SophiaThe third unanswered message sent a chill down my spine. Bright was never the type to ignore calls, especially not mine. I didn’t want to be the one to call him after everything we had been through, not after those last conversations —uncomfortable, yes— but necessary. I wanted him to be the first to reach out to me, but he had simply vanished.I looked at my phone for the tenth time in the last five minutes. The message icon was still there, without the double-check marks. No sign that he was okay. No sign that he was alive.Where the hell was Bright? His clothes were still in the house, and he hadn’t taken anything with him. That alone set off every alarm in me.He still lived here. Even his car was parked outside the house. Where had he gone?“Have you heard from Bright?” I asked my mother as I walked into the kitchen, where she was making coffee with trembling hands. I knew she had spoken to my brother James.She shook her head. Her expression was filled with worry. We were
BrightI needed to leave. Looking for an easy way out was the best thing for me. The city was overwhelming, and so were the family and Sophia.I didn’t know exactly where I was going, but anywhere far from here was enough. The conversation with Sophia’s parents had left me breathless, as if suddenly the entire world was resting on my shoulders, pressuring me to decide something that was already broken. Seeing the photo of Sophia kissing Dante felt like a stab to the heart. I couldn’t take it.Seeing her kiss someone else was enough to make me want to leave.The divorce. The word kept echoing in my head like a cursed whisper. A term that had become so common in our arguments it didn’t even sound real anymore. She loved repeating it. I kept my distance and hoped Sophia would change her mind before telling her parents the truth, but the family talk ruined everything. She opened her mouth and gave them the news.I didn’t want this to be real. But it was. And the worst part was that her pa
SophiaThe night was freezing, and a storm was approaching. Thunder and flashes of lightning lit up the sky from time to time. The wind whipped my face as I walked alongside Bright down the deserted street.We came to work by taxi today. Bright had things to do, and I had agreed to have tea with my mother, who was still angry with me. I tried to fix things with her, but I ended up listening to the sermon of the year. Bright's car was still in the shop, and although I had complained at first about having to walk back from the company, now I was a little glad. Being with him in silence, without interruptions, gave me a certain peace… or at least that’s what I thought.Our relationship was still awkward, but at least he offered to bring me to my mother’s office in the morning. I was planning to take a taxi, but he offered his help and I accepted. However, the ride to the office was uncomfortable.We couldn’t find a taxi to take us home, so we decided to walk. I don’t think it was such a
SophiaThis isn't my wedding, and yet, I have to look happier than the bride herself.The members and family of the Moonlight pack were celebrating James wedding, the Alpha and my brother. He had found his mate. The scent of expensive wine floated in the air, tempting me to drown my sorrows. Everyone was chatting cheerfully. Some people clapped for my brother and his wife as they danced on the luxurious dance floor.With a glass of champagne in hand I walked through the crowd, wearing a smile that seemed just right."Hey, Sophie!" my aunt called out from a distance. She wore a gorgeous dress, her face flushed with joy. "What a wonderful moment, right?! Look at them! They make such a great couple, and they're so young!"I quickly approached her and clinked my glass against hers. The crisp sound rang pleasantly in the lively atmosphere. "Auntie, you look just the same as always." I tilted my head back and drank the champagne in one go.The bubbles burst happily on my tongue, leaving a b
Sophia"You really know how to ruin my romantic evening, Sophia."The woman was frantically wiping her face. Her delicate makeup was totally ruined now. "Honey, look at what she did!" she choked out andtried to snuggle into his arms for comfort. But Bright mercilessly pushed her away."Get out! Go wash your face quickly. You're a nuisance" his voice was cold, without the slightest trace of warmth.I narrowed my eyes at his attitude. Bright deserved a beating. If I wasn't busy keeping my balance on these stilettos, I'd make sure he knew it."It wasn't my fault. And you!" she shot me a furious look, as if she wanted to kill me, then turned around and stormed out of the room. The sound of her heels echoed angrily against the floor.She should thank me for saving her. I raised the glass, but no drip in it. Bright walked toward me. He crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles subtly flexing. He looked at me with a flash of disgust in his eyes, as if expecting an apology. But at that m
SophiaThe headache woke me up. I rubbed my face and groaned from the discomfort. I don’t know why I drank so much, but I swear this is the last time I touch a drop of alcohol. I turned over in bed, looking for a comfortable position for my body. But I felt something strange. Something wasn’t right. I frowned.My bare skin touched a warm body.What the hell?My eyes flew open.Bright was asleep beside me. His calm breathing matched his relaxed face. His hair was messy, and one hand rested behind his head. The muscle in his arm was perfectly defined. The sheets covered him from the waist down, allowing me to see his toned abdomen.I understood why women went crazy for him. But my heart almost leaped out of my chest when I realized what I had done.The scent of his cologne was all over my body. A shower wouldn’t erase the memory of his fragrance on my skin. A shower wouldn’t erase what we did.Damn it. No. Why was this happening to me?I sat up in bed almost in a panic. I held my head,
SophiaMom took care of the wedding preparations, and Dad paid for everything. Both of them were eager to see me married to Bright after the scene in the hotel bedroom. They pressured me too much to bring the wedding forward as soon as possible to avoid my reputation being hurt. My brother wanted to kill Bright every time he was around.I found myself trapped in a dead-end path. Disappointing my parents wasn’t an option. I was born into a family with strict values and rules. The expensive dress was in front of me. It was an elegant design, with long sleeves and delicate lace. The bouquet of white flowers lay on the metal vase at one side of the room. Everything looked spectacular. My marriage to Bright had to be that way. Appearance. Ours was not real, and it never would be.I got myself into this mess. I had to take responsibility. After all, I was the one who told everyone I loved Bright. When the truth threatened to destroy me, I had to invent a lie. The consequence was maintainin
SophiaI decided to take a break from the madness of marriage. Mom and Dad were constantly pressuring me. They had a specific idea of how marriage should be, and Bright and I didn’t meet their expectations.Bright didn’t pressure me, but my family pressured him. Since we married, my brother has given him too many responsibilities in the pack. I think James wanted to separate Bright from me. I didn’t care, but my brother treated Bright unfairly. Anyway, I know James was trying to protect me from Bright. Since we married, Bright has had to be careful with his affairs. I didn’t mind that at all. I was more relaxed if someone can grab him from me.But faking it was exhausting. My parents constantly invited us to dinner to analyze us. It was stupid.I could barely focus on the conversation with my friends. Comments from the streets reached my ears.“Did you hear? Bright gave up his destined mate to be with Sophia. He’s in love with her and loves her. Who would give up their destined mate i
SophiaThe night was freezing, and a storm was approaching. Thunder and flashes of lightning lit up the sky from time to time. The wind whipped my face as I walked alongside Bright down the deserted street.We came to work by taxi today. Bright had things to do, and I had agreed to have tea with my mother, who was still angry with me. I tried to fix things with her, but I ended up listening to the sermon of the year. Bright's car was still in the shop, and although I had complained at first about having to walk back from the company, now I was a little glad. Being with him in silence, without interruptions, gave me a certain peace… or at least that’s what I thought.Our relationship was still awkward, but at least he offered to bring me to my mother’s office in the morning. I was planning to take a taxi, but he offered his help and I accepted. However, the ride to the office was uncomfortable.We couldn’t find a taxi to take us home, so we decided to walk. I don’t think it was such a
BrightI needed to leave. Looking for an easy way out was the best thing for me. The city was overwhelming, and so were the family and Sophia.I didn’t know exactly where I was going, but anywhere far from here was enough. The conversation with Sophia’s parents had left me breathless, as if suddenly the entire world was resting on my shoulders, pressuring me to decide something that was already broken. Seeing the photo of Sophia kissing Dante felt like a stab to the heart. I couldn’t take it.Seeing her kiss someone else was enough to make me want to leave.The divorce. The word kept echoing in my head like a cursed whisper. A term that had become so common in our arguments it didn’t even sound real anymore. She loved repeating it. I kept my distance and hoped Sophia would change her mind before telling her parents the truth, but the family talk ruined everything. She opened her mouth and gave them the news.I didn’t want this to be real. But it was. And the worst part was that her pa
SophiaThe third unanswered message sent a chill down my spine. Bright was never the type to ignore calls, especially not mine. I didn’t want to be the one to call him after everything we had been through, not after those last conversations —uncomfortable, yes— but necessary. I wanted him to be the first to reach out to me, but he had simply vanished.I looked at my phone for the tenth time in the last five minutes. The message icon was still there, without the double-check marks. No sign that he was okay. No sign that he was alive.Where the hell was Bright? His clothes were still in the house, and he hadn’t taken anything with him. That alone set off every alarm in me.He still lived here. Even his car was parked outside the house. Where had he gone?“Have you heard from Bright?” I asked my mother as I walked into the kitchen, where she was making coffee with trembling hands. I knew she had spoken to my brother James.She shook her head. Her expression was filled with worry. We were
SophiaI don’t know why the silence between Bright and me kept getting worse. We were supposed to get divorced to stop fighting, but the fight continued in the intense silence that separated us like a wall of iron.Since the night before, after the disaster with my parents, every step I took felt like walking on glass. Bright wouldn’t talk to me or even look at me, and I didn’t have the strength to try to break the ice. I felt exposed, judged, guilty... and for the first time in a long while, confused too. I had things to reproach him for, but I no longer dared to bring them up.The doorbell rang at ten in the morning.I wasn’t expecting anyone, so my stomach tightened with an uncomfortable suspicion. I opened the door, and there they were: my parents… and Bright’s. My heart sank. That couldn’t mean anything good.“Can we come in?” my mother asked, in that calm voice that always hid a story behind it.Bright appeared behind me, probably drawn by the voices. He froze when he saw his mo
SophiaI knew something was wrong the moment I stepped through my parents’ front door. My mother’s call asking me to come over with Bright to discuss something important made me nervous.Her tone had been concerning. I knew something was going on, and I couldn’t escape it. It was hard to ask Bright to come with me since we barely spoke anymore, but he agreed.The silence was too thick, and their stares too long. My mother got up from the couch as soon as she saw me, but she didn’t come over to hug me like she usually did. My father remained seated, his face tense and his jaw clenched, as if he were holding back an avalanche. And the worst part was seeing Bright there, standing by the window with his hands in his pockets and his gaze fixed on the floor. He looked serious. Cold. Almost distant.Bright was simply waiting for someone to speak. He didn’t want to be there and was clearly caught in a mental storm. I wish I knew what he was thinking and what was going on to make him look so s
BrightThe anger hit me like a slap I didn’t see coming. Of all the places they could have gone, did they really have to choose the same restaurant I came to with my date?It felt intentional.It wasn’t when I saw her with Dante at the restaurant. It wasn’t when she laughed softly with him, that laugh that used to be mine. No. It was when she leaned toward him and took his hand across the table like she had moved on without a second thought. As if I had never existed. For her, the divorce was practically a done deal, and it was obvious I didn’t matter to her in the slightest. Her love for Dante remained intact, and she preferred him over me.And there I was, sitting across from a woman who said sweet things, who had the perfect smile, the right dress, the proper attitude. Everything about her was flawless. But she wasn’t Sophia. Not even close. It didn’t feel the same, and I knew she would never make me feel the way Sophia did.I told myself —like I had so many times before— that I ne
SophiaI had never taken so long to choose what to wear for a date. After rearranging my schedule to go out with Dante, I had to check my closet to see which dress to put on.I was nervous about the date and about someone we knew seeing me with Dante at dinner. My divorce from Bright was still being processed, and no one knew we had separated. I wasn’t ready to face my parents or James yet, but I knew I’d have to do it soon.I felt like a teenager in front of the mirror, trying on dresses, taking them off, changing hairstyles, applying perfume and then changing my mind. It was ridiculous. I had been on many dates before, even with Dante, but tonight felt different. I didn’t know if it was because we were finally trying something real or because… a part of me was still hurt by the image of Bright with that woman in his office. My mind was a walking mess. I was going crazy.I shook my head. No. Tonight wasn’t for thinking about Bright. I promised myself that. It was time to move on. It
SophiaDante and I agreed to go on a date soon. I gave him my new phone number and confessed that he was right about my marriage to Bright and its falseness. Dante didn’t seem impressed, but he did look happy to have his suspicions confirmed.I couldn’t get the kiss Dante gave me on the lips before I left out of my head. I had forgotten what his kisses felt like. I must say, it was strange to feel the difference between Bright’s lips and Dante’s. I had gotten used to Bright’s and had forgotten Dante’s.I arranged to meet my mother at her office.Walking into my parents’ company had always been a strange experience for me. Maybe because I had never really felt like I fit into that world of business, cold decisions, and calculated strategies. I had my place in the company, but I always chose to work from home. However, today, I had no choice. I had to come. I needed to talk to Bright about the divorce, and since I would already be there to see my mother, I decided to take the opportunit
SophiaThe morning sun filtered through the curtains when I opened my eyes, and problems quickly flooded my mind. I didn’t feel like getting out of bed. Not today. Despite having slept through the night, I felt exhausted. The conversation with Bright had drained all my energy, leaving an emptiness in my chest that I didn’t know how to fill.Waking up meant facing my problems, and my energy had already been depleted by last night's conversation. The wave of emotions drowning me from the inside refused to leave my body. I needed a break from all the drama, but life gave me no respite.I knew I had to go downstairs for breakfast. The decision to divorce was mine, and I had to face single life again. And with that, I had to deal with my parents’ future reaction when they found out what had happened between Bright and me. I had to prepare myself for a long conversation about how I had ruined generations of clean and lasting marriages. I didn’t even understand why it hurt so much to know I