Story Therapy

  The Illusion of Effort: A Story of Expectations and Loss Story: S A Spencer Author of Popular Fictions :  The Pink Mutiny ,  The Black Waters ,  Dream In Shackles I. The Glow Nina’s phone lit up with messages before she’d even finished her morning chai. “Girls, look what Aarav did today 😍 ” “Breakfast in bed again!” “Spa voucher from my man — I’m screaming.” The group chat — The Queens — was a constant stream of curated perfection. Filtered photos. Staged surprises. Exaggerated stories. Nina scrolled through them with a tightness in her chest she didn’t want to name. Her boyfriend, Joseph, was steady, gentle, and practical. But he wasn’t… this. That night, as she lay in bed, the glow of her phone reflecting in her eyes, she felt something shift inside her — small, sharp, and persistent. The next morning, she looked at Joseph differently. II. The Shift It began with a question. “Why don’t you ever surprise me?” Joseph blinked, confused. “Surp...

  What happens when love feels comforting… until it doesn’t? Story: S A Spencer Author of Popular Fictions :  The Pink Mutiny ,  The Black Waters ,  Dream In Shackles I. The Evening Lights Vadodara looked almost theatrical that night — strings of fairy lights hanging across the courtyard, the scent of cardamom drifting from the buffet, and a soft breeze that made the women’s dupattas flutter like flags. Aanya wasn’t planning to stay long at her friend’s engagement party, but she lingered near the drinks counter, enjoying the music and the rare feeling of not rushing anywhere. That’s when she noticed him. Rishabh stood a few feet away, laughing with someone she vaguely recognised. He wasn’t loud or showy, but there was something about the way he listened — fully, attentively — that made him stand out. When their eyes met, he smiled. Not the kind of smile that demanded anything. Just a warm, easy acknowledgement. They ended up talking for nearly an hour. He a...

  🌿   A heartfelt midlife story about a Sydney woman whose health scare becomes the turning point she never expected. Story: S A Spencer Author of Popular Fictions :  The Pink Mutiny ,  The Black Waters ,  Dream In Shackles 1. The Morning Everything Changed Leanne had always been a morning person — or at least that’s what she told herself. At forty‑eight, she’d mastered the art of functioning on autopilot. Wake up at 5:30. Put the kettle on. Pack her lunch. Check her emails before the sun even rose over Western Sydney. Catch the 7:02 train from Blacktown to Wynyard. Smile politely at colleagues. Hold everything together. She wore her competence like armour. That morning, the sky was a soft grey, the kind that promised humidity later. The cicadas were already screaming outside, and the air felt thick even before breakfast. Leanne moved through her kitchen with the same efficiency she brought to her job as a senior admin coordinator in a large Sydney law fi...

  Short story series — Part 4 of 4 A violent attack forces Lira into exile while the regime tightens its grip — but a final message on the dark web suggests the dead man’s secrets may yet surface.  Story: S A Spencer Author of Popular Fictions :  The Pink Mutiny ,  The Black Waters ,  Dream In Shackles 📣   Caught up in the blackout?  Make sure you’ve read  Part 1   and Part 2 , Part 3 first. The Hunt Begins The figure lunged. Lira swung the cast‑iron pan with every ounce of strength she had. It connected with a sickening thud, sending the intruder staggering sideways into the wall. He recovered quickly — too quickly — and grabbed her wrist. She twisted, kicked, fought like a cornered animal. He slammed her against the kitchen bench. Her vision blurred. Her ears rang. But adrenaline kept her moving. She drove her knee into his ribs. He grunted, loosening his grip just enough for her to wrench free and sprint toward the balcony...