All Chapters of Once Upon a Marriage : Chapter 61 - Chapter 69

ELOISE I stood bent over the workbench, a magnifying visor strapped to my forehead, smoothing the sharp edge of a sterling silver pendant with a fine file. The sound of metal against metal was rhythmic, calming, like scraping away slivers of my own fear. Outside, the early sun was bright and unkind, streaking through the high windows to cast harsh white rectangles across the worn wooden floorboards. Max was at preschool for the day, his bright laughter echoing faintly in my mind as I worked. He had kissed my cheek as I dropped him off whispering “Make something beautiful today, Mama.” Those words clung to me now as armor. I adjusted the tiny prong of the pendant setting under my visor. Just as I slipped off my visor to inspect the final polish, I heard the faint jingle of the front door bell. My heart sank immediately. I wasn’t expecting clients today. My assistant, Ruki, was out sourcing stone samples from the market. I set down my tools carefully, wiping my hands on the faded bl

ELOISE The atelier felt colder than ever as their voices faded into silence. I stood there, my hands trembling at my sides, staring at Ava’s tear-streaked face and Mike’s downturned eyes. I felt all the air leave my lungs all at once. I understand that it’s been a over a decade but how could Ava herself hide something like this from me even during our time at the college. My mind spun with fragments of memories – Ava and I curled up in her dorm room after final critiques, laughing at the way our professors pronounced French designers’ names with pompous accents; Ava leaving little love notes on my mirror before shows, scribbled with “You’re stronger than your fear.” Stronger than your fear. I wanted to laugh at the irony. Now, standing here under the harsh white pendant lamp, the shadows pooled around my feet felt deeper than fear – they felt like an unbreakable iron, chaining my heart to the floor. Ava sobbed once more, the sound tearing at my chest in a way I didn’t want to f

LUCIAN I sat in silence, sprawled across the velvet couch of my penthouse living room, my shirt half unbuttoned, smoke curling from the cigarette clenched between my lips. A half-empty bottle of bourbon sat on the marble coffee table, amber liquid gleaming under recessed lighting. I leaned forward, elbows resting on my knees, feeling the expensive fabric of my trousers strain against my thighs. I could hear the low hum of traffic thirty stories below, the occasional wail of a siren. I took a long drag from my cigarette, inhaling deep enough that my chest burned. Then I exhaled slow, watching the smoke spiral up into the shadows above. The silence was too loud. I hated silence. My eyes flicked to the glass wall across the room. Beyond it lay the city I owned, my companies, my buildings, my investments, all of it stretching out like an empire carved by my own ruthless hands. But tonight, it felt empty. Meaningless as well. As though I was staring at a world that belonged to someone

Eloise I drove in silence, my grip tight on the steering wheel as I merged into the evening traffic. The sun had set, leaving streaks of purple across the horizon. The city lights flickered on one by one, its like watching the world come alive for everyone except me. The car smelled of my vanilla perfume mixed with leather, but somehow it felt stifling tonight. My father sat in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead, eyes weary from the long flight. Jadeline sat behind him, quietly tapping away on her phone, while Jennifer sat behind me, humming under her breath to whatever song played in her mind. “So, how’s Max?” my father asked suddenly, breaking the silence. My chest tightened. “He’s… fine,” I said, my voice flat. “Growing up fast. He asks about you.” He didn’t respond, just nodded absentmindedly, returning his gaze to the traffic outside. It was like talking to a wall. There was a time when I would do anything for his attention – read newspapers so I could discuss politi