Larissa sat in her bedroom, staring out of the window as the rain pattered against the panes.
She couldn't help but wonder if she had made a mistake in marrying her crush, Stanley. For the past two years of their marriage, she had tried everything in her power to build their relationship, but nothing seemed to be working, Stanley never for one day touches her, but Larissa was still with him hoping that one day, he might likely touch her,
As she looked out of the window, she could see Stanley's car driving into the parking lot, She still remembered the day he had proposed to her, she had been so happy, but now, she couldn't help but feel trapped In the loveless marriage,
Larissa climbs the stairs down, and she walks towards him to help him with his briefcase, “Honey, are you okay?” Stanley's voice startled her as he walked into the room.
“I'm fine,” she replied, and she took the briefcase, and immediately headed upstairs, not wanting to start a conversation. She knew that Stanley would try and probe her,
Stanley walked Into the bedroom, had he showered, and retired to bed,
Larissa walked over to him and sat on the bed. “You know I love you, right?” she asked,
Stanley looked at him but didn't reply, he had heard those words from Larissa so many times, but they didn't hold the same weight anymore,
“I know I haven't been the best wife for you, I know you don't want me, but I promise I'm going to make it up to you,” Larissa continued.
Stanley sighed, he had heard those promises before too, but they had never materialized, and he asked, “what do you want me from me?” Stanley asked, desperation creeping into his voice.
“I just want you to touch me,” Larissa said softly. “It's been two years, Stanley. Two years since we got married,”
“I know,” Stanley said, his voice filled with guilt. “I've been trying to work on myself, but the feelings and emotions Is not there,” he explained,
“Why?” Larissa asked, finally turning to look at him.
“Larissa, I don't have feelings for you, my feelings Is for someone else, I love Barbara, not you” Stanley said,
Larissa felt a pang in her chest. She had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed was still a shock.
“Stanley, have I done anything wrong to you by getting married to you?“ Larissa asked,
“Larissa, you did more than evil, I only got married to you just to please my grandfather, and I agreed to get married to you just because Barbara Is not yet ready for marriage then” Stanley said,
“I still love you, Stanley,” Larissa said, reaching out to take his hand. “But I can't force myself to do something you might not be comfortable with.” she said,
Stanley pulled his hand away and stood up. he needed some space to think.
“I can't keep living in this mansion with you, Larissa, you are choking me, and pretend like everything is okay,” Stanley said. “I need some space, Larissa” he said, and he stood up from the bed and headed downstairs, pour whiskey In the glass cup, and he drinks until he was Intoxicated, but Instead of him to climb the stairs, he slept In the private living room till In the morning,
Larissa looked crestfallen, but she didn't object, she knew that she had to leave him alone,, because he might be willing to do something nasty by beating her up, Instead she left the bedroom to the guestroom where she slept,
Larissa woke up early, and she took the car keys, carried her bag and left the mansion, and she headed to nursing school program without telling him,
months later, Larissa spent a lot of time in the school, but still trying to work on her marriage, because she made sure she call her husband, Stanley twice daily,
Though, she realized that she loved Stanley, but she didn't want to continue living in a loveless marriage. She decided to put her foot down and make some changes, and she returned to the Stanley's mansion,
When she returned to the mansion, she sat Stanley down and had a serious conversation with him. She made it clear that she loved him, but she couldn't continue living in a marriage where she didn't feel loved or wanted,
“Okay, do you want us to make the marriage open?“ Stanley asked,
“How do you mean?“ Larissa asked,
“I will watch you do your things the way you like, and you too will also watch me do my things, there won't be any questions or complain” Stanley explained,
“Larissa understand him, but she pretends as If she was a novice, and she left for school, only Stanley's grandfather understand Larissa's movement, because, she always carry Stanley's grandfather along In everything of her plans, because, Stanley doesn't give her listening ears,
Instead of Larissa bothering herself with unnecessary thought of her loveless marriage, she concentrate on her nursing program, and she had been studying diligently, and had made a lot of new friends at the hostel, she enjoyed the atmosphere and the camaraderie of the other nursing students. But Larissa always felt a little empty at the end of each day because the thought of her loveless marriage always occupied her mind,
One day, as she was making her way back to the hostel, she bumped into Stanley on the street with another girl leaning on his parked car, gisting, laughing, smiles, and they felt happy together, Larissa thought In her mind that the girl her husband was gisting with might be Barbara, as she was about to cross to the other side of the road, she later decided to call his name,
"Stanley!" Larissa smiked when she saw him. "What a surprise!"
Stanley barely glanced at her. "Larissa," he said, tonelessly,
"Oh," Larissa's smile faded. "How have you been?" she asked,
"I've been busy," Stanley answered shortly. "I have to go. Talk to you later."
And with that, he continues to gist with Barbara, Larissa watched his retreating form, feeling a lump form in her throat. Why did she even bother? Stanley obviously didn't care about her,
Larissa knew that they had a loveless marriage. But it still hurt to have him treat her like she was invisible. Larissa wondered if Stanley even remembered that she was in nursing school. He had never shown any interest in what she did.
As she went back to her hostel room, Larissa tried to push away the feelings of loneliness. She had learned to depend on herself. She would focus on her studies and make the most of her time at the nursing school.
A few days later, Stanley called Larissa. She was surprised to hear from him, and he said, “Larissa, “I will be traveling out of the country tonight, but I'll be back in the country next week," he said. "I have to go to a conference, and I thought I would catch up with you later” he explained,
Larissa was surprised. Stanley had never made an effort to see her before.
"Sure," she said, trying to keep her voice steady,
They arranged to meet up at a restaurant near the nursing school. Larissa was nervous as she waited for him. She wondered what he wanted to talk about.
When Stanley arrived, he looked the same as always distant and unemotional.
"How's nursing school going?" he asked, picking at his food.
Larissa was shocked that he had remembered. "It's going well," she answered. "I'm in my second year now."
Stanley nodded as if the conversation bored him. "That's good."
Silence stretched between them, and Larissa tried to think of something to say. But she realized that there wasn't anything left to talk about. They had nothing in common, no connection at all,
Larissa finished her meal quickly, hoping to leave soon,
"Well, I have to head back to the hostel," Larissa said, standing up.
"Okay," Stanley said, also rising from his seat. "See you later."
Larissa walked away, her heart heavy. She didn't know what she expected, but it certainly wasn't that.
Larissa sat at her desk in the nursing building, poring over her textbooks and notes. She had chosen to pursue nursing after seeing how much her grandmother had suffered without proper medical care. Larissa had always been a compassionate person, and she wanted to make a real difference in people's lives. Her two closest friends, Harriet and Ruth, walked into the building, laughing and joking around. As they approached Larissa's desk, they quieted down. Harriet leaned over Larissa's shoulder to peer at her notes. "Hey, what's up?" she asked. "You look like you've been studying nonstop for days." Larissa forced a smile and shrugged. "Just trying to stay on top of things," she said. "It's a lot of work, but I know it will be worth it in the end." Ruth nodded. "You're going to be an amazing nurse. You're so dedicated and smart." Larissa blushed at the praise. She appreciated her friends' support, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She had been feeling lone
Larissa was ecstatic when she received the news that she had been posted to a specialist hospital nearby. She had always wanted to work in a hospital that offered specialized care and now she finally had the opportunity. Although the hospital was only a few minutes away, Stanley was not excited seeing her come back home again, Stanley, her husband doesn't want Larissa anywhere around him, "Are you sure you are back Into this house again?" Stanley asked, Larissa smiled, "Yes, I'm back, but, I have been posted to Saint Mickeal specialist hospital as a qualified and registered nurse” Larissa explained, “Good for you, but you can as well tell them to provide you a shelter Inside the hospital” Stanley said, “There Is no need for that because, I have a home near the hospital” Larissa said, “Do you think we are still bonded with anything called marriage?“ Stanley basked, “What do you mean,” Larissa asked, “I'm sick and tired of you In this house, Infact, seeing your horrible fac
Stanley stormed out of the house, his frustration with Larissa reaching its peak, "how dare she invaded my privacy like that? he asked, can't stand her constant snooping into my laptop and phone" he said, It was as if he didn't trust her at all. as he walked briskly down the street, his mind skipped with all the things he wanted to say to her. He couldn't believe she had the audacity to think she had the right to invade his personal space like that. How would she feel if he did the same to her?Feeling frustrated and furious, Stanley pulled out his phone and dialed his personal assistant, Paul. "Maxwell, I need you to come to the house immediately," he said, his voice trembling with anger. "I want you to pack a few of my clothes and bring them to the hotel. I can't stand being in the same house.with Larissa right now." Stanley explained, Maxwell, who had worked for Stanley for years and had witnessed many of their fights, knew better than to ask questions. "Of course, Mr. Stanl
Larissa sat alone in the spacious living room of her husband's mansion, her heart heavy with a mix of anticipation and dread, She clutched the fragile hope that somehow, someway, she could salvage what was left of her fractured marriage.The room echoed with the emptiness that mirrored her emotions, the once vibrant space now felt cold and desolate, much like her relationship with Stanley, as she glanced around, memories of laughter and joy flooded her mind, only serving to intensify the ache in her chest,Just as she began to lose herself in the nostalgia, the sound of the front door opening shattered her reverie. Stanley's footsteps grew louder as he approached the living room, and Larissa's heart skipped a beat, this was the moment she had been dreading for months.Stanley entered the living room, his face etched with a mixture of anger and sadness, He handed her a stack of papers, and as she read the words "Petition for Divorce" emblazoned on the top, the reality of their i
Larissa smiled through her tears, finally feeling a glimmer of hope in her life, "Thank you again, doctor Brownies. I'll make sure to make the most of this opportunity, and I would disappoint you, doctor," she said, True to her word, Larissa wasted no time in taking her luggage to the apartment, settling into her new home, It was a cozy two bedroom house, perfect for her needs. The neighborhood was quiet, and she found comfort in the familiarity of her surroundings,days later, Larissa threw herself into her work, determined to prove herself as a resident nurse, she worked long hours, taking care of patients with dedication and compassion, Dr. Brownies noticed her hard work and was impressed with her progress,Two weeks later, after finishing her shift, Larissa received a text message from doctor Brownies. "Larissa, can we meet up for dinner tomorrow? I'd like to discuss your future at the hospital,"Excitedly nervous, Larissa agreed to meet her boss the next day, they met at a
As she descended the stairs, her footsteps echoing through the corridor, her thoughts were consumed by the patient's well being. She passed doctors and nurses in a blur of white coats and hurried whispers, their expressions mirrored her own sense of urgency.Reaching the Intensive Care Unit, Larissa found the medical team awaiting her arrival. The patient lay pale and motionless on the stretcher, wires and tubes snaking from their body to various machines. The urgency in the room was palpable as Larissa quickly assessed the patient's vital signs, her experienced hands moving with precision and confidence."What do we have here?" Larissa asked, turning to a nurse standing nearby.The nurse, her eyes filled with concern, responded, "A middle aged man, brought in with difficulty breathing and chest pain. His blood pressure is dangerously low, and his heart rate is erratic, we suspect a possible heart attack, Larissa."Larissa's face tightened with determination as she directed the te
Larissa rubbed her tired eyes and yawned before making her way to the door, stumbling over strewn clothes and discarded shoes.Opening the door, Larissa found herself face to face with a tired looking hospital cleaner named Ruth. "I'm sorry to bother you, Larissa," Ruth said apologetically, "but I just wanted to let you know that I'll begin cleaning your room now, I figured since it's morning and you must be awake, it wouldn't be an issue." explained,Larissa tried her best to muster a polite smile, but exhaustion clung to her like a heavy blanket. "No worries, Ruth, go ahead and do your job," she said, stepping aside to let the cleaner enter the room. She couldn't help but feel of envy as she watched Ruth move about the room energetically, effortlessly tidying everything in sight,As the cleaner worked, Larissa climbed back into bed, her body sinking comfortingly into the mattress. She couldn't resist the pull of sleep and dozed off, even with the faint sound of Ruth's vacuum cleaner
Harriet reached out and gently squeezed Larissa's hand. "Larissa, being strong doesn't mean you can't ask for help or take care of yourself, It means recognizing your own needs and being kind to yourself, you can't pour from an empty cup, my dear." She explained, Larissa smiled weakly, grateful for Harriet's wisdom. "You're right, as always, I need to learn to prioritize myself and my baby's health, It's okay to take a step back and ask for support." She said,Harriet nodded, her eyes filled with pride, "Exactly! And remember, you have an incredible support system around you, we are your family, friends, and colleagues are all there to lend a helping hand, don't be afraid to reach out," Harriet advised, Larissa wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "Thank you, Harriet. I needed to hear that, you always know how to lift my spirits," she said,Harriet smiles, "well, that's what best friends are for, right? Now, let's dig into these treats I brought. I made your favorite cho