Tumbling Emotions

Veronica Hart adjusted her pearl earring in the mirror, her fingers trembling as they brushed against her collarbone. The gala lights glimmered behind her, casting golden specks across the marble vanity of the Larkson estate powder room.

Tonight was supposed to be perfect-the night her husband, Fred, finally received his long-awaited promotion at Larkson Corporation. But her smile had cracked the moment she saw the message flash on his locked phone.

> "Last night was unforgettable. You still taste like sweet wine. – Jane"

Her breath had caught in her throat.Three years of marriage. Countless sacrifices. And still, she was the one who was left in the shadows of someone else's secrets.

---

The papers of divorce were filed three days later.This because Fred have been cheat her with different women.She has caught him a few times having affair with other women.

When Veronica filed for the divorce,Fred didn't fight it. He didn't apologize either-just signed where the lawyer told him to, packed a suitcase, and left behind only his cologne lingering in the closet. Veronica didn't shed another tear. Not for him.

The house felt emptier without his lies echoing through the halls.

Weeks passed in a blur of court appointments and awkward small talk from well-meaning friends. Veronica threw herself into work and pretended she was okay. But each night, the silence whispered louder.

Then came Friday.

The bar was dimly lit, with warm wood panels and a jazz trio crooning somewhere in the back. Veronica ordered a whiskey neat-something stronger than her usual sauvignon blanc-and tried not to think about how lonely she felt.

That's when she saw him.

Kelvin.

Tall, broad-shouldered, with a good smile that looked like it had seen trouble-and survived it. He bought her a drink. She let him. They talked. He made her laugh. She let herself forget.

Just for one night.

In the quiet haze of early morning, tangled in unfamiliar sheets, Veronica stared at the ceiling and exhaled. It wasn't love. It wasn't even comfort. But it was something. A moment reclaimed. A sliver of herself she thought Fred had taken for good.

Kelvin stirred beside her, murmured something about coffee. Veronica smiled faintly.

For the first time in weeks, her heart didn't feel like glass. It felt... alive.

---

The morning after drifted into a slow, golden Saturday. Veronica found herself in Kelvin's kitchen, wrapped in one of his oversized shirts, sipping coffee while he scrambled eggs like it was the most natural thing in the world. She didn't expect comfort. And yet-it was there, wrapped in the steam curling from her mug and the quiet hum of morning jazz on the speaker.

It wasn't until the third date that the truth unraveled.

They were sharing a bottle of red wine on his penthouse balcony, the skyline flickering behind them, when Kelvin mentioned his last name.

"Larkson."

The word hit her like a punch to the ribs.

She froze, glass halfway to her lips. "Larkson?" she echoed, trying to keep her voice even. "As in... Fred Larkson?"

Kelvin blinked, surprised. "Yeah. Fred's my cousin. You know him?"

Her stomach twisted. Of all the bars in all the cities...

She stood abruptly, panic clawing up her spine. She thought she'd escaped that name, that legacy. But it was right here, in front of her, wearing a crooked smile and looking at her like she hung the moon.

"I-I need some air," she stammered, stepping away from the balcony edge.

Kelvin followed her inside, concern etched across his features. "Hey, Veronica, talk to me. What's going on?"

She turned to face him, eyes wide and uncertain. "I was married to Fred."

Silence.

Something flickered behind Kelvin's eyes, then softened. "Damn. That explains... a lot."

Veronica waited for the shift-the judgment, the withdrawal, the distance. But it never came.

Instead, Kelvin stepped closer. "I'm not Fred," he said quietly. "Trust me, we're barely even alike. I've made mistakes-hell, too many-but I'm not going to hurt you."

And strangely, she believed him.

Over the next few weeks, Kelvin proved it. He didn't push, didn't demand. He listened. He showed up. He laughed with her when she needed light, held her when she felt hollow. Beneath the sleek charm and billionaire bravado, he was gentle, attentive-honest.

He saw something in her she hadn't seen in herself in years. Potential. Power. Passion. He encouraged her when she mentioned starting her own interior design business. "Do it," he said without hesitation. "I'll back you. Every step."

Veronica blinked, overwhelmed by the quiet sincerity in his tone. "You'd do that?"

He smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I'd do anything that helps you shine."

Her charming blue eyes held his gaze a little longer than before. And something shifted in Kelvin.

He didn't want to sleep around anymore. He didn't want late-night parties or empty flings. He wanted her-this version of her that was fierce, broken, rebuilding. He wanted to earn her trust, not just her touch.

Every time she smiled, he worked harder. Every time she doubted herself, he reminded her who she was. And slowly, the man who once lived off indulgence began choosing discipline. Choosing purpose. Choosing her.

---

Back in Veronica's home were she rented, silence greeted her. She didn't ask where Fred had gone after the gala. She didn't want to know. Instead, she poured herself a glass of wine, drew a hot bath, and let the tears she'd held back soak into the steam.

One hour later,knock at the door startled her.

"Miss Veronica?" The doorman's voice echoed through the intercom. "There's a visitor here. Says he's family."

Veronica frowned. "Family?"

She descended the stairs in her silk robe, her hair still damp. When she opened the door, standing before her was a man she have already began to fall in love with.

"Kelvin Larkson," shee said with smile that was mixed with a fear of being Fred's cousin.She allowed him in.

Over two glasses of scotch and a flickering fireplace, Kelvin revealed things that made her skin crawl.

"I came to warn you," he said, voice low. "Fred's not who you think he is. He's been hiding things. Not just from you. From everyone."

Veronica, half-skeptical, half-spiraling, pushed for more. Kelvin hesitated. Then, one sentence shattered the rest of her defenses.