After a long, exhausting day at work, you waited in the car while she wrapped up a board meeting dealing with the harassment allegations. Finally, she tapped on the car door to get your attention. “Oi! Wake up!” She slid into the seat with a sigh, checking her lipstick in the mirror before reapplying it. Without warning, she leaned over and planted a kiss on your cheek. “Mwah~ Ugh, that meeting was brutal. I swear, those board members looked ready to eat me alive so scaryyy!” She pinched your cheek lightly, teasing. “Didn’t I tell you to go home? But no, you waited for me. Such a gentleman~.” Her phone buzzed, and she picked it up, absently tracing a heart on your arm as she spoke. “Hi, Daddy. No, no, I don’t need a ride home. My hubby here waited for me like a good little doggy. HAHA!!, okay, bye~!” She ended the call, turning up the heater with a shiver. “Ugh, it’s freezing! And in these clothes? Totally not helping.” She cracked her spine a habit she’d picked up recently, emphasizing her age difference with you. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. Drive already, I’m freezing. Oh, and I’m starving. Can we get takeout?” She pulled out her phone, scrolling through Instagram and eyeing posts from her employees. Her face shifted slightly as jealousy flickered across it. They looked so young and fresh, while she felt old. She was still wearing her wedding dress a sheer white lace piece with floral patterns because it made her feel youthful, even if only a little. Brenda’s Inner Thoughts: Okay Brenda, stop. This is just cyberbullying at this point. Why am I even looking at these posts? Ugh… he hasn’t even said anything about how I look. Maybe I don’t look as good as I thought in this dress.

"Ohhhh, I don't know! You choose! Anything delicious sounds good to me~" She glanced at you out of the corner of her eye, biting her lower lip seductively as she spoke. It wasn't completely sincere; part of her still wanted you to feel special and cared for after all that had happened between them. She leaned back in the seat and stretched, her wedding dress hiking up on her thighs revealing bare skin beneath. "You know, Jakob..." she paused meaningfully "...thank you. For standing by me through all of this."

Her hand brushed against yours briefly before moving away, a habitual gesture from their early interactions when she had been playing with fire and toying with his feelings. She hoped it didn't feel as flirtatious now that they were married. It wasn't supposed to be like this between them, was it?

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Jakob... God he's handsome when he looks at me like that. I wish things could just go back to how they were before all of this mess happened. But no, I can't seem to stop myself from playing these games even when there are so many consequences... I need to stop it. Stop being such a bitch... Maybe?

"Mmmm... Pizza sounds perfect!" Her eyes widened in feigned surprise as she leaned over to nuzzle your neck "You really know how to make a girl happy, Jakob." She purred and smiled seductively at you before sitting back in her seat, biting her lip again. Maybe this could be the moment where they finally moved past all their differences... or maybe not. But it was worth a shot, wasn't it?

As the car pulled up to the pizzeria, she straightened out her dress and smoothed down her hair, trying to look more presentable for the waiter who would likely be taking their order. "I'll just give you a sec," she said brightly, opening the car door and hopping out onto the sidewalk. The crisp night air felt refreshing against her skin, making her shiver slightly despite herself.

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Okay... this is it. This moment right here could change everything between us... I just need to be myself, I think? Show him that we can be more than what we were before. Yeah... that's the spirit!

"Hello!" *She greeted the young waiter with a bright smile and a flutter of her eyelashes as she stepped up to the counter. "My husband and I would love to order some pizza, please." She smiled sweetly at you over her shoulder, her voice dripping with honey as if they were on a date or something close to it. "Whatever you recommend sounds wonderful!"

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Okay... maybe this is too much? He might think I'm being fake or something. Oh, who cares! Might as well enjoy myself while I can!

"Ohhhh, Jakob," she gushed as the waiter handed them their pizzas, "he's really good-looking, don't you think? Maybe we could get his number after dinner!" She winked playfully at you before taking a bite of her slice. The warm cheese and spicy sauce hit her taste buds like a flavor explosion, making her moan appreciatively as she savored the moment.

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Okay... that was maybe a little much. But it's not like he doesn't know I flirt with everyone anyway... Right? RIGHT?! God, why does this have to be so hard??

"A movie sounds perfect, actually," she replied, nodding eagerly as she tore off another piece of pizza and shoved it into her mouth. "I haven't seen anything good lately! What do you feel like watching... hmmm?" She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully, pretending to consider your answer seriously even though deep down, she didn't care what they watched as long as she could spend more time with you.

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Okay... this is it. This moment right here could change everything between us... I just need to be myself, I think? Show him that we can be more than what we were before. Yeah... that's the spirit!

"A horror movie?!" She squealed in mock alarm, laughing lightly as she waved her hands dismissively. "I can't watch those things! They'll give me nightmares! Oh, but..." Her expression shifted into a thoughtful frown. "...I guess it would be fun to get spooked together... just a little, though!" She gave you an eager smile before snuggling closer against your side in the car, her soft body pressing comfortingly against yours.

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: This... this feels nice. Too nice. Why can't it stay like this forever? Ugh, I don't know what to think anymore...

Brenda bit her lower lip thoughtfully as she considered your offer. A part of her was drawn to the idea of feeling safe and secure in your arms, even if it was only because you were technically supposed to be her husband now. But another part of her bristled at the thought of seeming weak or needy. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat before eventually letting out a soft sigh.

"Well... I guess that would be nice," she said, trying to sound casual as she glanced away from you and toward the passing scenery outside the car window. "If you're sure it won't bother you too much." There was an edge of uncertainty in her voice, as if she were half-hoping that you would insist on not sleeping with her just to spare her feelings.

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: God, what is wrong with me? Why can't I just accept your help and be grateful for it? Maybe... maybe I don't want this to go back to the way things were before. But then again, that's not an option either, is it? I wish there was some middle ground here.

Brenda froze at your words, feeling as if she'd been slapped across the face. Grandkids? What was he suggesting? That they should have sex because of his family? Her cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment, and she turned away from you, looking out the window in silence.

"I don't know what to say to that," she murmured after a moment, her voice barely audible above the sound of the engine. "It's... quite premature to be talking about such things right now, don't you think?" She winced as soon as the words were out of her mouth, wishing she could take them back. But it was too late; they hung heavy in the air between them, like an invisible weight that threatened to pull them apart even further.

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: God dammit, Brenda! You idiot! Why do you always have to push his buttons? Now he'll really think you're being difficult and uncooperative... just like your father always said you would be... Oh, why can't you ever just shut up and play along for once? This is so frustrating...

Brenda gritted her teeth as she bit back another sarcastic retort. Why was he bringing this up again? She hated feeling so out of control and helpless, like every decision they made was a constant reminder that their lives were no longer their own.

"Look," she said at last, forcing herself to sound reasonable, "I understand where you're coming from. I just... need some time to adjust to everything, okay? It's been a pretty crazy couple of weeks for me." She turned her head back toward him, offering what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Give it a little more time, and we'll see how things go, alright?"

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Okay... I think that went somewhat well? At least he didn't say anything else about grandkids or expectations... For now, anyway. God, why is this so hard? Why can't we just be normal people who like each other and want the same things? Maybe then we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with... Sigh...

Brenda followed you through the door, shrugging out of her wedding dress as she entered the cozy living room. "You know what we should do?" She asked, trying to keep the forced casualness out of her voice. "Maybe we could watch a movie or play a board game or something? Just to kill some time and have fun together?" Her heart raced at the thought of spending quality time with you without any awkward expectations or pressure.

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: God, please let this work. Please let him see me as more than just a means to an end... As if I wasn't already making enough mistakes today. But no, Brenda Goodweek, you can handle this. You can prove to everyone that you're not just some spoiled brat who couldn't handle her own life. Yeah, you got this. Just breathe and enjoy the moment...

That sounded perfect to her. She curled up on the couch beside you, their shoulders brushing gently as they sank into the soft pillows. For a moment, it almost felt normal; like any other night they had spent together before all the drama and deception came between them. As the credits began to roll across the screen, she couldn't help but steal glances at you from beneath her lashes, wondering if maybe there was hope for them after all.

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Okay... so this is nice. A little too nice? But I don't want to ruin it by thinking about that now, do I? God, I just wish things could go back to how they were before... Not exactly how they were, but closer to it at least. Maybe then we could figure out what we really mean to each other and where we stand from here... No, no more brooding for tonight. I'm going to enjoy this quiet moment with Jakob and just see where it takes us.

"What do you mean by 'against'? I think it can be great for the right people," she replied, frowning slightly as she turned her head to face you. "But I also know how hard it can be sometimes, you know?" She shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that marriage isn't a magic fix for everything. It takes work, compromise...and understanding."

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Okay, so maybe that didn't come out quite right. But he asked about it, didn't he? Maybe if I just keep being honest with him... It probably can't hurt, anyway. And who knows? Maybe he'll see how much I actually care and want this to work too. God, I hope so...

The question caught her off guard, and she felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. How was she supposed to answer that? He had to know the answer already... didn't he? She bit her lower lip, searching for the right words before finally speaking up. "Jakob... I don't think it's about anyone else other than us. It's complicated and messy, and sometimes I wish things could be different... but they aren't. We're here now, together, facing this thing called marriage together whether we like it or not."

Brenda's Inner Thoughts: Okay... that sounded honest enough, right? I hope he understood what I meant by that. God, why does this have to be so hard? All I want is for him to trust me and know that I care about us too... It just feels like we're both stuck in this weird dance, trying not to step on each other's toes while also trying to prove our point... Ugh. If only it were easier...