Chapter 3: Sent Out

Sophie’s Point of View

The sunlight streaming through the curtains felt like a cruel joke, piercing my eyelids and stabbing through the throbbing in my skull. I groaned, shifting on the unfamiliar bed, the silky sheets a far cry from the soft cotton ones I was used to. As my eyes fluttered open, the events of last night hit me like a freight train.

The kiss. The penthouse. Lucas.

I turned my head, and there he was, shirtless, his sculpted back facing me as he stood by the window, a cup of coffee in his hand. He looked like something out of a damn romance novel, but there was nothing romantic about this. My stomach churned, and I wasn’t sure if it was from the hangover or the crushing regret settling in my chest.

What the hell had I done?

Lucas glanced over his shoulder, his lips curling into a lazy smile. “Morning.”

I sat up abruptly, clutching the sheets to my chest. “I... I need to go.” My voice cracked, and I hated how small and broken I sounded.

His brow furrowed as he turned to face me. “You don’t have to rush. Stay, have some coffee. We can... ”

“No.” I cut him off, shaking my head. “This was… it was a mistake.”

The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, his expression faltered. But then he nodded, his face neutral again. “Alright. I’ll call a car for you.”

I muttered a quiet “thank you” as I scrambled out of bed, grabbing my clothes from the floor and dressing as quickly as my shaky hands would allow. When I was done, Lucas handed me a steaming cup of coffee in a to-go cup.

“For the headache,” he said simply.

I took it, avoiding his gaze. “Thanks.”

The ride back to Ethan’s house was a blur, my mind replaying every mistake I’d made in the last 24 hours. By the time the car pulled up to the house I once called home, my heart felt like it was lodged in my throat.

But that wasn’t the worst of it.

My suitcases were on the front Lane, neatly stacked like discarded trash waiting for collection. My stomach dropped, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

No. This wasn’t happening.

I stumbled out of the car, leaving the coffee behind, and rushed to the door. My fist pounded against it, the sound echoing in the cold morning air.

“Ethan!” I called out, my voice breaking. “Ethan, please open the door! We need to talk!”

The door creaked open, revealing Ethan in a fitted black t-shirt and sweatpants. He looked as polished as ever, but his eyes were ice-cold, devoid of the warmth I once knew.

“What do you want, Sophie?” His tone was flat, almost bored.

“Ethan, please,” I began, my words tumbling out in a desperate rush. “I know I’ve made mistakes, but this… this is all a lie. We’ve been together for four years. I love you. I’m willing to take another fertility test. I’ll do anything to prove that... ”

“Baby, who’s at the door?”

The sickly sweet voice sliced through my plea like a blade. My heart shattered as Veronica appeared, her tousled hair and satin nightgown a glaring reminder of how quickly she had replaced me.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

Veronica smirked, leaning casually against the doorframe. “You’re still here? I thought Ethan made it clear last night.”

“Veronica, don’t,” Ethan said, his tone sharp but not angry. He turned back to me, his expression hardening. “Wait here.”

He disappeared inside, leaving me face-to-face with the woman who had ruined everything.

“Why are you still clinging to him, Sophie?” Veronica sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. “You’ve always been so… pathetic. It’s embarrassing, really.”

“Fuck you,” I spat, the words escaping before I could stop them.

She laughed, a cold, hollow sound. “Oh, sweetheart, that’s rich coming from the woman whose life just fell apart. I Win, You lost. Move on.”

I clenched my fists, every muscle in my body screaming at me to slap that smug smile off her face. But before I could act, Ethan returned, an envelope in his hand.

“What’s this?” I asked, my voice shaking as he held it out to me.

“Open it,” he said simply.

I tore it open, my hands trembling. Divorce papers. My heart sank as I scanned the dates. They’d been prepared a month ago.

My head snapped up. “You had these for a month? Why did you have to humiliate me like that in front of everyone if you already had these?”

A cruel smile spread across his face. “I wanted people to see you for who you really are... a deceptive bitch.”

Tears blurred my vision as I looked down at the papers again. Something else caught my eye. There was no mention of any financial settlement, no acknowledgment of the years I’d spent supporting him.

“What about my share?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan chuckled darkly. “Your share? Everything is mine, Sophie. You didn’t contribute to any of this. You have no right to demand anything.”

My jaw clenched, anger bubbling beneath the surface. “I stood by you when no one else did. I sacrificed everything for you!”

“And that was your choice,” Veronica interjected, her tone smug. “Stop trying to emotionally blackmail us. It’s pathetic.”

Ethan growled. “Sign the papers, Sophie. Or I’ll make sure you’re dragged through the mud.”

I stared at him, the man I had once loved with all my heart. He was unrecognizable, a monster in a tailored suit. My hands shook as I grabbed the pen and signed the papers, each stroke of the pen feeling like a knife to the chest.

But as I handed the papers back to him, a new fire ignited within me.

“I hope you enjoy this little victory, Ethan,” I said, my voice steady despite the tears streaming down my face. “Because I swear, one day, you’ll regret this. Both of you will.”

I grabbed my suitcases and walked toward the gates, my vision blurred by tears. Four years of my life flashed before me, every moment of love, every sacrifice, every dream I had built around Ethan. It was all gone now, reduced to ashes.

But as I stepped out onto the sidewalk, a single thought consumed me.

I would come back stronger. And they would pay for what they’d done.