LOGINLila was back on the road a few minutes later. The confrontation with Sophia replayed in her mind. The look of terror on Sophia’s face, the way she had crumbled in the hallway felt satisfying. She had already left Sonia a text telling her she was coming to give her all the tea on what just happened. Her phone buzzed once, then again. She smiled, assuming it was probably Sonia blowing off her phone to know what was happening.But, the phone buzzed again and again. She pulled over at a curb. It was Daniel. “Lila, please. I’m coming home tonight. We need to talk. I love you.”She deleted the message without replying. The words that once made her heart flutter now felt like poison. “I love you” — the same phrase he had used on Sophia.The anger was a steady flame now, burning away the grief and leaving only determination. Daniel sure had some balls blowing up her phone with love messages while he sat home babysitting.She was very sure all hell must’ve probably gotten loose as Sophia r
Lila got out of the elevator feeling more proud of herself than ever. The slap she had just landed on Daniel’s face was causing her hand to hurt. But oh, it was a sweet pain.She was about to turn toward the exit when she saw Sophia walking toward her, carrying two large grocery bags.Her postpartum belly prominent under a loose white top. She looked tired but radiant, her blonde hair tied back in a casual ponytail.Their eyes met almost immediately and Sophia froze. Lila was the last person she had expected to see. The shock was visible on her face. Sophia froze mid-step. The grocery bags slipped slightly in her hands as her face drained of color. Real terror flashed in her eyes.The kind of fear that came from knowing you were face-to-face with the woman whose life you had helped destroy. The woman whose husband and child you had stolen.Lila stopped a few feet away, her posture straight, her gaze cold and unflinching. For the first time in weeks, she felt the upper hand. She was
She stared at him, her voice barely above a whisper. “So everything I did… everything I sacrificed… it was for a company that was already failing?”Alexander’s expression softened with genuine sympathy. “You didn’t know. Daniel was very good at hiding the truth. He used your support, your money, your belief in him to keep the facade going. But the company was sinking long before I stepped in.”Lila’s hands trembled in her lap. The betrayal felt endless. Daniel hadn’t just cheated on her, he had betrayed her in every possible way.Alexander leaned forward slightly, his voice low and sincere. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. But I think we both know Daniel was very good at keeping up appearances.”Lila sat there for a moment, the weight of his words sinking in. The company, her inheritance, her years of support — all of it had been built on a foundation of lies. She felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and suddenly very eager to leave.“I… I need to go,” she said quietly, standing up f
Just as Lila was still about to figure out what was going on, Daniel’s secretary Tina walked in with a stack of documents.“Mrs. Coleman. I didn’t see you walk in,” Tina said, her eyes widening in surprise. She glanced between Lila and Alexander, clearly sensing the tension in the room. “Is everything okay?”Alexander’s smile didn’t waver. He leaned casually against the desk, his eyes still locked on Lila with a mix of amusement and interest. “Mrs Coleman?”The title felt in her ears like poison. The fake name she had given him that night, “Ella” now felt like a childish lie exposed in the harshest light. She stood there, mortified, her cheeks burning as the reality of the situation crashed over her. The man she had spent a passionate, reckless night with was in her husband’s position. Nothing made sense. Tina quickly excused herself, closing the door behind her with a soft click, leaving the two of them alone.Alexander’s smile widened, his grey eyes sparkling with recognition. “El
Drew looked surprised by the question but shook his head. “No. I haven’t spoken to her at all since the gala. I can’t even look at her right now. Why?”Lila shook her head, forcing a small smile. “No reason. Just… trying to piece everything together.”“Sophia has been sending me a series of voicemails and messages. She’s been apologizing nonstop — saying she never meant for things to go this far, that she still loves me, that she made a terrible mistake. She’s begging me to forgive her and give her another chance.”Lila’s eyebrows rose. “And what did you say?”“I haven’t replied to any of them,” Drew said, his voice hard. “I can’t. Not after what she did. I told her I needed space, but she keeps sending more. Some of them are about the baby — how she’s scared and doesn’t know what to do without me.”Lila felt a strange mix of emotions. That wasn’t what she saw the other week at the hospital. Sophia didn’t look like a woman who regretted her actions.For what it was worth, she looked e
Sonia grinned, leaning forward with interest. “Sounds like you had a very good night. I’m happy for you, babe. You needed that. After everything with Daniel, you deserved that.”Lila nodded, but her smile faltered slightly as the reality of the situation crept back in. The divorce, the custody battle, the baby, the betrayal — it was all still there, waiting for her.Sonia laughed. “That’s my girl. Live a little.”The two friends continued talking and giggling over their coffee, the morning light streaming through the large windows of Sonia’s apartment. Sonia was in full best-friend mode — teasing Lila about her night with Alex, asking for more juicy details, and making her laugh with exaggerated reactions.“So he was a ten, huh?” Sonia said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Tell me more. Did he have any special moves? Was he the type to talk dirty or the strong silent type?”Lila blushed but couldn’t help laughing. “Both. He was… intense. Very intense. And yes, he knew exactly what he was doi







