As the night settled in, I found myself heading to the bakery, my mind buzzing with thoughts of Ariana's birthday. I needed to get her a cake and some balloons, but since I had no clue what her favorite flavor was, I decided to play it safe with vanilla and chocolate. Chocolate has always been my go-to favorite, while vanilla is Laura’s choice. I guess I thought a mix of both would cover my bases, even if I wasn’t entirely sure why I landed on those flavors for Ariana.After picking up the balloons, I briefly considered getting her a gift, but the mall was a solid hour’s drive away, and I didn’t want to risk being late. So, I made the decision to head straight to Laura’s place instead. As I drove through the streets and I parked in front of her house, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. A wave of uncertainty washed over me—was showing up uninvited a bad move? What if Laura thought I was being weird? But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to do this; I had to uncover the tru
I was on the verge of speaking when Ariana walked back into the room, camera in hand, her innocence radiating like a beacon, cutting through the tension that hung thick in the air."Is Daddy home?" Ariana asked, her eyes sinking into worry, a hint of sadness in her voice. I couldn’t help but wonder why she seemed so sad mentioning Christian, maybe he forgot her birthday too. "No, he’s not," Laura replied gently, trying to reassure her."Okay." Ariana then walked up to Laura, her small hands clutching the camera tightly. "Can we take the picture now?"Laura smiled and nodded, "Sure, baby. Go take your seat."Ariana obeyed, her little feet pattering across the floor as she settled in front of the birthday cake. Laura walked past me, positioning herself to capture the moment perfectly. Just as Laura was about to take the picture, Ariana piped up, "Mommy, I want another picture with Theo," reaching for my hand with a hopeful expression. I took her hand, standing beside her, and I could s
~ KELLY’S POVI knocked on Tamara’s bedroom window, the soft sound echoing in the quiet of the night. Within a minute, she opened it, her brows furrowed in confusion as she looked at me. I couldn’t help but smile, lifting up the pizza box triumphantly and saying, "I got pizza and drinks for us."Her expression shifted to one of delight as she replied, "Great! But why did you have to climb up to my window? You could have used the front door; I’m home alone, and I would have let you in."I shrugged playfully, "I know, but I just feel like it wouldn’t be as romantic as climbing up to your window. I mean, that’s how they do it in the movies, right? It definitely adds some charm."She laughed, just the way I hoped she would. "You are crazy.""I know! Now let me in," I said, handing her the pizza and drinks. She took them eagerly, and I climbed into her room, closing the window behind me to keep the chill-out. Once I was inside, I looked around, taking in the cozy space filled with fairy li
~ THEO’S POVWhen I arrived, I climbed out of the car and approached the front door, ready to knock, but noticed it was ajar. Curiosity piqued, I decided to walk in, only to be met with the sight of Christian. His demeanor was unsettling, and at that moment, my heart broke at the realization of what I had stumbled.I couldn’t move from where I was standing, I was just stuck in that position watching and observing how beautiful of a family they were. Laura seems so happy, she has a beautiful smile on her face and Ariana is just watching them. I knew that they were a happy family but I didn’t think they were this happy. I guess leaving me really worked out well for Laura. She got so much better things- things that I could have offered her but I guess she didn’t want it from me, she wanted it from someone else and she got it. As I kept looking at them, a tight knot twisted in my stomach, and I felt tears threatening to spill over. My heart was hurting all over again, it was almost as if
~ LAURA’S POVThat was such a close call. For a second, I thought Theo might actually sense the underlying issues in my family, but thankfully, he didn’t. When he walked into the house, I smelt his perfume making me aware that he couldn’t back. I had to quickly shift things and force a smile and act like everything was perfect like I had this complete, happy family. I could see the pain in his eyes as he took in our situation, and even though it tore me apart to see him hurting like that, I had to keep my guard up. I couldn’t let him see just how messed up everything really was.The moment Theo left, Christian turned to me, his expression hard and intense. "Theo, huh?" he said, his voice low and dangerous."What?" I questioned, feeling the tension rising. I knew that Christian was angry, especially with the way he was glaring at me and Theo, not to mention he asked Theo to stay back for dinner, he definitely did that so he could observe the two of us. "Don’t give me that 'what' crap,
His expression darkened, a storm brewing in his eyes that made my heart race. "Well, you are about to see the worst side of me now." The air between us crackled with tension, and although this wasn’t the first time he’d threatened me, it frightened me to witness him consumed by such raw anger. I could feel the ache in my chest as I braced myself for what might come next.I thought he was coming for me with an attack, but suddenly he spun around and stormed toward Ariana’s room, banging on the door and shouting her name. I felt a surge of adrenaline as I rushed after him. "What the hell do you think you’re doing?" I shouted, my voice filled with urgency. He didn’t respond, just ignored me completely and kept pounding on the door. I could hear Ariana crying from behind it, which made my heart race; Christian is scaring her. I tried to pull him away from the door, but he shoved me back with surprising force. Then, without warning, he started kicking the door like he was determined to
I sat there, tears streaming down my face, overwhelmed by the weight of my thoughts. I felt like a complete failure; I had failed as a mother. My daughter was crying and screaming, her little voice was filled with fear, and all I could do was urge her to run. I can still recall how she looked at me, with wide, terrified eyes, and my heart shattered knowing I couldn't shield her from the danger. The panic in her face haunted me, and I felt so powerless in that moment, trapped in my own despair.I am not a good mother because a good mother protects her daughter, a good mother makes her daughter happy and I couldn’t do that, I couldn’t even remember her birthday. More tears streamed down my face, and I curled my legs to my chest, clutching my arms tightly around my knees. Resting my head on my knees, I let the sobs escape, feeling utterly lost. It hurt so deeply that I couldn’t take care of my daughter. Ariana is all I have, and the weight of my fear paralyzes me, making me feel incapa
~ FLASHBACK There are certain things that really hold me back, and when I think about them, I feel awful and completely miserable about my actions. Sometimes, I wish I could go back in time and change things, but I can’t because when I had the chance to do that. As the rain poured heavily outside, my tears fell with it, mingling with the storm. It was a chaotic day at home with my mom and just like every other day, voices were being raised. Crying, I turned to her and said, "How do you expect me to go back to that house and live with the man who hit me?" My voice trembled with fear and desperation. I couldn't bear the thought of returning home to complain to her about Christian hitting me only for her to tell me to stay with him. "The same way I’m living with mine. This is marriage, Laura, and you have to accept it as it is," she said softly, her voice laced with resignation. I could see the years of her own struggles reflected in her eyes, but it only made me feel more isolated.
~ LAURA’S POV"Mommy, come over here!" Ariana's voice filled the warm, salty air, breaking through the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. I turned to her, curious about what had sparked her excitement. "What's going on?" I asked"Look, I drew a picture of us. Me, you, and Daddy," she said proudly"Really?" I questioned, "Let me see!" I reached for the book she was holding, and as I flipped it open, I was greeted by a beautiful drawing that captured the essence of our little family—Theo, me, and Ariana, all smiling and holding hands. "Wow, that's so beautiful!" I exclaimed, genuinely impressed. I felt a mix of emotions bubbling inside me, and I desperately wanted to ask her what made her call Theo "Daddy," but I decided to let it be for now. Honestly, I had been hoping she would say that because I knew it would mean the world to Theo.Ariana had only recently learned that Theo was her father, and although she had felt a bit strange about it at first, I was relieved to see her b
~ THEO’S POVLife is indeed like a firework. It’s amazing to look at, it’s scary at first but in the end, it’s a beautiful sight. My life is like that and I’m beyond grateful for that because the bad days were shaped through the good ones and now I’m in a position where I don’t want to change anything about my life.For the past five years, I’ve been nothing but mean, cruel, and completely disconnected from my true self. I held onto the belief that bad things happen to good people and that good things are reserved for those who act badly. I thought that being good never brought any rewards. But as I stand here in front of the mirror, my friends helping me out, I realize how wrong I was. Being a good person truly does pay off because if I was bad it wouldn’t be like this. My friends wouldn’t be here and I might have never found myself in a great place, surrounded by my best friends, and about to marry the love of my life—Laura.I still can’t believe this day has finally come. After so
There is no doubt I woke up to the most handsome man on earth, Theo. Every time I’m with him, I can’t help but feel incredibly lucky. He’s truly one of a kind, and just being with him melts my heart in ways I never thought possible.As I lay there, I smile, watching him sleep peacefully, his chest rising and falling gently. I trail my fingers through his soft hair, feeling the warmth radiate from him. He must have sensed my touch because a smile spread across his face, even in his sleep. His smile makes me smile, and the happiness he exudes fills my heart with joy. I’m just so happy to be with Theo.I leaned over and planted a soft kiss on his forehead, savoring the moment. Once again, he smiles, and I watch as he instinctively reaches for my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine. He kisses my hand softly, and I feel a flutter in my chest. He murmurs something, but I can't quite hear it, so I lean in closer and ask, "What?""I said let’s sleep, I’m so tired," he replies, pulling me
His mouth moved against mine with a burning urgency, igniting a fire within me. He gently laid me back on the bed, his body hovering over mine as he broke the kiss, his breath warm against my skin. With a delicate yet deliberate motion, he unbuttoned my shirt and took off my bra, and the moment I was exposed, his mouth eagerly found my breast. A soft moan slipped from my lips, the sensation electrifying as he lavished attention on me, sucking and teasing my nips with his tongue, sending waves of pleasure coursing through my body. A tingling sensation ran through my body as Andre felt gently cup my face as he deepened the kiss, his lips moving against mine with a gentle urgency. The bristles of his beard scratched against my soft cheeks and I gripped his head firmly, as if trying to keep him from escaping. He worked his mouth against mine, our tongues battling back and forth like wrestlers, each trying to pin the other.Theo then broke the kiss and began to trail his kisses down to my
Ariana, Theo, and I had a lot of fun today. I’ve never seen her this happy and comfortable before, as if she knows Theo is her father. The way she seems to be getting comfortable with him really melts my heart and I can’t help but feel very happy.After having dinner, I took her to bed while Theo headed upstairs to get some work done. He’s been catching up on so much work recently and I can understand why, having to run a big company like his is a lot to handle. Preparing Ariana for bed, I made her brush her teeth and change into a comfy outfit before I tugged her into the bed. I was about to wish her goodnight when she said, "Mommy, can you tell me a bedtime story?""Maybe next time, baby, I don’t have any storybook with me right now," I said."Ohh, ok," she sighed. I didn’t want her to be sad, so I said, "But I could think of a story to tell you.""Really?" She grinned, and I nodded. Taking a moment before I continued, "Once upon a time, there was a little princess called Ariana."
~ LAURA’S POVIt feels surreal how life can take such a sudden turn after being so tough. I never thought I’d get another chance with Theo, especially after everything we’ve been through. Just a month ago, I was stuck in my head, thinking about what jail would be like for me, and now I’m living in this beautiful mansion I never want to leave, surrounded by the love of my life and nothing but peace and happiness. I can hardly believe this is real. Each morning, I wake up wrapped in love with the only man I’ve ever truly wanted, and it just feels so right. It’s like a dream come true.It’s been just a few days since the case was dropped and I moved in with Theo, but honestly, it’s been the best days of my life. He’s been incredibly nice, loving, and sweet to me, just like I remember. He’s still that same silly old Theo, always making me laugh and ensuring I’m comfortable and happy. Now that I’m settled in with him, we’re planning to bring Ariana back into our lives. She’s our only dau
Her tongue intertwined with mine as I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her even closer to my body, feeling the warmth radiating between us. I was happy and from the way she was kissing me, I could tell that she was too… happy and feeling the same passion as me. While I was savoring the kiss, I was lost in the moment until I suddenly felt something wet on my cheeks. It took a moment to register that it was tears—Laura was crying.I pulled away from the kiss, my brow furrowing in confusion as I searched her face. "What’s wrong? Why are you crying?" I asked, my voice filled with concern.She opened her mouth to speak, but before any words could form, she burst into tears, collapsing to the ground. My heart sank as I watched her shudder with each sob. I knelt beside her, my hands hovering helplessly, asking, "Laura, what’s going on? Why are you crying?"Still, she couldn’t respond, her cries echoing in the silence. I repeated my question, but all she could do was whimper, more tears s
Taking a break feels like a part of me is being locked away, waiting indefinitely for some kind of resolution. I've been pacing around the driveway, my heart racing as I wait for my lawyer to arrive so we can finally have a conversation. I’ve also tried to speak with Laura before the court case resumes but the authorities didn’t let me, they claimed that I have to wait till the court case is settled before I can have a word with Laura. I don’t understand why though but since that’s the case, I just had to go with it. Right now, I’m just hoping that Laura is okay and everything is fine about her, though the look on her face tells a different story. I can tell that she’s anxious, restless, and stressed and honestly, I’m all those things too, everything just feels draining to me right now, making it a lot harder for me to concentrate or even think of the way further.My mind is a whirlwind of thoughts, fixating on why the judge needed a break. It seems so simple—she could have made a de
The lawyer started to present the argument, and I sat back, intently watching him as he laid out the details of the case. Just as he began to make a compelling point, the victim’s lawyer interjected with a sharp objection. The judge, maintaining control of the proceedings, gave him permission to discuss his concerns. He quickly shifted the focus to the accident, and the victim’s lawyer requested that Christian be allowed to come and testify.As if on cue, Christian strutted up to the witness stand, a smug grin on his face that made my blood boil. He seemed to thrive on the drama of the courtroom, his swagger radiating an air of arrogance. I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on him, and it only fueled my frustration. Christian took his seat, adjusting his collar as if he were preparing for a performance rather than a testimony. Honestly, I don’t even know why he’s here, he is a total piece of crab and the way he acts is just so absurd, he really shouldn’t be here, I mean what