5. The Mother In-Law

Albert never brought his female friends home. Or as Sophia prefers to call them, his mistresses.

Sophia knew Albert had a luxury apartment in the city, and she was sure that was where he entertained his mistresses to stay. Being the only woman Albert had ever brought to this house didn’t make Sophia feel special. Of course, it was only because she was his wife.

But then again, the wife label didn't make Sophia feel anything more.

The moment of last night's dinner had been broken from Sophia's mind when the next morning she read the gossip about the return of the blonde aka Cecile, to the arms of Albert Raymond.

Sophia had no idea why anyone would actually get paid to write something like that. Don't they have other more worthwhile topics to present? What's so good about peeping into someone's affair life and gleefully dissecting a crumbling marriage?

For some people, or maybe many people; it was entertainment.

But Sophia would rather wish that she was just an ordinary person, someone whose name was never written in the media. She didn’t want to be a topic of gossip, especially not when it came to her husband’s disgraceful activities, namely his infidelity.

All this time, Sophia has been silent, sacrificing many things in this rotten marriage relationship, including her own pride. She never said anything, she just accepted everything unconditionally, even if it hurt.

Two days after the news was released, there was no more news of Albert. There were no photos of him entering a hotel with the blonde, or of them together. And this afternoon, Albert asked Sophia to come to a restaurant that he had mentioned the address of.

Sophia knew the purpose of this meeting. One of the few things she could say was useful as a wife was to participate in a formal meeting with a client. There was no way Albert would bring his mistress.

Sophia prepared herself. She chose a knee-length black dress with long sleeves and a high collar. Her wavy hair fell neatly down her back, with delicate pins securing strands above her ears. She applied minimal makeup for a natural look before heading out.

Moments later, after arriving at the restaurant, the car door was opened by her driver. Sophia stepped out in five-centimeter heels, followed by flawlessly smooth legs, and walked into the restaurant with her typical flat expression and cold gaze.

Sophia saw Albert staring at his tablet screen at a table that seemed too open for a meeting, but Sophia didn't need to ask why. Their eyes met as she approached. Sophia wanted to feel nothing, but her body reacted the opposite.

Albert didn’t seem like the kind of man who played around, skilled in sweet talk and possessing a flirtatious gaze. Because Albert didn't need to use any words of seduction to bring a woman to her knees. His gaze didn’t appear as if he were flirting or being playful. Sophia found it always intense, sharp, and mysterious. He seemed more like a workaholic than a womanizer.

But who would have thought, right? He was nothing more than an asshole.

Sophia sat opposite Albert with her gaze still fixed on him. Lately, somehow they have been making eye contact more frequently, whether intentional or not.

“So, who are we meeting?” Sophia asked casually, her attention shifting to the menu on the table.

“My mom.”

Sophia froze, the list of food names blurring as she glanced over the top of the menu to look at Albert.

"Y-your mom?"

Sophia was reminded of her first encounter with that woman on her wedding day with Albert. Actually, the woman who had been staring hatefully at Sophia throughout the wedding ceremony was Albert's stepmother. 

Albert’s relationship with his stepmother was very bad. And if we're being honest, Sophia didn't like her very much. Millie Raymond always gave Sophia a look that made her uncomfortable, and every word that came out of her mouth was insulting.

From what Sophia had observed during the wedding, Albert didn't like his stepmother either. It was just that the stepmother seemed to dote on Albert in a way that, in Sophia's opinion, was a little excessive.

"I know you don't like her," Albert said, looking at Sophia, noticing the change in her face very clearly.

Sophia snorted softly, lowering her gaze back to the menu. “I can’t deny it,” she replied bluntly, not caring if Albert would be offended by her words.

Albert did not take offense, instead grinning widely as if amused by Sophia's response.

"Lately, you've been looking more and more charming," Albert said suddenly.

Sophia only gave him a glance and looked away, as if she wasn't affected at all by his compliments.

Albert's grin grew wider.

Not long after, Millie Raymond arrived. She was wearing long jeans, a tight tank top with a very low collar that gave a better view of her large breasts. Her face was covered in heavy makeup that emphasized her beauty. Her straight, very long hair was in a bun and dyed a light blonde.

Millie exuded confidence, her black high heels clicking against the floor as she moved with a sultry sway, drawing more than a few lingering glances. Or was it because of her sexy ass?

For the wife of a wealthy tycoon, Millie certainly looks very young and modern. Her face was beautiful with a perfectly shaped body. Sophia didn't want to know if it was real or just the result of the expert hands of the beauty doctors.

When Millie reached their table, she greeted Albert with exaggerated enthusiasm, then leaned down and hugged Albert, not forgetting to plant a playful kiss on his cheek.

Sophia watched with a bored look. Even when Albert glanced at her after Millie sat, the look on Sophia's face did not change.

“Ah, Sophia, you’re here too.”

Where had she been all this time? Is this woman blind?

Sophia smiled kindly. "Millie, how are you? Yes, I've been here all day," Sophia replied, a little sarcastically.

But Millie didn't seem to care. She turned her attention back to Albert, completely ignoring Sophia’s presence.

“Albert, darling, how have you been?” asked Millie, cupping Albert's face with contrived concern. “Are you eating well? Oh God, you must be overworking again, your face looks so tired.”

Yes, tired because of your presence here, snorted Sophia inwardly.

During the time they were talking, all Sophia knew was that Albert was the only one who was trying to focus on their business cooperation, because Millie was just doing stupid things.

Sophia snorted, watching Millie touch Albert every time she was about to say something, then deliberately soften her voice as if to tease him.

As the time passed, Sophia’s presence was completely ignored, although Albert occasionally glanced at her, but of course Sophia didn’t know.

A waiter approached and placed a glass of vanilla and strawberry ice cream in front of Sophia. Suddenly Millie and Albert turned to stare at her. And then somehow the woman’s stupidity made a fool of herself, Sophia thought, until Millie ordered exactly the same ice cream as her and cream-filled sweets.

They continued to ignore Sophia, and Sophia mindlessly ignored them. She busied herself with her phone, reading through the latest news articles on the internet that were apparently much more interesting.

In fact, she was so engrossed in her screen that she didn’t even notice Albert’s annoyed gaze. Albert felt that he was done with his conversation with Millie, whether she was listening or not. Just like Sophia thought, this meeting was a waste of time.

However, Albert couldn’t take his eyes off Sophia. She was casually eating her vanilla ice cream with her gaze focused on the phone screen. What was it that Sophia was so interested in? Albert couldn’t help but wonder.

When he noticed a small smear of white ice cream on the corner of her lips, he reflexively reached out to wipe it away.

“You should watch how you eat,” Albert chuckled.

Sophia was surprised, but quickly covered it up. She grabbed a tissue and wiped her own mouth to make sure there were no more traces of ice cream left there.

“Is it really that delicious?” Albert asked.

Sophia lifted her gaze to look at him, then nodded. “Would you like some?” she offered, taking a spoonful of Albert’s favorite strawberry-flavored ice cream and feeding it to him with a casual gesture as if what they were doing was a common occurrence.

Sophia heard the gasps of Millie and the women at the table beside them, but Sophia ignored them and without changing her expression, she continued eating her ice cream.

Millie chuckled. “Ah, so you do have a sweet tooth, Al. I was not wrong to order you these delicious cookies and your favorite ice cream.”

What a sycophant! Albert thought, looking at Millie out of the corner of his eye.

“Millie, I think our meeting went well enough today. I’ll send all the data to your secretary for more details,” Albert stood up.

“You’re leaving already?” Millie asked in a spoiled tone. Meanwhile, Albert was not the least bit affected.

“Come on, Sophie.” Albert extended a hand to Sophia, which was quickly welcomed by her.

“Millie, we’ll be heading out now,” Sophia said, offering her a polite yet brief smile.

Millie looked displeased, clucked, then got up from her seat and kissed Albert affectionately on the cheek.

Sophia caught the small gasps of several women sitting not far from their table once more. Albert’s grip on her hand tightened as he almost dragged her out of the café and toward his car.

“I’m not going with you,” Sophia said firmly after Albert opened the car door and slid in beside her. “I already told Jordy to pick me up.”

Albert’s sharp jawline, dusted with a hint of stubble, tightened visibly. He turned to face her and said, “You’re coming with me!”

Sophia frowned at the possessiveness in his voice, or was she imagining it? Surely Albert would never feel that way about her.

“Alright,” she replied softly, unwilling to provoke him further. Or perhaps she simply didn’t want to argue with this man at all.

***