Nathaniel left for work early, his absence leaving an unsettling quiet in the house. I have gotten used to spending my days with him, but now that we are back, things need to get back to normal. I descend the stairs, missing the days where I had more to do than just sit in this massive masion thinking of my troubles.My mind is racing with the myriad of tasks that need to be tackled for the wedding. Liza is already busy around the kitchen, her plump figure moving gracefully between the counters.“Liza, good morning,”“Good morning, Megra. How are you feeling today? Ready to start planning this wedding?” Her smile is as warm as ever. Her friendship is my one comfort in this new life.We sit down for breakfast before I see the pile of wedding magazines and notepads covering the living room table."Liza, are you sure we need all those?” I ask her, my voice muffled.“Don’t talk with your mouthful, Manners maketh woman. And clearly, you have never planned a wedding.”The day is dedicated t

I wake up with a smile on my face, feeling a warmth I haven’t felt in months. My relationship with Nathaniel has transformed into something real, something hopeful. The wedding arrangements are going smoothly, thanks to the wedding planner Nathaniel has hired. Each detail is perfect. Apart from the fact that I have no one to invite, I am happy with the outcome. It feels like we are finally on the same page, and for once, I can see a future where we are both happy despite our arrangement.Liza meets me at the end of the hallway with a huge smile on her face. Her eyes spark with joy as soon as she sees me. “It seems you and Nathaniel are finally getting along.” She winks at me with her implication that we were loud during the night of lovemaking.” I laugh coyly, letting her know how right she is. "Well, that's all I have been hoping for; you both deserve to be happy.”I smile, feeling her joy infecting me. “Yes, he has been wonderful. He makes me so happy, Liza.”“What about the other t

Nathaniel and I are in the living room, blissfully tangled up on the couch, our laughter filling the space between kisses. His hand traces lazy circles on my back, sending shivers down my spine. Just as he leans to whisper what I imagine to be something nasty in my ear, we hear a throat being cleared.Startled, we both jerk up to find Liza uncomfortably standing in the doorway, her eyebrows raised in amusement.“Can you two please get a room.” She teases. A playful smile tugging at her lips.Nathaniel chuckles, his eyes twinkling with mischief. I feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment, and I quickly try to cover myself with a nearby throw blanket. It is a much better feeling than the dread I felt earlier.“Come on,” Nathaniel says, grabbing my hand.We dash up the stairs, giggling like teenagers caught sneaking past curfew. Once we reach the safety of our bedroom, the urgency of our bodies takes over. Breathless and laughing, Nathaniel pushes me onto the wall, securing and pinning me

NATHANIELAs I stand over Anna, I can't help but feel responsible. She looks so fragile. Guilt churns my gut. How can one small decision lead me here? I can still feel the love that we once shared. It's still there, a flicker beneath the surface of all the complications. She was once my life, but that has changed now. Even so, I couldn’t bear it if I lost her.Anna's eyelids flutter open. She dawns a weak smile and tears her lips apart as she calls my name. “Nathaniel.”“I'm happy you came,“ she whispers, her voice barely audible.I kneel beside her bed, taking her hand in mine. “What happened, Anna?” I ask, my voice laced with concern. Before she could answer, the doctor stepped in and calls me outside the room.“Mr. Coven,” the doctor begins once we are in the hallway. Shes okay. A few bruised ribs, a sprained ankle, and some whiplash. Shes doing well considering the circumstances.”I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “What happened?” I ask.The doctor looks at me with a

The atmosphere in the house shifts dramatically now that Anna is staying with us. It's as if the very air has grown thicker and more oppressive. I feel her presence even when I don’t see her, a constant reminder of her history with Nathaniel. Every corner of this house now seems tainted with her presence. I can’t shake the feeling that she’s here to reclaim something I thought was mine.To cope, I’ve chosen to spend most of my time upstairs, hiding away from the tension she brings. I keep myself busy with anything I can think of, from rearranging my wardrobe to rereading old books. Anything to keep me from having to face her—to hear her voice, to see her face. I can hear her sometimes, her laughter ringing through the halls, and it makes my skin crawl.She has been exaggerating everything from her accident to keep Nathaniel close. Every time he shows signs of leaving her side, she winces or lets out a small cry, and he stays. His attentiveness towards her scares me; what if his feeling