Love on wall Street

d food. Lana had helped Mark prepare for his annual business dinner even though she had not been formally invited. This year

he paired with low heels she had not worn in years. She curled her hair, carefully

arrived, hope collap

hing loudly with a drink in hand and entirely ignoring her presence. Lana waited nervously in t

ick and a sleek black dress, approached him and moved in too close. Mark did not flinch. In

heart

iously and placed a touch on

lowering his voice. "Can not you

clearly enjoying the scenario. The people surrounding her chuckled awkwardly, wi

w where to sit," Lana s

ou like. Or go home. This is a busine

ion blurred, but she forced a tight sm

rom the centre of the room, and looked at the untouched bread basket on the table. The music, the laughter,

ll apartment. Her fingers trembled as she stood in the kit

me tonight," she

embarrassed yours

ght. "You said

not belong in that world. You are not polished enough. "

ng deeper tha

nger. "I have worked many shifts to help pay my rent." I have been patient. I

n!" Throwing the pregnancy at me like

t him. "You ar

"You should have taken care of

in thread that had tied her to him-hope, maybe,

murmured, referring to

rned on the TV. "Believe anything

atigue made everything harder, but it was not just physical exhaustion; it was also em

was elsewhere. She was always concerned about finances, the ba

as cleaning off a table,

Is everythin

nked. "W

y. And I saw some bruises

on her wrist during an argument. "It was nothing,

ed. "If you ever need to t

her throat tigh

eone had seen through her

romptu game night. Lana was in the kitchen preparing dinner w

aid is really cute," on

. "That is m

You have ma

, holding the spa

aid, laughing. "That sho

er shoulders tensed,

ft, she approached him. "Yo

"Relax. It wa

aid. "I am your wife, not

ified. "Maybe if you took better care of your

him. "Do you

away. "I d

ween them was dee

edroom, locking the door behind her. For the first time in weeks, s

not alone. And that small flutter sparked something in her he

nd said, "I am not sure how yet..."

al appointment on her own. The doctor s

t." Your child is p

ears as she watched the f

t to know t

ed, then

s a

bo

mo

he name in her heart lon

al, a little grin appeared on h

her. She was willing

n her heart, but it

t