Oliver was still asleep when my lashes fluttered, and I found his arms loosely around me. I didn't want to wake him up; he looked too cute. It wasn't morning yet; I'd say four a.m. at best.I smiled, reminiscing about yesterday's memories and being pleased with them. It felt like old times, unable to keep our hands off each other. My hand trailed over the necklace on my neck, and my stomach fluttered happily. It was the best birthday I ever had, and coming home with him made it even better.He snored lightly, and I glanced at him.My boyfriend.That term felt strange. He was once my boyfriend, then my husband, and then became a stranger, but we have come a long way together. I appreciated every step and every turn that brought us here now. I wouldn't trade it for anything else."You're already awake." Oliver's hoarse voice made me shiver, and goosebumps erupted over my skin."I am." I stared up at him with a smile. "You're awake now, too.""Yeah, because you were no longer asleep." Hi

Nina finally went public with her abuse after three weeks of healing silently. She had acquired all the CCTV DVR a day after escaping by reaching out to Ferdinand, the security man, who agreed to help immediately after learning what she needed. With Eddie still unconscious and in the hospital then, there was the assurance the tapes hadn't been tampered with yet, and thus, it made it the best time to act. Eddie's recovery had been slow, but he was out of the hospital and back home. He had avoided the spotlight and refrained from speaking to the press about his attack.Once everything was in place, Nina made her move and also announced that she was getting a divorce from him, and this was a long time coming. She expressed the pain, shame, and guilt she felt while she went through three years of the psychological nightmare she called marriage. She was also filing for sole custody of Jesse. Eddie had never been a part of parenting him since birth, and she had carried all the responsibilit

“You will be alright without me, right?” I asked Marcel one last time, even though he had given me the answer more than three times already. In my defence, this was my first time leaving Ocean's side for the weekend since we returned to the States. Marcel told me he would care for his grandson while I was gone. I believed him, but a tiny part of me felt uncertain. When I became a mother, my needs and desires became secondary compared to those of my son, and this would be the first time I’d put myself first. Marcel encouraged it, though, and advised me to do it often. He insisted being a mother was a part of who I was and not who I was. “I told you. He will be fine. Ocean has more fun without you anyway.” He replied. Benjamin walked over, picked up my bag, and walked out with it. I kissed Marcel on the cheek before stooping and kissing Ocean’s hair. “Call me if anything comes up.” “Nothing is going to come up.” He replied confidently, “Go now; you do not want to keep your boyf

The following day was Sunday, and Oliver invited me to the church he had frequented this past year. I agreed, and we bathed and drove over at 9 a.m. to join the service. I haven't been to a church in months, but being here was enjoyable. After the service ended, we grabbed food from the only open restaurant as we drove home.We ate after coming home, easing our hunger and regaining our strength. Oliver asked if I was up for one more outing, and when I said yes, he told me the outing time was 4 p.m. today. The weekend getaway had been great, and I knew it would only get better.I spent the rest of the day reading The Happy Place by Emily Henry. Oliver spent a longer time on his phone, and this time, unlike yesterday, he placed multiple calls and only came to sit beside me when it was almost time to go out. I didn't ask what was up because he would tell me when the time was right."Do you have a specific place in mind, or are you about to take me hiking around the city?" I cocked a brow