AlexanderIt’s been two days since Sophia left home, and everything feels like a labyrinth of uncertainty. My mind revolves around two questions: what really happened in her past, and why did Eric disappear with part of the evidence that could incriminate Olivia? Doubts eat away at every thought while the financial reports in front of me stubbornly display small discrepancies, pointing to a silent betrayal.Eric Callahan, my financial director for years, always seemed trustworthy. Now, everything suggests he worked in collusion with Olivia, determined to tarnish my name and, in the process, hurt Sophia. Bank statements indicate amounts subtly redirected to an unknown account, outside the company’s official records. If I can uncover who controls this money, I might save both the company and my honor.Sophia's absence lingers with every breath. She left home with a suitcase, and I couldn’t stop her or say the words she needed to hear. The memory of her gaze, filled with pain and restrai
SophiaI walk into the building where Alexander's office is located, clutching the envelope containing the test results confirming my pregnancy. My heart is racing—half with joy and hope, half with fear. I have no idea how he will react, but I’m determined to tell him. I won’t keep something this important from him.As I reach the reception, I notice something strange in the air. The secretary avoids my gaze, and before I can ask anything, she speaks, her voice tense."Your husband is in the meeting room, ma’am. I’m not sure if… would you like me to announce your arrival?""Don’t worry, I’ll speak to him myself," I reply, trying to sound firm.I walk down the wide corridor, the walls adorned with discreet artwork that, on another day, I might have stopped to admire. Now, all that matters is telling Alexander about the baby. With every step, the air feels heavier, as if something monumental is about to happen.I push open the slightly ajar door and freeze at the scene before me: Alexan
SophiaI wake up to a bright light hitting my face. I try to blink, but my eyelids feel heavy, and a constant buzzing hums in the back of my head. It takes me a few seconds to realize that I’m lying in a hospital bed. The smell of disinfectant, the faint beeping of machines, the white walls… everything confirms that I’ve been admitted. I try to lift my torso slowly, but an extreme fatigue weighs down my muscles, and I feel a sharp twinge at the back of my neck.I need a moment to piece together what happened. The last thing I remember is being in the lobby of Alexander’s office building, trying to leave as quickly as possible after the confrontation with my ex and with Leo, my own brother. I felt a strong dizziness, and then everything turned into a blur. Now, I wake up surrounded by tensions I still haven’t resolved.I turn my head to the side and see Alexander standing, talking to a man in a white coat—probably the doctor in charge of my care. They speak in hushed tones. My heart be
SophiaThe child. He didn’t say “our child.” He speaks as if everything were a ploy to maintain appearances, not an affectionate acknowledgment that we are going to be parents. My stomach churns with frustration. I don’t even know if he believes he’s the father after everything that happened, and that makes me feel even worse."Alexander, you’re forcing me to go… but you won’t even talk to me. And what if I don’t want to go back?" My voice trembles, and the question comes out weak, even though I try to sound firm.He presses his lips together."I’ll arrange for the move to happen today. I don’t want you to risk any more situations that could harm the pregnancy. I don’t want to be the one to blame if something happens. And that’s final."My heart races, and I try to insist."Listen to me, please. We can’t just pretend that nothing happened. You don’t trust me, and these accusations…"He raises his hand, cutting me off."I’m not ready to have this conversation. Right now, my priority is
Sophia The child. He didn't say "my child." He speaks as if everything is just a move to maintain appearances, not a loving acknowledgment that we’re going to be parents. My stomach churns with frustration. I don't even know if he believes he's the father after everything that happened, and that makes me feel even worse. — Alexander, you're forcing me to go… but you don't even want to talk to me. What if I don't want to come back? — My voice trembles, and the question comes out weak, even though I try to sound firm. He presses his lips together. — I'll arrange for everything to be moved today. I don't want to risk any situation that could harm the pregnancy. I don't want to be the one to blame if something happens. And that's final. My heart races, and I try to insist. — Please, listen to me. We can't just pretend nothing happened. You don't trust me, and these accusations… He raises his hand, cutting me off. — I'm not ready to have this conversation. Right now, my prio
AlexanderThe doorbell rings, and I’m informed that a delivery has arrived from the local florist, addressed to “Mrs. Hawthorne, the future high-society mom.” It seems like a distasteful gift, possibly arranged by disguised paparazzi or one of Olivia's spies, mocking the entire situation. I order the delivery to be refused.I look at Sophia and tell her we’re going to reinforce security around the penthouse. She nods but doesn’t seem relieved. I suggest that she avoid unnecessary outings, saying I don’t want her to be surrounded by invasive questions. She steps back slightly and says she doesn’t intend to stay trapped inside the house, but I hear a note of insecurity in her voice."I’ll take care of everything. I don’t want you to suffer more than you already are," I declare, trying to sound firm despite the weight of my own uncertainty."I can’t live in a bubble, Alexander. I need to take care of my child, go to the doctor, and have some contact with the outside world," she replies,
AlexanderThe night feels heavy as I park the car in front of the luxurious building where Olivia lives. The lights from the windows gleam against the dark sky, reflecting a hollow luxury, cold and empty—just like the owner of the apartment. I didn't tell anyone I was coming here. Not Dominic, not my private security, and most importantly, not Sophia.Every fiber of my body is tense. My mind replays Sophia's tearful eyes on a loop, her trembling voice saying she didn’t lie to me. And, above all, the words that have echoed in my head since I found out she’s pregnant."This baby could be mine. It has to be mine."I step out of the car, cross the lobby, and enter the elevator. The silence is deafening as I ascend to Olivia’s floor. Every number flashing on the panel makes my heart pound harder.When the elevator doors open, I walk down the carpeted hallway to her door. I don’t knock. I press the doorbell once and don’t wait more than a few seconds before she opens it.Olivia stands befor
AlexanderThe fluorescent hospital lights seem colder and crueler than they should. The sharp smell of alcohol and disinfectant invades my senses as I stride down the corridors with firm steps, but an uncontrollable, frantic heart.Each beat echoes like a drum in my chest while Dominic's words replay in my mind: "Sophia fainted. She's in the hospital."The mere thought of something happening to her or the baby tears me apart inside. My mind, already exhausted by doubts and conflicts, cannot endure another second of uncertainty."Alexander Hawthorne?" A nurse approaches me in the hallway, holding a clipboard."Yes, that's me! Where is Sophia? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" My voice comes out louder than I intended, but I can't control my tone."Calm down, Mr. Hawthorne. Your wife is stable. She only had a drop in blood pressure, something common in the early stages of pregnancy. She's resting now, but everything is under control."I close my eyes for a moment, trying to draw air into
SophiaThe afternoon sun softly filters through the large windows, bathing the living room in a golden light. I’m sitting on the couch with a book open on my lap, but I can’t focus on the words. I’ve tried to write as well, but nothing comes to mind. My fingers slide instinctively over my belly, trying to soothe the anxiety that never seems to fully vanish.Alexander left early for a series of important meetings. I told him to go without worry, assuring him I’d be fine. And I am. At least, I was until now.The intercom rings, breaking the silence. I stand up slowly and walk to the device.“Mrs. Hawthorne?” The doorman’s hesitant voice comes through. “There’s a woman here saying she’d like to speak with you. She introduced herself as Olivia Sinclair.”My heart stops for a second. Olivia.“She said she’s here in… peace,” the doorman quickly adds.Part of me screams to send her away. To not let her set foot here again. But another, more rational part believes that maybe she truly has com
SophiaThe afternoon sun softly filters through the wide windows, bathing the living room in a golden light. I’m sitting on the couch, with a book open on my lap, but I can’t focus on the words. I also tried writing, but nothing comes to mind. My fingers instinctively move over my belly, trying to calm the anxiety that never fully goes away.Alexander left early for a series of important meetings. I told him to go without worrying, assuring him I would be fine. And I am. At least, I was until now.The intercom rings, breaking the silence. I get up slowly and walk over to the device.“Mrs. Hawthorne?” The doorman’s hesitant voice comes through. “There’s a woman here saying she wants to speak with you. She introduced herself as Olivia Sinclair.”My heart stops for a second. Olivia.“She said she’s here in… peace,” the doorman adds quickly.Part of me screams to send her away. Not to let her set foot inside here again. But another part, more rational, thinks maybe she really has come to
Chapter 44 – ConfrontationSophiaThe silence in the penthouse is almost comforting. For the first time in weeks, I feel like I can breathe without the weight of the world crushing my chest. I’m sitting on the couch, holding a cup of hot tea in my hands, while Alexander works in the next room. He insists that I rest, but my mind won’t stop. I’m still getting used to being back here, to the familiar smell of this place, to the memories it holds.I place one hand on my belly and close my eyes. There are two of them. Two little hearts beating inside me. The responsibility scares me, but it also gives me the strength to keep going.The sound of the doorbell echoes through the living room, and my tranquility vanishes like smoke.“I’ll get it!” I call out, before one of the security guards can interfere.I walk over to the door and open it, but I regret it the instant I do.Leo.He’s there, his face flushed, his eyes red with anger and perhaps something else. Alcohol? He looks different, mo
Chapter 43 – Between Wounds and PromisesSophiaAlexander stands in the middle of my tiny living room, a displaced figure in this cramped and simple space. He looks like a giant in a world not made for him. His broad shoulders slump, his eyes are tired, and there is a weight of guilt so heavy on him that I can almost touch it.I cross my arms over my chest, more out of instinct for self-protection than anything else. My belly is already starting to show under my loose T-shirt, and I feel an extra burden as I try to stand firm before him.“So you needed proof, Alexander,” I say, my voice coming out firmer than I expected. “You needed to investigate, seek documents, confront people… to believe me. When from the start it was so obvious who was behind everything.”He lowers his head, his shoulders drooping even further. The image of the powerful, relentless man he has always been crumbles before my eyes.“Sophia, I…” He lifts his head, and his blue eyes meet mine, filled with regret. “I w
SophiaThe sound of dishes clattering echoes through the small café kitchen. Steam rises from the pans, and the heavy aroma of grease mingles with the sweet scent of freshly brewed coffee. My white T-shirt, already tight due to my growing belly, is smeared with tomato sauce, but I barely notice. My fingers tremble as I try to balance two cups of coffee and a tray of pie slices."Sophia! Table three has been waiting for five minutes!" shouts my boss, Mr. Garret, a man in his fifties with a thick mustache and a stern look."I'm coming!" I reply, trying to keep my voice steady.Sweat drips down the back of my neck as I weave between the cramped tables, a practiced smile plastered on my face. With every step, I feel the tension in my belly beneath the apron. I'm only a few weeks along, but it already feels like I'm carrying a heavy weight. Maybe it’s the worry. Maybe it’s the fear.Earlier today, before my shift started, I went to the doctor for a routine ultrasound. The doctor's words st
AlexanderThe silence in the penthouse is deafening. The panoramic windows reveal the city outside, bright and bustling, but inside everything feels stagnant, dead. My only company is the echo of my own thoughts and the nearly empty whiskey bottle beside me.Every sip that burns down my throat feels like acid, but not enough to erase the image of Sophia walking away, her eyes filled with tears and her voice breaking as she said, "I know this baby is yours. Even if any damned test says otherwise."Those words haunt me. They’ve clung to my skin like scars that will never fade.The ultrasound she left on the bed is now in my hand. The blurred image of the small being who was supposed to be our child consumes me from the inside out. I close my eyes and press my forehead against the cold paper. I failed her. I failed the baby. I failed myself.A soft knock on the door interrupts my torment."Alexander?" It’s Dominic. His voice is full of caution but also firm."Go away, Dominic," I say, my
SophiaThe result is still engraved in my mind, like an immutable sentence that echoes endlessly. The cold, direct words on the paper, followed by Alexander's devastated look, still burn on my skin like a branding iron."Another mistake, Sophia? In how many of these mistakes will you be the innocent one?"Each syllable was a blow. Each pause, a knife digging deeper into my chest. I never, never had been with another man besides him after we got married. But now, doubt has poisoned everything we built, and there's nothing more I can do to convince him otherwise.My fingers tremble as I close the zipper of my suitcase for the last time. The room that was once my refuge now feels like a prison. The walls oppress me, the scent of his perfume is still on the pillow, on the clothes, in every corner of this space that, for a brief moment, was our home.A tear runs down my face as I look around one last time. It's funny how, in just a few seconds, a place can transform from a home into a fare
AlexanderThe white envelope rests on the coffee table like a bomb about to explode. The edges are slightly crumpled, reflecting the weight of what they carry. Dominic stands beside me, but he says nothing. The silence in the room feels almost physical—thick, suffocating.My hands tremble as I break the seal and pull out the DNA test results. My heart pounds in my chest, my lungs can’t seem to draw in enough air. Every printed letter on the paper seems to glow under the cold light of the desk lamp.Negative result. There is no genetic compatibility between Alexander Hawthorne and the fetus in question.The words pierce my chest like daggers. For a moment, the world around me goes silent. Dominic mutters something I can’t catch. My vision blurs, my mind struggles to process the brutal reality stamped on the paper."Alexander…" Dominic tries to speak again, but I raise my hand, cutting him off."Leave," I say, my voice rough and broken.He hesitates but obeys, leaving the office and clo
AlexanderThe days following the hospital visit pass like a blur of meticulously planned routine. Every morning, I wake up early and ensure Sophia has everything she needs. Breakfast is carefully prepared, following the nutritionist’s recommendations, and I personally deliver it on a tray, with a rose on the side, every single morning.Sophia looks paler than usual, but her eyes seem lighter. She’s spent so much time carrying the burden of Olivia’s lies, Eleanor’s manipulations, and, above all, the weight of my own doubts. Now, my priority is to ensure nothing else hurts her.Today, I enter the room with the tray while she’s sitting in the armchair near the window, a laptop on her lap. The soft morning sunlight bathes her face, and for a moment, I stop to admire the scene."Good morning," I say softly.Sophia lifts her gaze and gives me a shy smile."Good morning."I set the tray on the side table next to her."I hope you're hungry. I made sure they prepared something light but nutrit