LOGINThe flight from Snowbrook to New York felt longer than any Logan had ever taken. Not because of turbulence or delays, but because he just couldn't stomach the embarrassment he's feeling. Every second in the air stretched into something unbearable, an endless loop of humiliation replaying in high definition behind his eyes. Melody’s voice and how she said the words “You’re not the father,” with so much spite.The way the room had gone silent, the way eyes had turned to him, he could feel the pity in their stares, the way he had stood there, caught off guard, stripped of dignity in a space where he didn’t belong.His jaw tightened. Even now, seated in first class with untouched champagne by his side, Logan could still feel it, the sting crawling under his skin like something alive. He had left everything for her.Canceled meetings, postponed deals, ignored responsibilities and for what? To be made a fool.His fingers curled into fists on his lap. The moment the plane touched down, he d
The airport was surprisingly very busy today as people moved in every direction, announcements echoing overhead, suitcases rolling across polished floors. She parked, turned off the engine, and just sat there for a second, gripping the steering wheel like she needed it to stay grounded.Her eyes were still slightly swollen from crying. Her chest still felt tight, she didn't know if it was the pregnancy hormones that were kicking. She's been crying a lot lately, she cries about literally everything and anything.She exhaled slowly. “Get it together,” she muttered, then she stepped out. The moment she walked toward the arrival area, she saw her. Tara was wearing grey sweatpants and black body con top. And before Melody could even call her name, Tara had already spotted her.“Melody!” Tara started running toward her immediately, not even caring about the people in the way. Melody blinked in surprise for a second before she moved too, meeting her halfway. They collided into a tight hug.T
Melody adjusted the woven basket on her arm as she walked through the farmers’ market, her boots crunching lightly against the gravel path. The sun was coming up but the breeze that was blowing helped to reduce its impact. She had come out for fresh berries.Strawberries, blueberries… maybe raspberries if she found good ones. She wanted to make jam for her doughnut fillings. Her fingers brushed over a tray of strawberries at one stall before she moved on. She kept walking, the familiar wooden stalls, the scent of fresh bread, herbs, and fruits it all wrapped around her. They had malls in SnowBrook but she would rather get her fruits, spices and herbs from the farmers market.She got everything she needed and headed for Mrs. Donnelly's store to get the berries. As she got there she noticed Mrs. Donnelly wasn't there, it was her husband.“Mr. Donnelly?”The older man looked up immediately, his face lighting up like someone had just handed him a gift. “My dearest girl!” he exclaimed, s
The moment Melody saw Brandon standing there, leaning casually against the wall just outside the restroom, her steps faltered for half a second.Of course it was him.A flicker of irritation crossed her face before she could stop it. Her brows pulled together slightly, her lips pressing into a thin line as one question echoed in her head. Why is he here?“Hey,” Brandon said, straightening up immediately when he saw her turn.Melody blinked once, forcing her expression into something neutral. “Hey.”“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he added quickly, rubbing the back of his neck like he suddenly felt awkward standing there. “I just… I needed to use the restroom too, but I’ll wait.”She stared at him for a second, not entirely convinced, not entirely interested either. “It’s fine.” Without waiting for anything else, she pushed the door open and stepped into the female restroom, letting it close behind her with a soft click.The silence inside was a relief. For a moment, she just stood there
SnowBrook Valley The smell of cinnamon and sugar filled the kitchen, warm and comforting, wrapping around Melody. She stood by the counter, carefully sliding the last batch of cinnamon rolls onto a cooling rack, her fingers moving with quiet precision.For a moment, she just stood there, staring at them. Golden brown and perfectly glazed, she loved it here in the kitchen. A small smile tugged at her lips, but it didn’t last long. Her chest felt heavy again.It had been a week since the death of her father and three days since he was laid to rest. The thought alone made something twist painfully inside her. She would never get to see him, hug him and kiss me ever again. He'll never get the chance to walk her down the aisle on her big day or even see his grandchild.The thought broke her, and she cries everyday and some nights when she can't sleep, she can hear her mum cry herself to sleep. It was a really hard time for her family and her one escape was baking.She inhaled slowly, pre
The room was a mess of dresses, heels, makeup brushes, and half-open boxes, but neither of them cared. Tara stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the strap of her dress while Melody sat on the bed, staring down at the two options in her hands like her life depended on it.“I don’t know,” Melody muttered, lifting one up. “This one feels like I’m going to church.” Tara laughed but didn’t even turn. “Girl the blue one is better, why are you even holding that big ass dress in the first place?”“Because I think it's pretty, and it's giving the boss chick vibe.”“No,” Tara said, finally glancing at her through the mirror. “It’s not giving a boss chick, it's giving, I just married the pastor.”Melody rolled her eyes. “I don't think you have any idea of what a pastor's wife looks like.”“You bet I do and I don't want you walking into a restaurant looking like you just got back from church.” Tara shot back.That pulled a laugh out of Melody. “Okay, that’s rude,” she said, tossing one dress
Tara arrived at the movie theater almost twenty minutes early, parking her car carefully and sitting behind the wheel for a moment longer than necessary. She stared at the glowing cinema sign ahead of her, her fingers still resting on the steering wheel as if she needed grounding.She hadn’t been s
Snow Brooke ValleyThe mountains stood tall and indifferent, blanketed in white, the streets quiet except for the soft crunch of tires against snow. The streets were almost empty, everyone was inside trying to keep warm.The more reason Claudia wasn't very pleased to be outside when she was suppose
The streets of Paris gleamed in the late morning sun as Logan’s driver navigated the sleek black car through narrow boulevards. Melody sat beside him at the back, her fingers drumming lightly against the leather seat, her mind still swirling with excitement from the night before. Her new phone buzz
Melody woke slowly, she didn't know when she slept off last night. The room was very cold and her brain was awake but her body was weak.The sheets were warm, the mattress still held her shape, and for a moment she smiled before even opening her eyes. She stretched instinctively, her arm reaching a







