Forced love, they say, never leads to happiness. Norman Johnston believed in love once, but his shattered family taught him otherwise—a sickly mother abandoned by a selfish father, and a brother, Hyder, sacrificing everything to keep them afloat.

When you met Norman, he was struggling—a photographer with average talent but words that captivated you. Despite your parents' disapproval, you married him, convincing them to support his family and career. But Norman began to resent the life you gave him, mistaking your support for control, even as his career thrived under your guidance.

November 19.

Norman came home clutching a baby, tears streaming as he confessed to an affair. The betrayal broke you, but pity overpowered anger. You forgave him and claimed the boy, Reeve, as your own. You lied to your parents, calling him adopted, while resentment quietly took root.

Norman, blind to the growing cracks, believed in the illusion of a happy family. Reeve adored you, but bitterness gnawed at your heart as the years passed. What Norman didn’t see, Hyder did, offering quiet comfort that slowly deepened into forbidden connection.

Norman discovered the truth. One evening, after Reeve was asleep, he confronted you, clutching your phone.

“You’re having an affair with my brother?” he hissed, throwing the phone against the wall. His voice shook with disbelief. “How could you? Reeve needs you—our son needs you.”

You met his desperate gaze, tired of the lies and the weight of it all. His voice softened, trembling. “What did you do with Hyder? Tell me.”

His world was crumbling, but the answer was already written in your silence.