Chapter 60
The late afternoon sun bled golden streaks across the sky, casting long shadows over the city park. Laughter rang in the air with children squealing in delight, parents chatting, and the occasional bark of a dog as it chased after a ball. To any outsider, it looked like a perfect family outing. But for Tania, every cheerful note in the air grated against her nerves.As her eyes landed on Andreas, she noticed the tension emanating from his body and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.She watched from the bench as Andreas stood by the side of the play area, his hands in the pockets of his charcoal hoodie, eyes fixed on the small boy laughing inside the ball pit. Brian’s curls bounced as he flailed through the rainbow-colored plastic, his face lit up in wonder and glee. Occasionally, he’d look up, searching for his mother or Andreas. Whenever his gaze landed on Andreas, he’d wave shyly. And Andreas, sweetly and patiently, wouldChapter 61The words settled like a rock in Mia's chest."I'm fighting to get full custody of my son, Brian" Andreas whispered into the quiet of her room, his breath still warm against her collarbone.Mia stiffened in his arms, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. The air between them crackled but not with the heat from moments before, but with the weight of something heavier, denser. Her lips parted, but the question came out as barely more than a breath."What?"Andreas’s hands slid to her waist, grounding her, steadying her as though he could sense the shift happening inside her. He didn’t repeat himself. He didn’t have to.The room felt suddenly colder, shadows stretching longer against the walls, and the humming silence that followed was almost unbearable.Mia stepped back, folding her arms over her chest as if she could shield herself from the storm that was gathering within. "You want to take him away f
Chapter 62The door slammed shut behind her like a final verdict.Tania’s heels clicked with frantic rhythm on the battered laminate floor as she stormed into the apartment, a raging storm of anger bubbling in her very being. She barely registered her environment as arms tightened around Brian, who was starting to squirm, and with a huff of frustration, she dropped him onto the lumpy old couch.He fussed immediately, whimpering, kicking, and rubbing his eyes with tiny balled fists, but she was already pacing, clawed hands dragging through her sweat-damp blonde hair. Her skin prickled. Her teeth ground together. Her ears buzzed with the echo of Andreas’s voice, still rattling around her skull like shrapnel.“Full custody,” she spat, venom thick on her tongue. “He said he wants full custody. He's crazy if he thinks, even for one second that I'll agree to give up my child without a fight!”Brian’s cries grew louder as he heard Tania's a
Chapter 63If the devil wore perfume, she imagined it would smell like hers, the notes of oud and amber coiling through the air like subtle poison. Tania checked her reflection in the rearview mirror one final time, admiring the silk blouse cinched at her waist, the designer sunglasses that veiled the madness behind her eyes, and the dark lipstick she applied like war paint. No one would question her intentions today. She didn’t look like the type who came bearing vengeance. She looked just like an influential mother who'd just come to enroll her three-year-old son. Brian sat quietly in the back seat of the car she'd borrowed from her doctor buddy Luke. He sat in his booster behind her, clutching a juice box, his legs swinging gently. He had no idea what the day meant. What it cost.“Ready, baby?” she asked sweetly, stepping out of the car and rounding it with practiced elegance. The click of her heels was confident and precise as she unbuckled him and took his tiny hand in hers.The
Chapter 64 Mia arrived at Sofia's school just five minutes behind schedule. And the first thing Mia noticed was the absence of a smile. Sofia didn’t come running toward her as she usually did, arms outstretched, curls bouncing with every hurried step, face split into the bright grin that had always been Mia’s anchor after long, hard days. Today, her daughter only walked toward her, shoulders slumped, backpack hanging awkwardly off one arm. She climbed into the backseat of the car without a word, buckled herself in, and muttered a flat, "Hi, Mom," staring out the window. Mia blinked, momentarily immobilized behind the wheel. Something twisted sharply inside her chest, but she quickly smoothed her expression before turning in her seat to face her daughter. "Hey, my love," she said in a bright, coaxing voice. "How was school?" A sharp, dismissive tut was Sofia’s only answer. She didn’t even look at Mia, she just sank deeper into the seat, arms crossed tight across her chest like a
Chapter 65The weight of Sofia's words hung in the air, suffocating Mia as if the walls themselves had shifted closer."What do you mean, baby..." Mia asked in shock as if she didn't already know what the child meant."I want to see my real daddy, Not Andreas" Sofia had said, her voice sharp and foreign to Mia's ears."But baby, you know Andreas loves you right? He..." Mia paused, and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe. Her hand hovered awkwardly mid-air, the fingers that had been poised to smooth Sofia's hair now stiff and useless. She blinked rapidly, trying to anchor herself to the moment, trying to steady the eruption she felt boiling just beneath her skin. She couldn't lash out. She wouldn't.Drawing in a slow breath, Mia crouched down, lowering herself to Sofia's eye level again, masking her spiraling emotions behind a soft, placating smile. "Sofia, baby..." she said carefully, feeling her heart pound against her ribs, "I understand you miss your daddy. But baby, the thing
Chapter 66Mia’s hands wouldn’t stop shaking.She paced the length of Susan’s living room which had become her final place of comfort over the years. Mia felt like a storm trapped in a teacup, each breath sharp and tight in her chest. Her voice came out in tremors, barely containing the panic clawing at her throat. “He’s back, Susan. And he’s going to take her away from me.”Susan, calm as always, lifted her head from where she sat curled on the couch, her face lined with concern. “Mia… we don’t know that it’s Lucas. What if someone else was behind those messages? You said it was anonymous.”But Mia’s senses had already recognized the handwriting in the venom of those words. “It’s him,” she said firmly, her eyes gleaming with equal parts fear and rage. “I know it in my gut.”No amount of calm reasoning could reach her now. After receiving the message, Mia grabbed Sofia and drove her straight to her mother’s house without a second thought. She needed her safe. Out of reach. Far from t
Chapter 67 Mia's point of view. The days passed like ghostly shadows crawling across the walls, slow, heavy, and heart-wrenching. I watched my daughter shrink more and more every day as she returned from school. And I couldn’t breathe under the weight of it. The guilt, the shame, the ache, it all folded itself around my lungs like vines, choking every bit of air from me. I’d brought Sofia back home from my mother's house. Tried to pretend like we were okay, like we could move past this. But that illusion shattered the moment she came to me that morning, fully dressed in her school uniform. Slowly, she walked to me, her tiny hands clutching my shirt, her tear-stained eyes pleading. “Please, Mommy,” she whispered. “I don’t want to go back to school. Don’t make me go back there. Please.” I froze, scared that I might know what her answer “Why, baby? What happened?” Her lip quivered. “They make fun of me at school. They said... they said you and I stole Brian's daddy. That I’m the r
Chapter 1 The studio lights danced across Mia Martinez's flawless features, illuminating her captivating presence. Mia Martinez, a singer, model, and a devoted mother, embodies the essence of a stunning international model. At 34, she radiated youthful vitality, exuding confidence. Her petite yet athletic frame stands at 5'8”, with measurements that rival the industry's highest standards. Her captivating presence, both on and off stage, has cemented her status as an international superstar, admired and adored by fans worldwide. Her raven hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, framing her heart-shaped face and striking hazel eyes. "Alright, let's get this shoot done! The release date is closing in!" Mia's best friend and personal assistant, Susan Miller, directed the crew with precision. As Mia greeted Susan, their warm smiles reflected a deep-seated friendship. Susan's exceptional organizational skills have been instrumental in Mia's comeback. Mia's gaze drifted to the ring
Chapter 67 Mia's point of view. The days passed like ghostly shadows crawling across the walls, slow, heavy, and heart-wrenching. I watched my daughter shrink more and more every day as she returned from school. And I couldn’t breathe under the weight of it. The guilt, the shame, the ache, it all folded itself around my lungs like vines, choking every bit of air from me. I’d brought Sofia back home from my mother's house. Tried to pretend like we were okay, like we could move past this. But that illusion shattered the moment she came to me that morning, fully dressed in her school uniform. Slowly, she walked to me, her tiny hands clutching my shirt, her tear-stained eyes pleading. “Please, Mommy,” she whispered. “I don’t want to go back to school. Don’t make me go back there. Please.” I froze, scared that I might know what her answer “Why, baby? What happened?” Her lip quivered. “They make fun of me at school. They said... they said you and I stole Brian's daddy. That I’m the r
Chapter 66Mia’s hands wouldn’t stop shaking.She paced the length of Susan’s living room which had become her final place of comfort over the years. Mia felt like a storm trapped in a teacup, each breath sharp and tight in her chest. Her voice came out in tremors, barely containing the panic clawing at her throat. “He’s back, Susan. And he’s going to take her away from me.”Susan, calm as always, lifted her head from where she sat curled on the couch, her face lined with concern. “Mia… we don’t know that it’s Lucas. What if someone else was behind those messages? You said it was anonymous.”But Mia’s senses had already recognized the handwriting in the venom of those words. “It’s him,” she said firmly, her eyes gleaming with equal parts fear and rage. “I know it in my gut.”No amount of calm reasoning could reach her now. After receiving the message, Mia grabbed Sofia and drove her straight to her mother’s house without a second thought. She needed her safe. Out of reach. Far from t
Chapter 65The weight of Sofia's words hung in the air, suffocating Mia as if the walls themselves had shifted closer."What do you mean, baby..." Mia asked in shock as if she didn't already know what the child meant."I want to see my real daddy, Not Andreas" Sofia had said, her voice sharp and foreign to Mia's ears."But baby, you know Andreas loves you right? He..." Mia paused, and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe. Her hand hovered awkwardly mid-air, the fingers that had been poised to smooth Sofia's hair now stiff and useless. She blinked rapidly, trying to anchor herself to the moment, trying to steady the eruption she felt boiling just beneath her skin. She couldn't lash out. She wouldn't.Drawing in a slow breath, Mia crouched down, lowering herself to Sofia's eye level again, masking her spiraling emotions behind a soft, placating smile. "Sofia, baby..." she said carefully, feeling her heart pound against her ribs, "I understand you miss your daddy. But baby, the thing
Chapter 64 Mia arrived at Sofia's school just five minutes behind schedule. And the first thing Mia noticed was the absence of a smile. Sofia didn’t come running toward her as she usually did, arms outstretched, curls bouncing with every hurried step, face split into the bright grin that had always been Mia’s anchor after long, hard days. Today, her daughter only walked toward her, shoulders slumped, backpack hanging awkwardly off one arm. She climbed into the backseat of the car without a word, buckled herself in, and muttered a flat, "Hi, Mom," staring out the window. Mia blinked, momentarily immobilized behind the wheel. Something twisted sharply inside her chest, but she quickly smoothed her expression before turning in her seat to face her daughter. "Hey, my love," she said in a bright, coaxing voice. "How was school?" A sharp, dismissive tut was Sofia’s only answer. She didn’t even look at Mia, she just sank deeper into the seat, arms crossed tight across her chest like a
Chapter 63If the devil wore perfume, she imagined it would smell like hers, the notes of oud and amber coiling through the air like subtle poison. Tania checked her reflection in the rearview mirror one final time, admiring the silk blouse cinched at her waist, the designer sunglasses that veiled the madness behind her eyes, and the dark lipstick she applied like war paint. No one would question her intentions today. She didn’t look like the type who came bearing vengeance. She looked just like an influential mother who'd just come to enroll her three-year-old son. Brian sat quietly in the back seat of the car she'd borrowed from her doctor buddy Luke. He sat in his booster behind her, clutching a juice box, his legs swinging gently. He had no idea what the day meant. What it cost.“Ready, baby?” she asked sweetly, stepping out of the car and rounding it with practiced elegance. The click of her heels was confident and precise as she unbuckled him and took his tiny hand in hers.The
Chapter 62The door slammed shut behind her like a final verdict.Tania’s heels clicked with frantic rhythm on the battered laminate floor as she stormed into the apartment, a raging storm of anger bubbling in her very being. She barely registered her environment as arms tightened around Brian, who was starting to squirm, and with a huff of frustration, she dropped him onto the lumpy old couch.He fussed immediately, whimpering, kicking, and rubbing his eyes with tiny balled fists, but she was already pacing, clawed hands dragging through her sweat-damp blonde hair. Her skin prickled. Her teeth ground together. Her ears buzzed with the echo of Andreas’s voice, still rattling around her skull like shrapnel.“Full custody,” she spat, venom thick on her tongue. “He said he wants full custody. He's crazy if he thinks, even for one second that I'll agree to give up my child without a fight!”Brian’s cries grew louder as he heard Tania's a
Chapter 61The words settled like a rock in Mia's chest."I'm fighting to get full custody of my son, Brian" Andreas whispered into the quiet of her room, his breath still warm against her collarbone.Mia stiffened in his arms, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. The air between them crackled but not with the heat from moments before, but with the weight of something heavier, denser. Her lips parted, but the question came out as barely more than a breath."What?"Andreas’s hands slid to her waist, grounding her, steadying her as though he could sense the shift happening inside her. He didn’t repeat himself. He didn’t have to.The room felt suddenly colder, shadows stretching longer against the walls, and the humming silence that followed was almost unbearable.Mia stepped back, folding her arms over her chest as if she could shield herself from the storm that was gathering within. "You want to take him away f
Chapter 60The late afternoon sun bled golden streaks across the sky, casting long shadows over the city park. Laughter rang in the air with children squealing in delight, parents chatting, and the occasional bark of a dog as it chased after a ball. To any outsider, it looked like a perfect family outing. But for Tania, every cheerful note in the air grated against her nerves. As her eyes landed on Andreas, she noticed the tension emanating from his body and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. She watched from the bench as Andreas stood by the side of the play area, his hands in the pockets of his charcoal hoodie, eyes fixed on the small boy laughing inside the ball pit. Brian’s curls bounced as he flailed through the rainbow-colored plastic, his face lit up in wonder and glee. Occasionally, he’d look up, searching for his mother or Andreas. Whenever his gaze landed on Andreas, he’d wave shyly. And Andreas, sweetly and patiently, would
Chapter 59 Mia's night had shifted. It was no longer a hollow echo of Andreas's silence, but now something alive, something burning. The moment she ran into his arms, her body responded before her mind could catch up. His warmth swallowed her, strong arms lifting her as her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Her breath caught in her throat as he kissed the side of her neck, his hands firm beneath her thighs. "Shh... quiet," she whispered against his ear, her voice low and teasing. "Sofia's asleep." "Then I guess we better keep our voices down," he murmured, his grin pressed against her skin. He carried her inside like she weighed nothing, and Mia giggled softly, burying her face in his shoulder. The door clicked shut behind them, sealing their world off from everything outside. He set her down in the living room, but Mia didn’t let go of his hand. She held it tightly, eyes sparkling with intention.