POV MELISSAI sat by the window, looking out at the empty street, trying to organize the thoughts that kept jumbling in my mind. That’s when the phone rang. The number wasn’t saved, an unknown code that made my heart race nervously. I answered cautiously."Hello?""Melissa?"I recognized the voice immediately. It was Sidney. Just the mention of her name hit me like a punch in the stomach, a chill running down my spine. She sounded so calm, so controlled, which only made me more alert."What do you want?" I asked, trying not to let fear show, but my voice faltered a little.She gave a short, low laugh, almost cruel."I just wanted to make sure you’re getting my messages. The ones you insist on ignoring, of course."My mind immediately went back to those anonymous messages, the veiled threats, the feeling of danger growing every day. Sidney had done more than just show up; she was scheming something, and I was in the middle of it."Sidney, if you want something, say it," I replied, grip
POV MELISSAThe day started with an uneasiness I couldn’t explain. The phone rang early, and from the voice of Richard’s assistant, I already sensed something was wrong. He said, with unusual urgency, that Richard wanted to speak to me as soon as possible. At that moment, a tightness formed in my chest. Something in the air indicated the storm was coming, and it wouldn’t be small.When I answered the call, Richard’s voice sounded tense, heavy with frustration. He told me that part of the documents for our handbag project, which I had been working on for months, had gone missing. Documents that contained everything: the exclusive design, the suppliers, the launch strategies. It was as if a vital piece of the puzzle had disappeared."Melissa, this is serious. Who had access to the material?" he asked, trying to keep his tone sharp.I hesitated, my heart racing. I knew it wasn’t me; it couldn’t have been. But someone on the team seemed to have interfered. At that moment, distrust began t
POV MELISSA Richard had been persistent. Since that breakfast at his house, since the moment Ryan stretched out his arms asking to be held as if he had known him his whole life, he had been using that. Using every smile, every innocent gesture from our son to build a bridge between the two of us that I wasn’t ready to cross. Today, he messaged me before eight o’clock. Asked if he could spend the day with Ryan. Said he wanted to take him to the park, buy ice cream, do “father and son stuff.” I hesitated. Thought about saying no. Thought about making up some excuse, but Ryan’s face, lit up by the idea of going out with Richard, left me no choice. Now I’m sitting on a wooden bench, watching the two of them run around a slide. Richard looks at ease, and Ryan laughs out loud, his laughter echoing through the park like music. It’s impossible not to smile. But it’s also impossible not to feel that weight on my chest, that doubt that pounds like a muffled siren: what does he really want?
"Good morning," I smiled. "You don’t have to announce me."I walked right past her and opened the office door. Richard was there, of course, sitting in his usual chair, papers scattered across the desk, and Melissa by his side, as if nothing had happened. As if she had the right to sit there next to him, as if the past didn’t exist."Sidney..." Richard said, surprised to see me but trying to hide it. He always used that calm tone when he wanted to conceal discomfort. He knew what I was capable of, so he never challenged me directly.Melissa, on the other hand, looked at me with that inquisitive gaze. The kind of look that tried to hide the tension, but to me, it was like a blank slate waiting to be filled. I took advantage of that."Hello, Richard. Hi, Melissa," I said with a softness that hid all the venom I was swallowing.She forced a smile, probably trying to maintain politeness, but I could see the discomfort in her hands, which trembled slightly as she adjusted her chair. She kn
SIDNEY'S POVThe hatred burned inside me, spreading like an insatiable flame. I could feel the heat on my cheeks, the anger consuming me as I left Richard’s apartment, slamming the door of my car with enough force to have shattered it. My heart was racing, but it wasn’t just anger that controlled me — it was a sense of revenge waiting to be carried out."What the hell!" I screamed into the empty street, pounding the steering wheel in fury. "That woman... that snake!"Melissa had come back into my life, and not only that — she was slithering her way back into Richard's life. I knew she wouldn’t give up so easily, but the truth was, I couldn’t let her destroy everything I’d built. Everything Richard and I had. I wouldn’t allow her to be the only one to get what she wanted.I took a deep breath, trying to control the rage that threatened to consume me. I still had control of the situation. I always would. Richard didn’t love me yet, but he would learn to. The time we spent together, our r
RICHARD'S POVLast night, after an amazing evening with Ryan, it was inevitable that the two of them would have to stay over. I had to insist a lot for it to happen, and after much persistence, she finally gave in.I didn’t sleep all night. I kept waiting for her to need me, for Ryan to need me, for either of them to call me, and even though it didn’t happen, I still felt even more satisfied.I dragged myself out of bed, a little tired from the restless night, but still feeling so happy and fulfilled that it felt like I had slept the entire night.My phone alarm went off the exact moment I finished buttoning my shirt. I turned it off, grabbing my phone and my headphones. It was five in the morning, and I vividly remembered how Melissa would always wrap herself up in the blankets when I woke up to train.Seeing the toy Ryan had brought lying on the living room floor, along with Melissa’s and Ryan’s jackets neatly folded on the couch, made my heart warm. A smile spread across my face be