The house was too quiet. It was at this moment I knew silence had a sound and could be heard.
It wasn’t the peaceful kind of silence.It was the heavy, suffocating kind-the kind that made the air thick, the kind that made my own heartbeat sound too loud in my ears. It pressed against my chest, wrapping around me like an invisible chain.I stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the space in front of me. My hands were clasped together, but my fingers kept fidgeting, twisting over one another.Sebastian hadn’t come downstairs since we got back from the courthouse.I knew where he was.Locked in his study. Alone.I hated this silence.Because it wasn’t really silent.It had a sound—the sound of pain, of grief, of everything that had gone unsaid.I walked toward the couch and sank down, my body feeling heavier than it should.This house wasn’t just a house.It had beenThe ringing of my phone shattered the silence of my office. It was sharp and insistent, cutting through the quiet like a blade. I frowned, glancing at the screen.Unknown number.I hesitated. I never answered unknown numbers. If someone needed to reach me, they could leave a message. But something about this call made my chest tighten, a strange feeling settling in my gut.Slowly, I picked up the phone and pressed it to my ear."Sebastian."The voice froze me in place.It was a woman’s voice-cold, yet familiar in a way that made my stomach churn. My grip on the phone tightened as the past slammed into me like a train.I hadn’t heard that voice in years.I swallowed hard. “Mother.”She let out a slow, shaky breath, as if she had been holding it in. “So, you still remember me.”I let out a dry, humorless chuckle. “How could I forget?”Silence.Then, she spoke again. “I wasn’t sure if you’d pick up.”I leaned back in my chair, forcing my voice to remain steady. “Neither was I.”More sile
The sharp scent of antiseptic filled my nose as I pushed through the hospital doors. The cld, white halls stretched endlessly before me, buzzing with the occasional chatter of nurses and the hum of medical machines. My footsteps echoed against the tiled floor as I walked briskly toward Natalie’s room, my heart pounding harder than I’d ever admit.She had collapsed.One moment, she had been fine—laughing, teasing me about how much she craved spicy food, resting her hand over her small but growing belly. The next, she had gone pale, gasped for air, and fallen unconscious in my arms.I had never been more terrified in my life.Now, as I reached her hospital room, I didn’t hesitate. I pushed the door open, stepping inside, my breath caught in my throat.Natalie lay on the bed, looking small and fragile beneath the crisp white sheets. A soft glow from the bedside lamp bathed her in warm light, but her face was paler than usual, her lips dry. Her eyes fluttered open as I entered, and a weak
The ocean stretched out before me, endless and calm, its waves rolling in and out like a steady heartbeat. The air smelled of salt, fresh and crisp, mixing with the warmth of the setting sun. A light breeze ran through my hair, cooling my skin as I stood on the balcony of our beachside villa. It had been a long time since I felt this… peaceful. For months, my life had been a storm—one thing after another, pulling me deeper into chaos. But here, standing with Natalie by my side, it felt like the storm had finally passed. I glanced over at her. She was sitting on a lounge chair, her legs stretched out, her arms resting behind her head. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, golden from the sunlight, her skin glowing. She looked relaxed, something I hadn’t seen in a long time. It made me smile. She caught me looking and arched a brow. “What?” “Nothing,” I said, stepping closer. “You just look… happy.” Her lips curled into a small smile. “I am.” I sat beside her, reaching for
The house was too quiet. It was at this moment I knew silence had a sound and could be heard. It wasn’t the peaceful kind of silence.It was the heavy, suffocating kind-the kind that made the air thick, the kind that made my own heartbeat sound too loud in my ears. It pressed against my chest, wrapping around me like an invisible chain.I stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the space in front of me. My hands were clasped together, but my fingers kept fidgeting, twisting over one another.Sebastian hadn’t come downstairs since we got back from the courthouse.I knew where he was.Locked in his study. Alone.I hated this silence.Because it wasn’t really silent.It had a sound—the sound of pain, of grief, of everything that had gone unsaid.I walked toward the couch and sank down, my body feeling heavier than it should.This house wasn’t just a house.It had been
The weight of the the whole dramam going on settled on my shoulders like a boulder.I stood outside the police station, gripping my phone tightly in my hand, my thumb hovering over the play button.This was it.The moment I would turn my own mother in.The woman who had raised me, who had held me as a child, who had taught me how to ride a bike—now, I was handing her over to the law.Because she was a monster.Because she had betrayed me.Because she had tried to kill the woman I love.I sucked in a sharp breath, closing my eyes for a second. The night air was cold, biting against my skin. The streetlights flickered above, casting long shadows on the pavement. I could hear the faint sounds of cars honking in the distance, but everything around me felt… muted.Like the world had slowed down.Like I was standing on the edge of something I could never come back from.Then, with a final exhale, I stepped inside.The police station was bright and, the air was thick with the scent of coffee
I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the elevator and into the familiar space of Grant Enterprises. It had been weeks since I was last here. Weeks since my life had spiraled into chaos. Since secrets had been revealed, betrayals exposed, and the foundation of everything I knew had been shaken to its core. But now, I was back. Back to work. Back to normal. Or at least, as normal as life could get after everything that had happened. The office smelled the same-fresh coffee, crisp paper, the faint scent of polished wood. The soft hum of conversations and clicking keyboards filled the air, blending with the occasional ringing of phones. It was comforting in a way. Familiar. And yet, something felt different. Or maybe I was the one who had changed. …. The first thing I did after settling into my office was call HR. I needed a personal assistant. Ever since I got promoted, I had been handling too much on my own, and after everything that had happened, I knew I couldn’t affo