Song for the mood: Ex's & Oh's by Elle King. A snippet of the lyrics:

I get high, and I love to get low
So the hearts keep breaking, and the heads just roll
You know that's how the story goes

Alistair

A day later

Horseback riding was my therapy.

With all the stress in my life, I needed time alone with Lady Jane, a palomino horse who was a gift from my folks when I was in my teens. Well past her prime these days, the old lady was still my favorite horse on the ranch. I rode at a slower pace, but she still had confidence and pride, pushing for that extra mile.

Nothing was more calming than riding and feeling the freedom of the natural landscape away from the city. Unlike people, horses wanted nothing back. They offered empathy and didn't hold social stigmas, which I learned as a teenager. I knew all about being labeled 'the kid with ADHD'-being rich didn't protect me from a bunch of spoiled shits who picked on the vulnerable in high school.

I occasionally spent time at my childhood home when I wasn't traveling for work, and this afternoon was one of them. I found my solace away from the city, soaking up the sun's rays with Lady Jane.

My mother hugged me tightly when I arrived after work with Damian the next day. I'd come back to destress and go for a ride on my favorite horse again. We sat on the patio and went through old photos before Mom sent my son to help his grandfather with some woodwork. I knew that she planned to drill me with some questions about my personal life.

"How are you, Alistair?" she asked.

"I've been busy with work. We just signed a big contract this morning for a drilling campaign near the Gulf of Mexico."

"Well done," my mother remarked with a nod. She readjusted her hat, which nearly blew off in the gentle fall breeze.

"I'll be in Dubai and London for a few weeks," I said. "Thanks for offering to have Damian stay with you then."

Mom squinted her eyes and pursed her lips. "Damian is my grandson, and I don't trust his mother."

I patted her arm and assured her, "I'm fighting for full custody, but it will take a while."

"You'd better have the best lawyer in town because of that woman..." Mom's voice trailed as she shook her head.

"I'm wiser now."

"I never agreed with your father encouraging you to marry Saira. Her father, Darius, and your dad were business partners, but I suspected that Darius slept with the mafia before he passed away. Saira's worse than her father. She's smarter and she's heartless."

"I know, Mom. I know. That's why I bought The Church from her, remember?"

Mom's eyes glinted cheerfully. "You've got a heart of gold."

"Alistair, you are a handsome man. You are an intelligent man. But you were wrong to sleep with Erin. I know you're sorry, but I don't trust what she's planning next. That baby was no accident on her part. You should have been more careful. She wanted a piece of you, and she has that now."

"I know, Mom. I know that now," I replied. Even in my thirties, my mother had a way of making me feel like a boy-her son.

"She's more dangerous than Saira, I tell you." Mom's deep-green eyes pierced mine.

Anxious thoughts swam in my head, making it difficult to focus as stress started building on my shoulders.

"Alistair, have you taken your medication?"

"I have." Shaking my head, I smiled slightly, watching the gentle wind battle with Mom's hat.

"I just want the best for you because I love you. I hope you will find a woman who you can trust. A woman who is honest and strong in the mind and the heart."

"Vera," I whispered under my breath as I adjusted my sunglasses. She had sent a message earlier, asking how I was doing, and I replied that I was at the ranch.

"Go and see Lady Jane. The grand dame has been expecting you." Mom gave a small grin as she stood up from her seat and walked to the house with her hat tucked under her arm.

***

About an hour later, after going for a ride, I dismounted my horse and gave her the after-ride care she needed. I led Lady Jane toward her stable when I heard a familiar feminine voice call my name.

"Hello, Scotty."

Turning around, I saw a silhouette of a tall, slender figure blocking the sun's low afternoon rays.

"Erin," I responded coldly.

The woman looked fresh in a pair of jeans and a collared shirt unbuttoned just above her breast, revealing a hint of its fullness. Erin was beautiful, no doubt, and I had a weakness for beautiful women.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure. Let me just get Lady Jane settled in her stable. I'll meet you at the house."

"I'll wait for you here, and we can walk back together."

"Sure."

Thirty minutes later, Erin and I strolled down the path toward the main house. The afternoon air started getting chilly, and Erin shivered from the lack of warmth, now that the sun disappeared behind the clouds.

"Scotty, I want to talk about the baby and us," Erin said, putting her hands in her pockets.

"There is no 'us'," I growled, baring my teeth.

She suddenly grabbed my wrist and begged, "Alistair, please! We can still see each other. Oliver doesn't need to know!"

"You lied to me. You said you were on the pill the night we had sex."

"The pill doesn't always-"

"Bullshit!" I shouted, balling my fists. My neck muscles tightened as rage exploded through my body. In moments like this, I struggled to regulate overwhelming emotions. I stopped walking and sighed. "Erin, what are you doing here?"

"I dropped off some baked goods with your mother to make peace with her."

"How did that go?"

"She's still upset."

"How is Oliver?"

"He needs space, but he wants us to stay together. I'm trying, Alistair. I'm trying to love him, but I'm still in love with you."

"Erin, that's enough. I can't love you that way."

"Wait a minute!" Erin exclaimed, gripping my wrist tighter. After staring at me for a few seconds, her lips curled into a sinister smile. "There is someone else in your life."

"Stop," I cautioned, removing her hand from strangling my wrist.

I turned my head away, but my eyes couldn't hide the truth about my feelings for Vera. I closed my eyes and imagined kneeling before her in her naked glory. I felt at peace with a woman who held her ground when the world shook with uncertainty.

"Tell me, darling. Who is she?"

I closed my eyes and sighed, only to feel warm lips on mine. Imagining Vera, I deepened the kiss and pulled the woman into me. However, her fragrance was spicy-a stark contrast from Vera's floral scent, sending me back to reality.

Opening my eyes, I released my embrace from Erin just as I heard someone call my name.

The timing couldn't have been worse. Right then and there, I noticed a woman as she approached the path.

Vera! What the heck was she doing here?

***

Vera

I knew this was a mistake!

After our argument in New York, I decided to give Alistair another chance and check on him. I figured that it was worth a shot.

I thought about how Alistair's anger may have stemmed from feeling out of control or unlovable. Perhaps it was a childhood trauma that triggered him to behave irrationally.

Either way, I wanted a chance for us to talk, so I sent him a text message. He replied, saying he was visiting his parents.

The Scott Residence was easy to find on the Internet. Alistair's parents were interviewed in a recent edition of Homes & Gardens magazine.

Feeling brave, I bit the bullet and drove my new Fiat to the Scott Residence on Orchard Avenue.

Then it happened.

Alistair was French kissing another woman. She was breathtaking like a bikini model, with flowing, dark-brown hair and round puppy-brown eyes.

"Alistair?" I called out, interrupting the lovers' tryst.

"Vera!" Alistair yelped. He cleared his throat and distanced himself from the woman, who turned toward me.

"Hello, Vera," the beauty queen snarled. "I don't believe we've met yet. I'm Erin. Are you one of Scotty's fans? Hmm? You'll need a queue ticket, love."

"It didn't take you long to replace me with someone else," I snapped at Alistair, glaring at the woman.

"Oh, you poor soul! I believe you misunderstand the situation. Scotty never replaced you because he was never yours," Erin mocked.

"Erin, leave her alone!" Alistair defended me.

"You just can't seem to keep your dick in your pants!" I scoffed, shaking my head at him.

"Oh, honey, you're upsetting the baby!" Erin taunted.

I felt all my blood drain out of my body as cold pain shuddered my spine. Words slowly began to form in my mouth. "Wh-what baby?"

"Didn't you know? I'm having Scotty's baby," she announced. She basked in gloating satisfaction while rubbing her nearly flat stomach

"Is that true?" I turned to Alistair, whose face crumpled with guilt. Words failed to come out of his mouth.

"Is it?" I repeated.

"Vera, I'm going to be a father again."

I had to get out of there. Holding both my hands up in defeat, I turned away from the couple and sprinted, as fast as my rapidly beating heart would let me, to my car.

He played you, darling, an eerie voice whispered into my ear as I turned on the ignition.

Alistair had fucked with my heartstrings, snipping each one ruthlessly.

A/N: I hope you're enjoying the story so far. What would you do if you were Vera? Or Alistair?

It takes hours to write a first draft of one chapter and more time later to edit it. It takes minutes to read a chapter and seconds to comment and hit that star ⭐️ 🙏