ManyWriters

In my third year of matrimony with Ethan Williams, his former sweetheart unexpectedly resurfaced in our lives, now working as a humble retail assistant.
Ethan, filled with compassion for her unfortunate circumstances, acquired the entire establishment as a "reunion present."
His extravagant act became the talk of our social circle. Meanwhile, I, his spouse, became the subject of ridicule—Mrs. Williams, the naive fool.
I remained silent. Instead, I dispatched a courteous floral arrangement to the newly acquired store. Then, dressed in somber attire, I visited his sibling's final resting place to release my anguish.
"Ethan," I murmured, my tears dampening the stone, "I've discovered a means to escape your brother's grip. Though he shares your gaze, he's a different person entirely."
My words lingered in the silence, laden with sorrow, until a recognizable voice behind me inquired: "What on earth did you just say?"

Graveyard Whispers and Store-Bought Love

The irony wasn't lost on me—my dad was hooked on gambling, while his mom was someone's mistress. Our dysfunctional households drew us together, two damaged kids finding comfort in each other's company.


Before Jared became my neighbor, I was barely getting by. My father would show up every other week, toss $30 on the table, and vanish. I'd use all the cash to buy a bag of rice and rummage through the market for leftover veggies to make thin soup.


I was so skinny and sickly that even the homeless folks looked healthier than me.


That's how I looked when I first encountered Jared. He seemed even worse off than I was.


Jared was the secret child of the rich Williams clan, but his existence didn't improve his mother's situation. Instead, he was viewed as a nuisance, a hurdle to her goals. She left him on the city's edge, forcing him to survive on the meager support the Williams reluctantly provided each month.


Chapter 6