All Chapters of After the Divorce : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

52 Chapters

Chapter 1: Sugar and Lies

Sophia’s POVThe cake box burned against my palms as I shifted my weight from one leg to the other. I’d been standing here for minutes, wondering if coming unannounced to my boyfriend’s place was a good idea.The last week had been rocky—he was always busy, always with an excuse, cancelled dates at the last minute and showed up late when he did come. It felt like we were slowly drifting apart, so I came here to mend what we once had.Jean and I had been together for more than a year.I’d attended his concert several times, but when we crossed paths again at a random cafe, he recognized me as a fan. The memory still made me smile. It made me believe maybe foolishly that we could fix whatever this was.I finally pressed the doorbell. Someone opened the door almost immediately, holding a glass of champagne in her hands. Her smile was blinding, loud music pulsing through my veins as small cackles of laughter filled my ears. “Well, come on in,” she urged, opening the door wider. “You're

Chapter 2: The Grey Eyes

Sophia’s POVThe moment I booked the flight, I only had one question sitting in my mind. Was this a mistake?Ever since I landed and gave the driver my mother's address, I couldn't control the uneasiness I felt under my skin. Heading back home might be the moment a lot of people have been dreaming for, but not for me. Because it didn't feel like home anymore. Not since the wedding. I didn't even attend the freaking wedding because I wasn't ready to meet my stepfather. I exhaled slowly, closing my eyes for a brief moment as I wondered if I had truly made a mistake. But coming here was way better than remaining where my memories with Jean would continuously haunt me. “Miss, we’re here.” The driver’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked, straightening slightly as I looked up.The house stood exactly where it always had. I didn't change one bit, and the fact that something still felt familiar about this place warmed my heart a bit.“Thank you,” I murmured, pushing the door

Chapter 3: Something Rare

Sophia’s POV“I am still your mother, young woman.” I nearly laughed at the words, pressing my palm against my cheeks as I fought the tears burning the back of my eyelids. This woman didn't care about me. Why did I ever think she'd change? I felt Marcus' gaze burning through me, and it made it harder to even keep myself together. We were just meeting for the first time, and he could already see the sour relationship I had with my mother. He could see that we weren't on good terms—never have been. He could see that I was merely a visitor here because this would never be my home anymore. I swallowed hard, my vision blurring slightly before I forced myself to blink it away. I wasn't going to cry here, especially not in front of her. I pushed my chair back so fast it scraped loudly against the floor and walked fast until I was almost running up the stairs.My vision blurred halfway through, and by the time I reached my room, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. Everything I’d been holding i

Chapter 4: The Line I Crossed

Marcus’s POVThe second my thumb brushed against her lips, I knew I had crossed a line. And the worst part was that It didn't start there, It started the moment she walked through that door yesterday… looking like something fragile had just been shattered inside her.She was trying too hard to hold herself together, to not crumble and break down, and I should have kept my distance. I should’ve treated her like what she was—Diane’s daughter, but the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw her was how do I make her feel better. I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand over my face as I leaned back against the wall, replaying the moment my thumb brushed her lips again. The way she froze, the way I didn't pull fast enough, the way she ate her meal quickly and bolted. I’d made it worse by just standing there.This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She was Diane’s daughter, the same daughter who hadn’t even shown up to the wedding, the one Diane had described as difficult. Stubborn. Spoiled

Chapter 5: The Escape That Wasn’t.

SOPHIA’S POV“Damn it.” I cursed out loud, dropping the mug against the counter when the coffee burned my lips, nearly peeling off my skin. In Los Angeles, Jean once told me it was a sign of bad luck. And as I fumed over the fact that his name still surfaced in my mind, soft footsteps filled the air as my mom appeared at the kitchen doorway, securing her silk robe with a gigantic knot. Jean was right. Meeting my mom this early was a bigger sign my day would suck. Her brown eyes met mine. “You’re awake.” Of course. Does it make sense to be in bed when it is almost noon?“And you’re home.” I kept my voice dry and distant. “During the weekend.”She opened the fridge for a bottle of water. She opened the cap, took a small sip, then put it back. “I’ll be heading out soon.” I almost wanted to laugh. This conversation isn’t worth my time. Reaching for the coffee mug I had dropped earlier, I made my way out, but her clipped voice made me halt. “How long will you be staying here, Sophi

Chapter 6: Bad Idea

Marcus’s POV Sophia, standing in between a flustered blonde and a red-head, touched the base of her neck as a pink flush appeared on her cheeks. “Yes,” her voice sounded so soft. “He’s my stepfather, Marcus.” The redhead checked me out. Including the blonde as well. Then they both shook their heads for some sort of reason that didn’t cross my mind. “Unbelievable,” the redhead mumbled, giving her head another small shake. “He looks young enough to be your elder brother.” “Or your boyfriend.” “Kyla!” Sophia exclaimed. “What? I’m just blurting out what’s on my mind.” Sophia rushed forward, pressing both palms against each other as she winced. “Marcus, I’m so sorry. My friends can be a handful sometimes,” she added with a faint smile. She looked quite..different today. Her dark hair was in a high pony tail, but a few strands framed her face, dancing on her features as the wind blew. Her eyes weren’t as hollow as the first time I met her. I guess returning

Chapter 7: Fists & Feelings

Sophia’s POV Throughout the ride to Jean’s apartment, the only thing I could think of was ‘what’s Jean doing here? Did he come for me? Does he want us to get back together or is he here for some closure?’ It stung that he still affected me this way despite how hard I’ve tried to move on. Marcus’ stern face twisted my insides as he drove into a private estate. He hasn’t said another word since the “I’ll do it” he blurted out several minutes ago. Pressing my lips against each other, I played with the black purse resting on my thigh, thinking it was going to help with the nervousness in my system. But it didn’t. “We’re here.” His swift voice yanked me back to reality, making me flinch. “What?” “We’re at Jean’s home. Do you have a plan or we’re just going with the flow?” I scratched the back of my neck. Ah, so he was talking about the fake dating thing. “Jean’s not that smart,” I said softly. “We can just go with the flow. He won’t know it’s fake.” “He’s not smart?” His

Chapter 8: The Woman I Used to Love

Marcus’s POV Sophia didn’t say a single word during the ride home. She’d glance out the window, tighten her grip on her purse, then suck a deep breath before staring into thin air. She looked like a mess. It stunned me how much effect that bastard had on her. He wasn’t worth it. Not one bit. She was better off on her own. I wanted her to know that, but I didn’t know if she was ready to talk. The second I pulled up at the garage, Sophia climbed out of the car, grabbed her purse, and made her way to the front door. Without saying a word. Seeing her that way—broken and hurt made something inside me unsettled. My knuckles itched to punch the bastard again. And I know it was against my work ethics, but I just couldn’t stand a woman getting disrespected. Regardless of whoever the fuck he was. I popped the boot open and grabbed the multiple shopping bags sitting there. “You went shopping?” Diane? I nearly dropped the shopping bags to the ground. “You remembered my bir

Chapter 9: The Space Between Us

Sophia’s POVI’d only opened the door because I remembered the shopping bags. I wasn’t prepared for Marcus standing out there, jaw set in a way that meant something was wrong. He stared at me like I was the last person he’d expected to be out here, then softly, my name rolled out of his throat. “Sophia.” And that was when I saw her. My mother stood some steps away, glancing our way with a similar expression on her face. She was trying so hard to pretend that nothing was wrong, but it was easy for me to see through her this time. I eyed the shopping bags in Marcus’ hands. “I came out to pick it up, you didn’t have to bring it in for me.” “It’s no big deal.” His eyes met mine. “Are you okay?” My mom’s gaze was burning into me for some reason I couldn’t understand. She had her arms folded in that way that meant she was this close to exploding. Whatever was going on between them right now, I wanted no part of it. So I reached for the bags, letting my fingers curl around it before I

Chapter 10: Connecting the Dots

Marcus’s POV“You look like a man who hasn’t slept well in days.” Sebastian Cole said without looking up from the files on his desk. “Does this have to do with Diane or work?” I settled against a brown couch across the room. “Work.” Sebastian lifted his head, eyes holding that particular gleam that meant he knew something he wasn’t supposed to. “Really, Marcus?” He kicked off his shoes, crossed his legs over the table, and leaned against the arm chair. “You’re having sleepless nights because of work?” “Yes.” But that wasn’t the only thing giving me sleepless nights. The whole thing that occurred with Diane kept replaying in my head like it was stuck on a loop. I tried burying it, but I just kept circling back. I drove from the house all the way here to see Sebastian because, at this point, he was the only one I could confide in concerning his delicate issue. He’s happily married with two kids. And his wife, Hazel? She understood him so much that he was always eager to leave his

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