The next morning after both girls left, she took Sparkles to the vet. A little while later, her doctor came to her with the news. “Congratulations,” she said.Helen stared at her poor dog, completely lacking her usual energy, and lying quietly by the corner. Why had it taken her so long to notice it? Her mind went to the previous night and Lily's comment, and she began to shake.They walked out of the clinic and on their way home, she stopped by the grocery store for some milk and berries. On her way to the counter, she passed by the pharmacy and took a deep breath.Sparkles looked up at her, and Helen sent her a shaky smile. “We’ve both been busy haven’t we?” she said. “Should I check myself too?”Sparkles looked away from her, so she took that as her response and started to walk away, but she could only take a few steps. She turned back around, picked up the test kit, and drove away from the store. When she returned home, she spent her time making Sparkles' little bed by the couch
Anna watched with a mix of awe and curiosity as a sleek, black Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up in front of her house. The opulent car's polished exterior gleamed under the soft glow of streetlights, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. Aaron had spared no expense in arranging her transportation to his mansion, and this extravagant choice of vehicle left her speechless.As the chauffeur opened the car door, Anna stepped inside, and the plush leather seats cradled her with the utmost comfort. The interior of the Rolls-Royce oozed sophistication, with wood veneers and accents of chrome that added a touch of modernity to its classic elegance.Upon arrival at Aaron's mansion, Anna was greeted by a sight that took her breath away. The exterior was a testament to grandeur, with well-manicured gardens, intricately designed pathways, and long stretches of perfectly trimmed grass that seemed to stretch on forever. Majestic trees swayed gently in the evening breeze, creating an
Anna returned home from her meeting with Aaron, her mind awash with conflicting emotions. She had moved out of her family house a few weeks before. She had felt she needed to be her person and make her own decisions without her mother's interference.As she stepped into her lavish penthouse apartment, she couldn't help but marvel at the wealth and success that Aaron had acquired since their divorce. The opulent surroundings of her own home seemed less impressive in comparison to the grandeur she had witnessed at his mansion. She wandered through the spacious rooms, taking in the art, the exquisite furnishings, and the breathtaking view of the city skyline. Aaron's world was a stark contrast to the life they had once shared, and it left her both impressed and envious.Anna couldn't help but wonder why Helen, Aaron's former personal assistant and rumored love interest, had left his mansion. She assumed it was because of the scandalous pictures that had circulated online, and a sense
The moment she arrived, Helen headed over to the breakroom in search of a cure for her sleeplessness.She loaded her mug with an unhealthy dose of caffeine and stood in the silence of the room, leaning against a corner with her phone in hand to discourage anyone from speaking to her. She needed this few minutes before the workday began to pull herself together.It didn’t work.“Helen!”She pretended not to hear Alvin's overexcited call, but it was impossible to ignore.“Helen!”She turned to face him, a smile on her face as Alvin walked towards her, and was a bit stunned by how unusually dressed up he looked.He wore a blue suit with a white shirt, complete with a tie, and his usually wild, curly hair was cut short and slicked away from his face.She was confused. “What’s going on?”Alvin beamed at her observation. “I look good right?”“Umm, why are you dressed so formally?”“We have a new boss. In short, this is an entirely new company except we’re keeping our name because we’ll be p
Twenty minutes later, the clouds hovering above her head brought down rain. Helen was on her way up with the Senior Project Manager, Abel, and Henry. And she was the center of attention for her half-dead look and rumpled clothes. She wanted to bury herself in the ground.“Kudos for not taking the day off,” Abel said. “I know how you feel right now. I was with you all through last week. I couldn’t even attend the RFP meeting. Thankfully, I have you to save my ass.”Henry gave him a hard look and so did she, but she couldn’t show her contempt for him outrightly since he was above me. She, however, allowed her mind to vent enough to say exactly what it wanted to. Well, fuck him for not taking the initiative to let her remain at her desk. They arrived at the VP’s office and were invited to sit in his little lounge area. Henry and the rest took their seats, while Helen stood by the corner.“Sorry for the inconvenience, but I have a lunch meeting with the CEO in a few minutes and couldn’
He stood there, silently observing her, and her appearance was nothing short of miserable. At that moment, it felt as though the entire world had ceased to exist. His heart raced, and he struggled to maintain his composure. The Chief Medical Officer continued to speak to him, his words a distant hum in the background as all he could manage were polite smiles and nods. Then, the door to the room swung open, and her team emerged. Surprisingly, she wasn't among them, and a wave of relief washed over him.The prospect of meeting her again was unsettling, for it meant that she held the power to determine their next encounter. Given their complicated history, he didn't anticipate her being as enthusiastic about their reunion as he was. There were so many things he wanted to learn about her, and he had traveled a long way just to be near her. If she didn't make an effort to meet him, it would be a disappointment.Contemplating meeting her halfway, he grappled with the notion that his prid
Helen headed straight to the bathroom in a daze. She needed a minute to herself to process what had just happened, or even thirty seconds but knew she wouldn’t be able to get it. Alvin came after her and although she tried to increase her pace as quickly as she could without flat-out running, his long legs and shrill voice called out to her. “Helen! Helen!”She turned around to face him. He withdrew with a hiss of breath through his teeth. His reaction crushed her even more and brought tears to her eyes. Aaron had seen her this way! For the first time in more than a month, they were seeing each other again, and she looked like a homeless stray cat. She wanted to bury herself in the ground.“You met the new CEO?” He asked excitedly. “How was he?Does this mean no one else from their team had gotten to meet him?, She wondered. “I didn’t meet him,” she replied. “I just ran into him on the way down from the VP’s office. They’re going to have lunch.”“Oh, alright then,” he said. “He’s su
The next day, she went to work prepared. She vowed to look her best. Her outfit was a real green pantsuit and a white shirt that came straight from the dry cleaners. Her hair was in a fancy chignon, that she had only ever been able to pull off at two other times in her lifetime, and her makeup, although simple, was rosy and adequate to show she was back from the dead.There wasn’t any doubt that she would meet him today, and when she did, she intended to be in the best possible state she could be in. She had no clue how their conversation would go, but she did know the only question she had for him.What the hell was he doing here?Later that morning however, she watched as Alvin was called from his cubicle across from hers, and requested to go up to the executive floor. He stared at me, now back to his usual casual attire of dark jeans and a dress shirt, his eyes widening with horror and disappointment. “I’m not ready,” he mouthed to her.Neither was she, for whatever was happening r