There are nights when sleep refuses to find me, when the silence of the house grows so loud it feels like it’s piercing into my ears. Tonight was one of those nights. I lay on my side, staring out the window, catching a glimpse of the reflection of the streetlights outside. It’s strange how much life can change in such a short time. Sometimes it feels like I blinked, and two years of my life slipped through my fingers, dragging me into a whirlwind I never saw coming.Almost two years. Just two years and yet I feel like I’ve lived an entire lifetime.I thought back to Marcus. To the heartbreak. The gut-wrenching betrayal of realizing that the man I thought I would spend forever with didn’t love me the way I deserved to be loved. The nights I cried so hard my chest ached. The nights I stared at the ceiling, wondering what was wrong with me, wondering if I would ever be enough for anyone. That pain felt endless at the time, like I’d never climb out of it. But somehow, I did.Then came th
I don’t know how long I had been sitting there on the floor, folded into myself with my back pressed against the door. The tears had slowed but my eyes were still very heavy, and my chest felt like it was being squeezed by something unseen. I was trying to calm my breathing and help stop myself from spiraling further, when I heard the faint creak of the back door opening.For a moment, I panicked immediately. Could it be Dante? Did he forget something? But then I heard my sister's voice.“Sienna?” she called out almost like she was unsure. I quickly wiped my face with the edge of my sleeve, but it was no use. I knew my swollen eyes and reddened puffed cheeks gave me away. She stepped into the living room, her brows furrowing immediately at the sight of me crumpled on the floor.“Oh my God, Sienna.” She rushed forward, dropping her bag carelessly to the side, and crouched down beside me. Without hesitation, she pulled me into her arms, and the moment her warmth wrapped around me, the
The house was warm from the afternoon sun shining outside and I heard a knock on the door. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and my first thought was that it might be Marcus again, trying to force another appearance. My chest tightened at the thought. But when I pulled the door open, my breath caught for an entirely different reason. It was Dante.He stood there, tall and composed on the outside, but I could see it immediately. His shoulders seemed heavier, his eyes darker, like he hadn't had a good sleep in weeks. “Dante,” I whispered, almost in surprise.“Can I come in?” He asked, forcing a smile.I nodded and stepped aside. He walked in, and the moment the door closed behind us, I felt the shift in the room. He wasn’t just here for casual talk.“What’s wrong?” I asked softly, leading him toward the living room.We sat down, and he ran a hand over his face before finally meeting my eyes. “The court trials start in a few days.”My heart dropped. I had known this day would come, but hearing
The next morning felt oddly different. The house was too quiet. I stood in Abigail’s room, folding the little blanket she had tossed aside after waking up. Her small bed was already made, her favorite stuffed bunny tucked neatly on the pillow, waiting for her return. Yesterday had been her very first day at nursery, and to my surprise, and my heartbreak, she had adapted so quickly.So quickly, it almost felt like she didn’t need me the same way anymore.She had run into the playroom, found a new friend, and barely looked back when I left. I had gone home with my chest feeling like it was caving in. And today, as I held her tiny hand walking into the nursery again, she walked with a bounce in her step, humming to herself, eager to start her day again.When I kissed her goodbye and handed her over to the teacher, she smiled at me, waved, and then darted off toward the toys without hesitation. No tears, no clinging. Just joy.I stood there for a while, trying not to cry myself, watching
Ever since my discharge, life shifted into a strange pattern. It wasn't exactly unfamiliar, but the shift was just completely not what I had hoped for. Quiet mornings with Abigail, evenings where my mother spent her time watching over me and making sure I was doing okay, and nights lying awake staring at the ceiling, wondering how much more my heart could take before it finally broke for good.Marcus had been showing up more often than I expected. Not barging in or making a scene like the Marcus I used to know. This time he was gentler, and convincing. Like he actually cared and that wasn't something I was used to, especially not with Marcus. He’d leave toys at the door, sometimes with a small card that had no words, just Abigail’s name scribbled on it in his handwriting. Other times, he’d text me asking how she was, asking if she’d smiled today, if she’d eaten her favorite cereal. Little things. At first, I ignored most of them, but the toys piled up in the corner of the living room
I was still deep in sleep when I felt someone lightly shaking my arm. My body was heavy, unwilling to wake, and I groaned, turning over to bury my face into the pillow.“Sienna,” my mother’s voice whispered, soft but urgent. “Mom?” My voice was thick with sleep.“You have a visitor,” she said, with a soft smile on her face.I squinted at her, confused. “A visitor? This early? Who on earth would be looking for me?” I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. “Six-thirty in the morning?”She raised an eyebrow knowingly. “Why don’t you come downstairs and see for yourself?”I sat up slowly, still half-asleep, but the sudden rush of anticipation made my pulse quicken. I dragged myself out of bed, quickly pulling on a robe over my nightdress, and walked barefoot down the hallway.The moment I stepped into the living room, my heart stopped.Dante was standing by the sofa in his crisp suit, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers in one hand and a small bag of gifts in the other. The morning light