ISABEL The revelation that Mavis was not joining the family for dinner left a hollow ache in the pit of my stomach. With this realization came the stark knowledge that I wouldn't be able to look at him during dinner like I usually did.Well, I took my cutlery and stretched out for a glass of water first. As I began to eat, the stillness of the dining room was broken by the unexpected sensation of a hand on my lap. My muscles tensed, and my eyes darted around the table, searching for the source of the contact.Despite the shock of the unexpected touch, I forced myself to remain calm, my gaze flitting between my plate and the tablecloth, feigning disinterest. The sensation was delayed for a while. As the seconds ticked by, I thought. Had I imagined the contact? Or, maybe I felt so because of the tablecloth as it brushed against my thighs whenever I moved my legs. But as the hand on my thigh began to roam, tracing its way along the contours of my nightgown, I became more alarmed. Wi

MAVISFeeling remorseful that I was hiding something from her, I knew I should apologize to her rather than try to justify my actions. "Well, Isabel, I had a problem to tackle urgently. Last night, I didn't really have peace of mind and I'm sorry about how things turned out."She looked at me, looking unsatisfied with my explanation and apology. "What are you up to, Mavis?"I ignored her question, "So, can we go to the hospital tomorrow, get checked and make sure everything’s okay?"She hesitated, looking between me and the door. "Fine," She muttered. I nodded, not wanting to push her any further. "Okay, that's fine." With a sigh, Isabel got up and made toward the door. "Good night to you." She muttered,. "And no, I don’t want a kiss." There was a long silence, and for a moment I thought she might leave. But then I felt the bed shift as she sat down next to me. "Is there something you want to tell me?" She asked taking my hand. "No, not at all." I said sitting up, my arms rested o

MAVIS I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "He’s disappointed, maybe I should have told him." I said, "He thinks I should have consulted him first, that I’m not being responsible."Isabel bit her lip, "Are you okay?" I turned in her direction, "We should be more bothered about you, are you okay?"She took a breath, "I think we’re going to be in trouble soon," She said and rubbed her belly. I couldn’t help but glance down at her stomach, my heart hammering in my chest as I considered her meaning. "Dad has noticed how close we are, I think it's the paparazzi. What'd you think?""I don't know what to think unless you tell me what he told you,""He said I should be careful whenever I'm around you," "Dad said that?" She asked with surprise. I simply nodded at her and she smiled shaking her head at the same time. Cars on the road crawled along, bumper to bumper. The noise of honking horns and idling engines filled the air as everyone tried to reach their expected destination early

ISABELThe sleek, black vehicle pulled up to the curb, the driver opening the door for me with a courteous nod. As I settled into the comfortable backseat, I drew in a slow, deep breath, steadying myself as the car pulled away from the curb.I clenched my jaw, determined to remain composed for the sake of the fragile life growing inside me. As the car purred up the driveway and came to a smooth stop, I exited the vehicle. The gatekeeper looked up in surprise, his brows knitting together as he noticed my solitary entrance. "Is everything alright, madam?" He asked. I forced a smile, my trembling hand gripping the strap of my purse. "Yes, everything's fine," I replied, offering a brief nod before stepping past him and into the house.Amelia was replacing the throw pillows when I walked into the living room, "Hi, Isabel, welcome back!" She chirped. But I could barely muster the energy to respond, I offered a nod and a faint smile in acknowledgement. I approached the windows and drew th

NARRATION"Let's find out together, then," Mavis said turning to the door. "You were pretty drunk that night, I believe you have no clue that you dumped it there.""Dumped what?""Her pant," Mavis gave him a brief response as he held on the door knob. "Seriously, Mavis?" Jackson replied, "This is quite ridiculous." He slid the key into the lock panel and pushed the door. "Alright, fine," Jackson said as he led Mavis into the house, their shoes clicking against the hardwood floors as they strode toward his bedroom. "If that's what it takes to prove my innocence, then I'll do it. I've got nothing to hide."He threw open the closet doors, revealing a neat row of shirts and trousers. With a wave of his hand, Jackson gestured towards the garments."Here there are, everything I wore to the party. Get the pantie and let's see, "As Mavis reached for Jackson's trousers ransacking the pockets carefully, he felt a silken fabric, smooth and light against his fingertips. He froze, his breath cat