One

[Sophie’s POV]

The taxi screeched to a halt in front of the house, and I jumped out, my heart racing with anticipation. I quickly handed the driver the fare, my lips curving into an excited smile. In my arms was a small box, its contents brimming with love and hope. I could barely contain my excitement.

The house stood as it always had, a place of warmth and familiarity. The door was unlocked, a little surprising but not entirely out of place. Pushing it open, I stepped inside and let my eyes roam over the cozy living room. Memories of laughter and shared moments filled the air.

"Goodness, where's he hiding now?" I chuckled to myself, the sound of my own voice comforting in the quiet space.

I set the box down gently on the table, untied my ponytail, and let my chestnut hair cascade over my shoulders. My fingers carefully lifted the lid of the box, revealing the cake I had spent hours perfecting. Its inscription read, “Happy Birthday to us, Honey,” a simple yet heartfelt gesture.

Balancing the cake in my hands, I followed the faint sound of voices coming from the bedroom. My heart skipped a beat, assuming Aaron might be talking on the phone. As I raised my hand to knock, a muffled sound from the other side of the door made me pause.

"Ahh, hmm, you're hitting a good spot. Gosh, harder, Aaron!"

I froze. My mind struggled to process the words that filtered through the door.

"Yeah, I see you're liking it, ah ah."

The voices were unmistakable—Aaron and another woman. My stomach twisted into knots, and my hands trembled, almost losing grip of the cake. For a moment, I stood there, praying that I had misheard, that my mind was playing cruel tricks on me.

But the moans grew louder.

This can’t be happening, I thought, my breathing shallow and erratic.

Acting on impulse, I pushed the door open.

The scene before me shattered my world. Aaron was entangled with a red-haired woman—Jeana, his assistant. Her legs wrapped tightly around his body as they moved together in the bed I had carefully chosen for our future.

The cake slipped from my trembling hands and crashed onto the floor, the sound echoing in the room.

Aaron’s head snapped up, his eyes meeting mine. “Sophie?”

I stumbled back a step, my gaze darting between him and Jeana, who now wore a smug grin. My chest felt hollow, my breath caught in my throat.

Aaron climbed off the bed with a casualness that made my blood boil. As he pulled on his pants, Jeana lay back, propped on her elbows, watching me with amusement.

“What are you doing here, Sophie?” Aaron’s tone was sharp, his annoyance evident.

“I—” My voice broke as I tried to find the words. “I came to surprise you. To celebrate our birthday.”

Aaron sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You were supposed to be with your family. Why did you come back?”

“Why?” I repeated, my voice cracking under the weight of disbelief. “Why? Aaron, what the hell is going on here?”

Jeana smirked, waving lazily. “Hello, Sophie.”

I turned to her, my body trembling with anger. “Jeana? You? Here? Like this?”

Aaron stepped closer to me, his expression hardening. “Don’t make a scene, Sophie. It’s not what you think.”

“Not what I think?” I screamed, my voice trembling. “I heard you! I saw you! And in our bed fucking this…!”

“It is what it is,” Aaron said, his voice cold and detached. “Don’t be so dramatic. We’re not even married yet.”

“Are you listening to yourself?” I gasped, my hands clenched into fists. “Aaron, we’re getting married in two weeks! This—this is betrayal!”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed. “You’re blowing this out of proportion. If you weren’t so clueless, you’d realize I was never going to marry you for real.”

His words struck me like a physical blow. “What are you saying?”

“You’re not worth it, Sophie,” Aaron said, his tone venomous. “You have no value to me.”

Jeana’s laughter filled the room. “Oh, Aaron, don’t be so harsh on her,” she said mockingly. “She did try, didn’t she?”

I turned to her, my voice shaking with fury. “You—you’re nothing but a homewrecker.”

Jeana shrugged, unfazed by my outburst. “Call me whatever you like. Aaron knows what he wants, and it’s not you.”

I turned back to Aaron, my voice breaking. “I gave you five years of my life, Aaron. Five years of love, support, and loyalty. And you throw it all away for this?”

He laughed bitterly. “What did you give me, Sophie? Nothing but dead weight. Jeana’s been the one who’s helped me grow. She’s been more valuable in a few months than you were in five years.”

My hands clenched tighter, my nails digging into my palms as his words sunk in. “You’re disgusting,” I spat.

Aaron leaned closer, his voice low and mocking. “And you’re pathetic, Sophie. Always have been.”

The bitter laugh that escaped my lips wasn’t planned. It came from the pit of my broken heart, fueled by betrayal and disbelief.

 “You said I’m of no value?” My voice cracked, but the edge in it was sharp enough to cut through the suffocating tension. My chest heaved as I stared at Aaron, the man I had loved for five years, and now the source of my worst nightmare.

“Do you even know what I have done for—”

“Done for me?” Aaron’s voice lashed out, cutting me off as if my words were an offense. His expression hardened, his gaze cold. “You’ve done nothing for me! The last five years of my life with you were fruitless!” He pointed toward Jeana, who sat on the bed with a triumphant smirk, her bare legs crossed elegantly, like a queen surveying her conquest. “But in just a few months, Jeana has given me countless opportunities to grow my company. I sealed huge deals because of her.”

My breath hitched, and I felt the blood drain from my face. “You think your success is because of her?” I whispered, my disbelief barely masking the heartbreak threatening to shatter me.

“Hell yes!” Aaron spat, his eyes narrowing. “You were just a thorn in my flesh, Sophie. A burden I was trying to get rid of.”

His words felt like a physical blow, making my knees weak. My vision blurred with unshed tears as I clenched my fists, willing myself not to break in front of them. I took a shaky step back, my voice trembling but steady. “You’re going to regret this, Aaron. Mark my words. One day, you’ll regret everything.”

He chuckled darkly, waving me off like I was insignificant. “Get over yourself, Sophie. I won't regret any shit.”

Jeana let out a smug laugh, her voice dripping with mockery. “Well, Sophie, I suppose it’s time you step aside. Clearly, you were never meant to be in his league.”

Something inside me snapped. Without a second thought, I grabbed the glass of whiskey Aaron had left on the dresser and hurled its contents into Jeana’s smug face. She gasped, recoiling in shock, her perfectly styled red hair now dripping with amber liquid.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Aaron barked, stepping forward as Jeana wiped at her face in disbelief.

I ignored him, my movements deliberate and cold as I turned, grabbed their scattered clothes from the floor, and marched to the bathroom. My vision blurred with unshed tears as I shoved the garments into the tub and turned on the faucet, soaking everything. I tossed a bar of soap in for good measure, watching as the fabric became a soggy, ruined mess.

Taking a moment to steady my breath, I wiped at the tears streaming down my face before walking back into the bedroom. Aaron opened his mouth to yell, but I cut him off, my voice sharp and unyielding. “Don’t. Just don’t. Save your pathetic excuses for someone who cares.”

“You’re insane!” Aaron snapped, his face reddening.

I smirked bitterly. “Oh, I’m the insane one? You’re the liar, the cheat, the coward. And as for you,” I turned to Jeana, my eyes blazing, “you’re nothing more than a cheap placeholder for his insecurities. You two deserve each other.”

Without waiting for a response, I spun on my heel and stormed out of the house. Once outside, I leaned against the wall, wiping my face properly and breathing in the cool evening air. My heart pounded furiously, a mixture of anger and heartbreak threatening to overwhelm me. But I wouldn’t let it. Not anymore.

I squared my shoulders, taking my phone out of my bag. My thumb hovered over the screen for a moment before I hit the contact. The line rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

“Hello, Manager Leo?”

“Oh, my lady!” Leo’s voice was tinged with relief. “I’ve been trying to call you—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I cut him off sharply, unwilling to let the emotion in my voice betray me. I had deliberately blocked his number after the last task he carried out for me. “I need you to do something for me.”

“Another task?” he asked cautiously.

“Yes,” I said firmly. “I want you to revoke the deal Sterling Dynamics secured through Royals Inc.'s efforts.”

There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line. “What? But you asked me to make that possible just a few days ago!”

“I don’t care,” I snapped, my voice icy. “Do as I say. Understood?”

“Yes, my lady,” he said quickly, though his tone was nervous. “But—your family…?”

I hesitated for only a moment. “I’m going back to them. Don’t worry.”

Ending the call abruptly, I let the phone fall to my side and glanced back at the house, the door still ajar as if beckoning me to return. My jaw tightened as I whispered under my breath, “You’ll regret this day, Aaron. You and your slut.”

With that, I walked toward the street, the cold air hit me like a slap, but it couldn’t douse the fire of humiliation and anger raging inside me.