LOGINMarcus stormed into the living room, phone clutched tightly in his hand, heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of his chest. The warm light from the lamps and the low hum of conversation between his father and Mindy felt jarring against the storm raging inside him. His skin was still prickling from the cool night air on the patio, but the heat of anger burned hotter, pushing him forward.Garrett looked up from the couch, his expression shifting from relaxed to confused in an instant. “Marcus? What’s going on, son? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”Marcus stopped in the middle of the room, breathing hard, chest rising and falling rapidly. “Dad… I have something very interesting I’d like you to listen to.”Garrett’s brow furrowed deeper, setting his coffee cup down on the side table. “What are you talking about? And why do you look like that?”Before Marcus could answer, the patio door burst open behind him. Christine rushed in, her face flushed, eyes wide with panic.
Dinner had already ended, the plates cleared and the table wiped down. The family had moved to the living room for coffee and quiet conversation. The fire in the fireplace crackled softly, casting warm light across the room, but the air felt heavier than it should have.Mindy sat on the couch beside Garrett, Marcus’s father, chatting politely about her fashion work and how she had met Marcus through Henry and Andrea. Garrett was kind, asking genuine questions and laughing at her stories about late-night sewing sessions and chaotic runway shows. Mindy tried to stay engaged, but her eyes kept drifting to Marcus, who was sitting a little seats away, quiet and tense.Marcus had been like that since they sat down for dinner — polite on the surface, but his shoulders were rigid, his responses short. Mindy could see the strain in the way he gripped his coffee mug, the way his gaze kept flicking toward the kitchen door.Then Marcus stood up abruptly. “I need some air,” he muttered, not waitin
The house was larger than Mindy had expected — a sprawling, elegant two-story home with perfectly manicured lawns and a long driveway lined with tall trees. As Marcus parked the car, the engine’s hum faded into silence. “I love you,” he said suddenly, the words slipping out like he couldn’t hold them back any longer.Mindy’s eyes softened. She leaned over and kissed him softly. “I love you too. Now let’s go face the past together.”But Marcus didn’t move.Mindy turned to him, noticing how tightly his hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles pale against the dark leather. “Hey,” she said softly, reaching over to rest her hand on his arm. “We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. We can turn around right now. No questions asked.”Marcus stared at the front door for a long second, jaw clenched so hard the muscle jumped. Then he let out a slow breath and shook his head.“No, I need to see my dad,” he said quietly. “It’s been years. But… thank you. For being here.”Mindy squeezed h
Mindy and Marcus remained in the nursery long after Henry and Andrea had left them locked inside. The initial anger had faded into a heavy, exhausted silence. They had partly finished assembling the last shelf together, working side by side with minimal words, but the tension between them had slowly shifted into something more fragile…something closer to understanding.Marcus finally broke the silence, his voice low. “So they really locked us in here.”Mindy let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Of course they did. Andrea’s been dying to play matchmaker since the breakup. I should’ve known.”Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. “Henry’s been pushing me to talk to you too. Guess they got tired of waiting.”Another beat of silence.Mindy crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. “So… what now? We just stand here until they decide we’ve suffered enough?”Marcus hesitated, then walked over and sat on the floor near the window, back against the wall. “We could finish w
Eleanor and Andrea remained seated in the living room, the fire in the fireplace crackling softly behind them. The tension between them had eased slightly, but it still hung thick in the air like unspoken words waiting to be released. Eleanor sat with perfect posture, her hands folded in her lap, while Andrea tried to appear calm, though her fingers twisted nervously in the fabric of her dress.Eleanor studied her for a long moment before speaking again, her voice quieter now, almost reflective.“I have never seen my son this angry… this defensive… over a woman before,” she said slowly, as if the words themselves surprised her. “The way he spoke to me outside just now, the way he looked at me when I questioned you…I’ve never seen him like that.”Andrea blinked, caught off guard. “Excuse me? What do you mean?”Eleanor let out a small, weary sigh, leaning back in her chair. “When I told him I was struggling to accept you and the baby… he became furious. Very furious. He even threatened
Eleanor stepped back into the living room from the patio, her posture rigid and shoulders squared. She paused when she saw Richard and Andrea still sitting together on the sofa, engaged in what looked like a warm, easy conversation. Her eyes narrowed slightly, lips pressing into a thin line.“Richard,” she said, her voice cool but controlled, “I’d like to speak with Andrea alone, if she doesn’t mind.”Richard glanced at Andrea, clearly hesitant. He studied his wife’s face for a moment, reading the tension there. “Eleanor, I don’t think that’s necessary right now. We were just having a nice talk.”Andrea met Eleanor’s gaze steadily. Despite the knot twisting in her stomach and the way her pulse had quickened, she kept her voice calm. “It’s fine, Mr. Richard. Really. I don’t mind.”Eleanor gave a curt nod. Richard stood up slowly, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on Andrea’s shoulder as he passed. “I’ll be in the study if you need me,” he said quietly, giving her one last encouraging l
Across the city, Henry sat on the couch in the dark penthouse and waiting, wondering where she was. Wondering if she was okay.Neither of them knew where the other was. Both of them needed space but both of them were terrified that the space between them might be too wide to cross. He had turned of
The morning light was soft through the penthouse windows when Andrea woke up with her hand still holding Henry's. She had fallen asleep on the couch sometime after midnight, refusing to leave him alone, afraid that if she let go he might disappear again.She looked at Henry's face while he slept. T
Andrea watched Serena help Henry out of the car and she couldn't stand still anymore.She rushed over to them and reached for Henry. "Here, let me help."Serena immediately moved between them, blocking Andrea's access. She put her hand on Henry's arm protectively."I can do it," Serena said coldly.
Henry woke up at Marcus's house and couldn't stay still.He lay in bed for an hour staring at the ceiling. Then he got up and paced the room. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor. His mind kept circling back to Andrea, even after everything she said to him. He couldn’t stop th







