CHAPTER ONE
SOPHIE
I caught my husband cheating on me and he sent me to jail for it!
Ethan and I had been married for five and we were head over heels in love with each other. “Don’t stay up waiting for me, I’ll be working late.” He said before he left for work that morning. He left so early that he didn’t have breakfast that I prepared for him. He had been leaving early and missing breakfasts so, I decided to surprise him with lunch.
But when I got to his office, I was the one who was surprised.
“Oh my god, Ethan faster!” A woman’s loud and unhinged moans echoed in my head.
Ethan had his pants down and he was humping his secretary, Stella, like a dog in heat. And Stella, had her skirt around her waist and she was on his desk, in his office!
“W..what is going on here?!” My voice was shaky as I tried to process everything that was happening right in front of my eyes even as my heart was racing rapidly and my vision was getting blurry due to the tears that had gathered in my eyes.
“Sophie!” Ethan quickly pulled away from his secretary and tucked himself in, “W..what are you doing here?” He stuttered.
“I thought you might be hungry so I brought you lunch.” I forced myself to speak even though it felt like my world was collapsing, “but I..I didn’t expect to see you fucking your secretary.”
“S..Sophie, it’s not what you think,” Ethan said and tried to close the distance between us but I took a step backwards, away from him.
“D..Don’t,” I stuttered, and tears fell from my eyes. “Don’t come any closer.”
“Oh Ethan,” Stella, his secretary, said in irritation, “Tell her about us already, this melodrama is making me sick and I’m very sure you don’t want that because of our child,” she smirked darkly at me and softly caressed her belly.
“What child?” My head was spinning and it felt like I’d collapse at any moment. “What is she talking about?”
“Are you deaf?! I’m pregnant with his child,” Stella spat bitterly.
Ethan coughed and for the first time that night, he looked into my eyes, “I want a divorce.”
A divorce? What was he talking about? We loved each other, how could he suddenly bring up divorce?
“What are you saying, Ethan? Let’s go home, we can resolve everything at home.” I said and tried to reach out to take his hand so we could go home but he swatted my hands away.
“Ethan—,”
“That’s enough!” His harsh voice cut me off and that was the first time he had ever raised his voice at me. “Enough of all of this. I’m done with this marriage!” He took out a piece of document on his desk and threw it at me.
I didn’t bother to pick it as at that moment, I came to a realization that the man I loved and spent five years with was an imposter. The real Ethan was standing right in front of me.
“Why are you doing this?” I calmly asked, ignoring the chaos and turmoil that was going on in my head.
“Doing what?” He spat, “you’re a barren bitch and it’s selfish of you to ask me to stay with you”
“Ethan—“ I gasped in shock. I couldn’t believe that he was telling me all these. The man I loved called me barren?
“Oh, shut it!” He continued brutally, “I built you and made you who you are and what did you give me in return? Nothing! Not even a child!”
I quietly stared at Ethan for a while and then I took a deep breath to brace myself for what I was about to do since I realized that there was no use in staying with a man who despised me. “I’ll sign the documents but only if you give me my share of settlement.”
I really didn’t care about Ethan’s money but I didn’t want to leave him just like that. I had wasted my time with him. The least I could get is compensation.
“I’ll do no such thing.” He spat.
“Oh, you will,” I sneered. I didn’t want to go this route but he pushed me this far. “You must, else I’ll expose all your crimes to the media. They’ll see you for who you really are.” I threatened him.
Ethan chuckled darkly and took a step closer to me, “You know, I knew you’d say this and that’s why I came prepared.”
I really didn’t understand what he said at first until he took out a small dagger from his pocket and stalked towards me.
“Ethan, what are you doing?” I stuttered nervously as I took several steps back until my back collided with the wall.
“When I’m done with you, you won’t be able to ask for divorce settlement.” His eyes were dark as he raised the dagger towards me.
“Please don’t do this,” I pleaded with him but he wasn’t willing to hear me out and I instantly knew that I had to fight back. I struggled with Ethan while Stella stood back, watching us with a smirk on her face, but before I felt something warm splash my face.
Blood!
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVENDOMINICI waited until she was sitting before I said a word. “Judy isn’t who you think she is, Sophie,” I said and watched her, waiting for a reaction.Sophie stared at me for a moment before she asked, “What are you talking about?”“This might be a lot to take in but it’s the truth,” I began.“You’re scaring me, Dominic,” she complained.“There’s nothing to be scared about, I just need you to know that Judy is working for someone,” I said.She straightened her back and from her posture, she appeared tense, “What do you mean?” She asked.“I did a background check on her and it—““You did a background check on her?!” She perked up, then glared at me like I had committed a grave offense. She paused, then asked, “Did you do a background check on me too?!”She eyed me waiting for my answer and I knew instantly that I had to lie, “I—, Of course, not! Why would I do that?!”I did run a background check on her but she didn’t need to know that. It wasn’t important.“Are
CHAPTER THIRTY SIXSOPHIEThe hospital security managed to calm the situation and send Francis home but Dominic wasn’t still satisfied. He didn’t trust Francis, neither did he trust the hospital.Perhaps it was his controlling nature but he insisted that Mira be discharged and he’ll have doctors come over to make sure she’s okay.I didn’t argue with him, I didn’t have the energy, and if I was being honest, it was a good idea.The drive back home was quiet. While Dominic drove, I sat with Mira at the back. I couldn’t leave her alone, especially as she was clinging to me like I was all she had, and she still hadn’t said a word. It got me worried but I trusted Dominic’s doctors.When we finally got home, I led her to my room and she sat on the bed. “H..home,” she stuttered in a very quiet voice.I released a deep sigh and sat on the bed beside her. “This is your new home now,” I gently said, “You’ll be staying here with me now,” “With you?” She asked, peering up at me with her wide eyes
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVESOPHIEWhy was everything happening at the same time? I was operating on three hours of sleep and a truck load of anxiety.Judy was in a life threatening accident?!I rushed to Dominic’s office, kicking the door open. When I asked him for his help with Judy, I didn’t expect him to make her get into an accident. It was far from what I wanted, why would he do that?“What did you do?” I said the moment I entered his office.He calmly looked up from the document he was reading, “Nothing that shouldn’t be done,” he simply said, and that infuriated me.“So getting Judy and my daughter involved in an accident is something that should be done?” I glared at him angrily, hands on my waist.His brows furrowed and he straightened his back, “Mira was in an accident?”“I don’t know!” I sighed in exasperation, sliding my hand down my face, “Francis called me that Judy was in an accident and he isn’t sure if she’ll make it,”“I didn’t do it.” “Dominic, please take me to the hospi
CHAPTER THIRTY FOURSOPHIEI rushed home as fast as I could, slamming the door behind me as I stormed into the living room and ran up the stairs, taking two at a time. I had to speak with Dominic and I knew exactly where to find him.I pushed open his office door and there he was, sitting behind his desk, with his phone on his ear. He looked at me, then back to the document on his table.“Dom…please, we need to talk,” I said, ignoring the fact that he was on a call.“Yeah, prepare everything and send it to my email,” he hung up, rested his arms on the desk and looked up at me. “What is it?” He asked calmly.“Uhm,” I swallowed hard, my heart racing,” I know you may be mad about what happened last night and—““I’m not mad,” he cut me off, staring right at me.“Oh,” I coughed awkwardly, “Okay, but I still want to apologize for not telling you earlier and keeping you in the dark. It was never my intention and like I said before, I was scared and—““Is this what you want to discuss with me
CHAPTER THIRTY THREESOPHIE “Is Mira your daughter, Sophie?”“I…I,” I swallowed hard, unable to get the words out of my mouth. He’d caught me, it was clear he’d found out about everything.When Judy told me he was on to her, I should have known. This was Dominic we were talking about after all, a powerful and calculative businessman.He turned to the door, ready to leave, but I stopped him before he could. “Yes,” I blurted out, “Yes, Dominic. She’s my daughter.” I swallowed hard to contain my emotions, running my fingers through my hair in frustration, “I had her in jail.”He paused and slowly turned to face me. I expected anger and unrestrained rage but he was calm, too calm for someone who just found out the truth, “Why didn’t you tell me?”“Because I was scared!” I yelled, not out of anger, but of frustration. I took a deep breath and wiped the tears that had spilled, trying to calm my racing heart, “I was scared, okay? And that was why I gave her to Judy.”“What are you scared o
CHAPTER THIRTY TWOSOPHIE“Once she’s stable, we’ll both be relocating.” Judy said seriously.“What? Why? W..What do you mean by relocating?” I was flabbergasted beyond words and I could barely make up a proper sentence.“You heard me right, Sophie. Don’t play deaf.” She scowled, then glanced left and right before she continued, “I discovered that Francis..” she paused, “My husband has been cheating on me, so I can no longer continue with the marriage.”It was weird that Judy was telling me this because we’d never been that close. I was sorry for her broken marriage but my daughter was of utmost importance.“And you’re just letting me know now?” I asked, almost dumbfounded.“I don’t answer to you, Sophie!” She declared.I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration, trying to find a way to convince her, “Must you go with her? You can leave Mira with me. You’re going to a new country, I can take care of her.” “Don’t try to play smart with me,” she said, “you can’t change my mind, th