A Night of Despair

**Charlotte's POV**

The silence of the mansion at night always felt denser, more suffocating. Every sound amplified in the empty corridors, echoing through the walls like a constant reminder of the emptiness that had settled into my life. I was back in the house that had once been my home, but now it was nothing more than a gilded prison, with invisible chains binding me to a fate I couldn’t escape.

The bed, where I should have found rest, had become a place of torture. Every night, sleep refused to come, and I lay there, motionless, listening to the sounds around me, trying to ignore the growing emptiness in my chest. The twins, still safe inside me, were my only company, the only reason I continued to fight against the tide of despair threatening to drown me.

But there was something else that made those nights even more unbearable: the fact that, despite everything, I was still in love with Richard. That love, which had once been my strength, was now the source of almost unbearable pain. I hated myself for still feeling anything for him, for still desiring a man who had betrayed me in so many ways. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t erase these feelings from my heart.

It was on one of those nights that I heard the sounds that would change everything.

I was lying down, trying to find a position that eased the discomfort of my advanced pregnancy when muffled sounds began to come from across the corridor. At first, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, that the noises were a figment of my tormented imagination. But as time passed, the sounds became clearer, more unmistakable.

The sound of heavy breathing, muffled moans, bodies moving together with desperate urgency. My heart started to beat faster, and a sense of nausea settled in my stomach. I knew exactly what I was hearing. Richard and Vanessa.

The reality of the situation hit me like a punch to the stomach. Richard, the man who had promised to protect me, who was supposed to be my partner, was at that moment in the arms of another woman, in the same house where I lay. The betrayal, which I knew was happening but had never witnessed so clearly, was now undeniable. They were together, physically, while I remained alone, invisible.

I tried to ignore it, tried to block out the sounds by covering my ears, but it was impossible. Every moan, every sigh that escaped from their room seemed to pierce my soul, reminding me that I was nothing more than a disposable piece to Richard. During the seven months I had been pregnant, he never touched me, never showed the slightest sign of affection or care. He had discarded me as soon as he found out I was carrying his children, leaving me at the mercy of Vanessa and her manipulations.

The pain and humiliation I felt at that moment were almost unbearable. I had never felt so betrayed, so worthless. Richard had used me, discarded me, and was now enjoying his life with Vanessa while I was left to suffer alone, waiting for the birth of the children he so desperately wanted.

But what made it all even more painful was the fact that, despite all the cruelty, all the manipulation, I still loved him. This love that should no longer exist, that I should have destroyed within myself, was still there, burning silently. I wanted to hate him, to forget that he had ever meant anything to me, but my heart refused to obey. And that was tearing me apart inside.

Tears began to silently roll down my cheeks as I remained still, powerless to do anything but endure. I wondered how my life had come to this, how I had lost so much of myself, of my dignity, of my power.

But at the same time, something inside me began to change. The pain I felt began to transform into something deeper, darker. I realized that I could no longer continue like this, that I needed to find a way to escape this emotional prison before it completely destroyed me. Richard and Vanessa might have control now, but I couldn’t let them win, not truly.

As the sounds from the other room finally ceased, and the mansion fell back into oppressive silence, I made a decision. I would survive this, not just for myself, but for my children. I would protect them at any cost, even if it meant enduring the pain and humiliation for a while longer. But eventually, I would find a way to turn the tables, to reclaim my life.

And so, that night, as the tears dried on my face, a new determination began to grow within me. I didn’t know how or when, but I knew the moment to act would come. And when it did, I would be ready to do whatever it took to escape this prison, to protect my children, and finally, to free myself from Richard and Vanessa forever.

But until then, I would have to endure. I would have to be strong. Because deep down, I knew this battle was just beginning.

**Richard's POV**

The silence of the night was broken only by the rhythmic sound of our breathing, as Vanessa rested beside me, her body still warm and damp against mine. For a moment, I allowed myself to close my eyes and simply feel, trying to push away the guilt and confusion that haunted me.

Vanessa was everything I needed at that moment: passion, control, an escape from the reality that was becoming increasingly unbearable. She knew how to make me forget, how to help me bury the worries that pursued me at every moment. But deep down, I knew this illusion of relief was only temporary.

Charlotte was on the other side of the corridor, carrying the children who should have been the center of my life. And yet, every time I thought of her, it was as if a barrier rose within me, a resistance I couldn’t fully understand. I never touched her after I learned of the pregnancy, and it wasn’t for lack of desire. It was something deeper, something I couldn’t name, but that kept me away.

As I stared at the ceiling, feeling Vanessa settle beside me, a part of me knew that Charlotte was listening. Knew that in the silence of her room, every sound that escaped from our bodies was a knife stabbing into her heart. And for a brief second, I felt something that could be described as remorse. But I quickly pushed that feeling aside, burying it where it couldn’t affect me.

I needed to maintain control. Over Charlotte, over the situation, over myself. Vanessa was a way to do that, to remind me that I was in charge, that everything was going as planned. But despite that, there was something about Charlotte that always slipped away from me, something I couldn’t fully subdue. And that irritated me, made me uneasy.

As Vanessa began to drift off to sleep beside me, my thoughts returned to Charlotte. I knew she was in love with me, even if she had never said it. And that passion, which should have been a victory, made me uncomfortable. Maybe because, on some level, I knew I didn’t deserve that love. That what I was doing to her, what I was doing to myself, was wrong.

But it was too late to turn back. I had made my decisions, and now I had to live with them. Even if it meant continuing to hurt Charlotte, continuing to deceive myself with the illusion that everything was under control.

And so, as the mansion’s silence settled around us once more, I closed my eyes and tried, once again, to find some solace in the darkness.