Staring at the man before her, Sophia Reed realized it had been a long time since she last saw her husband, Alexander Kane.
The last time had been in her private clinic — when he brought Vanessa Cole in for a wellness treatment.
He’d looked at Vanessa with tenderness, yet when his eyes fell on Sophia, there had been only disgust.
“Sophia, you make me sick.”
Tonight was the Kane patriarch’s 80th birthday gala, and the reception hall was filled with laughter and champagne flutes.
Sophia knew Alexander didn’t want to see her, but some things still needed to be said — especially now that the divorce papers were already signed.
Just as she was about to approach the Kane grandmother, a familiar voice stopped her.
“Sophia.”
Vanessa stepped in front of her, holding up her phone. On the screen was a pregnancy test report.
“Look, my child is the heir to the Kane family.”
Sophia froze, her gaze shifting from the report to Vanessa’s belly. Beneath the tight evening gown, it was unmistakably rounded.
So the last “wellness treatment” had been for fertility preparation.
“Do you know why Alexander doesn’t come home anymore?”
Vanessa’s voice dripped with mockery. Seeing that Sophia stayed silent, she smiled smugly.
“Because you’re filthy.”
The words hit Sophia like a knife.
She had loved Alexander since she was young. During their three-year marriage, she had cooked for him, cared for his home, tried to be the perfect wife.
But no matter how hard she tried, his heart always belonged to Vanessa Cole — his first love.
Seeing Sophia remain quiet, Vanessa took a step forward.
“You really live up to your name — humiliated and worthless. Just step aside already.”
Her face twisted with malice.
“If it hadn’t been for your Reed family’s scheming, if you hadn’t tricked the Kane grandmother, I would be Mrs. Kane right now.”
“Sophia Reed, you deserve to die.”
She grabbed Sophia’s wrist. Sophia, startled, instinctively pulled back.
Vanessa screamed as she stumbled backward, crashing into a tower of crystal champagne glasses — not without yanking Sophia down with her.
Crash!
Glass shattered, and crimson spread across the marble floor.
Sophia fell too, landing hard beside her.
“Ah! She’s killing her!” someone screamed.
Alexander rushed forward.
“Alex…” Vanessa gasped weakly, “It’s not her fault. I slipped… Sophia didn’t mean to…”
She gave Sophia one last glance before fainting.
Alexander’s fury was ice-cold. He glared down at Sophia, voice trembling with rage.
“Why did you push her?”
The accusation drained all color from Sophia’s face.
Without another glance, Alexander scooped Vanessa into his arms and stormed away.
Moments later, Sophia was dragged into the study.
The noise from the gala faded. Only sunlight filtered through the half-drawn curtains when Alexander returned, tossing a stack of papers onto the desk.
“I was planning to give this to you after the party. Sign it now.”
Sophia flipped through the divorce agreement — the compensation was generous: thirty million dollars and two downtown apartments.
Her heart sank.
“Is this because of Vanessa?”
Her voice quivered. “It wasn’t my fault. I can prove my innocence. I’ll call the police—”
“Enough!” he snapped. “Haven’t you embarrassed me enough already? I don’t have time for this.”
Sophia’s frail body wavered; she clutched the edge of the desk, tears trembling in her eyes.
“Alexander… are we really divorcing?”
He gave her a look of contempt.
“Three years as Mrs. Kane wasn’t enough for you?”
The words cut deeper than any knife.
To him, she was just a woman who had married for money.
“Sign it.”
He turned and walked away, leaving her in silence.
Through blurred vision, Sophia dialed a number she hadn’t called in years.
“Brother… it’s me. I want to come home.”
A pause. Then a sigh.
“Alright. I’ll come get you.”
No questions, no judgment — only quiet concern.
For Alexander, she had crossed an ocean, stolen her family’s legal documents, and given up a prestigious position at a top medical center.
Now, as she stepped out of the room, she saw her luggage thrown carelessly down the stairs.
Her brown suitcase lay open, clothes scattered everywhere — and among them, the shattered pieces of a mahogany box.
Inside were her stethoscope and medical instruments, now scattered across the marble.
Ignoring everything else, she knelt and carefully gathered them, heart aching.
She hadn’t used this box much since marrying into the Kane family — but it was still her treasure.
When she looked up, someone was standing over her.
A woman leaned lazily against the doorway, phone in hand, looking down at her with a smirk.
“Finally decided to show up? Pack your cheap junk and get out. We don’t need you lowering the Kane family’s class when Vanessa becomes Mrs. Kane.”
