- Is this what you wanted?
- Is this what you wanted?
Michelle
The rest of the night passes with laughter and anecdotes shared with my friends. Although our boss is a pleasant man, the atmosphere changes when he’s not around. Everything becomes more relaxed, less formal.
‘Someone didn’t want to go,” Vero whispers with a mischievous smile, low enough for only me to hear.
Heat rises to my cheeks. Just imagining that others might hear her insinuations makes me suddenly nervous.
“If he didn’t want to go, he wouldn’t have,” I responded with seeming calm. “Besides, we’re here to have fun.”
Vero shrugs, saying nothing more, but her expression tells me she hasn’t bought my argument.
Around one in the morning, we decided to call it a night and head back. We walked back to our room together, supporting each other while continuing to chat amidst laughter and murmurs. However, as soon as we cross the door to our room, my phone vibrates in my hand.
It’s a message from Dylan.
“Michez… can we talk?”
A second notification tells me he’s waiting for me by the swimming pool area. I reply with a simple “ok,” feeling my heart
pounding.
I put on comfortable clothes and shoes and let Vero know I had to go out. She doesn’t ask anything, just nods with a
knowing gesture.
As I descend in the elevator, nervousness mixes with curiosity. Why does he want to talk to me at this time?
When I arrive, I see him with his back turned, staring at the swimming pool. The water ripples slightly with the night. breeze, reflecting the hotel lights. He seems lost in thought.
“I’m here,” I said gently.
Dylan turns to look at me, and I notice something in his expression: concern. Without saying anything, he gestures to the nearby lounge chairs. I sit next to him, waiting for him to speak.
“Michelle…” he takes a deep breath. “I need to talk to you. I’ve thought a lot about telling you, but I don’t want to stay
silent.”
His tone unsettles me. My body tenses.
“When I was heading to my room, I ran into Ryan. He wasn’t alone.”
His statement hit me like an unexpected blow to the stomach.
“Was he with Blake?” I asked in a low voice, though I already knew the answer.
Dylan nods silently. I stand up immediately, feeling like I need space, like the air is escaping me. I walked a few steps,
trying to calm the trembling in my hands. I took a deep breath before turning back to him.
“Was Candace with them?”
He shakes his head.
Fury surges through me powerfully. I clench my fists and feel the sharp pressure in my head. It’s only been a couple of
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19 is this what you wanted?
days since Ryan and I separated, and he’s already gone on vacation with his lover. And without our daughter.
A hysterical laugh escapes from me before I can control it.
Hahaha… -The sound is so absurd and bitter that I barely recognize myself in it. My chest swells with rage and
helplessness.
“They precisely said they were leaving because Candace was sick. I hesitated to tell you,” Dylan admits cautiously, “but I thought if it were Susy, I wouldn’t want it hidden from me.
I appreciate his honesty. I take a moment to process everything before speaking.
“You have no idea how much I appreciate it,” I told him honestly. I know I can’t do anything right now, but as soon as dawn breaks, I’ll talk to my parents so they can go see her. I’m sure it’s nothing serious.
I saw his face relax slightly. I approached and gave him a hug.
“Thank you for everything, Dylan. I don’t know what I would have done without you. Since we met again you’ve been an
angel to me.”
He gives me a shy smile before we say goodbye. I walked back to my room feeling exhausted, but without a trace of sleep. I hesitated to call my mother, but decided to wait until morning. They usually wake up early, so they’ll be up soon.
With my head still spinning, I unblocked Candace’s number and sent her a message, hoping it wouldn’t bother her.
“Hi, sweetie. I heard you were sick. Take care and I’ll see you very soon. I love you. Mom.”
I send it before I can regret it and keep staring at the screen, as if that could bring me closer to her. I lie back with the
phone on my chest and, hoping she’ll read it, close my eyes.
The effect of alcohol starts to kick in, and gradually, I drift into a restless sleep.
The alarm rings promptly at six in the morning. As soon as I open my eyes, I call my mother. She answers on the first ring.
“Michelle, is something wrong?”
I quickly explained to her what Dylan told me. Without hesitation, she assures me they’ll head out right away to see
Candace.
I sigh. Now, all I can do is wait.
Ryan
It’s just dawn when the doorbell rings insistently, shattering the early morning stillness. Beside me, Blake opened her eyes
in alarm.
“What’s happening? Who’s here at this hour?” she asks sleepily.
I didn’t answer her. I quickly put on my robe and slippers and left the room. I rushed down the stairs, my heart pounding at the possibility of bad news. But when I open the door, what I see leaves me speechless.
“Ryan! What’s wrong with my granddaughter?” Michelle’s father cries out in anguish. His gaze is full of concern, and I immediately understand who must have told him. No doubt, the i***t spoke with my wife. She got alarmed and then called her parents.
“Please, calm down. It’s a false alarm. I tried to reassure them.”
At that moment, my daughter came down the stairs, followed by Blake. Darn!
“Grandpa! Grandma! What are you doing here? “Candace looks at them in surprise.
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10 is this what you wanted?
My former in-laws barely glanced at me before rushing toward their granddaughter.
“My lovely girl! Are you feeling okay?” her grandmother asks in a sweet voice, though her expression remains hardened.
She nods shyly and then turns to me with a smile.
“Daddy! You’re back from your vacation with Aunt Blake too.”
The silence that follows her words is tense. My former in-laws exchange glances, and from their expressions, I understand they know exactly what she means. At that moment, Blake comes down the stairs calmly, with the air of
someone who owns the place.
“Honey, I don’t think this is a good time for a visit,” she says softly, but her tone reveals her displeasure. “If you want to see your granddaughter, you should come at more appropriate times and not interrupt people’s rest.”
My ex-mother-in-law’s expression tightens. Then, she turns to me with a look full of contempt.
“I never imagined my daughter would end up with someone like you,” she spits out with anger. Then she turns to Candace, whose face reflects confusion and sadness. “I never thought Michelle would have an ungrateful daughter. You’re a bad daughter, and if you disown your mother, I disown you as my grandchild. I just hope that when you realize you’ve been blinded by the false glitter of copper, you won’t miss the gold that slipped through your fingers.”
Her husband remains silent, but his posture denotes tension. Then, without waiting for a response, my ex-mother-in-law takes his arm and heads for the door.
“Let’s go, there’s nothing for us here.”
Candace, realizing what’s happening, runs after them, sobbing her heart out. But Blake gently stops her.
“Hold on, sweetheart. Let them leave,” she says softly.
My daughter looks at her without understanding.
“Daddy… why are my grandparents angry?”
She turns to me and clings to my waist. I hug her tightly, trying to reassure her, though I myself feel shaky. Blake rolls her
eyes and silently heads back upstairs.
I take a deep breath and gather my courage.
“Honey, I need to have a word with you,” I say softly, taking her hand and guiding her to the living room.
She sits next to me, her small face showing the distress of what has just happened.
“It’s not the right time, but you need to know. Your mother and I are going to get a divorce. That’s why she left the house. And when the time is right, Blake and I are going to get married. Wasn’t that what you wanted?”
Her eyes well up with tears. She lowers her head and wipes them off the sleeve of her pajamas. My heart aches seeing
her like this.
“This week I’ll talk to my lawyer. He’ll let me know what your mother is requesting, but it’s most likely that she’ll want you to live with her. However, ideally, we would share your time. Would it be okay if you spent some days with me and others with her?”
She doesn’t respond immediately. Uncertainty and pain are reflected in her face. I know deep down she wants to stay with me, but I also know Michelle will do everything possible to prevent it.
Finally, her small, trembling voice breaks the silence.
“Is Aunt Blake going to live with us starting today? Will she be staying in mom’s room?”
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19 is this what you wanted?
Points
I feel a lump in my throat. I know I made a mistake letting Blake convince me. It was a mistake.
“She only stayed last night because she wasn’t feeling well, but I’ll take her to her house in a little while. I’m sorry, sweetheart, for not telling you what was going on earlier.”
Candace nods sadly.
“It’s okay, daddy. I’m going back to my room.”
She stands up and walks toward the stairs. Her silhouette appears small and fragile in the dim light. She’s not the same girl she was yesterday. Her grandmother’s words have left a mark, and I know she’s confused. And the worst part is, I
can’t blame her for it.
I remain there, watching her walk away, with the feeling that I’m making mistake after mistake and that, eventually, karma
will come to collect its due.
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