Quinn sat on the couch in the living room, gently rocking baby Eric back and forth in her arms. His tiny hands waved as he gurgled softly, his bright eyes shining with innocence. She traced a finger across his cheek, smiling as he cooed in response. She had always admired the way Ivan and Eva seemed so at ease in their new roles as parents, embracing the changes with grace and love. But today, her mind was elsewhere.She glanced at Eva, who was bustling in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the family. The aroma of freshly chopped vegetables and sizzling chicken wafted through the air, creating a sense of warmth and comfort. Despite the coziness surrounding her, Quinn’s thoughts were clouded by recent events, specifically, the distance Harrison had put between them since that fateful night.“He just needs time, Quinn. He’ll come around,” Eva had said earlier when Quinn confided in her about Harrison’s behavior. Quinn nodded absentmindedly, still playing with baby Eric’s tiny fingers
Quinn had been restless since she noticed Harrison’s shift in behavior. She could no longer ignore the feeling in her gut that something was wrong. So, when she spotted the man slipping into the darkness behind an abandoned house late that evening, she did the only thing she could think of. She followed him. Overgrown bushes and trees cast shadows, and the house itself looked like it had not been lived in for years. It sat in silence, covered in darkness, save for the faint glow of the moonlight.She pushed through the rusted iron gate and made her way to the front door. It creaked open without resistance, as if welcoming her into its abode. She stepped inside cautiously, eyes scanning every corner of the space, half expecting something or someone to jump out at her.Jacob stood in the center of the room, his figure illuminated just enough by the light streaming down from the window. He turned, his eyes narrowing slightly as she approached.“Quinn,” he greeted, his voice a low mu
Quinn’s heart felt like it had been shattered into a thousand pieces as she sped away from Harrison’s office. The images, the recordings, Jacob’s smug grin...everything played on repeat in her mind. Harrison’s face as she confronted him was burned into her memory, and it only deepened her pain. How could he have kept something like this from her? How could he have betrayed her trust so completely?When she finally pulled into Ivan’s house, she barely had the strength to get out of the car. She didn’t even need to knock before the door flew open, revealing Ivan’s concerned face. He must have known something was wrong the moment she locked herself up all night.“Princess,” he mouthed, his eyes scanning her tear-streaked face. “What happened?”Quinn’s composure broke as she launched herself into his arms, sobs racking her body. Ivan held her tight, his jaw clenched in silent fury. Whatever had caused this, he knew it had something to do with Harrison. His mind raced, imagining a hund
Harrison sat in the dark, his hands buried in his hair as he stared at the blinking phone screen. Quinn’s voice replayed in his mind, cold and distant.“Never call me again.”The four words had shattered him, and now he felt the pang of every secret he had kept from her. Jasmine stood beside him, her expression torn between anger and pity.“It’s not the end of the world, Harrison,” Jasmine murmured, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. “Quinn is angry, but if you explain—”“Explain?” Harrison cut her off, his voice laced with a bitterness that surprised even himself. “Explain what, Jasmine? That I’m a coward who let Jacob control me? That I was too scared to tell the woman I love about something that could destroy her trust in me forever?”Jasmine’s gaze softened. “It wasn’t your fault, Harrison. What happened to Stella and the baby was an accident. You know that. She knows that.”“But she doesn’t know!” Harrison exclaimed, his frustration spilling over. He stood abruptly, kn
Harrison sat in the dark, his hands buried in his hair as he stared at the blinking phone screen. Quinn’s voice replayed in his mind, cold and distant.“Never call me again.”The four words had shattered him, and now he felt the pang of every secret he had kept from her. Jasmine stood beside him, her expression torn between anger and pity.“It’s not the end of the world, Harrison,” Jasmine murmured, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. “Quinn is angry, but if you explain—”“Explain?” Harrison cut her off, his voice laced with a bitterness that surprised even himself. “Explain what, Jasmine? That I’m a coward who let Jacob control me? That I was too scared to tell the woman I love about something that could destroy her trust in me forever?”Jasmine’s gaze softened. “It wasn’t your fault, Harrison. What happened to Stella and the baby was an accident. You know that. She knows that.”“But she doesn’t know!” Harrison exclaimed, his frustration spilling over. He stood abruptly, kn
Harrison paced back and forth in his apartment, his phone gripped tightly in his hand. He had tried calling Quinn multiple times, only to be met with silence. Each unanswered call, each unread message fueled his frustration. He couldn’t get through to Ivan either. Everyone seemed to have locked him out. The only person he could think of now, the only one who might listen was Eva.His finger moved over her number. He knew calling her was risky. She was, after all, Ivan’s wife. But he was desperate. He needed someone to hear him out before everything goes out of control.Taking a deep breath, he pressed the call button. The phone rang twice before he heard her soft voice on the other end.“Harrison?” Eva sounded surprised. “Is everything okay?”“Eva, please—I need to see you,” he blurted out, his voice laced with desperation. “Just for a few minutes. It’s important.”She hesitated, her silence making him worried. “I don’t know, Harrison. Ivan wouldn’t like it if he found out we met.”
The drive to Quinn’s secluded apartment was silent. Ivan’s eyes stayed locked on the road, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. Beside him, Eva cradled baby Eric, her gaze drifting between the passing scenery and her husband’s hardened profile. Harrison, unbeknownst to Ivan, had followed secretly from a distance. He trailed their car cautiously, never letting it out of his sight.Quinn’s apartment was a small cottage, nestled in a deserted outskirt of the city. It was the perfect hideaway, but the isolation only made her feel more hurt. It had been almost a week since she had spoken to anyone other than her doctor and Ivan.See was not ready to see anyone, especially not her brother, but she knew they would come sooner or later.When she saw Ivan’s car pull up outside, she took a deep breath, bracing herself for what was sure to be an emotional encounter.“Quinn,” Eva greeted softly as she stepped inside, carrying baby Eric in her arms. She smiled gently, trying to mask h
Harrison’s voice was calm, yet filled with remorse as he recounted the painful memories that had tormented him for years. He hesitated before speaking again, his gaze fixed on the floor, avoiding Quinn’s eyes.“I’ve been carrying this guilt for a long time,” he began quietly, “ever since Stella… I wasn’t ready to be a father. I didn’t know how to deal with the situation or how to support her the way she deserved. I was reckless, neglectful even, and I regret every moment of it.”Quinn remained silent, her expression unreadable. Despite her efforts to maintain her composure, her heart tightened with sympathy and confusion.Harrison took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as if releasing a burden that had been suffocating him. “I remember that day like it was yesterday,” he continued, his voice trembling slightly. “Stella and I had an argument that morning. It wasn’t anything serious, just about trivial things and then she left the house. I didn’t think much of it. I saw her hurry up, head