
***Hailey*****“Yes, I am coming,” Hollis said, his tone serious as he answered the call. My heart sank as I watched his expression change, confirming my worst fears: that our perfect ending was not meant to last.Hollis started the car with me sitting beside him. I watched as the courthouse loomed in the distance, a stark reminder of the impending doom that awaited us. The weight of uncertainty settled heavily on my shoulders as we approached our destination, knowing that whatever news awaited us inside would change our lives forever.Today we were about to get married when something happened that would alter our plans indefinitely. The knot in my stomach tightened as Hollis careened around a sharp curve, signaling our impending doom.I wanted to ask him so many questions; so many doubts flooded my mind, but I remained silent, bracing myself for the unknown. Where is driving us, whose call came out of the courthouse, and what news could be waiting for us that would alter our plans so
****Hailey****“Hailey is not like the others,” Hollis said firmly, his voice tinged with conviction. “She’s different, Arthur. She truly cares about me and our relationship.”“Yes, like the ones who came before her,” Arthur interjected, his skepticism evident. “What was her name again, Lauren?” “She was just using you for her own benefit,” Arthur continued, his distrust clear in his words. “I don’t want to see you get hurt again, Hollis.” Hollis shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “I might have been in a coma for eight years, but I can still tell when someone is genuine,” he said confidently. “And she is pregnant too; I suggest taking a parental test to confirm if the child is indeed yours,” Arthur added. His concern for Holly was evident in his tone.Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at Arthur, feeling only one thing for him: resentment. “Thank you for your kind words, Arthur, and for taking care of your friend. Congratulations on waking up after a long coma,” I
****Hailey****I reached home after an exhausting day and found myself unable to shake off the unease that had settled in my chest. I don’t know why, but the thought of Arthur’s presence lingering in our lives filled me with a sense of dread that I couldn’t quite explain. It was as if a storm was brewing on the horizon, and I could only hope that Hollis and I would be able to weather it together.Maybe it’s just my overactive imagination, but I couldn’t ignore the sense of foreboding that lingered in the air. As I tried to push aside my worries, I couldn’t help but wonder what challenges lay ahead for us with Arthur in the picture.I shook my head, trying to dispel the negative thoughts that threatened to consume me. Despite my unease, I knew that Hollis and I were strong enough to face whatever obstacles came our way.I sighed and reminded myself that we had faced difficult times before and always came out stronger on the other side. I trust Hollis, and more than that, I trust our bon
*****Hailey******Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to control my emotions. “Hollis, please come home soon. I really need you right now,” I desperately pleaded, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I knew I couldn’t do this alone and needed my Hollis by my side.But a loud thud interrupted my thoughts and made me jump in fear. As the phone fell from my trembling hands and the call ended abruptly, I felt a surge of panic wash over me. I prayed that Hollis would arrive in time to protect us from whatever danger lurked outside.I hugged both my kids tightly and whispered reassurances to them, trying to keep my own fear at bay. As the loud thud of someone kicking on the door echoed through the house, I knew we were running out of time.“Mama, he is trying to break the door down,” my daughter whimpered, her voice filled with fear. I held them closer, trying to remain calm and strong for their sake.“Shhh... it’s going to be okay. Daddy is coming to protect us,” I whi
*****Hailey*****“1...2,” Ben counted, his voice filled with anger and frustration. I knew that I had to stand my ground and protect my children at all costs. “….3..,”“Stop… I will come with you; just please don’t harm the kids,” I pleaded, hoping to diffuse the situation before it escalated any further. Ben’s expression softened slightly, but I knew that this was only the beginning of a long and difficult journey ahead. I knew that I would do whatever it takes to protect my children at all costs.Ben smirks, pulling my body to his, whispering in my ear, “Good decision.“ His breath tickled my skin as I shivered in fear and uncertainty. “Let go,“ he said softly, his grip tightening on my arm as he led me away from my children. I knew then that I had to stay strong and find a way to escape, no matter what it took.I looked back as Ben pushed me away from my home, my kids, and the life that brought me so much joy. Hollis, I am sorry, but I have to go to protect myself and our children f
Hollis couldn’t breathe.The weight of his guilt pressed down on him, suffocating him with every breath he tried to take. His chest felt tight, as if the air had turned thick and heavy, and no matter how deeply he inhaled, it wasn’t enough. His hands trembled, clenching into fists at his sides, but the shaking wouldn’t stop. It was as if his body was betraying him, revealing the truth he couldn’t escape.The words he had spoken still lingered in the room, each syllable like a stone in his chest. "I killed her."He wanted to look away from the reflection of his misery in the window, but it was too much. His vision blurred, and his heart ached with a rawness that felt endless. He had spent so long trying to bury it—the guilt, the pain, the truth. He’d told himself that if he just kept moving and kept putting one foot in front of the other, it would eventually fade. But it didn’t. It never would.His voice cracked, hoarse from the strain of holding back tears. “I thought... I thought if
Hollis couldn’t breathe. He leaned against the doorframe, his chest tight, his breath shallow, like he was drowning in a sea of guilt that was rising faster than he could ever hope to escape.The weight of the words hung between them—"I killed her."His eyes burned as they blurred with tears that never seemed to fall. But the ache—the unbearable, unshakable ache deep in his chest—never went away. He had thought if he buried it enough, maybe he wouldn’t feel it. If he didn’t look too closely at the truth, maybe he could pretend that he wasn’t a monster. That he didn’t have blood on his hands.But that was all he ever felt now—the blood. The guilt that wrapped around him like a noose. And no matter how much he tried to push it away, no matter how hard he tried to keep his distance from everyone, especially his children, the truth was there. It was always there.His voice cracked as he forced himself to speak again, though every word was a struggle, like he was choking on his own guilt.
****Hailey****The air in the house was suffocating, pressing in from all sides like a heavy weight on my chest. I hadn’t expected to feel like this. I hadn’t expected anything, really. Hollis had walked out, leaving behind nothing but the echo of his words that hung in the air like a storm cloud. And I knew, in the pit of my stomach, that something had broken. But it wasn’t just my heart.It was everything.I sank into the couch, clutching a pillow to my chest, as if it could somehow shield me from the storm swirling inside me. Every breath felt shallow, every thought like it was coated in the sharp sting of the past few hours. What had just happened? What had I learned? Hollis’s grandfather—his presence had been like a blade, cutting through the walls I’d built around myself, leaving me exposed and raw. His words still echoed in my mind, cutting deeper with each passing second. And then that smile. That knowing, cold smile.It wasn’t just what he said. It was how he made me feel—lik
****Hailey****The air was thick with tension as I stood frozen in the doorway. The man on the porch didn’t belong in this world of warm lights and soft edges. His presence felt sharp, jagged, and entirely unwelcome.Hollis’s grandfather.He stood there, tall and unyielding, his sharp features chiseled with an air of authority that made my chest tighten. His piercing eyes swept over me with something too calculating to be mere curiosity.“Hailey,” he said, my name rolling off his tongue like a dark promise. “We need to talk."The words lodged in my throat as Hollis stepped in front of me, his broad shoulders blocking the older man from my view. The tension in his body was palpable, coiling like a spring about to snap.“You’re not welcome here,” Hollis growled, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine.The older man chuckled, a sound that seemed to carry years of malice. “Is that any way to greet your family, boy?"“You’re not my family,” Hollis spat, his words cutting l
*****Hailey****The car hummed softly beneath us, the road slipping by in a blur of lights and shadows. My mind was still foggy from the meds, exhaustion dragging me under, but as we left the hospital behind, everything felt too sharp, too real. I was going home. But nothing about this home felt like it did before.Hollis sat beside me, his hand barely touching mine but enough to ground me. He hadn’t said much since we left the hospital. His silence was a weight that sat heavy between us, but I didn’t need him to speak. I knew he was thinking the same thing I was—about the life that had been torn apart, about the cracks we couldn’t fix. The questions that had no answers yet.The drive felt endless, the world outside blending together in a haze, like I was stuck in two worlds at once—one that nearly destroyed me and the one I was supposed to return to. I wasn’t the same person who’d left, and neither was he. Neither were his kids.When we finally pulled into the driveway, I could feel
****Hollis****The room was quiet—almost too quiet—except for the steady beep of the heart monitor beside the bed. It felt like the world outside had stopped, leaving just the two of us in this small, sterile space. Hailey was asleep, her chest rising and falling with each breath, but there was still a hint of tension in her face. I could see it, even in her sleep—the weight of everything that had happened, the unspoken pain that clung to her like a shadow. I couldn’t stop looking at her, though. Every time I thought about what she’d been through, it made something inside me tighten. This room had become both a sanctuary and a prison. In a way, I didn’t want it to end. But I knew it had to. She was about to be discharged. And that meant everything would be real again. Real in a way I wasn’t ready for. Lying with her in this small hospital bed, I wished I could freeze time and protect her from the world outside these walls. But I knew she was strong enough to face whatever came next
*****Hollis*****The hospital room was heavy, suffocating with silence that cut sharper than any scream. Hailey hadn’t spoken much since the day we lost everything. She stayed curled on her side, her back to me, staring at the wall like it held answers to questions she couldn’t voice.I sat beside her bed, my elbows resting on my knees, watching her. I didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t respond even if I did. But the weight in her eyes, the sharp edges of grief and rage, were deafening.Finally, she stirred, her voice breaking the quiet.“He did this."I straightened in my chair, her words slicing through the thick air between us.“Ben,” she said, her voice trembling with anger that barely held back the tears. “He took everything from me. My baby. My peace. Everything I fought to rebuild."Her hands clenched the blanket so tightly that her knuckles went white. When she turned her head to face me, the look in her eyes hit me like a freight train.“I hate him,” she hissed. “I hate that I
***Hailey****The room was suffocating, every breath tinged with the sterile sting of antiseptic, every corner thick with the oppressive weight of loss. I couldn’t seem to escape the constant hum of the machines, the feeling that time was moving, but I was stuck, suspended in a moment that stretched on forever. But then, a small voice cut through the quiet, a voice that always made my heart race with love.“Mommy?”It wasn’t just the sound of her voice that broke the stillness, but the urgency, the concern, the love. I snapped my head toward the door, and there she was—Summer. My little girl, her face framed by the doorway, her big brown eyes wide with worry. She was so small, yet she carried the weight of the world in those eyes. And right behind her, waddling with all the grace of a two-year-old, was Max, holding onto her hand like he didn’t quite know what was going on but was determined to follow her anyway.Summer’s eyes found mine instantly, and without a moment’s hesitation, sh
*****Hollis*****The soft click of the hospital door closing behind us barely registered in my mind. Hailey was sitting there, the pale hospital gown draped over her, her once vibrant eyes now dulled by grief and exhaustion. I couldn’t bear to see her like this, broken in a way that words could never quite describe. The pain that etched itself into her face, the way her body trembled as if it were carrying the weight of a thousand storms—it shattered me.I sat beside her, my heart aching at every flicker of emotion that passed across her face. She didn’t want the soup, I could tell. Her body, still recovering from the trauma, wasn’t ready to take in anything, but I needed her to eat. She needed to feel some kind of comfort, something to counter the all-consuming grief that had taken over. But I knew better than to push too hard. Hailey was not the kind of woman who could be forced into anything, especially when she was struggling like this.“Just one more spoonful,” I coaxed softly, t