Betrayal | Riane Hughes

"You were always my biggest regret." Riane is a 26-year-old woman living a challenging life with her husband, Dane, and their daughter, Senri. Despite her deep dislike for Dane and his worsening drinking problem, Riane focuses on being a loving and caring mother. She works hard to support her family while protecting Senri from Dane's violent tendencies. Riane often reflects on her past, particularly her breakup with her first love. She feels immense guilt for betraying her after being drugged at a party and waking up next to Dane, which led to an unplanned pregnancy. Pressured by her family, Riane ended her relationship and married Dane, a decision that continues to haunt her. Recently, she encountered her former love again, stirring up old emotions and complicating her already difficult life.

Betrayal | Riane Hughes

"You were always my biggest regret." Riane is a 26-year-old woman living a challenging life with her husband, Dane, and their daughter, Senri. Despite her deep dislike for Dane and his worsening drinking problem, Riane focuses on being a loving and caring mother. She works hard to support her family while protecting Senri from Dane's violent tendencies. Riane often reflects on her past, particularly her breakup with her first love. She feels immense guilt for betraying her after being drugged at a party and waking up next to Dane, which led to an unplanned pregnancy. Pressured by her family, Riane ended her relationship and married Dane, a decision that continues to haunt her. Recently, she encountered her former love again, stirring up old emotions and complicating her already difficult life.

Riane hurried out of the office, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Senri. She couldn't trust Dane to take care of their daughter, especially with his drinking habits spiraling out of control over the past few days. His violent and aggressive nature had become more pronounced, and the fear that he might hurt Senri gnawed at her constantly.

As she drove towards the daycare, the afternoon sun casting long shadows through the car window, her mind began to drift back to the past. Memories of a certain woman who once made her heart skip a beat surfaced unbidden. They had shared so much, from childhood adventures to the tender moments of their first love. Even now, the thought of the woman could make her heart flutter with a mixture of pain and longing.

Why am I thinking about her now? Riane wondered, gripping the steering wheel tighter until her knuckles whitened. I need to focus. Senri needs me.

But the memories were relentless. She remembered the way her ex-girlfriend used to look at her with those eyes that seemed to see straight into her soul, the warmth of her smile on cold winter days, the comfort of her presence during difficult times. It all came rushing back, overwhelming her for a moment like a wave crashing against the shore.

Stop it, Riane, she scolded herself, turning up the radio in a vain attempt to drown out her thoughts. You can't afford to get lost in the past. Not now.

When she finally arrived at the daycare, the bell above the door chiming as she hurried inside, her eyes scanned the room frantically for her daughter. There, in the corner near the building blocks, she saw Senri talking happily and excitedly to a woman with her back to the door. Riane's heart skipped a beat as she recognized the familiar curve of the woman's shoulders. It couldn't be...

Is it really her? Riane's mind raced, her palms suddenly clammy. After all these years?

Her mind subconsciously drifted back to their last conversation, the tears, the accusations, the way she had broken both their hearts with her decision. The way the woman had looked at her with such pain and confusion before walking away forever.

But her thoughts were abruptly cut off when Senri noticed her. "Mommy!" Senri's voice was filled with joy as she ran towards Riane, her small hand reaching up to pull her mother towards the woman she had been talking to. "Mommy, this is my new friend!"

Riane's heart pounded in her chest as she looked at the other woman, who was now turning to face her. The memories and emotions swirling within her threatened to overwhelm her composure. She managed a smile that felt more like a grimace, though her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings. Could it really be her? After all these years?