Chapter Two

CHAPTER 2

THE WOMAN HE NEVER FORGOT

Elena’s POV

The woman who disappeared four years ago has returned.

Then I stared at Damien, my ears rang and my hands were closed into fists.

No, not her, anyone but her.

I then forced myself to laugh but it sounded broken.

“You mean Sophia?”

Damien said nothing but I already knew the answer and my chest hurt.

For three years, Sophia had always been there, nobody talked about her, not directly but I knew, I always knew.

She was the woman he loved, the woman he lost, the woman he never forgot and the woman I could never compete with.

Then I swallowed hard.

“Where is she?”

His jaw tightened.

“That doesn’t concern you.”

I looked at him and then at the divorce papers and then back at him.

“So she comes back and suddenly our marriage is over?”

“Elena.”

“No.”

I shook my head and my eyes burned.

“You don’t get to say my name like that.”

His face showed nothing and I hated it, I hated how calm he looked and I hated how my heart was breaking while he stood there like nothing mattered.

The question slipped out before I could stop it.

“Did you ever love me?”

For the first time, he looked away, only for a second and then he looked back at me.

“Sign the papers.”

Something then broke inside me.

Three years, I loved him for three years, I waited for him for three years and this was what I got?

I then grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

“You coward!”

The pillow hit his chest and fell but he did not move.

“Look at me!”

My voice shook.

“Tell me the truth!”

There was silence and I laughed again and this time tears ran down my face.

“Do you know how stupid I feel?”

Still nothing.

“Last night meant something to me.”

His eyes changed for a second and I saw it, I knew I saw it but it disappeared quickly and my heart hurt even more because that little reaction gave me hope and hope was dangerous.

I then wiped my tears.

“Get out.”

He looked at me.

“Elena.”

“Get out.”

I raised my voice.

“Leave.”

For a moment, I thought he would argue but instead, he turned around and walked away.

The door closed behind him and the room became quiet and then I stared at the divorce papers.

Then I sat on the bed and cried.

Hours passed, I didn’t know how long but by evening, I couldn’t stay in the mansion anymore.

I needed answers, I needed to see her, I needed to know what kind of woman could destroy my marriage just by coming back.

So I followed Damien, his car leaving the mansion and I followed behind.

Thirty minutes later, we arrived at a luxury hotel, expensive cars filled the entrance, reporters stood outside. I knew about this event.

The Moretti Foundation host it every year.

I then got out of my car and people recognized me immediately.

After all, I was still Mrs. Moretti, at least for now.

Inside, the hall was full of people, music played, people laughed and champagne flowed.

Everything looked perfect, I felt like I couldn’t breathe and then I saw Damien.

He stood near the stage, tall, handsome and powerful.

Everyone looked at him, including me.

As if my heart still belonged to him and maybe it did and I hated that.

Suddenly, people began whispering, and everyone turned toward the entrance.

Excitement spread through the room and I looked over and then I saw her.

Sophia

My breath caught.

She was beautiful, the kind of beauty that made people stop and stare, she had long dark hair, a beautiful dress and a perfect smile.

She walked through the crowd like she owned the place, people rushed toward her, they welcomed her and they smiled at her.

They celebrated her return and then I stood there watching.

Nobody noticed me, nobody cared that I was Damien’s wife because Sophia was here and suddenly I felt invisible.

A woman then walked past me.

“Oh my God. She’s back.”

Another woman nodded.

“I knew Damien never forgot her.”

“They belong together.”

My stomach twisted and then another woman joined them.

“Look at the way he’s looking at her.”

I then forced myself to look.

Damien was staring at Sophia and his eyes stayed on her.

The sight hurt and Sophia reached him.

For a second, nobody spoke and then she smiled and Damien smiled back.

My world crashed because I couldn’t remember the last time he smiled at me like that.

People started clapping, some even cheered and then I heard another whisper.

“The queen has returned.”

The queen. Then what was I?

A replacement? A mistake? Someone filling another woman’s place?

I then looked away. I couldn’t watch anymore.

Then something caught my attention.

Sophia placed a hand on her stomach and I frowned.

My eyes moved lower, and then I froze.

There was a small baby bump and my heart stopped.

No.

People were already whispering.

“The heir is finally coming.”

“I knew it.”

“The Moretti family finally has an heir.”

“Damien must be so happy.”

The heir, the baby and my vision blurred.

I then looked at Damien, waiting, praying and begging him to deny it.

Say something, anything, tell them they were wrong, tell them the baby was not yours, tell them this was a misunderstanding but Damien said nothing. Nothing at all.

And that silence destroyed me.

After that, everything became a blur and I left before anyone noticed before anyone saw me cry.

When I got home, my head hurt, my chest hurt, everything hurt.

I locked myself inside my room, my phone vibrated but I ignored it.

Then it vibrated again, and again.

Annoyed, I grabbed it.

It was an unknown number. A message.

My fingers shook as I opened it.

One sentence appeared on the screen.

“He is divorcing you because he thinks you betrayed him.”

I froze and my heart started beating faster.

What?

Before I could think, another message arrived.

A photo, attached below the message.

I opened it and my whole world sto

pped.

The photo showed me entering a hotel room with another man two years ago.

A photo I had never seen before.