Urban Romance

Keanu strode over, holding our son in his arms. Several high-ranking executives in sharp suits followed right behind him.

All at once, the way people looked at me changed. After their initial shock, their eyes filled with flattery and envy.

Diane’s face grew stormy. She looked like she’d sooner die than believe I would marry someone as high-status as Keanu. Her lips moved, but she was so stunned, she couldn’t get a single word out.

Eric was thunderstruck. He froze, his knees buckling as he almost lost his balance.

He stared at both Keanu and me, his eyes darting back and forth. The man who’d always seemed unshakable now looked like he might cry. His voice was choked with emotion.

“Vivian, what did he just call you?”

He wouldn’t look away from me. His eyes brimmed with hurt, like I’d left him all alone in the world.

Right in front of him, I took Keanu’s arm and said, clear and stea

“Daddy just scared him, that’s all.”

Keanu joked to lighten the mood, then turned to me with a boyish grin.

“So, am I way better than him or what?”

He made me laugh.

“Not fit to shine your shoes.”

As I said that, I leaned closer against him on purpose.

Keanu tried to hold back his smile, but the joy at his lips gave him away.

Not wanting Eric to mess up our happiness, I quickly changed the subject.

“Are you mom feeling any better?”

Our son jumped in right away.

“Grandma’s still in the hospital. Daddy saw the news and dropped everything to rush back overnight.”

“Grandma said to trust Mommy, because Mommy always knows what to do.”

“But Daddy was worried and said he was scared you’d run off with someone else.”

Our son was such a little messenger, repeating everything he heard.

He looked up at me, eyes bright with curiosity.

“Mommy, are you really going to run away with someon

I didn’t take Eric’s strangely confident words to heart.

I blocked him on my phone, every social media account, and every messaging app I had.

I never expected to run into the last person I wanted to see at a charity gala.

Diane Carter sat in her wheelchair, still looking regal and refined.

When she saw me, her maid pushed her right over.

We stood alone in a quiet corner. She leaned in, her voice so low no one else could hear—just like when she used to humiliate me at twenty, she was ready to do it all over again.

“Still playing hard to get, are you? What a joke!” She sneered.

“Stop pretending. You only came here to get my son’s attention!”

She looked me up and down with nothing but disdain.

“I’ll say it again. Someone like you will never be more than a plaything for my son!”

Her next words were knives. “Don’t forget, years ago, Eric made you take an entire bottle of that stuff—forced you to drink it all, didn’t he!”

“That drug means you’ll never have kids. Now I just let him be obsessed with you—once he’s bored, he’ll see a useless woman like you isn’t worth anything!”

Ten years ago, I didn’t just almost lose my chance to ever have children—I nearly died.

When he found out I was pregnant with his rival’s child, he was frantic—crying, desperate—and forced me to swallow those pills that would end the pregnancy.

Back then, he said, “As long as you don’t have this baby, I’ll make myself keep loving you.”

“I’m giving you a chance to fix this. Just listen to me, be good and take the pills.”

What he didn’t know was, I wanted this child gone even more than he did.

I refused the pills—not because I wanted to keep the baby, but because his mother had switched them out and doubled the dose.

Eric saw me resist and decided I must have cheated on him and fallen for his rival—that’s why I didn’t want the pills. That’s what he thought.

That day, I lay on the floor, writhing in agony as blood slowly spread across the carpet.

And when Angela called Eric to take her for a pregnancy check, he left me alone in that room.

He’ll never know I almost died because of him.

Diane’s mocking laugh snapped me back to reality.

Anger burned in my throat—I couldn’t swallow it down. I raised my hand and slapped her, right there for everyone to see.

“Having a mother like you is a disgrace for Eric Carter!”

Diane’s furious expression changed in a heartbeat. She covered her cheek, tears springing to her eyes as she wailed, “I know I was wrong to stand in your way before.”

“I’m truly sorry. I hope you and Eric can be together.”

“If it’ll make you feel better, hit me as much as you want.”

Her crying and my slap drew everyone’s attention, just as Eric rushed over.

He reached for me, trying to hold me close. “You came here to see me—that’s all I could ever want.”

“Vivian, can you just give me and my mom a little respect in front of all these people? Do whatever you want once we’re home.”

His voice was soft, just for me.

I stepped away, cold and distant. “Eric Carter, keep your mother on a leash!”

“If this happens again, it won’t just be a slap!”

My words annoyed the onlookers.

“That girl sure talks tough—she even hit and scolded an elder. She must have no manners at all!”

The one speaking didn’t know me, but I recognized him—a hanger-on for the Carter family, always trying to win favor, hoping to get scraps from their business.

A balding man in his forties, all fake smiles, looking like a loyal lapdog.

But then—

“Who said my wife doesn’t know how to behave?!”

“My mommy is the best—you’re the one with no manners!”

My three-year-old son and husband’s voices boomed out at the same time.

The crowd parted and I saw them—my husband and our son, striding over with confidence and strength. The look on Eric’s face changed instantly.


Keanu strode over, holding our son in his arms. Several high-ranking executives in sharp suits followed right behind him.

All at once, the way people looked at me changed. After their initial shock, their eyes filled with flattery and envy.

Diane’s face grew stormy. She looked like she’d sooner die than believe I would marry someone as high-status as Keanu. Her lips moved, but she was so stunned, she couldn’t get a single word out.

Eric was thunderstruck. He froze, his knees buckling as he almost lost his balance.

He stared at both Keanu and me, his eyes darting back and forth. The man who’d always seemed unshakable now looked like he might cry. His voice was choked with emotion.

“Vivian, what did he just call you?”

He wouldn’t look away from me. His eyes brimmed with hurt, like I’d left him all alone in the world.

Right in front of him, I took Keanu’s arm and said, clear and steady, “Keanu Lowe is my husband, the father of my child, Gavin.”

“He’s the one I’ll grow old with.”



Chapter 5