Freya Victor’s hand rested gently on my thigh as we settled into the car, the soft hum of the engine filling the air as he pulled away from the restaurant. I leaned back, heart still dancing from the magical evening we’d just had… my father’s warm acceptance, the wine, the laughter, the way Victor’s eyes never left mine even in a room full of people.“We should go to mine,” he said suddenly, voice low and smooth like always, his thumb stroking a lazy circle on my skin. “I want you to myself tonight.” He added while I chuckled, my head turning toward him, loving the way the streetlights painted soft shadows across his handsome face. “I’m not complaining, but I’ll need to grab some things from home. I’ve got work stuff and clothes... unless you want me wearing your shirts all week.” I let out.His grin widened. “That doesn’t sound like a problem to me… wait what a week? You’re staying for a whole week?” He let out once he realized it.I smiled brightly while I kept nodding till his fac
Freya “I’m done, Freya…” those words felt so unreal, at first I thought it was just my head and mind playing tricks on me so I didn’t know what to say or think. The only thing that found it’s way out of my mouth was a short chuckle.I lifted my eyes to look at him and what I saw scared me. I had never seen him so furious. Not even minutes ago when he and Dennis were throwing heavy punches at each other. He wasn’t as furious as he was looking right now, and that scared me even more.“Babe…” I hadn’t even finished before he dashed past me, heading straight for the door.I didn’t wait to process what was happening, I hurried after him but he was so fast and before I could I could get a hold of his shirt, he already moved.He actually dodged it, he didn’t want my hands on him so once he saw me trying to reach for his shirt, he moved and before I could catch myself, I tripped. I expected to fall hard into the ground but he caught me. Victor caught me and helped me back to my feet.“I’m on
VictorI drove, but I wasn’t really driving. My hands were on the wheel, my foot on the pedal, but my mind… it was still in the house with Freya.I could still hear her voice echoing in my head, soft and strained, pleading in a way that used to unravel me before. “Victor, please… let me explain.” And for a second, I almost gave in. Almost.But then the image came again, the look on Dennis’ face when he said she didn’t push him away. The pride in his voice, the satisfaction of knowing he’d touched something sacred and left a mark. And the way Freya stood there, frozen, unable to deny it.Why didn’t she tell me?That was the question I couldn’t stop circling back to. Not the visit. Not even the fact that he touched her. But the silence. The hidden moment that sat like a landmine beneath the surface of everything I thought we were building.God.I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles turning white.Was I just another chapter in her book of damage control? A shiny new cover to
Freya I barely slept throughout the night. The bed felt like a war zone. One minute I was under the duvet, trying to calm my racing heart, the next minute I was out of it, pacing the room like the walls were closing in on me. My thoughts wouldn’t stop screaming Victor’s name… his face, his silence, the pain in his eyes when he told me he was done.That scene had replayed a thousand times in my mind. A thousand versions. A thousand different outcomes. And in every single one, I kept asking myself—how the hell did we get here?He didn’t pick my calls. I tried three times. The first two, it rang once and then stopped like he declined it. The last? Switched off. It felt like someone punched me straight in the chest.After tossing for a long while, I stood up and went to the window. I sat there, knees to my chest, watching the night slowly fade away. I thought maybe I’d doze off for just a few minutes… maybe I’d find rest in the silence. But even the silence betrayed me. It just made his
Victor The moment I saw those tears on her face, I knew I was going to give in. I just couldn’t resist her anymore at that point. Right from the moment she showed up at the door, I felt something in me loosen up. It was as if my whole body had been waiting for her so when she made that sweet cute face at me, I just knew it. She had gotten me. But still, I wasn’t going to give her an easy pass. She hurt me.But maybe I should let her explain herself, so I listened to every word, making sure to take note of every part. And by the time she was done, I found out who was really lying, and she wasn’t that person. Dennis is the liar. The manipulator who wants to come in between us and ruin what we have.“How could I not have seen it?” I thought to myself as she lifted her head and stared in my eyes.“Can I come close to you? I want to hold you.” She let out slowly but I didn’t say a word.Instead, I moved closer and pulled her into my arms. I held her tightly and pressed my lips against he
SoniaI sat there on the cold, hard floor of my apartment trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. My ears were still ringing from the sound of his voice. My skin still burned from the force of his grip. And my heart, God, my heart felt like it had been cracked open and stomped on by someone I had trusted with the deepest parts of me.Dennis. The man I thought I understood.I stared at the wall in front of me like it would suddenly give me an answer, a reason, a justification. Something. Anything. But all I saw was the shadow of a truth I didn’t want to accept. Dennis put his hands on me. Me. And for what? For Freya?The thought of her name made my stomach clench. I didn’t even blame her well, not fully. This wasn’t her fault… at least not anymore. She didn’t ask for the kind of obsession Dennis had wrapped himself in. But then, she’s still a b*tch a big one, and she’s not going to escape what’s coming for her. But then, Dennis? It shouldn’t have been him and t
DennisI woke up feeling like the goddamn king of the world.I don’t think I’d smiled this much in days. Hell, maybe weeks. But today? Today, the sun seemed to shine a little brighter through the curtains, the air smelled a little sweeter, and the weight that had been pressing down on my chest like a damn anchor? Gone.Gone, because I did it. Freya and Victor… over. I didn’t even need confirmation… call it intuition, gut feeling, divine karma, whatever the hell you want. After everything I unveiled, and the way Victor’s face twisted when I exposed what she never told him… There was no way in hell they were still together.Not after that.I stretched like a man who’d just won the lottery, kicked the covers off, and swung my feet onto the cold floor. I was humming before I even got to the bathroom. Brushed my teeth like I had a hot date, slapped some water on my face, and stared at my reflection with that smug-ass grin plastered across my face.“Game over, Victor,” I muttered, smirking.
Victor“Good afternoon Mr. Whitmore.” Mia let out with a broad smile.“Yes, good afternoon…” “Mia… it’s Mia.” She let out while I smiled too, and then pointed her to the sofa adjacent to me.“Please have your seat.” I chimed in but she didn’t sit where I pointed. She came over and sat next to me. I didn’t say anything and just smiled.“So I was told you came around, asking for me. What’s so important?” I finally said, breaking the silence.Instead of answering, Mia stood up slowly. Her stilettos clicked against the hardwood floor as she walked toward me. Something about her stride made my skin twitch. It was confident… too confident. Almost rehearsed.I leaned back slightly in my seat, still watching her, my mind alert. But not alert enough.She stepped close, too close and placed her hands on my shoulders, applying the gentlest pressure until I leaned back more fully into the couch.“Mia…” I warned lightly, a single brow rising. But she didn’t stop.She straddled me without permissi
SoniaI looked like a goddess, and I know it.The moment I stepped in front of the mirror that morning, draped in my olive green silk blouse and high-waisted black slacks that hugged me like they were tailored by God himself, I smirked. Today was my day. My rebirth. The world had called me names from homewrecker, snake, to a traitor but they’d all eat their words by sundown.“Everything is under control,” my mom had said over the phone just an hour ago, her voice as smooth and confident as always.My stomach had fluttered hearing her say that. That rare kind of flutter that wasn’t anxiety or guilt but power, assurance and victory. All those charges Freya filed? Gone. Today would be my freedom walk. And the best part? It’d be televised. Perfect. I wanted the entire world to see me walk out of that courtroom untouched, unbothered, and unbreakable.“Hey you in there… hang in there, okay? I know it doesn’t seem like it at the moment but I do have plans for us. I’m not Darla. I’m not going
FreyaMy hands were trembling long before I realized it.I had the phone on speaker, and Victor had barely finished parking the car when Nate dropped the first bomb.“It was Darla, Victor. The intruder… she’s your stepmom.” “What!!!” Victor and I exclaimed and then turned to each other at the exact same moment. His hand froze on the gear, and my heartbeat stopped dead in my chest.“Darla isn’t who you think she is.” Nate replied.“What the hell does that mean?” Victor asked sharply, his voice climbing.Nate didn’t stall. “She’s Sonia’s mother.”“What?!” I screamed, and this time, my voice cracked as the air got sucked out of my lungs.Victor echoed me, louder. “What the actual f… Nate, what the fuck are you saying?!” “I’m saying,” Nate continued, his voice too calm for the storm he was unleashing, “your stepmother, Darla, is actually Sonia’s biological mother. Her real name is Anna… Anna Wesson. Years ago, she dated a young man, a waiter. They were in love, but he couldn’t give her
Victor The moment I stepped through the door and saw Freya rushing over to greet me, something inside me softened. No matter how long the day was or how much weight I carried on my shoulders, seeing her smile made it all worth it. I held out the flowers I picked up on the way home. It was nothing extravagant, just fresh white tulips she liked. Her eyes lit up once I handed it to her and she beamed with smiles, making my heart flutter even more.She buried her face in the bouquet, inhaling deeply, and I watched her like a man who had no business owning this much peace. "Thanks baby, it smells so amazing," she murmured.“You do too,” I said with a grin, and kissed her. Her lips were warm, soft, familiar.As I slipped off my jacket, she asked the question I knew was coming. “Any word from Nate?”I sighed. “Not yet. He’s still digging.”She nodded slowly, that glimmer in her eyes dimming just slightly.“Don’t worry, I trust him, huh?” I let out while she nodded slowly. I know she’s stil
Victor The moment I parked the car, I didn’t even wait for the engine to go off completely before I flung the door open and rushed out. My pulse was thudding like a war drum in my ears, my heart hammering harder than it should for someone who had been reassured over the phone that everything was fine. But how could I trust that? How could I trust that when my woman was just confronted in our home by a stranger with a veiled threat? And I wasn’t there.How the heck did they even know she’d be there? It’s not as if we live together, and we stay at her place more than we come to mine! I should have been more careful. I should have stayed at home today to look after her!The guilt chewed at my insides like acid as I unlocked the front door and stepped in. My ears were tuned for any strange sound, my eyes scanning everything. The house looked calm, too calm for the kind of emotional earthquake I was sure she must’ve endured.Then I caught a whiff of vanilla and chocolate and followed it t
VictorStacey and I got into the car and I drove off. Having her with me changed my routine a bit, usually while driving to work in the morning, it’s always silent, so I use the time to reflect on my thoughts and day ahead. With Stacey, it’s totally different. She was seated beside me, quiet at first, just scrolling through her phone and occasionally replying to emails or whatever it was doctors did before a long shift. I didn’t think much of it until I caught her stealing glances at me. Once. Twice. Then again. And again.At first, I chalked it up to coincidence. Maybe something was on my face. I rubbed my jaw subtly, checked the mirror, and even adjusted the rearview to make sure nothing weird was going on with my hair. Nothing.But then she did it again, this time, a full glance paired with this shy little smile before looking out the window like I hadn’t seen her. And to top it off? She blushed. I mean actually blushed.That was when I knew something was up.I kept my eyes on the
FreyaI woke up to the softest brush of lips against my forehead, a tender, lingering kiss that stirred me from sleep far more gently than any alarm ever could. My lashes fluttered open, and for a second, I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming. But then I saw him. Victor, sitting at the edge of the bed, fully dressed in a sleek dark suit, his tie perfectly knotted, and that boyish, heart-melting smile on his face.“Good morning, sleepyhead,” he whispered, his hand lightly caressing my cheek.I smiled back at him, still feeling a little dazed from sleep, from everything that had happened the past few days. “You’re all dressed up,” I mumbled, stretching lazily beneath the covers. “What time is it?”“Almost eight,” he said, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “I didn’t want to leave without seeing you awake first.”My heart squeezed at that. God, how did I ever get this lucky?I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and propped myself up slightly. “The court hearing...?” I asked, my voice stil
VictorMy fingers gripped the steering wheel so tight I thought it might snap off. Every mile I drove, every second I spent away from her, the anger in me only grew bigger, hotter. My mind wouldn’t stop flashing back to the way Freya looked lying unconscious on that hospital bed. She was so pale, so fragile.I slammed my palm against the steering wheel, the loud crack of it echoing inside the car.“Son of a b*tch!” I roared.Dennis was going to pay. He wasn’t just going to lose in court. No, that was too easy. Too clean. I was going to break him.I sped the rest of the way to the villa, not even caring that I was pushing way past the speed limit. Let the cops try to stop me tonight, they wouldn’t be able to slow me down if they tried.When I pulled up, I killed the engine and climbed out, slamming the door so hard the whole car shook. I didn’t even bother to check my surroundings. I was past the point of caring.Inside, the low sound of music filled the air, the smell of expensive liq
FreyaI was starting to feel restless, lying there and staring at the ceiling like I had nothing better to do. Victor was taking too long and it got me worried that he didn’t know what he was doing in there. I was about going to meet him when the door creaked open. I lifted my head and then blinked again just to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating.Victor walked in... and right beside him, Stacey.“Stacey!” I gasped, my voice practically breaking with surprise and relief.Before I could even process it properly, she rushed over to the bed and threw her arms around me. The sweet scent of her cologne and the warmth of her hug almost made me cry. I missed her so much.“Careful!” Victor’s voice cut sharply across the room. I laughed into Stacey’s shoulder, pulling back slightly just to look at his ridiculously serious face.“She’s fine, Victor!” Stacey said, rolling her eyes as she squeezed me a little tighter to make her point.I shook my head fondly and looked up at him, mock pleading, “Plea
Victor I must’ve paced the same the hospital corridor at least a hundred times, maybe more. My feet had gone numb, my throat was dry from whispering every kind of silent prayer I could think of, and my mind… God, my mind was a mess. All I could see was her falling, all I could hear was the dull, lifeless thud of her body hitting the ground, and all I could feel was this suffocating panic sitting heavy on my chest.Just then, the double doors finally creaked open and I turned so fast my neck cracked. It was the doctor with his white coat and a calm face.I don’t even remember moving. I was just suddenly in front of him, my hands grabbing his in a desperate, reflexive gesture. “Is she okay?” My voice cracked. I didn’t even care how I looked. I would’ve begged on my knees if I had to. “Please tell me she’s okay. Please.”He blinked, a little startled by how tightly I was gripping his arms. “She’s fine, Mr. Victor. She’s perfectly fine now.”I swear the air came back into my lungs in a r