“Sophia, do you think confronting him changes anything? Men like Alex—they lie, deny, and move on.”
Elise’s voice echoed in my mind, her smirk burned into my memory. I clenched my fists, trying to focus on my breathing. The dim light of the bedroom couldn’t drown out her venomous words.
Alex sat across the room, his face pale. He looked like a boy caught stealing cookies, not a man accused of betrayal.
“Sophia, please, I didn’t know—”
“You didn’t know she was pregnant?” I cut him off, my voice sharp as broken glass. “Or you didn’t know how to tell me?”
He flinched. For a second, I thought he might break down, but he stayed silent. That silence was a knife, twisting deeper.
“Say something, Alex,” I pressed, stepping closer. “Anything to convince me you’re not the monster she says you are.”
His jaw tightened, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that made my heart lurch.
“She’s lying, Sophia. I haven’t seen Elise in years.”
“Years?” I snapped. “So you’re admitting you knew her. Were you with her before me?”
The room felt like it was shrinking. His hesitation answered for him.
“It was before us,” he said finally. “A mistake I left behind.”
My chest tightened, the ache spreading like wildfire.
“A mistake?” I said, laughing bitterly. “She’s carrying your child, Alex. That’s not something you just leave behind.”
His head dropped, and I caught the faintest tremor in his hands.
“I didn’t know, Sophia,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know she was pregnant. I swear.”
I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to. But Elise’s words wrapped around my mind like chains.
“Do you love her?” The question spilled out before I could stop it.
His head snapped up, his eyes wide.
“No! Never. I love you, Sophia.”
Love. The word felt hollow, a shell of what it once was.
“Then why didn’t you tell me about her?” I demanded. “Why hide it?”
His silence was deafening. I stared at him, waiting, begging for a reason to trust him.
“I was ashamed,” he said finally. “I didn’t want my past to ruin us.”
It was the first honest thing he’d said all night, and it shattered me.
“Well, congratulations, Alex,” I said, my voice trembling. “Your past is here, and it’s doing a damn good job of ruining us anyway.”
The tears I’d been holding back spilled over. I hated crying in front of him, hated showing how much his betrayal gutted me.
Alex stepped forward, reaching for me, but I moved away. The space between us felt insurmountable.
“Don’t,” I whispered. “Just don’t.”
My gaze fell to the coffee table, where his phone rested. A single notification blinked on the screen—a message from Elise. My heart sank as I picked it up.
Against my better judgment, I opened it.
[Alex, we need to talk. You owe me more than silence.]
My breath caught. The message wasn’t just a plea. It was a threat.
“What’s this?” I asked, holding up the phone.
His face went pale.
“Sophia, don’t—”
“Don’t what?” I said, my voice rising. “Don’t dig deeper? Don’t find out what other secrets you’re hiding?”
His hand reached for the phone, but I pulled away, my heart pounding in my chest.
[We both know the truth, Alex. If you don’t tell her, I will.]
The room spun, the weight of her words crushing me. I looked at him, the man I thought I knew, and realized I didn’t recognize him anymore.
“What truth?” I asked, my voice trembling. “What is she talking about?”
He froze, his lips parting, but no sound came out.
The phone buzzed again, another message lighting up the screen.
[Tick tock, Alex. The clock’s running out.]
My hands shook as I placed the phone back on the table.
“You need to tell me everything,” I said, my voice firm despite the storm raging inside me. “No more lies, Alex. No more half-truths.”
His shoulders slumped, and for the first time, I saw fear in his eyes.
“Sophia,” he began, his voice breaking. “There’s more—”
The sound of the front door slamming interrupted him. My heart jumped, and we both turned toward the noise.
Elise stood in the doorway, her expression calm, almost smug.
“Well, isn’t this cozy,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
My blood ran cold.
“What are you doing here?” Alex asked, his voice laced with panic.
“I told you,” Elise said, stepping into the room. “If you won’t tell her, I will.”
Her gaze shifted to me, and the smirk on her lips sent a chill down my spine.
“Are you ready for the truth, Sophia?”
