Married to a retired playboy

ross her bed. Sunday had arrived, and with it, Vanessa's familiar routine.

to the park etched in her muscle memory. As she pounded the pavement, the rhythm of h

r room into a haven of order. Clothes were folded and tucked away, and books were neatly s

had accumulated like untended weeds during the busy workweek. One by one, they we

e liked photos and exchanged quick comments. A text message pinged on her phone – it was Carolyn, no doubt eager to catch up o

o the delusional world of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, the timeless tale that balms her broken heart. As she devoured chapter after

ed, shattering the tranquility. An unwelcome text notification pulsed on the screen, the sender's

itating message she'd ever received. She opted to ignore it, hoping it was some sort of wrong nu

y doll?" the seco

itation. "First, stop calling me baby doll," s

rying to hurt my feelings on purpo

yourself or should I just block you," Van

rough her. "Vanessa Caleb.

on dawned on her – he must have gone through

cy," she texted back, her voice laced w

. "Curiosity. Or confirmatio

his violation, Vanessa cut to t

hould know I can't wait to see you." Another text follow

A chance to confront him, to get her purse back. With a steely resol

e me, baby doll," Darryl's s

ined my peaceful afternoon, Darryl,"

doll," Darryl replied

ested in his messages. Her peaceful Sunday was shatte

sa wasn't about to let that stop her from putting on a good show. The fluorescent light from the ceiling cast long shadows across the clothes crammed onto the ra

ht her eye. Relief washed over her as she pulled out a knee-length gown, the fabric shimmering like a captured forest. This wasn't just a

family and married into another wealthy family while she is from a humble background. Yet, their bond had transcended backgrounds, a testament to t

ently splurged on peeked out from under a pile of boots, their metallic sheen a perfect match for t

the night held, she would face it head-on, looking like a million bucks, even if her dat