Edna Johnson is a young mother who's had to learn survival the hard way. Abandoned by her parents and betrayed by the man she once loved, she's determined to give her child the love and stability she never had-even if it means standing alone.
Alex L...
Edna's POV —If I shoot at the sun, I may hit a star—
I paced back and forth in the elevator, Peter by my side, as it climbed toward Alex's penthouse. Chris — his ever-polite but insufferably rude chauffeur — had dropped us off earlier, telling me that Alex wouldn't be home until six.
That gave me some time. Enough to get Peter settled. Maybe enough to settle myself. Who was I kidding? I was a bundle of nerves and it wasn't going away anytime soon.
The elevator dinged. I scooped Peter up, not quite comfortable letting him walk through unfamiliar territory. He clutched a Rubik's cube in his small hands, frowning at it in frustration. The move was already affecting him — I could feel it.
I rolled our suitcases into the apartment — two rooms open and waiting for us. Three years ago, I might have been naive, but I wasn't stupid. I was keeping my apartment. The rent was paid for the next six months. I didn't expect this farce with Alex to last longer than that.
I left Peter with his puzzle and dragged his suitcase toward what looked like a guest room. Just as I was unlocking the door, my phone rang. I reached into my pocket and picked up the call.
"Hello?" I answered, balancing the phone on my shoulder.
"You'll be staying in my room. Hope you still remember it. That's where the papers are, after all," Alex's voice boomed through the speaker.
I froze. His voice still had that strange effect on me. Annoying, commanding... familiar.
"I remember it," I replied, my voice smaller than I meant it to be.
"Good," he said. Whether he was pleased I remembered or pleased that I sounded shaken, I couldn't tell. I rolled Peter's suitcase into his room — no, our room now, I supposed — and went back for the second suitcase and Peter himself.
"Come upstairs with me, honey. Let's see your new room, alright?" I said gently.
"Okay," Peter replied with a charming smile that tugged at my heart. So much like his father. It scared me sometimes.
⸻
Alex arrived at the penthouse at around 4 PM, long before the time Chris had given.
Peter had already settled down for a nap by then. We'd had an early lunch — mostly filled with Peter's adorable chatter about how bored he was of home, how excited he was to go to school, and how many friends he hoped to make. Call me overprotective, but I had always considered homeschooling. Maybe that was part of the problem. He was too shy, too withdrawn. Or maybe I was just scared of letting go.
I gave him a bath, tucked him in, and finished unpacking. I even managed a quick shower and change of clothes. By the time Alex walked into the room, I was curled up with a novel, trying to pretend life was still normal.
"I see you're settled," he said, loud enough to startle me out of my world.
"Yeah," I replied quietly.
He handed me a folder. "Prenuptial and marriage contract." "You can read it if you want," he added coolly. "I'm not changing anything, and I think you know you don't have a choice."
I didn't even blink. I took the pen from him and signed. What was the point? The sooner this charade began, the sooner it could end.
"Done." I handed the papers back.
"I made dinner. If you're interested," he added, almost as an afterthought. But I wasn't staying to listen. I walked away.
Alex had a way of getting under my skin like no one else. It was like I was a toy he could wind up and set spinning, watching from a distance. I just wanted peace, and it felt like I was further from it than ever.
Still... maybe this was the chance I needed. To prove he was wrong. To prove I wasn't the villain in his story. To make him realize what he lost the moment he walked away from me without even hearing my side.
The world had turned its back on me once. I wasn't going to let it happen again.
I had to do this. For Peter. For myself. And for my sanity — because honestly, I was losing it.
And Alex? He was not helping.
⸻
If you've enjoyed our stories or believe in supporting young creators, please consider donating. Every little bit helps — even $1 makes a difference!
Thank you so much for helping us keep our dream alive. 💛
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
