Valerie With every passing moment the bell rang my anxiety rose. Why wasn't she picking up? Seven rings had passed and still, there was no answer. Did she know that something was up? I could feel my plan going awry. Ten rings later finally the call was picked, and she was there on the other end of the line. "Valerie, hi," she greeted in a cheerful manner. "I'm really sorry that I had to cancel our meeting." Her voice sounded rushed, tinged with a hint of urgency. "Oh, it's alright, no problems with that. However, I wanted to talk to you about something important. Basically, I just want you to hear what I’m saying. I mean it is something really very important, for you, and your wedding." I could hear the rapid beating of my heart in my ears. "Oh why I not, I'm listening. Just tell me what you want to say," Laura replied, her tone eager yet tinged with apprehension. "Thank you. How do I say this?" I paused. "I wanted to talk to you about something related to your past. Around the t

ValerieI couldn't believe my eyes as the chaotic scene unfolded before me. The air was thick with tension, anger, and confusion."What the fucking hell?" Laura's father screamed in pain, desperately trying to evade my Dad's next incoming punch as I stood there like a statue.What in the hell was happening? "Shit," Dad yelled as his fists missed its target, colliding with the unforgiving wall punching a whole through it. As his fist came out of the wall all I could think of was how would I explain this to the building manager. Once again my dad raised his fist to hit him but missed by a hairlines length. Laura's father was a lucky man Laura's dad was in survival mode, attempting to escape or shield himself, while my father seemed hell-bent on unleashing his fury. It was like watching two ferocious animals locked in a battle."Stop!" I screamed, but my plea fell on deaf ears. I had no intention of getting physically involved; I had a gut feeling that I'd end up on the floor if I dared

Valerie "I don't know her," he sighed. "I have no idea who she is and I swear on my daughter that I had never seen her." The tension in the room dissipated like a storm passing, leaving behind a sense of eerie calmness. Mr. Johnson's words echoed in my mind, his declaration of innocence a small ray of hope in the midst of chaos. I turned to look at my father, whose expression mirrored my own sense of relief, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he acknowledged the truth. "However," he paused as he took a good look at me. "I think I now understand why your father thinks that I'm the man your mother cheated with," Mr. Johnson continued, his voice tinged with resignation. I felt a surge of anger rise within me at his audacity, at the way he seemed to revel in the chaos he had caused. But I held my tongue, knowing that lashing out would only escalate the situation further. He pulled out his phone, his fingers moving with practiced ease as he searched for something. I watched him with

Aiden The room was cast in shadows, the dim light filtering through the curtains giving the space an ethereal quality. I lay there, tangled in the sheets, still lost in the remnants of a dream that felt too real. Her words echoed in my mind, haunting me with their sweetness. "I love you," she had said. Her hazel eyes bore into mine, a depth of emotion that left me breathless. Her light brown hair spilled over the pillow, framing her delicate features. Her lips, red and puffy, begged for a connection, a taste of something more profound. I was buried deep inside her, our bodies entwined in a dance of passion. In that moment, it felt like the universe had conspired to bring us together. But then, the dream took a cruel turn. The hazel eyes that had held so much love transformed into cold, indifferent blue. The lips I had longed to kiss turned thin and unfamiliar. The woman beneath me was no longer the one who made my heart race, the one I craved with a desperate longing. Guilt and

Aiden I had reluctantly promised Drew that I would talk to Val, but deep down, I knew it was a promise I might not be able to keep. I had made the call but my call had gone straight to decline and I knew she had my number on the block. I did try for other phones and landlines but none of my calls were picked. Val was a force to be reckoned with, the polar opposite of Laura in so many ways. She didn't take nonsense from anyone and had a tendency to shoot straight, right between the eyes. That fierce independence was what made her special, and it was also what made confronting her such a daunting task. Despite the challenges, the thought of Laura's fragile health deteriorating due to the revelation of the truth scared me enough to muster the courage to face Val. I loved them both, and the internal conflict tore me apart every time Val crossed my mind. I had inflicted more pain upon her than Drew ever did. Those words I uttered in the club, dismissing her feelings and revealing the cru