“We thought you were…” he finally began.“Dead.” Ethan finished the sentence. “I know. Now, will you let me in with my luggage, or should I stand here like a statue, you fool?”For a moment, Lucas just stared at him. Then, against the heaviness in his chest, a laugh slipped out. That was Ethan, right there, always cracking jokes even when the world felt like it was ending.Lucas stepped aside, and Ethan dragged his luggage in. He walked into the living room, dropped his bag with a loud thud, and slowly turned in a circle, scanning the place with his eyes. His lips curved into a smile.“It feels good to be here again… after what, years?” Ethan asked, running his fingers along the armrest of a chair before sitting down.“Six years,” Lucas said. “Six solid years. Nobody heard from you. How did you even know you’d find me here?”Ethan sat back, folding his hands behind his head, his smile still there. “This is your house, Lucas. I know it’s been a long time, and maybe you moved houses, bu
Becky’s body trembled as though the walls of the house were closing in on her. She could still feel the presence in the room, even though no one was there. Her hands shook as she grabbed the letter again, tearing it into small pieces, scattering them on the floor as if that would erase what she had just read. She couldn’t breathe.Without wasting another second, she ran outside, almost tripping on her heels. She jumped into her car, turned the ignition with shaky hands, and drove off into the night. Her eyes were blurry, whether from the alcohol or the tears threatening to come out, she didn’t know. All she knew was she needed to get away.Minutes later, she was banging on Diego’s door. Inside, Diego jerked up from his bed, pulling his pillow aside to grab the pistol he always kept there. He moved slowly toward the door, his gun raised.He flung the door open, ready to pull the trigger, only to see Becky, hands raised high in the air.“It's me, Diego!” she shouted, her voice trembling
Alicia was looking everywhere to avoid Bryan’s eyes.“Does it matter now,” she said softly, “I mean… how I feel about you? Why talk about something that doesn’t matter?”Bryan didn’t let her run from the question. He reached over gently, cupping her face, turning her head until her eyes met his.“I love you, Daniella Smith,” he said. “That is what matters. But I won’t force you. I will still stick to our deal. After these three days, I’ll try to stay away from you. I know it’s going to be difficult… but I’ll try. And if I can’t…” he paused, letting the words sink in. “I will come back. This time around, I’ll win your heart.”He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then he opened the passenger side door, motioning with his hand.Her fingers curled into her palm as she stepped into the car. She folded her hands tightly on her lap. Bryan had a profound effect on her, one she didn’t understand, one she couldn’t stop. She tried to keep her eyes forward and tried not to look at h
Zoe sat still, waiting for Diego’s voice to rise. She braced herself for him to scream, but instead, what he did surprised her.Diego didn’t raise his voice. He spread his arms and let her sob quietly. He didn’t rush her, didn’t push her with questions. He just sat there, watching her tears run down her face, giving her space to let it all out.When the crying slowed down and she was left with small sniffles, his tone was softer than she had ever heard.“It’s my fault,” he said quietly. “And I am so sorry. If I didn’t drag you into all this, you wouldn’t have ended up in this position. Do you want us to talk about it?”Zoe wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, then gave a small laugh through her tears. “Why do I feel like this isn’t you? It feels so strange seeing you this… caring and nice.” She shook her head, a little smile breaking through. “Now, where is the Diego that I know?”Diego chuckled too, a small one. “He’s still right here.” He leaned back, grabbed a throw pillow, an
Becky was waiting to hear that he was joking. She hoped Lucas would laugh and tell everyone it was just a prank. But no words came. He just went back to his chair, sipping his wine, with a calm smile on his lips.Her whole body shook as Mrs. Judge’s voice suddenly broke the silence, making the night even worse.“Oh, finally. The charade of marriage is over. Thanks for the dinner, son. I need to go back home to my husband.”Mrs. Judge stood up without hesitation, leaned over, and pecked Lucas on the cheek before heading for the door. She didn’t even spare Becky a glance.One by one, the rest of the guests left. Becky’s so-called friends, who had been giggling and admiring her outfit minutes ago, now whispered among themselves as they excused themselves, pretending to be polite.Becky didn’t even realize her livestream was still on until notifications and comments started popping up quickly on her phone screen. Words like “Is this real?” “Oh my God, " her caption said, dinner with my hu
After splashing her face with water and staring at her reflection, the thought refused to leave her head.Without thinking twice, she quickly pulled on a plain dress and a sweater. Her hair was messy, but she didn’t care. She grabbed her purse, slid into her slippers, and rushed out into the night. The streets were quiet, with only a few cars passing here and there. She hugged her sweater tightly as if it would calm her nerves.The bright light from the pharmacy hit her eyes as she pushed open the glass door. The man behind the counter looked half-asleep but still managed a polite, “Good evening.”“I need… a pregnancy test,” she muttered, avoiding his eyes.He handed her the small box. She paid quickly and hurried out.Back in her apartment, Zoe sat on the bathroom floor for several minutes, staring at the box. Her heart was racing. Finally, with trembling hands, she opened it, read the instructions three times, and did the test.Now, the small strip lay on the sink. Zoe squeezed her