Jenna POV:
Matthew couldn't bear the thought of losing his ex-wife, especially after he cheated on her. His desperation to cling to her baffled me; he was like a clown begging for attention. But despite all that, I loved him. And love meant standing by his side, even through his pathetic displays.
I secretly hoped Vanessa had found someone new. I wanted to avoid being around him if he ever discovered my lie. My hope was that he'd never find out. My deception was sneaky, designed to keep me out of trouble.
"But you would, and you did. Don't call me a liar, you cheater." I spat, throwing his infidelity in his face.
"Where did you see them?" Damn it.
"At a restaurant."
"Which one?" I cursed again silently.
His curiosity was unnecessary; Vanessa being with someone else had no relevance to him. She was as single as a crisp dollar bill last time I checked, just like Matthew.
"Rusty's." Matthew frequented that place, making it a likely spot for him to take Vanessa.
Meaning that it is a place she would likely visit. It was somewhere I hoped to go with him one day.
"I still don't believe you." He retorted, seething with anger and jealousy. But he had no right to feel that way.
"You don't have to." I shrugged, feigning indifference. "I saw them clear as day."
His trust in Vanessa was faltering due to my words, planting seeds of doubt in his mind. He was worried that someone else might be in the picture.
"She would never. Don't lie about her!" Matthew's intensity increased as he moved closer.
"I'm not." I argued, hands on my hips.
His jealous tendencies were undeniable. He trusted her now, but my words made him uneasy. He was afraid someone else might take his place.
I understood his reaction all too well. I felt the same way when Vanessa's name came up. She had the power to steal him away, even with a child in the mix. But she wouldn't. And that gave me some solace, although my chest still burned with an unfading heat.
It was for the best if Vanessa found someone new. That way, she'd never be able to take Matthew away from me, even if he found out the truth.
"You're lying!" I was, but he didn't need to know that.
He knew she was gone for good, but he still held on. He regretted everything.
"I know what I saw. They held hands and kissed." I insisted, trying to sound convincing.
"Stop lying about my wife! Your words don't match her character." He defended her, rooted in his newfound trust.
But it wasn't always that way. I reminded him that he hadn't always trusted her as he should have, that he wasn't the flawless husband he claimed to be.
"She wasn't cheating, and she'd never do something like that. My mistrust led to my biggest mistake." he stated, staring at me pointedly. "It's my fault. I disrespected our marriage."
"Don't put this on me! I'm not a mistake! Our baby isn't a mistake." I yelled, frustrated by his lingering attachment to Vanessa.
"You are! My decision remains the same. I don't want you, and you're not moving into the house that belongs to me and my wife." His tone remained stern.
"Your ex-wife. You're not married to her anymore, you asshole." I retorted. Didn't he understand that Vanessa didn't want him anymore, and I wanted everything he had?
"I am Vanessa's husband. Vanessa is my wife." He declared, as if he was giving me vital information. He genuinely believed they were still together, which both worried and annoyed me. "Don't ever speak ill of my wife again." He threatened, his tone calm but menacing. Then he walked away.
"You're upset that she's in love with someone else and not you." I yelled after him. He wanted to intimidate me, so I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. I could play the delusion game too.
"What did you just say?" He thundered, his voice low as he strode back to me.
"I said you're angry that Vanessa is in love with someone else and not you." I repeated, defiantly tilting my head.
"She's not you, a gold digger! Don't say that!" He roared, fueled by my words.
"But I will say it. He's probably with her right now, pleasuring her." I remained composed, my gaze unflinching.
If he wanted to play dirty, I could play dirtier. I was cunning, deceitful, and resourceful—I'd get what I wanted.
His grip on my arm tightened, almost causing me to wince. "Remember that the only man who touches my wife is me. I gave her pleasure, and I'll continue to do so." His grip grew tighter, and I gasped in pain.
"You're hurting me." I told him, wishing he would let me go.
"She's not driven by money, sex, or improper like you are. Don't talk about her like that." He snapped, releasing my arm before turning away.
"And you can sleep around all you want. You're single. Just don't put our child at risk." He called back, his fury undeniable. He was probably off to find Vanessa, to check if she was with the imaginary lover I concocted.
"She's probably riding his face right now." I yelled when he was out of earshot.
Rubbing my arm, I winced in pain. I didn't leave right away, instead, I uploaded the pictures I had secretly taken of him paying for everything to Instagram. I also posted the video of the flowers and necklace I'd bought myself, gushing about how Matthew was spoiling me during my pregnancy.
Satisfied, I finally headed into my lonely apartment. I just wanted someone to love me.
He'd regret speaking harshly to me and grabbing me like that.
Let the game begin, Matthew.
Miles POV:
I approached the book desk and sought help from the friendly employee there.
"May I help you find something?" he asked politely.
I shared the list of books Vanessa had recommended, and he swiftly located them for me. I got two copies of each book, intending to have a set for Vanessa and another for myself.
At Bookworms, Bakery, and Blooms, you can create a tab to pay for everything all at once because of the wide range of items they sell. Your tab was written on a bookmark made of seed paper. The bookmarks were supposed to be kept for use and eventually planted to make plants or flowers.
Some of the plants and flowers in my garden are from planting the seed bookmarks I've gotten. I made a tab to charge everything I was going to get today.
I also requested a chess set and gratefully left a tip for the helpful employee who helped me.
The books were carefully placed in eco-friendly tote bags, which I grabbed along with the chess set and went to the bakery section.
Approaching the counter, I ordered French toast for everyone. I got little cups of toppings for everyone, including the toppings Vanessa had mentioned. As I waited, I took the opportunity to type down notes about the colors and scents she liked, wanting to store them in a safe place.
When our food was ready, I carefully carried the trays back to our table. Vanessa was deeply engrossed in reading Percy Jackson, and Pablo had returned from his phone call.
"Miles, you didn't?" Vanessa exclaimed disbelief as I placed her plate of French toast and her books before her.
"I did." I confirmed.
"You didn't have to go through all this trouble." Pablo chimed in, still taking the container of French toast that belonged to him.
"Truly, you shouldn't have." Vanessa added, looking at the books. "Thank you!"
"I wanted to." I asserted, meeting their gazes to convey my sincerity. "It's what friends do."
The relief in Vanessa's eyes was noticeable as she seemed to believe my words. My intention was never romantic interest, but rather to establish a genuine friendship.
I could see how she allowed herself to embrace my gifts once I confirmed my intentions.
They both thanked me. We ate our meal, exchanged conversation and enjoyed each other's company. Eventually, we decided to engage in a game of chess.
We took turns. It was interesting to see how their characteristics showed with how they played.
Pablo's playful and sharp moves contrast with Vanessa's graceful and clever ones.
"Checkmate." Vanessa declared softly, gracefully positioning her white queen beside my black king. Her victory was well-deserved.
"Congratulations! You played brilliantly." I praised her, appreciating her skills. "Thank you for the game."
"Thank you! It was a delightful match." she responded with a polite smile.
"Shall we have another round? No holding back this time?" Vanessa proposed.
"Absolutely." I agreed.
In the subsequent game, my queen managed to corner her king, resulting in my win.
"I had a feeling you were good." Vanessa admitted, her smile growing even brighter. "Good job."
"Thank you." I replied sincerely.
"Why were you holding back before?" she asked curiously.
"I wanted to enjoy the game without any pressure." I admitted honestly.
"You don't need to hold back with us. No pressure, just be yourself." Vanessa encouraged, holding my gaze.
"Very well, Vanessa."
More turns were taken, followed by a brief break. I treated Vanessa to an iced coffee and purchased a bundle of blue and pink hydrangeas, which were carefully wrapped.
"Do you like the Hunger Games?" Vanessa asked, looking over at me.
"I'm a big fan of the series." I affirmed.
"We're going to a Hunger Games Marathon with our families at the AMC. Would you like to join us?" Pablo asked, extending the invitation.
"Absolutely, my schedule is clear." I confirmed, looking at my calendar and finding that I could attend.
We ended up leaving shortly after that, I got a bunch of cinnamon rolls for my family. We loved them and they would kill me if I didn't bring any.
"For my family." I answered, explaining that they were intended for my family when Vanessa and Pablo noticed me carrying it.
"If it's all for you, I wouldn't judge." She joked with a small smile.
"This is a safe space." Pablo jokes, going along with Vanessa.
I gave them each one, promising that they would enjoy them.
With chuckles shared, we headed towards the parking lot. As we walked, Vanessa and I conversed, and Pablo trailed behind us on the phone with his wife.
"I meant to ask earlier, how's residency treating you?" I could see the concern on her face.
Should I be honest or offer the typical answer residents give to spare others from worry?
The longer I hesitated, the more her concern deepened. Her brown eyes waiting to hear my answer.
"It's challenging, Very challenging." I decided to speak truthfully.
"I'm sorry to hear that. You'll get through this and take breaks when you need them." Vanessa's words were encouraging and supportive. "Take deep breaths and take things one step at a time."
"Deep breaths." I repeated back to her.
"Inhale strength, exhale doubt." She told me in an encouraging manner.
I stood shocked for a moment at the profound words she just told me.
"Inhale strength, exhale doubt." I repeated the mantra, finding comfort in the wisdom of her words.
"Yeah, always remember that." She affirmed, knowing how insightful her words were.
"Thank you, Vanessa." I expressed my feelings sincerely. "Thank you for everything. I truly enjoyed getting to know you."
"It was a pleasure getting to know you too." she responded with a smile. "Thank you for today."
"Of course." I replied, meaning every word.
"Promise you'll plant the seeds?" I asked, hopeful.
"I promise." She held out her pinky and I intertwined mine with hers. We smiled at each other.
She shook my hand and gave Pablo a hug before unlocking her car to let Pablo place her stuff inside and saying goodbye.
We watched her get in and drive off.
"Thank you Miles. See you soon." Pablo said goodbye, shaking my hand before leaving himself.
I went home feeling less anxious and burdened about studying.
The atrocious billboard was gone, adding to the positivity of the day. Never underestimate the power of helpful connections, they can take you far.
Later that night, I retrieved my phone, noticing a text from Vanessa containing meditation videos and breathing exercises. A soft smile formed as I sent a message thanking her.
Today was a good day.
Hello readers,
I hope you all liked this chapter. There is a lot to unpack. What stood out? What made you anxious? Excited?
I wish you all happiness, safety, and security.
Thoughts on characters:
Jenna?
Matthew?
Pablo?
Miles?
Vanessa?
Stay tuned lovely readers!