The Cherished Wife



Tania's heart skipped a beat as Peter's grip on her chin sent a jolt of heat through her. That intense warmth from his touch was impossible to ignore. Staring into Peter's eyes, Tania was swamped by feelings she could not quite put into words. Three long years had passed, and they had not been kind to her. Nightmares often woke her up, replaying the worst moments over and over. When she needed him most, Peter was nowhere to be found. That kind of hurt builds up, and her bitterness toward him had only grown. The last blow hit too close to home, and she felt trapped.

Peter's brow was knotted with concern as he watched Tania sink into deep grief. He could almost touch her sadness. "Tania?" he murmured her name so gently, but Tania recoiled like a startled deer, shoving Peter away. Her gaze was icy as she regained her composure. "Peter, I've told you before that we're done. We can never patch things up!"

Tania turned and ran as if the ground were crumbling behind her. Peter stood there, watching her disappear. It took a while before he balled his hands into fists and went to check on Brandon.

He knew he had ways to bring Tania back, but they had too many misunderstandings. Then, there was Brandon...

Gazing at Brandon's peaceful, sleeping face, Peter's usually stern features melted into a tender smile. He knew, despite Tania's denials, that Brandon was his boy. Trevon...noveldrama

Peter squinted, a sense of recognition nagging at him. That man felt familiar, yet he could not quite place him.

Tania dashed downstairs as if she had just seen a ghost and made a beeline for the kitchen. Noelle was there, chopping and prepping veggies for tonight's stew. She glanced up at Tania's panicked look, her eyebrows knitted together in concern. "Tania, what's up?"

Taking a deep breath, Tania watched Noelle's hands move expertly through the ingredients. "You know how to cook?" she blurted out.

"Of course!" Noelle replied with a nod, rinsing the vegetables and giving Tania a once-over. "Is Brandon tucked in for the night?"

"Yeah," Tania replied, moving closer. "Let me give you a hand!"

"Awesome!" Noelle stepped aside to make space for Tania. "You're a cook too?"

"Sure am. When I was living on my

own in Brookville, I had to do

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everything for myself, whether it came to making food or getting clothes After Brandon came along, I didn't trust anyone else with him, so I've always handled his meals," Tania explained, starting to wash some veggies. "You and my brother seem pretty close!"

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Noelle's smile was gentle, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. noticed you didn't let Brandon go to the amusement park. Did something happen to him before?"

Tania's hands, shook for a moment, and she seemed to drift into a memory. It took her a few seconds before her gaze grew heavy, and she nodded. "Yeah, when Brandon was just over two, we had a scare. He almost got kidnapped. Ever since then, he's been really quiet and withdrawn."

"Really?" Noelle said, her eyes wide with surprise. "Brandon seems totally fine to me. He's easygoing with us, and he's definitely comfortable with Peter and the gang."

Every time Noelle mentioned Peter, she would sneak a peek at Tania and notice a tiny shiver run through her.

Noelle bit her lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up, but..."

"I know you're not trying to upset me!" Tania said with a wry smile. "I figured I'd run into him when I got back, but I didn't think he'd still be..."