“Fucking hell, Emily lock the fuck in.” I snapped, my patience thinning to threads. She sat across from me at her desk, clicking her pen like she was trying to drill a hole through the table instead of actually working.
She stared blankly at the stack of paperwork in front of her as if it were written in ancient hieroglyphics. The girl was so incompetently useless it looped back around into being almost tragically funny.
“I am locked in!” she insisted, eyes widening dramatically. “You just don’t understand — he wanted me. I swear I could see it in his eyes. I can fix him. Who cares if he’s a stripper?” She leaned back in her chair with a dreamy sigh, kicking her feet up like she was living in a fantasy instead of risking getting fired.
I rubbed my face so hard I nearly peeled my skin off. “Emily, do your damn work, sis. Please.” I muttered, reaching blindly for my coffee cup like it was the only thing tethering me to reality.
But she didn’t shut up.
“You’re gonna be sooo jealous when I have him giving me head right here while I’m filling out paperwork,” she bragged, swirling her chair and nearly knocking over a lamp.
I just stared at her, horrified. “Jesus Christ… I doubt you’ll even be working here much longer,” I grumbled, taking a long, scalding sip of coffee and praying for death.
Her jaw dropped. “Hey, what the— what’s that supposed to mean?”
Gosh. This girl was so stupid. I didn’t even bother dignifying it with an answer. Instead, I turned my chair away from her and let my eyes soften as they landed on the framed photo sitting on my desk — Noah, smiling wide, cheeks tinted pink, looking like the only piece of peace left in the world.
Just a little longer, I thought. A little more time and I’d retire, disappear into the middle of nowhere with my family, and never deal with idiots like Emily again.
“I saw you at the mall on Sunday,” Emily said suddenly, like she’d just remembered something life-changing. “Didn’t tell me you were sharing that cute lil guy of yours.”
My nails dug into my palms so hard I felt skin break. “Cute.” She called my Noah cute. Only Bella and I get to call him that — she had no right to even let his name touch her mouth.
“Don’t even think about it,” I said flatly, not bothering to look up from the stack of paperwork. My voice dropped dangerously quiet. “Bella’s the only other girl who gets to love him. If you even think about trying to join our family, I’ll break your face in.”
Silence. Thick, suffocating. I didn’t have to look up to know she’d gone stiff, like a cornered animal.
“Alright, alright, calm down,” she muttered, trying to laugh it off, but her voice wavered — I could practically feel her hands shaking. “Was just gonna say it as a joke, nothing else.”
If she said one more word, I was going to make good on every threat I’d ever spoken.
I exhaled slowly, forcing my jaw to unclench. I reached down under my desk and pulled out the lunchbox Noah packed for me this morning — soft blue with little heart stickers he’d put on it himself. My heart softened instantly.
I popped the lid open and took out the chocolate protein shake, the condensation cold against my palm. He always remembered what I liked. Always.
Just holding it made the anger bleed out of me.
Just knowing he loved me was enough to keep me from murdering Emily today.
I expected to hate Bella when I agreed to share. I really did. I thought every second would feel like swallowing glass, like fighting for scraps of affection.
But nothing like that ever happened. She felt like a sister — steady, grounding, someone I could trust with the person I loved most in the world. We got along perfectly, no fights, no tension, nothing but peace. It surprised the hell out of me.
But that was the limit. Two. No more. No third, no outsider, no risk. I trusted Bella — I didn’t trust anyone else on this planet the way I trusted her.
“Elaraaaa, hello?” Emily’s voice cut through my thoughts like nails on glass. She waved her hand in front of my face like some hyperactive toddler.
I didn’t even try to hide the disgust twisting my expression.
“Do your work,” I snapped, stamping a document so hard the desk rattled. I could practically taste how much I wanted her to shut up.
My mind slipped away from this fluorescent-lit hell and drifted back to Noah — to his warm smile, his soft voice calling my name, the way he melted whenever Bella or I pulled him close. I felt my shoulders loosen, a deep sigh leaving my chest.
God, I wanted to go home. I wanted to wrap myself around him and hold him so tight he forgot the world outside existed. I wanted to cover his face in kisses and feel him laugh into my neck. I wanted him drowning in my love, unable to escape even if he tried.
Just thinking about him made my heart ache.
Soon, I told myself.
Soon, I’d be home.
“Is she just like you?” Elara asked as we walked toward the freshly–cleaned house. The windows were open, the lawn was trimmed, even the outside smelled like bleach — guess Bella and her mom finally decided to fix the place up.
“Nah, she’s smarter. I think. I don’t know,” Bella muttered, unlocking the door. We stepped inside and found a woman — mid-forties, sharp jawline, long blonde hair streaked with silver — lounging on the couch with a glass of wine. The second she saw us, she practically jumped up.
“Hi, Ms. Haywood, I’m Elara Miller,” Elara said, extending a polite hand.
Instead of shaking it, Ms. Haywood wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug, their tall frames pressing together. Elara looked stunned for a second before patting her back awkwardly.
“We’re family now. Call me Liz,” she said, pulling away and leaning down to shake my hand next.
“Hello, Noah,” she said warmly — then added with a smirk, “have you been on the pill?”
I let out an awkward laugh, Elara did too, while Bella groaned and covered her face with her hands.
“Mom, please,” Bella sighed.
Liz only grinned wider. “Alright, alright — come eat! I ordered twenty pizzas, so fill up!”
Bella was already halfway to the table, dragging a chair with one hand and grabbing a box with the other. I sat beside her, Elara on my other side, leaving Liz seated directly across from the three of us like she was conducting an interview.
“Eat up, Elara and Bella,” Liz said as she grabbed a slice and pointed it at us like a threat. “I want at least four grandkids.”
I choked on air. Elara turned bright red. Bella froze mid-chew, her eyes wide.
“Mom—” Bella started, voice cracking.
“Four,” Liz repeated, completely serious. “Minimum.”
Bella sighed in defeat but nudged my shoulder with a grin.
“Well, you heard her.”
She wiggled her eyebrows at me, and I just shoved a huge bite of pizza into my mouth to avoid responding. Food was a great excuse to pretend I wasn’t currently dying of embarrassment.
“Give us… hmm… maybe a year or less and we’ll start,” Elara said casually, leaning back in her chair. She tilted her head down toward me and smirked, matching Bella’s mischievous expression perfectly.
“Oh yes!” Liz exclaimed mid-chew, nearly sending a piece of crust flying out. I flinched back instinctively. Bella slid further down her seat like she was trying to disappear.
Liz dabbed her mouth with a napkin and spoke again.
“Will you guys be staying here forever? Or planning to move somewhere else? I’ve noticed more and more women and their men moving to the countryside lately—much safer out there.”
That hit me right in the chest. I couldn’t help smiling, warmth blooming inside me like someone lit a fire behind my ribs.
“That’s actually my dream,” I said after swallowing. “Living in the middle of nowhere, huge quiet house, taking care of my kids, baking, growing food… just peace.” I breathed out like I was already there.
“That’s wonderful,” Liz murmured, and for the first time her voice lost its teasing edge. Her expression softened, her shoulders dropped. “I miss being in love.”
“Sorry for your loss, Ms Haywo— Liz,” Elara said gently, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
Liz nodded, staring down for a moment like she was looking at something no one else could see.
“You’re fine. It’s been a while. You just… have to push through.” She inhaled shakily and forced a small smile. “Hopefully my grandkids put some more bright light back into me.”
Elara smiled softly back, and underneath the table I felt her hand reach for my thigh, squeezing it. Bella mirrored on my other side. I exhaled through my nose, overwhelmed and safe at the same time.
“We won’t disappoint you, I promise, Liz.” I said with a small smile.
She paused for a moment, her eyes softening, and returned it with a warm, genuine smile—the kind that felt like a hug.
“I know you won’t, sweetheart,” she said, voice gentle, almost motherly.
I lifted my slice and took another bite, the melted cheese stretching before snapping. The warmth of it spread through my chest, blending perfectly with the laughter around the table, the clinking plates, the soft hum of the ceiling fan above us.
Life was good—so good it almost felt unreal. Bella leaned her head briefly on my shoulder before grabbing her fifth slice, Elara nudged my knee under the table just to feel me there, and Liz was smiling like hope had finally stopped running from her.
Everything felt right.
Like nothing in the world could touch us.
And I let myself enjoy it.