(Back to the Present Time)
“Your visa and all necessary documents are finalized. We’re leaving in three days.”
Demani turned from what she was doing upon hearing Van’s voice. She saw him by the kitchen doorway, seated in his automatic wheelchair. She couldn’t even remember when she had fallen asleep last night. After being caught up in her memories, she must’ve drifted off completely. And when she woke up this morning, her stomach hurt— likely from not eating anything the entire day before.
Van’s gaze met hers intently. She held the eye contact for a moment, until he glanced away and noticed the tray at the sink. She winced, remembering the burned cookies.
When she got out of bed earlier, she had headed straig
After getting dressed, Demani remained inside the walk-in closet, standing motionless in the silence. Her ears strained for any sign of movement beyond the door, and her heart beat louder with every second of anticipation.She wasn’t ready to see Van. Not after last night. Not while the sting of their fight still throbbed in her chest.Then she heard it. The soft creak of the bedroom door, followed by the quiet but unmistakable sound of it closing.Only then did she step out, her bare feet brushing against the cool floorboards as she cautiously emerged into the room. Her eyes darted toward the bathroom. The door was wide open, the light still on, but the room itself was empty.Van was gone.Just like that.
When Demani opened her eyes that morning, the first thing that came to her mind was the argument she and Van had the night before. The heaviness in her chest hadn’t gone away. She didn’t want to leave the room, much less face her husband. She knew he’d be coming in soon to get ready for work, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to talk to him.The anger still lingered inside her, but so did a deep sense of unease. For the first time in their marriage, they had fought that badly. And now she was lost, unsure how to navigate the aftermath, unsure how to make things right.She didn’t even know who should make the first move toward reconciliation.It should be him, whispered a voice in her he
They stared at each other for a long while, not in a romantic or longing way, but with hostility thick in the air. Her brows were raised, sharp with contempt, while his forehead was creased in confusion. After a few tense seconds, Van was the first to break eye contact, releasing a deep breath as he stood up and removed his suit jacket.“How was Maureen’s party?” he asked casually, as if nothing was wrong.She clenched her jaw, her irritation bubbling to the surface. “You should’ve come if you wanted to know.”Van sighed as he began loosening his tie. “Why are you being bitchy, Demani?”She let out a sharp, mocking gasp, her eyes wide with disbelief and a bitter smile playing on her lips. “Did you really just say that
Later at the Baby Shower Party…“Sam and Van didn’t come to the weekly get-together again, huh? Coreen showed up late, too. Our tradition is being forgotten and underappreciated.”Aunt Ynes spoke quietly as she and Demani decorated the living room for Maureen’s baby shower. With Grandma Val too unwell to help and other female relatives occupied, Demani had stepped in to assist.She had messaged Van earlier but didn’t hear back, which wasn’t surprising, she expected he’d be late, as he told her he had important meetings and might come home late. Maybe he was in a conference room, phone out of reach.“So, why didn’t Van come again this Sunday?” her aunt asked, glancing at the house help assisting them.
“Jesus Christ, Coreen, what happened to your face?” Demani blurted out as soon as she opened the door and saw her cousin’s swollen, bruised eye.Coreen was crying. Her lip was split, her eye puffed and purple, and a large bump had formed on her forehead.The moment she saw Demani, Coreen broke down in sobs and quickly wrapped her arms around her in a desperate embrace.Demani stood frozen for a moment, unable to find the right words. Her anger surged, building like a fire in her chest. She didn’t need to ask what had happened. She already knew who was responsible for doing this to her cousin.“I’m going to kill that bastard,” she muttered, her voice shaking with rage. She gently pulled away and studied Coreen’
Van’s fingers moved with a skill that sent tremors through Demani’s body. He knew her; her softness, her rhythm, the subtle gasps that escaped when pleasure overtook her. His touch was deliberate and slow at first, a coaxing invitation, until her body responded to him like it always had: openly, instinctively, desperately.She gripped his wrist, trying to steady herself, as the waves of sensation began to build. Her hips moved involuntarily, following the pace he set, and her head tilted back with a soft moan. Behind her, his other hand caressed her body, worshipping it like something he thought he’d lost. Rough and gentle, teasing and claiming all at once.Her breath caught when she saw them in the mirror. His tall, bare form pressed behind her, his lips grazing her shoulder, his eyes locked onto hers. There was heat in his gaze, but something more, too. Something deeper. He wasn&rs