All Chapters of After Divorce, I became the CEO of my Ex-Husband's Company : Chapter 281 - Chapter 290

(Sophia’s POV)The sound of the rain outside was relentless, a steady drum against the windows, almost mocking me. The storm felt like it had crept inside my chest, swelling until I could barely breathe.I stood in the middle of the room, staring at the photo frame on the dresser. It was of us—me, Alexander, and our daughter—smiling like life had been perfect. I wanted to throw it, to smash it into a hundred shards just like the pieces of my heart, but my hands wouldn’t obey. They trembled, not from weakness, but from the unbearable weight of knowing that nothing would ever be the same again.When the door opened behind me, I didn’t turn. His footsteps were hesitant, deliberate. Alexander had always been sure of himself—his walk, his words, his presence—but tonight, he was careful, as if stepping too hard might shatter what was left of the fragile air between us.“Sophia,” he said quietly.I still didn’t move. If I looked at him now, I knew I’d either collapse into his arms or unleash

The first thing Sophia became aware of was sound — a gentle, steady patter, like fingertips tapping on glass. Rain. She lay still, eyes closed, letting the noise seep into her foggy mind. Then came the scent — sharp, sterile, and almost metallic. Antiseptic.Her lashes fluttered open, revealing a white ceiling that seemed too clean, too smooth, and much too still. Slowly, she turned her head, and the truth settled like a weight in her chest. She was in a hospital.The world felt muted, as if wrapped in cotton. She tried to shift, but a deep, throbbing ache in her abdomen made her suck in a sharp breath. Her fingers, shaky and pale, drifted toward the source of the pain. Under the hospital gown, bandages pressed firmly against her skin.Memory, sluggish but unstoppable, began to creep back.The confrontation.The shouting.The sudden shove.The way the world tilted as the pain stole her breath.She closed her eyes again, this time not from exhaustion but from the sharp stab of realizat

*Sophia’s POV*The hallway stretched before us like a tunnel into the unknown, its dim lights flickering as if struggling to stay alive. My bare feet pressed against the cold linoleum, each step sending a jolt of pain through my ribs where the bandages clung tight. Liam’s grip on my arm was the only thing anchoring me, his warmth a stark contrast to the chill seeping into my bones. The faint smear of ash on the floor pointed toward the stairwell, a silent taunt from *them*—the figure from the photograph, the shadow that had haunted my life for weeks. My heart pounded, not just from fear but from the betrayal still burning in my chest. How had I let them get so close? How had I loved someone who could do this?Liam moved like a panther, silent and lethal, his knife glinting in the low light as he scanned the hallway. “Stay close,” he murmured again, his voice a low growl that vibrated with urgency. I wanted to believe he could protect me, that his presence was enough to keep the wolves

Sophia’s POVThe alley was a graveyard of smoke and debris, the air thick with the acrid sting of burning metal. My ears rang, a high-pitched whine that drowned out the city’s pulse, but I could still feel Liam’s arms around me, his body a solid wall against the chaos. His breath was hot against my neck, his heart pounding through his jacket, and for a fleeting moment, I wanted to stay there, pressed against him, where the world couldn’t touch us. But the stranger’s words—*you’re not ready for the truth*—clawed at my mind, a reminder that safety was an illusion, and trust was a luxury I couldn’t afford.“Sophia, move,” Liam urged, his voice rough but steady, pulling me to my feet. My legs wobbled, the pain in my ribs flaring with every breath, but I forced myself to stand. The hospital gown clung to my skin, soaked with rain and streaked with ash, a flimsy shield against the cold and the danger closing in. The tactical team—or what was left of it—stumbled to their feet, their gear sco

Sophia’s POVThe warehouse was a tomb of shadows, the air heavy with dust and the sharp tang of rust. The steel door we’d barricaded ourselves behind felt like a flimsy shield against the footsteps echoing from the main floor, each one a deliberate tap that mirrored the pulse hammering in my throat. The visitor’s voice slithered through the walls, that haunting tune from the hospital hallway weaving through the silence like a taunt. It wasn’t just them—I could hear other steps, lighter, quicker, a chorus of threats converging on us. My skin prickled, the damp hospital gown clinging to me like a second skin, a constant reminder of how exposed I was. Liam’s arm was around me, his knife gleaming in the dim light filtering through a cracked skylight above, but even his presence couldn’t quiet the fear clawing at my chest.Claire’s words rang in my ears: *You need a trigger. Something personal.* My father’s secret, the key everyone seemed to think I held, was buried somewhere in my mind, l