FreyaI woke up in my mom’s bed, more relieved than ever. I sat up and stayed in bed for some minutes. I had woken up briefly in the middle of the night, thought about everything again and determined not to let it get to me. I knew what I was getting into right from time so it shouldn’t be so much bother that things were going this way. People will always talk, and maybe it’s just my turn to get talked about. I’m just going to keep my head high while I get my ‘win’ and staying at home and wallowing wasn’t an option. I’d just drown in my own thoughts if I didn’t keep myself busy. I stood up, grabbed the family photo, and made my way back to my room. I sat the photo by my bedside and went into the bathroom to freshen up. In no time, I was done and all dressed in a sharp navy suit, I grabbed my bag and made my way downstairs. To my surprise, my dad was already seated at the dining table, scrolling through his tablet while sipping coffee. The slight furrow in his brows gave away his
FreyaMy morning went by in a rush. I would be meeting with Sonia today, and I didn’t want that to affect my work, so I made sure to attend to everything on my morning schedule. The moment I sat in my chair, I was buried in work and didn’t even realize time had gone by so quickly until my phone rang. Once I saw Victor’s face lit up my screen, I knew it was noon already. I had told him to just call me when he gets here and not bother coming up into the office.“I’m outside,” he said simply. “Be right down,” I replied, “I just need to wrap up the final touches on this email… and I’m done! I’ll be with you in a second.” I let out and then hung up.I quickly grabbed my bag and smoothed my outfit while I made my way out of the office. My heart thudded as I hurried to the elevator, desperate not to keep him waiting another second.When I stepped outside, Victor was waiting near his car, leaning against the passenger side door. His calm demeanor always had a way of grounding me, even when
Freya As I raced out of the building, I felt a rush of emotions. Her words kept pairing back, and I couldn’t take it anymore. The betrayal, the lies, the sheer audacity… it was all too much. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t pull in enough air, and the dizziness hit me out of nowhere as I kept stumbling on.The world around me spun, and my legs started getting heavy till they couldn’t carry my weight anymore. I knew I was going to fall. My head was so light and my eyes were blank. I was going to pass out and soon enough, my legs eventually gave way. I braced for the hard impact of the pavement, but it never came. Strong arms caught me just in time. “Freya!” Victor’s voice was sharp with concern, and he quickly guided me to lean against his chest. “Breathe, Freya. Just breathe.” “I… I can’t,” I choked out, struggling to draw in air. “Yes, you can,” he said firmly, his hand gently rubbing my back. “Focus on me. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Slowly.” He let out
VictorI couldn’t take my eyes off Freya as she sat across from me. She looked even more beautiful than she had ever been. It’s evening already and her light makeup was still sitting perfectly on her pretty face, further enhanced by the restaurant’s warm lights. There was something about the way she carried herself, the way she’d put Sonia in her place earlier… it was magical. I’d always known she was special, but today, I’d seen a new side of her. Strong, unyielding, commanding. I was in awe. The bill arrived, and I handled it quickly, eager to step out into the fresh air. When we got outside, Freya paused, looking around at the softly lit scenery surrounding the restaurant. “I don’t feel like going home yet,” she said quietly, her gaze distant but calm. My heart skipped. I was so happy. I didn’t want the evening to end either. “The restaurant has a beautiful garden and some scenic spots,” I offered. “Why don’t we take a look around?” She smiled, a soft, grateful curve of her
Freya The ride home was painfully quiet. I hated awkward silences, and this one stretched between Victor and me like a heavy fog. That was why, after our little talk, I wanted to take a ride home, but he wouldn’t let me. I knew it would be awkward being in the same car, but he insisted on taking me home. In his words - after all, I brought you out here. It’s courtesy that I take you home. Besides, I need to be sure you’re home and safe. I wouldn’t be able to rest if I don’t drop you off myself…I stared out the window, trying to focus on the passing streetlights, but all I could think about was his confession earlier. I felt… conflicted. Victor, as always, was polite and composed, his hands steady on the wheel, his jaw set in a way that made him unreadable. When we pulled up in front of the house, I hesitated before unbuckling my seatbelt. “Freya,” he said softly, finally finding his voice and breaking the silence. I turned to him, clutching my bag tighter. “Yes?” I let out so
StaceyI had barely ended the call with Freya when my phone buzzed again. I glanced at the screen and sighed. Victor. I didn’t even need to pick up to know why he was calling, but I answered anyway. “Hey, Victor,” I said, keeping my tone casual as I leaned back into the couch. “Stace…” His voice was low and hesitant, which was so unlike him that I immediately knew this was serious. “I think I screwed up.” He let out while I smirked a little to myself but kept my voice neutral. “What did you do this time?” I quizzed.There was a long pause, followed by a deep sigh. “I told Freya.” “Told her what?” I asked, even though I already knew where this was going. “About how I feel,” he admitted. His voice sounded tight, like he was bracing himself for me to scold him. “And?” I prompted, trying to keep the amusement out of my voice. “And I think I made a mistake,” he said quickly, his words tumbling over each other. “She’s going through so much right now… Sonia, Dennis, all the chaos
VictorThe doorbell jolted me out of sleep, echoing through the house like an alarm. I had slept late thinking about Freya and it was just overwhelming. Talking to Stacey had helped a bit, but the relief cleared off once doubts and errors started creeping in. I stayed in bed for a long time, tossing around until I was finally able to force myself to sleep…Hearing the doorbell, I was going to ignore it at first, since I wasn’t expecting anyone, but then, my heart raced, and for a split second, I thought it might be Freya. What if she came over to the house instead? I didn’t even check the time… I just jumped out of bed, threw on a shirt, and hurried downstairs. A million thoughts swirled in my head as I approached the door. Is she here? Did she decide to come with me after all? But why would she come to the house though? We agreed to meet at the airport…But when I opened the door, my heart sank. “Anna?” I let out, my voice laced with surprise and disappointment, which I was sure sh
Freya I woke up feeling like my chest was weighed down by a hundred bricks. The room was silent, except for the faint hum of the heater in the bathroom, but my thoughts were anything but quiet. I couldn’t stop replaying the events of the past few hours. Victor professing his love… Stacey’s words… and my own conflicted emotions. Was I rushing into something again?That question haunted me as I stared at the ceiling. I had a pattern, and I hated that I couldn’t seem to break free from it. Dennis had been my rebound after my last heartbreak, and look where that got me. I didn’t even take time to heal then. I just jumped in headfirst, hoping love would fix me. In my defense, I actually didn’t want to jump into another relationship that fast… I had made up my mind not to even try anything called love again but that evil b*tch, Sonia. She made me believe Dennis was the man I was made for and just the right piece for my life to have meaning. Silly me… I fell for it…Dennis is out of the
FreyaI made sure to leave the office an hour early. I didn’t want to keep Adrian waiting. That was one of my unwritten rules, never keep a client waiting and, apart from that not being a good look on me. I like to get to a meeting venue earlier so I can put things in place and be sure there are no mistakes that could ruin things for me and the company. As I stepped into the elegant fine dining restaurant, the aroma of rich spices and freshly baked bread filled the air. My heels clicked softly against the marble floor as I did a quick scan of the place and I was impressed. A polite young waiter greeted me with a warm smile."Good evening, ma'am. Do you have a reservation?" he asked.I smiled back. "Actually, I'd like to speak with the manager, please."The waiter’s expression shifted to curiosity but maintained professionalism. "Of course, ma'am. Please follow me."I was led to a secluded area near the bar, and within moments, the manager appeared. He was a tall, middle-aged man with
FreyaMy favorite song was on repeat while I sang along and pretended the steering wheel was my drum. I was in such a good mood, the mood has registered with me ever since I put Sonia in her place at the dinner last night. And then the huge deal with Adrian made it so worthwhile. I just couldn’t get over the feeling, it was so exciting. I could barely wait till I got home to share the news with Victor. The moment the car pulled in front of the house, I made straight for the front door, ran upstairs and immediately called Victor. He listened patiently while I narrated with much excitement. When I finally finished, he revealed how proud he was of me and I couldn’t stop blushing. He was even prouder about the Sonia part. Though, he wished I had shamed her even more, but he was still impressed with the little I did. He had hinted at how he would have wickedly embarrassed her so much that she wouldn’t show her face in front of a man for months. When he said that, I laughed so much till my
SoniaI walked out of that event hall with my head held high. Not because I wasn’t shaken. Not because I wasn’t furious. But because I had to. I had to at least pretend I had control over the situation, even when my entire world had just come crashing down on me. Inside, I wanted to scream. To jump at Freya and dig my fingers into every corner of her face. But more than that, I wanted to undo what just happened. Adrian was supposed to be mine. That has been the plan ever since I sighted him at the store and walked up to him. I have spent every hour since then playing my part perfectly. Laughing at all his jokes, pretending to be fascinated by his boring business talk, wearing the exact type of dress I knew would tickle his fancy, touching him just enough to keep him wanting more but never giving in completely. It was all working. I knew it was working. Until stupid Freya decided to play the saint and ruin it all. I can’t even believe the speed with which she opened her mouth, and
FreyaI had never been more satisfied in my life. Standing there, watching Sonia’s entire new world crumble right before my eyes, was a moment I would never forget. She must have put a lot of effort into starting all over again with a new naive billionaire bjt I had just ruined all that for her. The way her smile faltered. The way the blood drained from her face. The way her fingers twitched, like she was scrambling for a way out but knew there was none. She had been exposed. And by the way Adrian’s entire demeanor changed, the flicker of realization in his sharp eyes, the disgust settling in his expression, it was clear that whatever web of lies she had spun around him had just snapped. Sonia must have felt it too because, in an instant, she switched tactics. “Adrian, baby, whatever she said…” she started, reaching for his arm. “Don’t touch me.” His voice was cold. Unforgiving. Sonia froze, her hand hovering in mid-air before she let it drop, looking up at him with wid
Sonia“Alrighty… I’ll be right here.” I said to Adrian while he left to briefly see one of his colleagues. As I watched him get mixed up in the crowd. I finally let out a deep sigh of relief. Ever since we stepped into the hall, it has been one introduction after the other. I liked it though, especially because he was so proud of being seen with a beautiful damsel like me. I enjoyed the attention too, the lingering effect I had on them all. “Oh my goodness, why didn’t I even think about this?” I thought to myself as I scanned the whole place again. It was full of billionaires, men with wealth and power. I should have invested more in getting myself into places like this instead of getting stuck on Dennis, whose first instinct was to betray me in the face of trouble.I mean, who does that? It’s not his fault anyway. I clearly wasted my time with the wrong man. Just imagine Adrian, his girlfriend doesn’t even have to do much, and he wouldn’t think twice before getting her the whole u
Freya I was untying my robe, ready to step into the shower, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen and immediately smiled seeing Victor’s face.Without wasting a second, I answered, my voice soft and teasing. “Missing me already?” The second I saw his face on the screen, though, my teasing smile faltered. His expression was tense, his brows pulled together in a way that told me something was off. I straightened up. “What’s wrong?” Victor let out a small sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “The meeting got extended.” I blinked. “Extended?” He nodded, looking visibly frustrated. “Yeah. It was supposed to wrap up today, but there are still some loose ends to tie up. I won’t be able to leave first thing in the morning like we planned.” He let out a rough sigh. “I hate this. I want to be there with you.” I couldn’t help but smile at how sincere he sounded. “Victor, it’s fine.” I tilted my head, trying to reassure him. “It’s just a day or two, right? You’ll get everything don
Sonia“I don’t want to take up too much of your time,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just wanted to make sure you got home safely.” He finally found his voice after furrowing his brows in hesitation as he considered my offer. I smiled sweetly, tilting my head just a bit. “Oh, come on. It’s just a glass of juice. Five minutes, tops.” I let out a soft laugh. “Unless you’re worried I’ll poison you?” He chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s not it.” “Then what?” I pouted playfully. “You did something nice for me today. Let me return the favor, even if it’s just with a simple drink.” I could see the internal debate happening behind his eyes, but I knew I had him. Finally, with a small sigh, he nodded. “Alright. But just for a bit.” I grinned. “Great! Come on in.” I led him inside, making sure to sway my hips just enough to keep his eyes on me. Once inside, I gestured toward the couch. “Make yourself comfortable.” He looked around briefly before settling into the plus
SoniaAs I stepped into the store, I barely spared a glance at the bright fluorescent lights or the soft hum of customers moving around me. My focus was entirely on getting my groceries and getting out.Not that I particularly enjoyed shopping for basic necessities. No, I hated it. It reminded me of how low I had sunk, how far I had fallen from the life I once had. The life where I could walk into high-end boutiques and splurge on designer bags without batting an eye. But now? Now, I was stuck here, clutching my nearly empty wallet and calculating every single item I picked up like some desperate, broke girl. I sucked in a sharp breath, trying not to let my irritation show as I scanned the price tags. Every single one seemed to mock me. A box of cereal was enough to take out a chunk of what little I had left. A bottle of milk? That’s practically robbery. A muscle in my jaw ticked as I stared at my basket, already feeling the heavy weight of frustration settle in my chest. This
SoniaI sat on the couch in my tiny, almost-suffocating apartment, my nails tapping impatiently against the armrest. The cheap fabric scratched against my skin. Of course, it was manageable, but it was such a far cry from the luxurious furniture I once lounged on without a care. My phone screen lit up with another failed call attempt. Blocked.I gritted my teeth, fighting the urge to throw the damn thing across the room. Dennis had completely shut me out. No texts, no calls, no way of reaching him. I let out a bitter laugh. After everything I did for him. After all the times I had his back, all the times I fought for him, lied for him, gave up my damn dignity for him… this is how he repays me? I even went against my best friend and this is all I get in return? He’s treating me like I’m nothing. Like I never even mattered. The worst part? I knew Dennis. I knew how his mind worked. He wasn’t avoiding me because he felt guilty. Dennis never felt guilt. No, he was staying away bec