The evening sun spilled warm gold through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the living room. Caroline sat on the couch, flipping through a magazine. Her eyes lifted as the front door creaked open. Vicky stepped in, his face calm but his eyes… stormy. He walked over and sat beside her, dragging a tired hand through his hair before letting out a deep sigh.
"Mum, what are you doing out here? I told you not to put too much stress on your leg," he said gently.
Without looking up from the magazine, Caroline replied, "And why do you care? These days you barely remember I'm even here. You come and go as you please."
Vicky let out another sigh. Slowly, he placed an arm around her shoulder. "Mum… a lot's been going on. I'm trying to keep it together, but I feel lost."
Caroline didn't respond, but the tension in her body softened slightly.
After a brief pause, Vicky murmured, "I proposed to Mirabel."
Caroline's head snapped up. Her entire face lit up. "Oh my God, Vicky! That's wonderful news!" She threw her arms around him. "Finally! I just knew she'd say yes!"
He smiled, but it was faint—forced. Caroline sat back and studied him more closely.
"Wait… what's wrong?" she asked, her tone shifting from joy to concern. "Look, I'm not mad, alright? I was just worried. You disappeared that night, and then left again without a word. I didn't know what was going on. But hearing this just now… it eased my heart. I'm really happy for you." But the excitement in her voice faded as she noticed the weight still sitting in his eyes. She shifted closer, her voice soft.
"Son… aren't you happy?"
"I don't know, Mum… I should be happy, right? But now I'm scared. I keep thinking something's going to ruin everything—like I'm going to lose her somehow," Vicky said, his voice low and heavy.
Caroline reached out, placing a gentle hand on his. "It's normal to feel that way, especially when something means so much to you. But you're not losing her—you're marrying her. That's the beginning of something beautiful. So why all this fear?"
Vicky's thoughts drifted—uninvited—to the night with Rose. His chest tightened. He sighed deeply, then looked into his mother's eyes.
"Mum… There's something I need to tell you. Something important."
Caroline gave a nod. "Go on, son. You can tell me anything."
Vicky stood, pacing slowly, gathering courage. "It wasn't easy to get Mirabel's approval. That night… the one I didn't come home…" He hesitated.
"You what?" Caroline asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
"That night… I was with Rose."
"Rose?" Caroline repeated sharply. "What were you doing with Rose that late? How did she even get involved?"
Vicky's heart skipped. Her tone had changed the moment he mentioned Rose. How would she react to the full truth?
"Go on, Vicky," she urged.
He took a breath. "We spent the night talking—just talking. I asked her for advice… about Mirabel. She gave me tips on how to approach her again."
He returned to his seat beside his mother, trying to stay composed.
Caroline's brows furrowed in disbelief. "You spent the whole night with that girl, asking for advice? While your mother—who raised you—is still here? I find that hard to believe."
"No, Mum. It wasn't like that. I didn't plan to stay. I was overwhelmed, confused… I ended up at a hotel. I wasn't thinking clearly."
Caroline narrowed her eyes. "Were you drunk?"
Vicky stammered, "N-no… I wasn't… Not really."
She shook her head, sighing. "I still can't believe you chose her to confide in."
"I'm sorry, Mum… I just—felt stuck. I didn't know who else to turn to at that moment."
Caroline's tone softened. "Well, what's done is done. I'm just happy my son is getting married. That's what matters now." She gently patted his head. "Stay happy, Vicky. Please."
"I will," he whispered.
She stood and walked slowly back to her room, leaving Vicky alone with his thoughts.He bent forward, burying his face in his hands as a silent tear slipped down his cheek.
"Mum… I'm sorry I lied," he muttered. "I don't know how you'd handle the truth… I barely can."
With that, he rose and walked slowly toward his room, the weight of his secret pressing down harder than ever.
The dim light in Rose's hotel room barely reached the corners of the space, casting long shadows across the floor. Her phone buzzed sharply on the table. Lucy's name lit up the screen. Rose sighed, already knowing this wouldn't be a pleasant conversation.
She picked up.
"Rose, what the hell?!" Lucy's voice exploded through the speaker. "You had one job. One chance. And you blew it."
"Lucy, please—" Rose began.
"Don't 'please' me! Do you think I'm an idiot? I just got off the phone with Dianne. They're planning a wedding. A *wedding,* Rose!"
Rose's breath caught. "Wait—did you say wedding?"
"Yes, I did! Your little prince charming is tying the knot. After *everything,* he's still going back to her. You're pathetic."
"I didn't plan anything with you," Rose said coldly, though her fingers trembled against the edge of the table. "I didn't force anything. He was drunk. Things just… happened."
"Spare me the drama. You had your chance. You *let* it slip. You should've made sure that night ruined him—and them. But no, you folded."
Rose sat down slowly on the edge of the bed, her voice quieter now. "Vicky wouldn't marry her without telling her… he's not like that."
"Oh please," Lucy scoffed. "He's doing exactly that. Or maybe he has told her and she still chose him. Either way—you lost. Again."
"But—"
"I don't have time for your whining," Lucy snapped. "You're useless, Rose."
The call ended abruptly.
Rose stared at the screen, then let the phone fall beside her on the bed. Her mind spun.
"A wedding? After what happened? He wouldn't... would he?" she whispered.
Her eyes clouded over. "No, Vicky wouldn't do that to her. Unless… unless he's keeping it from her. Does he really think he can live with that lie?" She lay back on the bed, her thoughts churning. If he hasn't told her… what does he want to do…
The silence in the room thickened as Rose stared at the ceiling, the weight of the night—and what it might cost—settling in around her.