R-18The wedding was a blast. Every people that Victoria loved was there, it was far different from the wedding she had, 7 years ago. Victoria was now at the veranda of their house, the reception was held into their house garden where she personally took care of the flowers, looking below, with a glass of champagne on her right hand. She was now wearing her chiffon dress as her reception dress. A hand suddenly snaked around her wait, she doesn’t have to look who was it. No one would dare to get their hand on her, the moment, Zander announced she was his wife. “Are you tired?” Zander muttered and drop a soft kissed near her ears. “Nah, just happy,” She said while glancing at the party in front of her, “After seven years of fake and failed marriage, I never thought that I could be this happy again, the last time that I remembered that I was genuinely happy was when Ethan was born,” “The last time that I got so happy was when you told me you love me too,” Victoria chuckled, and s
“I can’t believe you would do this to me, Daniel!” Victoria’s voice trembled as she stared at her husband, her disbelief mingled with fury. Her hands clenched into fists as her world seemed to crumble before her eyes.Daniel leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable, though his eyes gleamed with a cold defiance. “I don’t know what you think you’ve found, Victoria, but you’re wrong. You’re always jumping to conclusions.”“Wrong?” she shot back, her voice rising with the tide of her emotions. “I saw the messages, Daniel. I heard the whispers. Do you really think I’m that blind?”His lips curled into a smirk, one that sent a chill down her spine. “You’re being dramatic. People love to talk, and you love to listen to their lies.”“Don’t you dare gaslight me!” Her voice cracked with the weight of her anger and pain. “I trusted you, Daniel! I trusted you with my life, with our family, and you—” She couldn’t finish the sentence, the betrayal too immense to put into words.Daniel st
The morning sun streamed through the sheer curtains of Victoria Sy’s home, casting a warm glow over the cheerful chaos of toys and scattered crayons in the living room. She breathed in the sweet scent of pancakes wafting from the kitchen, a comforting aroma that signaled another day in her seemingly perfect life. As she adjusted the apron tied around her waist, she couldn’t shake the feeling that beneath the surface, something was about to shift.“Mommy, can I have extra syrup?” a small voice piped up from the table. Victoria turned to see her five-year-old son, Ethan, his big brown eyes sparkling with mischief.“Only if you promise to eat your pancakes first,” she replied, her voice playful as she ruffled his tousled hair. The truth was, Ethan was her anchor in a life that sometimes felt like it was drifting away. No matter how chaotic the mornings became, he brought a sense of joy and innocence that grounded her.As she flipped pancakes with practiced ease, her mind wandered to her
The following days unfolded in a blur of routine—school, errands, and family time, all laced with a growing sense of unease that Victoria struggled to shake off. Every time she glanced at her phone, the buzzing sensation of it felt like a weight in her pocket, a constant reminder of the unresolved tension hanging in the air. The suggestive texts haunted her thoughts, and the more she tried to dismiss them, the more they festered like an untreated wound.As she set about her daily tasks, she noticed how her interactions with Daniel had shifted. He was still charming, still affectionate, but there was an undercurrent of something unspoken that made her skin crawl. He would often come home late, his excuses always wrapped in a smooth package of corporate jargon that only served to deepen her suspicion.That Friday evening, Victoria found herself in a daze, her mind racing as she prepared dinner. The sizzle of vegetables in the pan and the bubbling of pasta in the pot felt like a distant
With hands around a steaming cup of coffee, Victoria watched the morning fog descend over the yard from the kitchen window. Everything appeared quite normal—the gentle golden light of dawn, the clean grass still shimmering with dew, and the quiet murmur of morning birds she could hear through the glass. Still, the sight seemed subdued, almost strange, as though it were occurring just slightly apart from her. She discovered herself slightly squinting, as though she were looking for something just outside the periphery of her own vision.She drew a long breath and allowed the aroma of coffee envelop her senses. She considered, maybe I just need more sleep, but she knew the discomfort had persisted for longer than a few sleepless evenings. Like a weak tug at the rear of her consciousness, it had begun as a barely perceptible sensation she could readily overlook. But lately, it became more difficult to distance yourself and drown out with morning rituals and grins shared at school drop-of
The next afternoon, Victoria found herself nestled in a corner booth at their favorite café, a cozy spot where she and Sophie had met countless times over the years. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries filled the air as she wrapped her hands around a steaming mug, feeling a comfort she hadn’t realized she needed.Sophie arrived with her usual burst of energy, sliding into the seat across from her and giving Victoria a playful but scrutinizing look. “Alright, spill. You have that ‘I need to vent but don’t want to burden anyone’ face. What’s going on?”Victoria managed a small smile, trying to downplay her unease. “It’s nothing really, just the usual…work, Ethan, Daniel being swamped at the office.”Sophie tilted her head, her expression softening. “Come on, Vic. You know you don’t have to brush things off with me. Tell me what’s actually bothering you.”Victoria sighed, leaning back against the plush booth cushion. “I don’t know, Soph. Lately, things just feel…off. Li
Victoria sat at the kitchen table, stirring her coffee absentmindedly as the morning light streamed through the window. The once-familiar silence of the house now felt different, carrying a weight she couldn’t ignore. She glanced over at the empty seat across from her, where Daniel usually sat during breakfast. Lately, though, that seat had been empty more often than not.She sighed, taking a sip of her now-cold coffee, glancing at the clock on the wall. Daniel had been leaving earlier and coming home later, citing endless meetings and new demands at work. He’d mutter excuses, claiming it was all part of moving up in the company, his words always slipping away before she could find the right questions to ask. She’d tell herself it was probably nothing, just him being driven and ambitious like he always was.But then, there were the small changes. The way he’d glance at his phone with a strange look in his eyes, how he’d step out to take calls in another room, his voice low and guarded
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow in the kitchen as Victoria prepared breakfast for Ethan. He was in a cheerful mood, humming along to his favorite cartoon theme song playing in the background. The familiar sounds of their morning routine wrapped around her like a comforting blanket, but today, there was an undercurrent of unease tugging at her.As she stirred the oatmeal, Victoria glanced over at Daniel’s phone lying on the counter. He had left it there after hastily grabbing his keys and heading out the door that morning. A strange pull of curiosity gripped her, but she brushed it off. She had no reason to go through his things.Yet, the longer she tried to focus on breakfast, the more that nagging feeling persisted. Finally, she took a deep breath, walked over, and picked up the phone. Her heart raced as she unlocked it with his fingerprint—something he had never thought to change.The screen lit up, revealing a string of messages. At first, Victori
R-18The wedding was a blast. Every people that Victoria loved was there, it was far different from the wedding she had, 7 years ago. Victoria was now at the veranda of their house, the reception was held into their house garden where she personally took care of the flowers, looking below, with a glass of champagne on her right hand. She was now wearing her chiffon dress as her reception dress. A hand suddenly snaked around her wait, she doesn’t have to look who was it. No one would dare to get their hand on her, the moment, Zander announced she was his wife. “Are you tired?” Zander muttered and drop a soft kissed near her ears. “Nah, just happy,” She said while glancing at the party in front of her, “After seven years of fake and failed marriage, I never thought that I could be this happy again, the last time that I remembered that I was genuinely happy was when Ethan was born,” “The last time that I got so happy was when you told me you love me too,” Victoria chuckled, and s
R-18The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the backyard, where the soft murmur of the evening breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers. Victoria sat on the back porch, her legs tucked beneath her, watching the tranquility unfold around her. The city hummed in the distance, but here, in this small pocket of serenity, everything felt perfect.Zander joined her quietly, settling beside her on the steps, a glass of wine in hand. He offered it to her with a soft smile, the warmth in his eyes more intimate than words.“To new beginnings,” he said, his voice low, and the look he gave her seemed to say so much more.Victoria accepted the glass, feeling the coolness of the wine against her fingertips, the familiar strength of his presence beside her. “To new beginnings,” she echoed, taking a sip, the rich taste spreading across her tongue. She glanced around at their friends—Ethan and Sophie, laughing by the grill, teasing each other about their cooking skills. Th
The evening had settled in, a peaceful quiet enveloping the apartment, broken only by the soft clink of glasses and the faint hum of city life in the distance. Victoria sat on the couch, a glass of wine in hand, her eyes focused on the canvas before her.The room was filled with the aroma of fresh paint, an ever-present reminder of the work she poured her soul into. Zander, sitting across from her, leaned back in the chair, his eyes fixed on her with a quiet admiration.“You know,” Zander said, breaking the comfortable silence, “sometimes I can’t help but wonder what our life will look like in a few years.”Victoria’s fingers paused on the brush, her eyes lifting to meet his. “What do you mean?”Zander smiled, his gaze steady. “I mean, we’ve come so far already, and I keep thinking about where we’re going. I want to know your dreams. Not just about today or tomorrow, but about the future. What do you see for us?”Victoria sat back, her mind racing. She had never fully allowed herself
The morning of the wedding arrived with a warm, golden hue filling the sky. It was a perfect day, as though the world had conspired to give them this one, flawless moment. Victoria stood in front of the mirror, taking in the reflection of the woman she had become.The dress she wore, a simple yet elegant design of lace and satin, glimmered with the soft light that streamed in from the window. Her makeup was light, and her hair was softly curled, framing her face in delicate waves. She felt beautiful, not just in appearance, but in every way that truly mattered.“Mommy!” Ethan’s voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her away from the mirror. She turned around to see him standing at the door, eyes wide with excitement, wearing his little suit. He looked so much like Zander that it made her heart ache with love.“Hey, my handsome boy,” Victoria said, crouching down to his level. She brushed her fingers through his hair, feeling a lump rise in her throat.“I’m ready, Mommy,” Ethan sai
Victoria sat at the dining table, her phone in hand, scrolling through endless wedding inspiration posts. Zander walked in from the living room, a cup of coffee in hand, and sat down across from her.“You’re deep into wedding mode, huh?” Zander chuckled, watching as Victoria flipped through photos.Victoria sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “I just want everything to feel right, you know? Nothing too extravagant, but still special. It has to be perfect for us.”Zander leaned back in his chair, his eyes softening as he watched her. “We’ll make it perfect. You don’t have to stress. It’s about us—our family—and the people who love us.”Victoria smiled, grateful for his calm demeanor. “I know, I know. It’s just hard to narrow down choices when everything is so… big. I don’t want to overwhelm Ethan or make him feel like it’s all too much.”Zander reached over and gently placed his hand over hers. “It’ll be easy, love. Whatever we do, it’ll be just right because it’s ours. Ethan
The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting a soft glow over the balcony where Victoria and Sophie sat side by side, a quiet evening breeze brushing through their hair. The past few years had been a whirlwind of change, growth, and, sometimes, heartbreak—but in this moment, the two women found solace in each other’s company, reflecting on the journey that had brought them to this point.Sophie took a deep breath, staring out at the city lights below. “It’s crazy, isn’t it? How much has changed in such a short time.”Victoria nodded, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her wine glass. “I never thought we’d end up here, Sophie. I don’t know where I thought I’d be, but it wasn’t this.”“Yeah,” Sophie said with a laugh, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “I remember when you first told me about Ethan’s father, and all that drama with Zander. I thought, ‘How is she going to get through all of this?’”Victoria chuckled, the memory of those chaotic days bringing a bittersweet smile to
Ethan sat at the kitchen table, his small hands gripping a crayon as he carefully drew shapes on the piece of paper in front of him. His tongue stuck out in concentration as he shaded in a house, a tree, and a bright sun in the corner. Victoria watched him from the counter, a warm smile tugging at her lips.Zander, who had just finished making breakfast, placed a plate of pancakes in front of her before sitting down next to Ethan. He ruffled Ethan’s hair, his touch gentle. “How’s the masterpiece coming along, buddy?”Ethan beamed up at him, his eyes sparkling with pride. “It’s almost done! I’m going to make it perfect, just like you said.”Victoria couldn’t help but chuckle at his determination. It had been like this for weeks now—Ethan was always eager to learn, to create, to take on new challenges. Ever since they moved into the house, he had become more energetic, more confident. He was flourishing, thriving in this environment that was filled with love, safety, and encouragement.
Victoria stepped through the front door, feeling the cool air conditioning hit her face as she walked into the living room. The house was spacious—modern, but cozy, with light wooden floors that gleamed under the soft lighting. A large sectional sofa rested in the center of the room, complemented by a sleek coffee table. The walls were a soft, neutral beige, with just the right amount of warmth from the sunlight pouring through the windows.“Do you like it?” Zander asked, standing beside her with a hopeful look on his face. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, and his eyes gleamed with excitement.Victoria smiled, walking further into the room. “I love it,” she said, taking in the high ceilings, the contemporary decor, and the natural light. “It’s perfect. It feels… like home.”Zander grinned, his arms crossing as he took a step closer. “Yeah? I was a little nervous, honestly. I wanted it to feel right for you too.”“It feels right,” she repeated, her voice soft. She
The soft afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the living room. Victoria sat on the couch, her legs tucked under her as she gazed out the window, lost in thought.She had spent so much of her life trying to figure out who she was and where she belonged. She had spent years resenting her mother, Rita, for things that had happened in their past, but now, she found herself in a place where understanding, though still delicate, was beginning to bloom.The doorbell rang, pulling Victoria from her thoughts. She straightened up, wiping the faintest trace of tears from her eyes. It had been a quiet day, one where memories had bubbled up, and the weight of everything that had transpired felt heavier than usual. But there was something in her that told her this day would be different.She opened the door to find Rita standing there, a gentle smile on her face. There was no anger or resentment, just a tentative peace in her expression that made Victoria pause.“Ma