NancyThe awakening was slow, as if I were emerging from a deep, heavy sleep, and the world around me was still covered in a veil. I blinked several times, trying to clear the fog that obscured my vision, and realized something was wrong. The smell. The air had a strange, sterile odor, a mixture of disinfectant and freshly laundered sheets, very different from the usual aromas of the Morton mansion, which was always filled with expensive perfumes and the subtle scent of old wood. I sat up carefully, feeling my head throbbing slightly, and looked around.The room was small, practically modest, with a single bed covered in white sheets and bare walls, painted in a pale beige tone that seemed heartbreaking to me. A small dresser in the corner and a chair next to the bed were the only furniture visible. There was something in the air that didn't feel right, as if I had been transported to a completely different place, where the opulence of the Morton home had been replaced by an almost op
NancyThe warmth of Jake's embrace was like an antidote to all the nightmares he had faced. I fell deeper into his embrace, seeking the comfort that only he could provide. The reality became more vivid by the second, and emotions bubbled up inside me—a mixture of relief and euphoria. My heart was beating wildly, and adrenaline seemed to run through my veins."You have no idea how I felt," Jake began, his voice deep and full of feelings, as we pulled away a little to look at each other. His eyes, with that intense shine, spoke more than words could ever express. "I... I didn't know if you were still alive, Nancy. Every day, every second, uncertainty consumed me.""We've both been through so much," I said, emotion strangling my voice. "When you… when I thought I lost you forever, Jake, it was like losing a part of me. I didn't know if I could handle it."Jake shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line, as if trying to hold back all the emotions that were raging to the surface. "W
NancyAs our lips moved apart, the world around us seemed to disappear. The air was charged with electricity, and I couldn't help but feel like this moment was everything I had wanted. Jake was back, and the pain I had carried during his absence was now turning into pure euphoria. I looked into his eyes, searching for the truth that had always been there, even when hope seemed lost."I'm never leaving you again," Jake whispered, the sincerity in his voice penetrating every part of my being. He leaned forward again, capturing my lips with his. In that kiss there was a depth that spoke more than words could express. It was a kiss of promise, of unwavering love, and I gave myself completely, losing myself in the passion that surrounded us.Our mouths moved in an almost hypnotic rhythm, as if time had stopped. The soft touch of his lips against mine sent waves of heat throughout my body, and the way he cupped my face in his hands, as if he were trying to protect me from the outside world,
NancyThe room was enveloped in an almost palpable silence. The darkness outside seemed to extend inward, enveloping us in a bubble of stillness. I could hear his breathing next to me on the bed, heavy and filled with tension that made the air seem thicker. Jake was lying down, but his muscles were rigid, as if he couldn't bring himself to rest. Something held him back and kept him in the past. I watched his every movement and every involuntary contraction. He knew it was the pain that was keeping him awake. He tried to hold her, as if, by doing so, he could control her, as if he could protect himself and me from everything that was boiling inside him. The weight of everything he had been through seemed unbearable at that moment, even more so after the question I had just asked.Then, after an eternity, he began to speak. His voice came out slowly, drawn out, as if each word needed to overcome something internal before being pronounced.“I... I could never forget...”The sentence die
NancyThe room was still dark, and there was a silence that mixed with the soft heat of our bodies close together. The surrounding walls were barely visible, just shadows moving as the dim lamplight flickered. The room, of course, was small, simple, but at that moment it seemed to be the only refuge in the world. We were there, Jake and I, as if time had stopped, as if the rest of the world didn't exist.Jake was still lying next to me, his breathing was deep but not calm. I could feel the tension still present, as if he were on the verge of telling me things that were somehow still unknown to me. The bed we were in, with its soft cotton sheets and weathered pillows, felt like a safe space but also a stage for the important decisions we needed to make. The muffled sound of the winter wind outside only intensified the silence that surrounded us."Love," Jake murmured, turning to look at me. His eyes, still marked by the weight of the memories he had shared with me, now shone with renew
Nancy"For our plan to work, you need to go back to the hospital, Nancy. No one can suspect anything, especially Bruce," said Jake, his eyes full of concern.My lungs filled with air, but my chest felt tight. I wanted to refuse, I wanted to scream that I wouldn't walk away from him again, but I knew he was right. Still, the words refused to come out, and the only thing I managed was a pained whisper: "Jake, don't ask me that...not again."He looked at me intently, his hand cupping my face with a tenderness that seemed to melt all my resistance. "I don't want to either, Nancy. Believe me, every second away from you is torture, but it's necessary. Bruce can't suspect anything, not even for a second. I promise it will be the last time we're apart like this. Soon... Very soon, we will be together forever. Nothing will separate us."The warmth of his hand against my face comforted me, but the feeling of imminent loss made his every gesture even more precious. I leaned towards him, seeking
NancyThe hospital was freezing, cold like Bruce's indifference. The white, almost clinical walls reflected the intense light of the chandeliers, creating an environment devoid of any welcome. The rhythmic and constant sound of monitoring machines filled the space, accompanying the firm and hurried steps of nurses and doctors who walked through the corridors. I remained lying motionless on that bed, pretending that the sedatives were still taking effect. But, of course, that wasn't the case. I was fully aware. I heard every detail around me—every sigh, every muffled conversation. It was a necessary act. I knew what I needed to do, and part of that required Bruce to believe I was the obedient wife he always wanted. The one who didn't question, who accepted her decisions without thinking twice. I heard the hospital room door open with a subtle creak, and Bruce's heavy footsteps entered the room. He wasted no time greeting the doctors or thanking them for their care. For him, these peo
NancyBruce continued to sweat coldly, and soon his hand was on his chest. "Nancy...my medicine...where's my medicine?" he asked, his voice cracking with pain.I looked up slowly, without rushing. "I already told you, in the desk drawer, as always, Bruce."He tried to get up from the chair, but his legs gave way. "Nancy, help me!", His voice was now a desperate cry for help."You've always been strong, Bruce. You don't need my help, remember?" I spoke coldly, remembering all the times he humiliated me for not being 'strong enough'.Bruce tried to crawl to the drawer, his fingers shaking. "No... I can't... Help me, please.""Please?" I said, slowly standing up, heading towards him. "When did you ask me for something like that, Bruce? Don't you remember the times you ignored me?"He was out of breath, struggling to open the drawer. "Nancy... I'm...dying."I leaned over, watching his face contort in pain. "Dying? How ironic, isn't it? Maybe that's what you deserve."He gasped, eyes wide.
Nancy“Argh, don’t tighten it too much… You’re hurting my neck!” Peter was grumbling with a grimace as I straightened his tie.“Remain calm; just lift your chin; I’m almost done,” I told him, adjusting my collar. Today was my wedding day with Jake. I was already dressed as a bride and everything, and the ceremony would start in a few minutes. I was so nervous. Not only that, but I really hoped everything would go well.He grumbled in disgust. “Did you know that children shouldn’t be present at their parents’ weddings, Mom?” he said, making me frown.“What? Why do you think that?” I asked.“Because naturally, children are not born before their parents marry. It's not the natural order of things, let alone divorce and second marriages,” he said, being clear in his opinion, as he didn't want to accept my relationship with Jake.I sighed, smoothing his jacket after straightening his tie. “You're getting so big. You're even taller than me.” I smiled softly, and I stroked his black hair. “I
NancyMoments later, Jason and Jake were in the wine cellar, somewhere in the mansion, talking about wine and things like that. Laura and I were walking in the manicured gardens of their mansion, which were so beautiful and comforting.“Why aren’t they coming?” I asked after a while, looking behind me to see if her husband and my fiancé were coming to catch up with us, since they were just getting us some wine to drink and talk on the sofas that were there in the garden under a cozy porch."Oh my God! Jason must have stuck him with a long wine conversation,” Laura said with a long chuckle. “We received bottles of the first line from a friend of ours in Chicago, Carter,” she added.“Are you talking about Joshua Carter?” I asked because I knew that name and knew that he had a wine production company.“Yes, I am,” Laura nodded. “What a fortuity that you know him, too.”“Um, I actually met him because of Bruce,” I said. “The Mortons were an influential family, and from time to time Bruce
NancyJake and I traveled to New York to visit our friends who lived there, the couple Jason and Laura Davies, who, since the last time we had seen them, had evolved a lot in their relationship, that is, when I met them, they were still fighting and trying to see what they were going to do in their relationship because they also had issues to resolve. But I remembered Laura's words, when she told me at the time that her husband had hurt her heart, but that nothing he had done compared to what Bruce had done to me. So today it was very satisfying for me to be able to see the two of them together and happy after having solved all their problems. They had even had another set of twins, and they seemed so happy now that their eldest daughter was playing with the babies, running around exuding happiness and joy while Jake, I, and the couple were sitting on the mansion's porch, drinking wine and talking about everything that had happened. This couple had been very important in helping us
Nancy "What? Give it back in kind and make him taste his own medicine? What are you suggesting, Lanie?” I asked, being a little dumbfounded. She and I were still at the dinner table, and she had just suggested that. She shrugged now. "Yes. Didn't your husband go to bed with someone else? Then you also go to bed with another man, and then you become equals,” she explained, making me gasp. “How can you suggest such a thing? Do you think I'm such a vulgar woman up to this point? Do you think me going to bed with another man will solve things for me?” I asked, shocked that she was suggesting such a deviant thing. “It probably won't solve anything, but it will make you feel a little better. What is it? Do you think Bruce deserves happiness after all these years he played with you?” She retorted. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to smudge my body by getting involved with someone I don’t know just to get revenge on him,” I countered. Lanie laughed, waving her hand. “I don't see it
Days were passing, and I thanked the heavens that everything was going so well, but today in particular, it was a year since Lanie, my dear friend, had died, and I was terribly sad remembering her.I remembered how she had done everything she could to cheer me up when I was at rock bottom after finding out who Bruce Morton really was.I remembered in detail what the season at her house had been like and how much she helped me, God in heaven...Nancy On that day, the ringing of my cell phone woke me up, and I felt my lamp, picked up the device, and saw that my daughter was calling me. “Hi, my love,” I said as soon as I answered, rubbing my face with my hand, still drowsy. “Hello, Mom? Haven’t you come home yet?” Amber asked on the other end of the line. "Um… Not yet, darling,” I replied a little fearfully. It had been two weeks since I was at my friend Lanie's house. "Um... Okay? When do you plan to return?” She asked in a somewhat petulant manner. I sighed. “To be honest, I
NancyThe last few weeks had been a whirlwind of emotions. After everything that happened with Candace, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off our shoulders. The scars of pain and struggle were still there, but the feeling of relief was in the air. It was a new beginning for all of us. Like a good mother, I tried my best to care for Candace, and now, seeing her at home, taking a deep breath and starting to rebuild her life, my heart is filled with hope.It was on a mild morning that we realized that life was returning to normal. Amber's laughter echoed through the house as she tried to decide what to wear for a date. I watched her from the kitchen, where she was preparing a simple but nutritious breakfast. The smell of toasting bread mixed with the aroma of fresh coffee, creating a welcoming atmosphere.“Amber, do you need help?” I asked, trying to hide my smile at seeing her so excited and nervous at the same time.“No, mom, I can do it!” she replied, a little louder than usua
CandaceThe joy I felt holding my daughter in my arms was indescribable. After hours of pain and struggle, the little one was finally here, and I couldn't stop smiling. It was a girl. The doctor had shown me quickly, and I couldn't believe that this little creature, so perfect, was my daughter. I felt a wave of love that I had never experienced before, and that feeling enveloped me like a warm blanket on a cold day. I looked at her face, so small and vulnerable, and wondered what the future held for us.Jake and Harald were in the room, both overjoyed with the news. The energy was contagious, and the happiness in the atmosphere was palpable, like happy music that filled every space. The smell of disinfectant mixed with the light scent of flowers someone had brought, creating an atmosphere of celebration and hope."Look, Candace, you did an amazing job!" Jake said it with a wide smile that lit up his face. He seemed genuinely touched, and I could feel that he was genuinely happy for me
NancyThe morning seemed perfect, the kind of day I always imagined as a normal family, without constant tension or fears. Recent times had been full of challenges, losses and changes, but being there, in Jake's house, surrounded by the people he loved most, brought a feeling of completeness. Everything felt a little lighter. Of course, there were still traces of the past that occasionally appeared in our conversations and gestures, but something had changed within me, and perhaps even within my children.That day, we decided to have a family lunch. Me, Amber, Peter, Jake, Harald, Ivor and Candace, all gathered at a table for the first time, without formalities and without protocols. I wasn't sure what to expect from this meeting, especially with Harald there, a presence that, some time ago, would perhaps have been unthinkable in such an intimate environment. But, little by little, everyone had found a way to live together, with the wounds still healing, but now ready for a new phase.
NancyThe next morning, very early, before the sun even fully illuminated the house, I was already awake, organizing my thoughts. I knew I needed to talk to Amber and Peter, just the three of us, without Jake around. This moment was very important, and I wanted them to feel comfortable saying what they really thought, without fear. I knew this conversation was necessary, as there was a lot at stake. Jake was part of this new life I wanted to build, but most of all, my children needed to feel part of it.I took a deep breath before entering their room. Amber was already stretching, her eyes still sleepy, but she noticed my presence and smiled. Peter, still sleeping soundly, had a serene face, something rare to see. I approached him gently, touching his shoulder lightly. “Peter, honey, are we going to wake up? I need to talk to you and Amber. Just the three of us, without Jake.”He opened his eyes slowly, still confused from sleep, but nodded. Amber looked at me with a mix of curiosity