Sophie. Today was the third anniversary of my marriage to Alex, and I had prepared a special surprise for him—a handmade airplane model, which his father had promised to get him one. But he didn’t make it and passed away. I was so eager to make up for this lack in his heart, but then a sudden sadness washed over me, wishing I could give him what he really needed now—a child. After parking my car, I entered our house. The flutters in my stomach turned to a churning sensation when I saw Cathy, my mother-in-law, and Mia—the woman she wished Alex had married—sitting on the sofa. Mia, was the daughter of Cathy’s close friend Lola and she is also a well-known model from a wealthy family. Cathy treated her like a priceless jewel. After many failed attempts to set up Alex and Mia, and following Alex’s confession of love for me, Cathy finally gave up, or maybe never. Several months ago, Cathy invited Mia over when she learned Mia had a photoshoot in town. Mia ended up moving into the house
Sophie. My eyelids fluttered open, meeting the harsh glow of the fluorescent light overhead. I attempted to shift my body, only to feel a tug on my arm. Looking down, I saw the clear tubing of an IV leading to a bag suspended beside the bed, the slow drip of the liquid inside echoing the rhythm of my own breathing. I jerked up. “I’m in the hospital,” I stated, my voice barely above a whisper. My mind raced, struggling to recall how I ended up here. Flashes of memory—a screech of tires, the flash of white light, and then darkness—as I remembered, my body shuddered. All the pain I had tried to run from came swimming back. Cupping my face, I burst into tears. When I raised my head, my eyes stretched wide as they fell upon a man in a black suit sitting across from me in a vinyl chair. I was so occupied by thoughts that I didn’t notice his presence. His dark brown hair, his closed eyes framed by long lashes, and a sharp jawline seemed capable of cutting through anything. I stared har
Sophie pov. I had been staying at Luca’s house for about a week. Initially, I was too troubled to notice the beauty of the house's interiors, spending most of my time locked in my room, where a private chef would bring up my meals. Feeling better, I ventured into the living room and finally appreciated its elegance—white sofas adorned with soft cushions in varying shades of gray, and gray curtains draping from ceiling to floor, framing a stunning view of the garden outside. Staircase-like chandeliers hang from the high ceilings. A sleek, black, dull marble panel serves as the base for the TV, creating a striking contrast with the light-toned walls and adding a modern touch—a perfect blend of color and texture. I sighed and collapsed onto the sofa—he really was a genius. Luca occasionally came to see me after work, and we talked about some design topics. I was astonished at how many innovative ideas he had—after all, Luca was a pioneering designer—and I couldn’t help but be attracte
Álex . “How could this happen? Where did you get those pictures? Who put those pictures on that screen?” My voice rumbled, shaking the office as I slammed my fist on the desk, causing a few papers to flutter. “I’m sorry, President.” The staff member continued to apologise, his hands behind his back and his gaze averted to the floor. The more he apologised, the more it got on my nerves. “How did this happen?” I raised a brow, demanding an explanation. “It was your mother, Mrs. Dawson.” His voice staggered. “And you didn’t see fit to check with me first?” I demanded. “You’ll be fired. Just leave my sight.” I retrieved my phone from the desk and dialed my mother’s number. Every muscle in my face worked hard to express the anger I was feeling. I couldn’t believe she had arranged a wedding advertisement without my consent. My grip on my pen tightened as the dial tone echoed in the office. My frustration grew as she didn’t pick up, causing a dull throb in my head. I dialed her numb
Sophie. After signing the divorce agreement, a sense of relief washed over me, but I could not deny the existence of a hole in my heart. I sat in the wooden rocking chair in the east corner of the room. A soft smile formed across my face as I gently rubbed my stomach. I still couldn’t believe a little life was growing inside me. My mind wandered—would it be a girl or a boy? What name should I choose? I chuckled, realizing I had a lot of time to think about that. I had a sudden sinking feeling as a thought slipped into my mind, and I mumbled. “Would the baby have Alex’s eyes?” I brushed the thought aside. I needed to focus on myself and my baby. I would need a place to live; I couldn’t depend on Luca forever. I had to work. I needed to be strong, if not for myself, then for my baby. Sitting here wasn’t going to solve my problems. I decided to bid Luca fair well. I knocked at his door, and he opened it, sleep still evident on his face. “Sorry, if I woke you.” I apologized. “Oh n
Sophie..And her words rang repeatedly in my head—the only word I could hear in the grave silence her question had caused.My face tightened, and my eyes widened. Anyone, even a child, could tell something was up. But I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart.not wanting to give her words more meaning than they deserved.I fixed my facial expression as best as I could, but I was still robbed of my words. As nothing came to mind to reply with, my legs began to tremble and my chest burned.Drawing me closer to him with his left arm around my shoulders. “Her condition has nothing to do with either of you.” Luca's deep voice cut through the silence, a scornful frown plastered on his face. Turning to face me. In a soft tone, he asked, “Are you alright?”“Yes.” I nodded.“What do you mean it has nothing to do with me?” Alex questioned. “She is my wife,” he asserted.“We are divorced,” I stated, reminding him.My harsh reality gripped my throat, and tears began to well up in my eyes. Bu
Sophie..I couldn't contain my excitement as I hurried down—not even the dull pain in my ankle could make me move any slower as I headed down the hall towards Luca's room.The soft scuffling of my slippers against the tile and the rapid beat of my heart was anything but silent. I clutched the portfolio to my chest, its edges pressing into my fingers, a tangible reminder of the incredible opportunity that had just landed on my lap. I could still hear the client’s voice in my head, praising my work and expressing his eagerness to see what I could do with his project when he had contacted me minutes ago.Luca's door was slightly ajar, and I knocked quickly before pushing it open. He was seated at his desk, clad in a plain white shirt and casual black trousers, a faint smile playing on his lips as he looked up from his laptop."Luca!" I burst out and leaned in, my voice dancing with excitement. "You won't believe what happened!"He leaned back in his chair; a smile played on his lips, c
Alex..I stumbled into the room, the clink of the glass bottle in my hand resounding off the walls. Benjamin looked up from his seat, concern etching lines into his face as he watched my erratic movements."Alex, man, you need to slow down," Benjamin said, standing up to steady my movement.I shrugged off his attempt, my eyes glassy and unfocused. It was easier for him to say when he wasn’t the one who just lost the woman he loved.Memories of that night—the night she left with Luca—still etched in my mind; every emotion I felt was still engraved in my veins.“She’s gone, Ben,” I slurred, my words heavy with drunken sorrow. My grip on the bottle tightened as I dropped into the chair, chugging down the alcohol.Benjamin sat across from me, propping his legs on my sturdy wooden table between the sofas in the middle of the room.I rose unsteadily and trudged towards him, kicking his legs off and returning to the seat.Benjamin’s face contorted into an expression I was too tipsy to disc