Chapter 5 - SOPHIA'S SON
Sophia had a four-year-old son named Noah.
Daniel had told me he hated children.
Not disliked.
Hated.
Whenever his mother hinted about grandchildren, he always said the same thing.
"Not yet."
Later became someday.
Someday became maybe never.
Eventually I stopped asking.
I told myself we were too busy.
Too stressed.
Too financially unstable.
Now I sat inside a coffee shop staring at a photograph of Sophia holding a little boy outside a preschool.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A familiar smile.
Caroline sat across from me.
"Don't jump to conclusions."
"He's Daniel's."
"We don't know that."
"I know."
My voice sounded far away.
The child's age.
Four.
Daniel had traveled frequently during the first year of our marriage.
Business conferences.
Investor meetings.
Weekend trips.
I suddenly wondered how many had actually been Sophia.
"Can we confirm?"
"Legally, not without cooperation."
I looked at Sophia's address.
The penthouse.
"I'm going to ask her."
Caroline frowned.
"I don't recommend confrontation."
"I'm not confronting her."
"What are you doing?"
"Finding out whether my entire marriage was a lie."
An hour later, I stood outside Sophia's building.
She opened the door wearing yoga pants and no makeup.
Without the gala-quality polish, she looked younger.
More tired.
And frightened when she saw me.
"Emily."
"We need to talk."
She hesitated.
Then let me in.
The penthouse was beautiful.
Expensive.
My money had probably paid for half of it.
A toy dinosaur sat beneath the coffee table.
I pointed.
"Noah?"
Sophia's face changed.
"How do you know his name?"
"Is Daniel his father?"
Silence.
She looked away.
"Yes."
The word hurt less than I expected.
Maybe there was nothing left to break.
"How long?"
"We met five years ago."
Before my wedding.
I laughed softly.
"So you weren't his mistress for one year."
Sophia swallowed.
"No."
"You've been together the entire time."
"No."
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not."
She sat down.
"Daniel and I dated before he married you."
My stomach tightened.
"Why did he marry me?"
Sophia looked ashamed.
"Because of your money."
I didn't react.
Couldn't.
She continued.
"His father knew your parents had left you property. They knew you had strong credit. Daniel was supposed to marry you, stabilize the business, and eventually divorce you."
I gripped the chair.
"Supposed to?"
"That was the plan."
"Whose?"
"Richard's."
I looked toward the family photographs.
No Daniel.
Interesting.
"Then why did Daniel stay five years?"
Sophia laughed bitterly.
"Because you kept saving him."
The sentence was cruel.
But true.
"Did you know about the forged companies?"
"No."
"The second loan?"
"Not until recently."
"The half-million transfer?"
She looked confused.
"What transfer?"
I showed her.
Her face drained.
"I never received this."
Caroline had already verified the bank.
The money had gone to a trust with Sophia's name.
"Who controls the trust?"
Sophia stared at the document.
"Richard."
Of course.
I stood.
"Why were you at my house?"
She looked embarrassed.
"Daniel told me everything was finally settled."
"What does that mean?"
"He said once the first loan was paid, he could divorce you without losing the company."
I slowly turned.
"He was waiting for me to pay it off."
Sophia nodded.
I closed my eyes.
That had been the plan.
Use me until the debt disappeared.
Then remove me.
Sophia suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Emily."
I looked down.
Her face had changed.
"If you found Hayes Strategic, you need to leave town."
"What?"
"Richard isn't just cheating on taxes."
"What is he doing?"
She glanced toward the hallway.
"Noah's sleeping."
Then she lowered her voice.
"Three months ago, I heard Richard and Daniel arguing."
"About what?"
"A construction project."
She swallowed.
"Richard said someone had died because Daniel wouldn't keep his mouth shut."
My skin went cold.
"Who died?"
"I don't know."
Then her phone buzzed.
Sophia looked at the screen.
Her face went white.
"What?"
She handed it to me.
A message from Daniel.
GET NOAH AND LEAVE. NOW.
May you like
Another message appeared.
MY FATHER KNOWS EMILY IS WITH YOU.
