Vienna’s POVI soaked alone in the hot spring, the swirling steam curling around me like misty fingers. I let my head tilt back against the smooth stone edge, eyes closed, surrendering to the rare moment of peace. The tension in my shoulders slowly started melting away.A few feet away, the soft murmur of voices drifted toward me. I cracked my eyes open slightly and saw a young couple nestled together in the far corner of the pool.The husband gently traced small circles on his wife’s belly, their foreheads almost touching. "I can’t wait to meet her, darling. I hope she has your smile," the man said tenderly, barely audible above the steam."And your patience," the woman murmured back with a soft laugh.Their eyes glistened with shared anticipation, glowing with dreams of a shared future, a growing family. My chest tightened. Something inside me stirred—an ache of yearning, and something else… a spark of resolve. Without thinking, I placed a hand over my own slightly rounded belly. A
Vienna’s POVDesiree pretended to still be engrossed in her phone, scrolling lazily across the screen. But I didn’t miss the subtle nudge she gave Monica’s leg with her sandal.Monica glanced down at her daughter, then looked up at me with a light, dismissive smile. "Vienna, sweetheart, don’t take things so seriously," she said. She waved a hand as though brushing away a pesky fly. "You’re probably just… a little conservative. Or stressed from work, perhaps. This is a vacation, after all."My eyebrows twitched. "So, rubbing sunscreen into your brother’s leg like it’s the start of a damn adult video is just... casual vacation behavior now?"She chuckled, completely unbothered. "Oh, come now. Desiree’s always been very… affectionate. It’s just how she shows care." She reached for her iced tea and took a long sip before continuing, "Besides, I saw you and Warren in the pool just now—looked to me like you two were perfectly happy and loved-up. What is there to worry about?"I opened my m
Vienna’s POVI knew exactly what she was doing. Another carefully calculated provocation. Her fingers traced along the contours of Warren’s skin as though she were painting something intimate.I sat frozen for a beat, my stomach tightening. Then I cleared my throat—loudly.Warren jerked upright, reaching for the sunscreen. “Des, seriously. I can handle it myself.”She didn’t stop. “Oh, I don’t mind,” she said breezily, her voice sugary-sweet. “It’s what sisters do, right? Take care of family?”I stood then, keeping my voice even, but each word was laced with steel. “Desiree, I think Warren’s good. Why don’t you go slather yourself in SPF 90 and keep your hands off my husband?”Her eyes flicked up to mine, and for a fraction of a second, her smile cracked—just slightly. But it returned, sharp and practiced.Warren reached for the towel and subtly shifted away. “Yeah, thanks, but I’ve got it,” he said, dabbing at his leg.Desiree straightened slowly. “Suit yourself,” she said with a wink
Vienna’s POV"Don’t worry—I took care of everything," Desiree said with a sugary smile as she adjusted her oversized sunglasses. "Are you two all packed?""I, uh… yeah," I replied, my voice thinner than I intended. A knot tightened in my throat. Not of nerves but of helpless frustration.Warren appeared behind me, dragging both our suitcases into the hallway. He glanced at me apologetically. I offered a tight-lipped smile. "She always finds a way to ruin everything," I muttered under my breath, eyes on Desiree as she adjusted her earrings in the mirror."What was that?" Warren asked gently."Nothing," I said quickly.Just then, a honk sounded outside. I looked out and felt my stomach drop. A sleek, black seven-seater SUV was idling in front of the house."Oh," I said, voice flat. "Warren was going to drive us himself."Desiree let out a tinkling laugh. "Oh, come on! What’s a road trip without a little company? Besides, this way we can all relax. I even made a playlist!" She gave me a
Vienna’s POVA week later, I was in the middle of packing my suitcase. A mix of excitement and nervousness fluttered in my chest. I folded the final piece of clothing with care, smoothing it before placing it neatly on top of the rest.Just as I zipped the suitcase shut, the sharp chime of the doorbell rang through the villa. I frowned, glancing toward the window. Still dark outside.“Visitors? At this hour?” I muttered to myself, slipping into the hallway. It wasn’t even dawn yet—we were supposed to get an early start for our anniversary getaway. Maybe it was the driver, arriving early.I turned the corner just in time to see Desiree at the door. She was already dressed in a sleek cream blouse and pleated skirt, her hair curled and her makeup flawlessly applied. She wore the kind of smile that could have been airbrushed onto a billboard—practiced, gleaming, just a little too wide.Was she going out too? Or…?“Mom, stepdad, welcome!” she beamed.I stopped cold. “Mom? Stepdad?” I echoed
Vienna’s POVFred’s jaw tightened, his voice cold and controlled. "Ashley, don’t be ridiculous.""Ridiculous?" she echoed, placing a hand on her chest. "I’m not the one playing knight-in-shining-apron for a married woman." Fred took a step forward, his voice low and edged with warning. "You’re way out of line, Ashley. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the one who left that banana peel there on purpose."Ashley let out a bitter, humorless laugh. "Falsely accusing your oldest family friend—again?" Her eyes flashed with wounded pride. "Sounds like you’re the one out of line, Fred."Fred sighed. Still keeping his arm securely around my back, he helped me straighten up until I stood firmly on my own. He glanced briefly at my lower abdomen, then turned his gaze back to Ashley. "You think this is a game? That could’ve seriously hurt someone. Especially her."Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Especially her? Why? She’s not made of glass."Fred’s gaze flicked back to my belly, the tension in his f