21

Sophia’s POV

This new loneliness is becoming rather unbearable.

For the past four days, Ethan and I lived exactly the way he wanted—like ghosts floating past each other.

I'm not even sure if he lives here anymore.

He goes out early, comes back late, most times he just stays wherever he is, and even when we crossed paths in the hallway, it felt like we were two strangers temporarily borrowing the same air.

No eye contact, no exchange of words or the slightest greetings, and if you ask me, I'm totally okay with it.

But honestly?

I'm slowly dying due to the immense boredom.

All I do now is sleep, wake up, eat breakfast alone, walk around a mansion that feels like a museum, scroll through my phone till there's nothing to scroll anymore, sigh 250 million times, complain in my head, take 10 naps, wake up again, and the staring-at-the-ceiling session begins.

I do not have anyone to talk to, Rosalia had gone to visit her sick mother, and the remaining maids around here are more like statues.

I am literally going insane.

“This is ridiculous,” I whisper to myself while flipping through TV channels I do not care about. “I’m too young to be living like a seventy-year-old widow.”

. . . . . .

“Take me to my family house,” I said, already grabbing my purse.

I can't have a family that I can go to and decide to stay here like a prisoner.

Almost an hour later, I was standing before the mansion, but the smile on my face fell when I walked in.

Everywhere is so quiet, which is rather unusual.

“Welcome home, ma'am.” Judith, the maid Lisa told me, greeted me.

“Where’s everyone?” I asked.

“Madam and Sir Carter stepped out earlier, ma. They should be back by evening.”

Oh perfect, I left home just to be thrown into another state of quietness, I'm not even so used to this place.

I dismissed her and I started wandering around, peeking into rooms like a lost child until I heard giggles from the backyard, and I decided to follow the sound.

And there she was.

Lisa.

Just that this version of her is unbelievable.

She was sitting on a garden bench like some Disney princess, smiling… and beside her was someone I definitely did not expect.

Aiden.

Ethan’s driver.

What the heck?

My brows shot up, I don't know how to feel… angry? Over what exactly? Maybe I was just too surprised.

“Ahem.” I cleared my throat, announcing my presence.

Lisa and Aiden instantly jumped apart like two guilty rodents caught stealing bread.

“Oh my God,” I whispered dramatically. “What is this? Garden romance?”

Lisa rolled her eyes so fast they almost fell out. “Shut up.”

Aiden scratched the back of his head, looking like he wanted the flowers to swallow him alive. “Good afternoon, ma.”

“Oh please, don’t ‘ma’ me,” I snorted. “You’re busy playing Romeo behind my back with my big sister.”

“Sophia!” Lisa hissed, smacking my arm.

I laughed. “Just saying what I saw.”

They both insisted they were “just friends,” but the chemistry between them was so thick you could spread it on bread and eat it.

I'm actually happy Lisa finally found someone she likes. We are all scared she would end up being a nun, as every dude is scared of her. Not that she gives a damn either.

When Aiden excused himself, I nudged Lisa hard.

“You like him.”

“I do not!”

“You do.”

“I said I don’t!”

“Then why are your cheeks red, my dear Juliet? Love can really change people, so Almighty Lisa can actually blush like a tomato?”

Her hands flew to her face instantly. “Shut up before I choke you!”

I laughed so hard I almost fell off the bench.

God, I missed this. I missed her.

I missed everything that felt normal.

“Let’s go out,” I said suddenly. “I need fresh air before I turn to furniture in that mansion.”

“Finally she decided to use her brain,” she said, making me roll my eyes.

We went shopping, trying on clothes we didn’t really need, eating ice cream like teenagers, gossiping, laughing….

Slowly, I felt normal again—like life had returned back to how it had been months back, only that we can afford more things now.

But on our way back, we passed my dance school, and my heart tightened painfully.

“Let’s stop here,” I said quietly.

“Soph…”

“I really want to,” I whispered. “My driver would take me home from here. I'd arrive before dinner.”

Lisa nodded at me, her eyes beaming in joy as she realized I'd be spending the night.

The moment I stepped inside, the smell of sweat, music, and wooden floors… they all wrapped around me like a memory.

Students practicing their routines froze when they saw me—then suddenly they all rushed forward, cheering and talking at once.

“Oh my God, Mrs. Blackwood!”

“It's Sophia!”

“You’re a billionaire now!”

“You look so good!”

“Why didn’t you come back to class?”

“It’s not fair, Sophia, you were supposed to compete for us!”

Their excitement made me smile even though I was dying a little inside.

And then, out of nowhere, a voice I know too well rang from the far end of the studio.

“Move aside, let me see my girl.”

Jordan!

His curls were still messy with sweat, his grin still too bright, and he held his dance shoes slung over his shoulder. He took each step like he owned the world.

“Jordan..” I squeaked, I found myself in his arms.

“I missed you too. You showed up at the right time, guess what's happening today?”

“You’re competing today?” I asked, my voice already rising with excitement.

“Yes ma’am,” he answered proudly. “Finals.”

“Jordan! That’s huge!”

We hugged tightly, and he spun me around in a circle before dropping me back on my feet.

“You still dance?” he asked with a teasing smirk.

“Of course I do,” I lied. My muscles were already stiff from doing nothing at home.

---

The stage light illuminated the night and filled the air with magic.

My heart was pumping faster as I watched Jordan salute on the stage in his shiny outfit.

The music rolled in and I just couldn't breathe anymore.

Every move was sharp, clean, emotional.

Every leap and turn were done with great precision.

My body stiffened throughout, my knuckles were turning white from me grabbing onto the arms of the chair, trying to control the stupid rush I was feeling to stand up and dance.

When he finished, the entire hall exploded with applause, and I was able to breathe again.

And at the end of the big competition, JORDAN won.

Of course he did.

Without thinking, I ran to him the moment they announced it.

He turned and caught me mid-jump, lifting me clean off the ground.

“I KNEW YOU WOULD WIN!” I screamed into his shoulder.

He laughed into my ear. “You sound happier than I am.”

“Because I am!” I pinched his cheek. “You deserve this so much.”

For a moment we stayed that way, and everything felt real and normal again.

But as Jordan set me down, I realized the amount of camera flashes we were getting.

And for some reason… something in my stomach twisted.

Maybe because I suddenly remembered I was married.

Maybe because I didn’t know what Ethan's reaction would be or what people would think generally.

Or maybe… because I didn’t care.

Not right now.

Not tonight.

Tonight belonged to Jordan.

And to the version of Sophia who still believed she could be happy.