Chapter 1
1171 Words
Chapter 1
The next morning felt different. For the first time in years, Oxygen Stanford woke up without the familiar weight crushing her chest. The feeling confused her. She lay still beneath her blanket, staring at the ceiling while sunlight filtered softly through the curtains.
It took several seconds before she remembered why— Heart was home. The realization hit her instantly, Oxygen shot upright so quickly that her blanket tumbled onto the floor. She quickly changed clothes and hurried downstairs.
The smell of breakfast greeted her immediately, her father stood at the stove humming softly. Her father hadn’t hummed while cooking in years, the entire house felt brighter somehow.
"Morning," she greeted.
Her father looked over his shoulder, his eyes softened. “You’re up early.”
Oxygen grinned, disappearing sooner when he noticed the man who was already seated at the table. A cup of coffee sat untouched beside him, he wore a simple black shirt that somehow looked expensive. Everything about him looked expensive.
Oxygen immediately hated herself for noticing. He was her sister’s husband, not hers. Yet it was impossible not to notice him.
“Good morning.” His voice was smooth.
Oxygen quickly sat down. “Morning.”
For a brief moment, his eyes met hers. Something strange flickered across his expression, gone before she could identify it.
“Where is she?” Oxygen asked.
Lewis frowned. "Who?"
"My sister, obviously. You two came back together, right?" she sounds sarcastic.
"Oh sorry, right... she woke up before sunrise, she must have gone somewhere around your house so I don't know," he answered.
Oxygen's eyes lit up. "Isn't she your wife? How come my sister married you if you don't care where she is."
Her father interrupted her anger as he put down the pancake on the table. "Tss, that's not how you talked to your sister's husband, Oxy. He is your brother in law now..."
"But dad, Heart never woke up that early..."
“Couldn’t sleep, apparently.” Her father reasoned. "You can asked her yourself, she's at the Garden."
Oxygen sighs in defeat, she stood up and leaves the dining table. She didn't even looked at Lewis who was glancing at her, lowkey smiling at what he's seeing and amazed how the woman has the strength to talk to him like that.
Meanwhile, Oxygen headed toward the garden, the cool morning air brushed against her skin as she stepped outside. The backyard looked peaceful, birds chirped from nearby trees. Flowers swayed gently in the breeze and standing near the old rose bushes was Heart.
For a moment, Oxygen simply watched her, a strange emotion settled in her chest. Heart looked beautiful but she also looked…
Lonely.
Slowly, Oxygen approached. “Couldn’t sleep?”
Heart glanced over her shoulder.
A faint smile appeared. “Not really.”
“You used to sleep until noon.”
“People change, Oxygen..." The answer was simple that made her silence.
"The accident.” Oxygen lowers her gazed.
Heart immediately stiffened. "Oxy—"
“If I hadn’t distracted Mom…”
“Oxygen.”
“If I hadn’t been arguing—”
“Oxygen.” Her sister’s voice became firmer. "It wasn't your fault..."
Silence followed, the kind neither of them knew how to fill. Eventually Heart looked away.
“Come on.” Heart forced a small smile. “Let’s not ruin breakfast.”
Oxygen nodded.
But the uneasy feeling remained.
As they walked back toward the house, she couldn’t shake the realization. Heart wasn’t the same, the sister she remembered had always been open. Ever since she came home, she noticed her sister changed a lot and that made her came to one conclusion.
Lewis Darkmoore.
He has something to do with her sister's new version. The new Heart felt guarded like she was constantly hiding part of herself.
The rest of breakfast should have felt normal. Instead, it felt oddly tense not because anyone was arguing. Quite the opposite. Everyone was trying too hard, her father kept asking questions, Heart answered carefully, Lewis spoke only when necessary and Oxygen found herself watching everything.
Yet curiosity continued growing inside her.
Who exactly was Lewis Darkmoore?
After breakfast, Heart disappeared to unpack more belongings, her father left for work. Leaving Oxygen in the living room almost alone– Lewis stood near a bookshelf. Examining old family photographs.
Oxygen hesitated then curiosity won.
“You don’t talk much.” The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Lewis glanced toward her, a small smile appeared. “Neither do most people around strangers.”
She folded her arms. “You’re married to my sister.”
“I am.”
“That technically makes you family.”
His expression softened slightly. “I suppose it does.”
“How did you meet?”
Lewis looked toward the stairs where the direction Heart had gone.
“A long story.”
“I have time.”
His smile widened slightly, the expression transformed his entire face. Made him seem younger somehow, less intimidating.
“Another day.”
Oxygen groaned dramatically. “That’s unfair.”
“Perhaps.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You dodge questions a lot.”
“Do I?”
“You absolutely do.”
For a brief second, amusement appeared in his gaze then something changed. His attention shifted directly toward her, the smile vanished.
“Don’t tempt me, Little. I’ve been holding myself back so you won't get hurt…” His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “Excuse me.”
Without another word, he walked toward the hallway. Leaving Oxygen completely confused, she stared after him.
What was that?
A few minutes later, she heard Heart calling from upstairs. Relieved for the distraction, Oxygen hurried toward her room. The rest of the afternoon passed quickly.
They unpacked boxes, sorted clothes. Looked through old photographs, shared small stories.
Laughed occasionally but throughout everything, one realization became impossible to ignore. Heart wasn’t truly back.
Not completely, part of her remained distant.
And Oxygen had no idea why.
That evening, after dinner, she stood by her bedroom window. Watching the stars emerge, the house had finally gone quiet.
A soft sigh escaped her lips.
Heart was home.
Yet somehow things still felt unfinished. As if answers were waiting just beyond her reach. Movement below caught her attention.
Oxygen looked down, the garden stretched beneath her window and standing near the edge of the property was Lewis.
Alone.
Motionless.
Looking into the darkness beyond the trees. The sight sent an unexpected chill through her.
Several seconds passed then Lewis slowly turned, his gaze lifted. Directly toward her window, toward her, Oxygen froze. Their eyes met across the darkness.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Something flashed across his face. The same strange expression she had seen yesterday, the same one from breakfast.
Lewis looked away first.
And disappeared into the darkness beyond the garden. Leaving Oxygen alone with a racing heart and question she couldn’t stop asking herself.
Why did Heart’s husband keep looking at her like that?
- Writer
