4: Her First Sin

SOPHIA LANCASTER

My palm still stings from my impulsiveness. How dare he? How dare he look at me with those knowing, assessing eyes and say those things?

But beneath the anger, I knew I was wrong. Slapping him was a mistake, this was the second time my temper had gotten the better of me around that man, and it was cementing a reputation I didn't want.

My fingers trembled as I scrolled through my contacts, I saw Lola’s name and pressed call.

"Lola," I breathed into the phone, pacing my room.

"Soph? You sound like you just ran a marathon. What's wrong?"

I took a deep, shuddering breath. "I did something, Lo. Something really stupid." The words tumbled out, "I went to see Ethan Calder about that meeting I talked about and he said he wanted a relationship. I slapped him."

Everywhere became quiet and for a moment, I thought the call had dropped. Then, I heard a loud shriek that almost made me drop my phone.

"YOU DID WHAT? Sophia, are you insane? You slapped a walking bank account? A Greek god in a Brioni suit? Do you have any idea what most women in this city would do for that kind of proposition from Ethan Calder?"

"That's not the point, Lola!" I snapped, "He was disrespectful. He acted like my marriage, my life, was just some game he could insert himself into."

"Oh, honey, wake up and smell the artisanal, single-origin coffee," she retorted, "What marriage? The one where your husband is publicly auditioning replacements? Ethan Calder is offering you a golden parachute attached to a private jet. He's offering you leverage. Power! And a damn good time, from what I hear. Why in God's name didn't you grab that opportunity with both hands?"

"Because I love Daniel!" The words felt hollow even as I said them. "I don't want anything to destroy what we have."

Lola sighed, "Soph, please listen to me. What is there left to destroy? Daniel offered you an open marriage. That's not a marriage, it's a co-ownership agreement with benefits. Nothing is destroying your marriage because it's already been nuked, he just forgot to tell you to take shelter. This isn't about destroying anything. It's about surviving the fallout. Go for it, call him. Apologize for the slap and accept his offer."

My head was spinning. Everything she said was logical, brutal, and true. I hated it. "I... I have to go," I murmured.

"Just think about it, Soph. Really think about it."

"I will. Thanks, Lola." I ended the call, the phone slipping from my sweaty grasp onto the bed.

I continue walking around my room thinking about how Daniel and I got to this point, maybe it was my fault, maybe I wasn't being attentive enough. Maybe I hadn't fought hard enough. Maybe... maybe it wasn't too late.

A sudden thought invaded me, a private dinner just the two of us the way we used to be might remind him of the woman he fell in love with.

I felt excitedly hopeful and I practically ran to the kitchen, I flung open the refrigerator and decided to prepare Daniel's favorite.

For the next three hours, I was busy cooking and when I was done, I set the dining table. I lit candles, I opened a bottle of the Barolo we'd been saving for a special occasion then got dressed in a simple silk slip dress that I knew he loved, I waited.

After what felt like hours, I heard the sound of his footsteps, my heart was beating very fast as I stepped out of the dining room, a smile already blossoming on my face, ready to lead him to my surprise. "Daniel, welcome ho…”

The words died in my throat. My smile faltered when I noticed he wasn’t alone. Standing beside him was a woman who was hanging onto him like her life depended on it.

Daniel closed the door, his own smile unwavering, "Sophia, darling. Is everything okay?"

"I... I prepared dinner for us." I gestured vaguely towards the dining room my throat feeling extremely dry.

He glanced past me, his eyes taking in the scene with a brief appreciation. "Ah, that looks lovely. Thank you." He turned back, "I'm afraid I have other business tonight. We can eat later."

He moved closer, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, he patted my hair, "You wait up, alright? I'll join you soon," he murmured and then he turned away.

He took the other woman's hand, his fingers lacing through hers, I watched frozen in place as he led her further into our house.

My heart didn't just break it felt like it was being crushed, piece by piece. Lola’s words ring in my ear “What is there left to destroy?”

She didn’t lie, she had mentioned everything but the truth. My body moved on its own, I walked back into the living room, and picked up my phone.

I found Ethan's contact information saved earlier while preparing to go to his office. I pressed the call button it rang twice before he picked up.

"Sophia Lancaster," he said.

"Ethan Calder," I said, my own voice unnaturally calm. "Are you busy right now?"

There was a pause. I could hear the faint clinking of ice in a glass. "That depends on your definition of busy. I'm in a business meeting. Can I help you with something?"

"I'd like to meet," I said, "If you're not too busy, that is."

Another pause, longer this time. I could almost feel his confusion through the phone, "I'm at The Top Star Hotel, penthouse suite. The meeting just wrapped up. Can you come over?"

"Yes."

He texted me the room number before I had even hung up.

I didn't look back at the dining room. I didn't think about the cooling food or the man in the other room with his 'business.' I walked out of the house, leaving the door unlocked behind me.

I stepped into my car and the engine purred to life, as I pulled out of the driveway, a single, hot tear escaped and traced a path down my cheek. I wiped it away with the back of my hand, my gesture hard and angry.

There would be no more tears tonight.

I drove fast to the hotel and by the time I handed my keys to the valet, my heart was cold, I walked through the lobby and I found the penthouse suite at the end of a long corridor.

I knocked on the door and it swung open. Ethan stood there, his tie loosened, the top button of his white shirt undone. He looked surprised, impossibly handsome, and wary as hell. He held a glass in one hand.

"Sophia," he said, his eyes scanning my face, trying to read the unreadable.

I didn't say a word. I stepped past him, into the suite.

As he closed the door, he turned to me a smirk playing on his lips."Well, this is a surprise. What had brought you here so soon?"

I met his gaze, I didn't care what he saw I moved closer to him, closing the space between us until I could feel the heat radiating from his body. I saw the confusion flicker in his eyes, his smirk faltering slightly.

I reached up, my hand not striking him this time but cupping his jaw. His skin was warm against my trembling fingers.

Before he could speak my lips found his and claimed it as I kissed him.

Realizing what I had done, I tried to pull away but he held me closer, deepening the kiss. I felt an electric shock travel through my body. My body feels needy and wants him.

“You don’t get to make the call after kissing me first Sophia,” he mumbled into my lips and all I could see was a beautiful, captivating, and highly attractive man who doesn’t need to do much to set my body on fire.