MasukDrunken NightStefan’s POV~The day at work had been rough, and I couldn’t shake the image of Valenticia smiling with Dimitri at the work event. His kiss on her cheek, her easy laugh, it all stuck with me, twisting my gut. I left the office early, telling Rachel I needed to clear my head. Instead of going home to Natasha, I ended up at a small bar downtown called Rusty’s, its neon sign flickering in the evening light. I didn’t plan to drink much, just needed a break from my thoughts, but one beer turned into three, then a whiskey, and soon I was sitting alone at the counter, my head foggy.I stared at my glass, thinking about Valenticia. Her texts from Dimitri, the coffee he sent her, the way she looked happy with him, it all hit me hard. Natasha was waiting at home, planning our wedding, but I couldn’t stop wondering if I’d made the wrong choice. Our night together, when I froze and said Valenticia’s name, haunted me. I hadn’t gone through with it, and now Valenticia was moving on.
Small GesturesStefan’s POV~The dinner at Bella’s haunted me for days. Seeing Valenticia with Dimitri, laughing across the restaurant, stirred something I couldn’t shake. Natasha and I barely talked on the drive home; she remained silent as she stared out the window. “That was awkward,” she said finally, her voice tight. “You and Valenticia seemed cozy.”“We were just talking,” I said, gripping the wheel. “Old stories, that’s all.”She nodded, but her arms stayed crossed against her chest. “Felt like more,” she muttered, then dropped it. At home, she went straight to bed, leaving me on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Valenticia’s laugh, the way she smiled at my pizza story, played in my mind. It felt like old times, before Natasha, before the engagement. I wondered if she felt it too, or if I was reading too much into it. Natasha was my fiancée, but that night made me question everything.The next week at work, I noticed small things. During a sensor project meeting at Clawford, V
Double Date DisasterValenticia’s POV~Life felt lighter after my dinner with Dimitri. The kiss outside Mario’s lingered in my mind, creating a mix of excitement and caution. I spent my days balancing Clawford’s sensor project and caring for Nana, who was settling into our routine at home. Work kept me busy, the meetings, emails, and production checks, but Dimitri’s texts were a bright spot. “Thinking of you,” he’d write, or “How’s Rosanna?” I’d smile, texting back about my day or Nana’s latest doctor visit. It felt good, like a small step toward something new, though I wasn’t sure what.One evening, as I helped Nana with her tea, my phone buzzed. It was Dimitri. “Hey, Val. Dinner again? Saturday, 7 p.m.? There’s a place called Bella’s, great food.”I hesitated, stirring Nana’s tea. Our last dinner had ended with a kiss, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for more. But talking with him had been easy, and I was curious. “Sounds good,” I texted back. “See you there.”Nana looked up, her
Rekindled SparksValenticia’s POV~I drove home from the grocery store, with my mind buzzing after running into Dimitri and his mom. The city lights blurred past as I gripped the wheel, replaying Maria’s unexpected kindness and Dimitri’s awkward smile. It was strange, seeing them after so long, especially with her acting all so nice. Our marriage had been tough, tied to survival during the Galden days, and Maria never warmed to me then. Now, seeing her and her calling me “dear” and Dimitri even asking for my number left me confused. I pulled into my apartment parking lot, grabbed the grocery bags, and headed inside, ready to tell Nana.Nana sat in her armchair in the living room, with a blanket over her lap and a cup of chamomile tea steaming. The TV played a game show on low volume, and she looked up as I set the bags on the kitchen counter. “You’re back,” she said, her voice warm but weak from her cough. “Got my apples?”“Yep,” I said, unpacking the fruit. “And soup stuff. But guess
Grocery Run-In Valenticia’s POV~I pushed my cart through the grocery store, with the wheels squeaking on the floor. It was Saturday morning, and I needed to stock up for the week. Nana was home, feeling better but still on her meds, so I wanted to get her favorite soup ingredients and some fresh fruit. The store was busy, with people grabbing items and kids running in the aisles. I checked my list—carrots, potatoes, apples, bread and headed to the section of the store that had those, whilst humming to myself.As I picked up a bag of apples, weighing them in my hand, I heard a familiar voice. “Valenticia? Is that you?” I turned and saw Dimitri, standing by the lettuce stand with his mother, Maria. My heart skipped. I hadn’t seen him since we bumped into each other at Willow Creek when I picked up Nana. His mother held a basket, and he pushed a cart half-full of groceries.“Hi, Dimitri,” I said, forcing a smile. “Maria, good to see you.” My voice sounded stiff, and I gripped my cart
Lingering TensionStefan’s POV~I stood in the bedroom, staring at the folder Valenticia had left on the coffee table. Natasha had handed it to me after her shower, saying, “Valenticia dropped this off. Said it’s urgent for your signature.” Her voice was casual, but I saw a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. My stomach twisted, knowing Valenticia had come to my house last night, seen Natasha in her robe, and left quickly. I wanted to explain, to tell Natasha it was just work, but before I could, she waved a hand.“No problem,” she said, brushing it off. “She looked in a rush. You signing it now?”“Yeah,” I said, opening the folder. The sensor prototype papers stared back, but my mind was on Valenticia—her quick exit, the way she avoided my eyes at meetings lately. Had she seen something in Natasha’s appearance that hurt her? I felt a little bit of guilt, remembering the intimate moment with Natasha last night. We’d kissed, her hands pulling me close, but when I said Valenticia’s name b







