Sarah When I stepped into the classroom for the first time, my nerves were on edge. The unfamiliar faces and unknown expectations made me feel like a fish out of water. Little did I know, a huge surprise was waiting for me. As my eyes scan the rows of seats, they land on a figure that causes my heart to skip a beat. "Jared?" I exclaim in disbelief and excitement. His eyes turn wide. "Sarah? Holy crap! What are you doing here?" he asks, and then his eyes trail down to my swollen belly. "And you are...um...." "Pregnant!" I squeal, making some students turn their heads toward me. Jared's eyes widen even further, his surprise evident as he takes in the news. "Wow..um...congratulations?" he sounds unsure. I can't help but laugh at his reaction. Jared must think I am insane. "Yeah. I decided that I will never leave Vincent. I love him!" I chirp. Jared blinks, clearly taken aback by my sudden declaration. "Wow, that's... unexpected," he stammers, struggling to find the right words.
Vincent"Vincent," Sarah whimpers as she clutches my jacket. "I'm...I'm scared."Tears flow freely down Sarah's face as she clings to my jacket, trembling with fear. My heart is racing in panic, but I force myself to stay calm. For her."It's going to be okay, sweetheart," I whisper soothingly, wrapping my arms around her and carrying her into the hospital.Her sobs continue to wrack her body as she chokes out the words, "I'm bleeding...do you think...we lost our baby?"Each word feels like a stab to my heart. I try to hold back my own emotions as I assure her, "We'll find out soon...just hold on." The weight of responsibility for both my wife and our unborn child crushes down on me, threatening to break me. But I have to stay strong for her.Sarah holds on to me, her body trembling in fear.I tighten my grip on her, trying to provide as much comfort as I can. The only thing I have in mind is to keep her safe.Because if I lost her, I wouldn't know how to live anymore.A nurse hurries
Vincent "I need to see my wife," I demand.The doctor nods and motions me to follow her.As I follow the doctor, my heart races with worry. We enter the room, and I see Sarah lying in the bed, surrounded by beeping machines and wires. Her skin is pale, and her eyes are sunken. She looks frail and vulnerable, not like the bubbly and vibrant woman I know."She's in critical condition. The birth was complicated, and she lost a lot of blood. We've transfused her, but her body is struggling to recover," the doctor says.I feel a lump form in my throat as I approach Sarah's bedside. I take her hand, and it feels cold and limp. I squeeze it gently, hoping she can sense my presence."Don't leave me, I need you," I whisper, trying to hold it together.The machine beeps faster, and the nurse rushes to adjust the settings. "Her blood pressure is dropping. We need to get it under control."The doctor intervenes, "We need to take her back to surgery. There's still internal bleeding we need to add
SarahVincent pushes open the hospital's double doors, and we step out into the sunlight. I keep Bryce close to my chest as he wheels me toward his car."We will be home soon," Vincent says."Feels surreal," I murmur, watching Vincent put Bryce in his car seat.We are finally taking our baby home. I slide in next to him. Bryce's tiny hand wraps around my fingertip, and my heart does a somersault.Vincent catches my eye in the rearview mirror as we drive off, his usual confidence replaced by a silent understanding of the delicate situation we've been thrust into. We exchange a look that says, 'We can do this,' without uttering a word.The drive home was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the engine and the occasional beep from the portable monitor that now accompanied Bryce everywhere. He is still not completely stable, but just enough to go home with us.Once home, we had to turn the baby room into a mini ICU. A small oxygen tank is standing in the corner, and nasal cannulas are at the
Sarah"Vincent, you don't have to do this," I croak out as he canceled yet another one of his meetings with a client."Yes, I do," he says."No, you don't. I am fine on my own. Jennifer is here and...""Sarah, stop," he says, his voice firm yet lined with a tenderness that wasn't part of his usual attitude. He smooths back the hair sticking to my forehead. "You need me here."I open my mouth to protest once again, but the piercing intensity in his eyes brings me to a halt. It's the same unwavering look he always gives when he has made up his mind about something, leaving no room for argument."Your health is still fragile," Vincent insists, flashing a warm smile that sends a rush of warmth through my chest, "You need someone here to take care of you.""I know, but Jennifer is already here. She can help with Bryce, and Sophia said she can come over too. You don't have to leave your office just to be here with me," I retort.Even though I am overjoyed to have him by my side, there is a
SarahI glance at my phone as it buzzed, a piece of cookie halfway to my mouth. The screen flashes with Vincent's name, and a grin tugs at my lips before I even read the message."Meet me in the garden. Now."I've been ready for this promised date ever since Bryce had settled down with his Nanny. But Vincent told me to be patient and wait for his signal.What is Mr. grumpy up to this time?I step inside the garden, and there he is—Vincent, looking dapper in a charcoal suit that hugged his shoulders just right, his dark hair neatly combed, yet one rebellious lock insists on falling over his brow. That mischievous smile played on his lips, the one that told me he was up to something wonderfully ridiculous."Vincent," I say, feigning exasperation. "What is all this?" In front of me is a table set for two, draped in a white linen cloth that fluttered slightly in the evening breeze. Candles flickering in the dimming light. A bottle of what I assumed was expensive wine chilled in a bucket
VincentThe moment the call comes in, I know there's no time to waste. I snatch my car keys and dash toward the car.When I finally skid into the warehouse parking lot, it feels like stepping onto the set of some disaster movie.Smoke covers the sky with a threatening shade of gray, the kind you'd associate with foreboding or bad omens.I flinch at the sight. There are firetrucks everywhere, with firefighters fighting to put the blaze out."Mr. Sterling! Over here!" someone calls out, but their voice is barely audible through crackling flames and commanding shouts.Nathan is by my side within minutes, his face ashen."Status report," I demand, my voice steady despite the adrenaline tap-dancing through my veins."Northeast corner's compromised, but we've contained most of the blaze to the south wing," he quickly briefs me."Evacuation?" My eyes scan for exits, for signs that my people are safe."Complete, but you've got a couple of injuries," he adds."Show me."He leads me over to whe
Vincent"Alright, everybody, drop what you're doing. Meeting, now," I bark into the phone. My fingers drum impatiently on the desk, and urgency knotting in my stomach. The warehouse fire incident isn't just a blip—it's a five-alarm problem screaming for attention.I stride into the meeting room and wait for all my staff to get together."Listen up," I start, my gaze sweeping over the sea of faces. We've got a situation—a serious one. Someone deliberately set fire to the warehouse."A faint gasp ripples through the crowd."I reviewed the security footage with Hal earlier. There was a man, his face obscured, who broke into the warehouse through a side door right before the fire started. He knew the code and disabled the alarm. This was calculated," I say, looking around the room.Murmurs ripple around the table as the staff exchange uneasy glances.I clear my throat before continuing. "I've asked you here because I need your help. You all know our operations inside and out. If anyone ha