Vienna’s POVI couldn’t believe what I was hearing."You want me to apologize? After what she did?" My voice cracked with disbelief.Desiree sniffled from the couch, rubbing her reddened cheek. "I’m not staying here if I’m going to be attacked for making an innocent mistake," she whined."Then leave!" I snapped. "Get the hell out of my life and marriage."Desiree gasped theatrically."Vienna, please! Can we keep it civil?" Warren interjected, his voice sharp.I turned on him, my pulse thundering in my ears. Grief, rage, betrayal—it all swirled in my chest like a hurricane ready to tear everything apart."Civil? There’s a murderer in this house and you’re telling me to apologize?" My voice shook. "Not only did she kill my cat, but she nearly got me killed too. She blatantly ignored my desperate call for help on YOUR phone. Remember?"Warren threw his hands up. "Those were mistakes, Vienna. I’ve already explained that I was busy at work—""You told me you'd protect me," I interrupted. "
Vienna’s POV"Now now, let’s not jump to conclusions," Warren said, stepping in like the eternal mediator. The peacekeeper who always seemed to lean one way: hers.I clutched Milo to my chest, his little body limp and eerily still. Warren crouched beside me and tried to examine him. But his face remained blank. Unknowing. Useless."I don’t know what’s wrong with him," he muttered, his brow furrowed in confusion."I bet she does," I said softly, my voice laced with accusation as I gently stroked Milo’s fur.Desiree sat up from the sofa casually, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "I just gave him a piece of chocolate," she said, shrugging. "Didn’t expect him to react so badly."I froze."Chocolate?" I repeated slowly, my voice rising. "Are you serious? Chocolate is toxic to animals, Desiree. Deadly. And don't you dare stand there and act like you didn't know that. You wanted him gone the moment you moved in."She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Oh, here we go again. You always t
Vienna’s POV“You should do it, V! It’s an amazing opportunity.”Bella’s car glided quietly through the polished villa district, its tires humming against the asphalt. I leaned my forehead against the cool window, watching the tree-lined streets blur past. Fred’s job offer replayed over and over in my mind.“But what about the bakery?” I asked, my voice still raspy from all the coughing. The thought of stepping away from the place I’d built with my own hands—and yes, with Warren’s help too—sent a sharp pang through me.That little shop had been my anchor. My childhood dream was brought to life.Bella glanced over, her hands steady on the wheel. “What about it? You’ll always be the owner, and you’ve trained me well. I can manage things just as well as you, V. It’s not like you’d be abandoning it. You can stop by anytime, before or after your shift.”I bit my bottom lip. “I know. I just… I guess I didn’t expect change to come like this. So sudden. So unexpected.”Bella nodded, her tone
Vienna’s POV“What are you doing here?” I asked, my eyes widening in surprise as Fred stepped into the hospital room.He gave me a small, apologetic smile. “I stopped by your bakery earlier today, but found it closed. The florist next door told me about the accident. I just… wanted to check in, see if you were okay.”I blinked, momentarily stunned by the gesture. Of all the people I’d expected to walk through that door today, Fred wasn’t one of them. But his thoughtfulness disarmed me. “Oh. That’s… really kind of you. Thank you.”He took a cautious step forward and placed the bouquet gently on the bedside table. The subtle fragrance drifted through the air—clean, calming. Almost comforting.From the corner of my eye, I saw Bella straightening in her chair. Her expression shifted from curiosity to interest, eyebrows arching slightly as she looked him over—then at me, then back at him.I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Fred, this is Bella—my best friend and coworker at the bakery.”He tur
Vienna’s POVWarren's mouth opened, but no sound came out. His eyes were wide, disbelieving. He staggered back, as if the word "divorce" had physically knocked him in the chest. Then, slowly, he sank into the chair beside the hospital bed."Vienna..."His voice barely made it above a whisper. He looked at me, searching for something—a sign that I was bluffing, that I didn't mean it. That this was some emotional fluke he could reason with."A-are you serious?"The pain in his eyes nearly made me cave. Vulnerable, pleading, raw. But I couldn't let it sway me.I knew this was going to be hard. For both of us."You don’t love me anymore," I said, my voice low but steady. "Not the way you used to. I can’t keep going in this loop, Warren—defending myself in my own home, competing for space in my own marriage, trying to read between the lines of what you really feel…"He flinched like my words had slapped him."That’s not true," he said, his voice hoarse. "I—I do love you.""Then why is it
Vienna’s POV"I’m so sorry, Vienna," Warren said, gripping my hand so hard it almost hurt. His voice trembled with urgency. Desperation. But I felt nothing stir in me—not rage, not relief. Just an eerie sort of quiet."Listen, V, I can explain," he said quickly. "I swear. It’s not what it seems.""Then what is it, Warren?" I asked quietly."It’s simple, really," he rambled, drops of sweat forming on his brow. "I was showing Desiree around the hotel when the front desk radioed in—this tour group showed up way too early. One hundred people. It was chaos."He paused, watching me as if waiting for a reaction. I met his gaze with a blank stare."You see, I had to step in and sort it all out," he continued. "And somewhere in the middle of all that, my phone must’ve ended up in Desiree’s bag. I didn’t even know until the group was all settled and I returned to the office."He looked at me, like that explanation should make everything okay.I stared at him, my face still unreadable. His clamm
Vienna’s POVThe first thing I became aware of was the beeping. Soft, rhythmic. Then the sterile scent of antiseptic, and finally—the ache.I blinked slowly, my eyes adjusting to the bright hospital ceiling above me. The light was harsh, cold. The room smelled clean. Too clean. Lifeless."V?" a familiar voice gasped. "Oh my God, you’re awake!"Bella’s face filled my blurry vision. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Her eyes were red, her lipstick smudged, hair pulled back in a hasty ponytail. She reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly."The baby’s okay," she said quickly, as if she needed to say it before I could ask. "They said you inhaled too much smoke, but the baby’s heartbeat is strong."Relief surged through me, then immediately twisted into something heavier. Guilt, confusion… defeat.Bella's relief quickly gave way to anger. "Why didn’t you tell me?" she asked, voice cracking. "You’ve been pregnant and hiding it from me? From everyone?""I—" I tried to speak, but
Vienna’s POV"Since when are you so uptight, Warren?" Desiree said as she dipped into yet another exaggerated stretch, bending low enough to flash her cleavage straight through the mirror. "Must be her influence," she added, glancing at me upside-down from between her legs with a smirk.I scoffed, turning away from the show.The sheer absurdity of it all would’ve been laughable if it hadn’t been happening in my own home. With my husband. A performance of manipulation in leotards.I paced away through the long hallway, back to the kitchen.I heard Warren mutter something faint—"Desiree, you need to stop this..."—but I didn’t stay to hear more. I didn’t want another half-hearted defense made for my benefit. I was done having her in my house. Done with her petty games.I busied myself in the kitchen. I made a simple breakfast—toast, a soft-boiled egg, and fruit. I prepped a lunch box for Warren, packing in a fresh scone and a sandwich.As I was heading upstairs to change for work, I pas
Vienna’s POVThe morning light crept through the blinds as I sat up slowly in bed, rubbing the dull ache behind my eyes. I hadn’t slept much. Maybe an hour here, another there—none of it restful. The mattress beside me was cold. Empty.Again.I got up and wrapped my robe around me. My limbs felt heavy, my chest even more so. The echoes of last night’s argument still played through my mind like a cruel loop. Warren had thrown words at me he couldn’t take back. Words that lodged deep and left bruises.I padded into the kitchen barefoot, already feeling the familiar swirl of nausea rise. I poured myself a cup of ginger tea, hoping it would settle things.The house was unusually quiet—eerily so.No Warren. No Desiree.I checked the living room. Empty. Her blanket from the sofa had been folded, which meant she’d either cleaned up after herself or someone had done it for her.I leaned against the kitchen island, sipping my tea, trying not to overthink. At least Warren had come back to bed