Yvonne was squatting in the far corner of the guestroom terrace at Amy’s home, her phone clutched tightly in her hand as though it carried her whole future inside it. The night air was cool, brushing gently against her damp cheeks, carrying with it the faint chirp of crickets in the distance.The children had long been tucked into bed, their peaceful breathing like a soft lullaby that comforted her even from afar. Amy and her newborn must also have drifted off to sleep—or so she thought—until the sound of hurried footsteps drew nearer.Yvonne startled, springing to her feet like someone caught in a secret act. But before she could speak, she found herself enveloped in a tight embrace, familiar warmth folding around her. The delicate scent of baby oil mixed with Amy’s perfume filled her nose, grounding her instantly.Startled at first, Yvonne melted into it, her heart squeezing as Amy whispered into her hair, her voice trembling with passion.“I am so proud of you, Yvy. You’re the brav
Micheal’s breath caught in his throat.He stood frozen in the middle of the quiet villa, the phone pressed tightly against his ear, his knuckles whitening around it as though he feared the moment would vanish if he didn’t hold on hard enough.He couldn’t believe it—Yvonne had just let him in.The whole proposal, the ring, his desperate declaration… it had all been a frantic gamble, his last weapon to keep her from shutting him out completely. A part of him had been living with the gnawing fear: that she would one day hand the ring back, look at him with those steady eyes, and quietly cut him off.But here she was.Not only keeping him close—but confessing. Confessing how incomplete their world was without each other.The words hit him with the force of a tidal wave, and Micheal found himself choking up, his chest tightening until the air struggled to move through his lungs. His vision blurred. He pressed the heel of his free hand against his eyes, fighting the hot sting of tears.He t
Before the situation escalated to the point of the authorities’ arrival, the sound of Sammy’s scream tore through the neighborhood like a distress flare, drawing curious eyes from across the street. Curtains slid open one by one. Before long, silhouettes gathered at the edges of the yard, whispering, craning their necks for a better look.David’s gut clenched. This was the last thing he wanted—an audience.Sammy, however, thrived on it. She had almost forgotten how easily she could bend perception to her will. It had been a long time since she’d been forced to resort to her old methods, but that didn’t mean the skill had dulled. If David wouldn’t take her back willingly, she would make sure he had no choice. He would forgive her, believe her, see that everything she had done was for him—for them.So they could be together.Sensing the eyes on her, she collapsed dramatically against the doorway, as though she were the victim of unspeakable cruelty. She raked her nails across the wood a
Before the situation escalated to the point of the authority's arrival, The sound of Sammy’s scream carried into the neighbourhood like a distress flare, drawing curious eyes from across the street. Curtains parted one by one. Before long, figures gathered at the edges of the yard, whispering, craning their necks to get a better look.David’s gut clenched. This was the last thing he wanted—an audience.Sammy, though, fed on it. She had almost forgotten how easy it was to get what she wanted. She couldn’t recall the last time she was forced to use a forceful method to get what she wanted: that doesn't mean she had lost the skill though.Since David isn't planning to take her in peace, she will make sure he had no choice but to forgive her and see that all she did was for his sake, their sake.So they could be together. Sensing the eyes on her, she doubled down, her body collapsing against the doorway as though she were the victim of some unspeakable cruelty. She clawed at the wood aga
Sammy’s laugh rose, bubbling from her chest like something feral, grotesque. It was a sound David had never heard from her before—low, throaty, jagged, as though scraped raw from the pit of her lungs. The kind of laugh that didn’t belong to someone in pain, but to someone who had already crossed the line between reason and madness.David froze, every nerve in his body bristling with unease. He felt the air around them thicken, as though the house itself held its breath.“Sammy…” his voice was sharp, warning. “Stop this nonsense.”But she didn’t.She tilted her head back, a few stands of her hair clinging to her now perspiring cheeks, tears mixing with saliva as the laughter tore out of her. It wasn’t joy, wasn’t amusement—it was desperation in its purest, ugliest form.Finally, she rose from the floor and lifted her gaze to him, her eyes wild, gleaming with something unhinged. “You think you can throw me away?” she whispered, though her lips curved into a smile too wide, too broken.D
The dim hush of the living room was steeped in silence—broken only by the soft creak of the old wooden ceiling fan above David’s head. At some point, he had changed position. He now sat curled on the edge of the couch, arms wrapped around his knees, staring at nothing yet seeing everything. Yvonne’s laugh still echoed faintly in his head. They way she tried so hard. Poured all her attention on him as if afraid to do anything but that. The scent of her lavender lotion still lingered in the folds of the throw pillows. Memories clung to every corner like shadows that refused to fade. And guilt—it smothered him. He had come, driven by a message from her number—perhaps foolishly hoping for a second chance, a proper goodbye, anything that resembled closure. But the house had been empty. No Yvonne. Only the ghosts of what could have been. His heart ached with a pain he had no right to feel. He didn’t know how long he’d been there, time had blurred. He had considered leavi