CHAPTER 1

Sophia’s POV

Two years of marriage, and I'd never set foot in my husband Elijah's office until now.

After all this time, why was I suddenly entrusted to deliver these important documents? Could it be possible that they’re finally learning to accept me?

Taking a deep breath, I gently placed my hand on my stomach. The emptiness from losing my baby lingered, even though it had been a long time since that accident. I still felt lost and fragile, wishing for solace that never came.

I missed my husband's presence, longing for a comforting word or touch. But he and his family remained distant and uninvolved, leaving me to recover on my own.

Now, I was about to step into Elijah’s world — his beloved company.

My heart skipped a beat as I entered Elijah's large, elegant office. The room was tastefully decorated, with rich mahogany furniture and a large sign that said Sinclair Realty Group. 

But what made me stop in my tracks was the sight of my husband huddled with an attractive blonde over some papers. Their shoulders were touching, their cheeks almost brushing against each other.

What the hell is going on? I thought in alarm. 

Suddenly, the woman whispered something in Elijah’s ear while she gently laid her perfectly manicured hands on his arm. 

My heart jumped. I heard a loud thud on the floor and realized I’d dropped the folder I was holding. 

They both looked up, startled. 

And that’s when my gaze locked with that of the woman. I felt a shudder creeping through my skin. 

Serena Foster! 

She used to be a classmate of ours at Fairview University. She also happened to be Elijah’s ex-girlfriend. 

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. So this is why my evil mother-in-law asked me to deliver this document! Morgana had probably known that Serena was here now. 

My husband rose from his chair, abruptly pulling away from Serena who was throwing me daggers with her eyes. “You remember Serena, right? She works here now.”

I nodded, my heart leaping into my throat and my thoughts raging in a storm. 

They’re just colleagues, nothing else, I thought, but not with full conviction. Elijah wouldn’t cheat on me, would he? 

All this time, I’d remained hopeful that he could still fall in love with me. But now, with Serena in the picture, time might just be running out for us. 

“So why are you here?” Elijah asked, a frown creasing his brow.

“Your mom asked me to deliver this,” I explained, hastily picking up the folder and handing it to him. Then narrowing my eyes at Serena, I waited for him to explain why they were working closely, or to at least introduce me as his wife. 

But much to my dismay, he didn’t. 

It felt as though my heart was being squeezed tightly, as it dawned on me that he’d never really introduced me to anyone as his wife. Ever. 

“Sophia, you look shaken up. Didn’t you know Elijah hired me to work here?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “Apparently, we make a great team. Funny, I don’t recall seeing you here before.” 

She was purposely rubbing it in my face, and I wanted to slap that smile away from her face. 

She then added, “Oh, right, you don’t know anything about business. You might just mess things up.”

“I take care of our home,” I said bitterly, looking down on the floor for a bit. I felt belittled, and my husband couldn’t even defend me.

Serena looked at me with disbelief and laughed. Just then, Elijah said, “Next time, Sophia, just contact me and I’ll have my assistant come over.”

"Fine," I murmured, my voice barely audible, wishing the ground would swallow me up. The weight of hurt and embarrassment pressed down on me, crushing my spirit. My heart thudded in my chest as I blinked back tears. He doesn't want me here.

Suddenly, Elijah’s secretary came in.

“Alice, please prepare coffee for the ladies,” he instructed. “Just black for Serena. No sugar.”

Serena’s eyes lit up. “Hey, you remembered!” she exclaimed, obviously delighted. 

Elijah nodded at her. “Of course.”

I watched the exchange with a sinking feeling in my chest. Serena gave me a smug look as if she was reveling in some secret victory. 

I couldn’t help but feel more depressed. Here was my husband, effortlessly remembering Serena's coffee preferences, yet he couldn't recall something as simple as my allergy to caffeine. 

“Join us, Sophia,” Serena invited with a devilish grin. “Just like how we used to hang out together in college.”

I struggled to contain my emotions, not wanting to break down in front of them. “I have to go,” I managed to say, my voice slightly cracking. “I’ll see you at home.”

Elijah’s expression remained unchanged, and my heart felt heavy with the realization of how little I meant to him. 

The way he treated me had only gotten worse after losing my baby.

What did you expect? a small voice hissed in my head. He only married you because he got you pregnant. You’re the one who keeps hoping he’ll eventually fall for you.

As his assistant Connor Hayes drove me home, I thought about how my husband’s mother Morgana had begun ignoring me after I lost the baby. Then one day, she started talking to me again, only to treat me like a housemaid.

I fought back tears as the heaviness in my chest escalated. My marriage was falling apart so fast that I couldn’t seem to catch up. 

When we pulled up the spacious driveway of the Sinclair mansion, a feeling of dread and loneliness engulfed me. I’m back in this prison. Trapped. Helpless. 

I want to escape this prison! I screamed in my head, glad that Morgana was nowhere to be found. Yet.

Running to my room and throwing myself on my bed, sobs wracked my body. And as I cried my eyes out, I felt something with my hand that made me sit up. 

A small portion of a brown envelope was peeking from under the pillow. My chest tightened, and more tears filled my eyes. 

I knew exactly what it contained — the papers I’d prepared before. I pulled them out and stared at the title that blurred before my teary eyes.  

It read: Divorce Agreement.