HENRY’S POV
We were putting on our clothes and I felt like taking her right there again, Sophia is all I want at this moment andI didn’t care if we were in the office or being watched by a thousand multitudes. I wanted all of her and she looked at me with that same longing.
I pulled Sophia into a sweet, lingering kiss, savoring the moment. Just as we were about to part, I felt a strange shift in the atmosphere. Sophia's curious eyes turned towards the door, and my gaze followed hers.
There stood a woman, looking bewildered and catching us in the act. My heart sank as I recognized her – Catherine, my ex-wife. The timing couldn't have been worse.
Sophia asked the inevitable question, "Who is she?"
I sighed, reluctantly releasing Sophia. "Catherine. My ex-wife."
Catherine's surprise quickly turned into a smirk, and my blood started to boil. Sophia, sensing the tension, stepped back, giving us some space.
I turned to Catherine, my tone sharp, "What are you doing here?"
She played innocent, "Oh, just came to see Lynda. And you know, since you never pick up my calls anymore, I thought I'd drop by."
Anger surged within me. I gestured for Sophia to go, and she left reluctantly, shooting me a concerned glance.
I turned back to Catherine, my jaw clenched. "This is not the time or place, Catherine."
She chuckled, clearly enjoying the discomfort she'd caused. "Why? Afraid your little girlfriend will find out about your messy past?"
I took a deep breath, attempting to keep my composure. "We're done, Catherine. There's no reason for you to show up like this."
She smirked, unfazed by my stern words. "Done? Henry, you can't just erase our history."
I crossed my arms, frustration bubbling up. "History is where it belongs – in the past. We've moved on, or at least, I have."
She took a step closer, her eyes challenging. "Have you really? Seems like you've replaced me pretty quickly."
I shook my head, my patience wearing thin. "This is not the place to discuss this, Catherine. We're not together anymore, and I owe you no explanations."
Her tone turned bitter. "You owe me nothing? After all those years? Don't you think I deserve closure?"
I snapped, "Closure? You had your chance for closure when we got divorced. Now, please, leave."
She glared at me, the tension thick in the air. "You can't just hide from your past, Henry."
I took a step towards her, my voice firm. "I'm not hiding. I've moved on, and I suggest you do the same."
Catherine's words hung in the air like a heavy cloud, and I felt the weight of her accusations pressing down on me.
"It took a while for my head to piece together, but isn't that Sophia, the daughter of your best friend Collins?" she remarked, her tone a mix of accusation and curiosity.
I shot back, "That's none of your business, Catherine."
She raised an eyebrow, her eyes calculating. "Oh, but it is. Collins doesn't know, does he?"
I clenchyed my jaw, refusing to let her pry into my personal life. "That's between Sophia, Collins, and me."
Catherine smirked, reveling in the discomfort she was causing. "Lonely, Henry? Is that how desperate you've become, dating a girl almost half your age?"
I retorted, "My personal life is not up for discussion, Catherine. You lost that privilege a long time ago."
She circled me, her words like venom. "Maybe if you had been a more exciting husband, I wouldn't have had to look elsewhere."
Anger boiled within me, but I held my ground. "Exciting or not, cheating is never justified."
She laughed, a bitter sound that echoed in the room. "You can't prove anything."
A surge of frustration shot through me, and I decided to reveal a truth I'd kept hidden for years. "You think you can hold that over me? I never told anyone, not even Lynda, why we really broke up."
Catherine's eyes widened, a mix of shock and realization. "What are you talking about?"
I locked eyes with her, the truth finally breaking free. "You were cheating, Catherine. I may not have caught you red-handed, but I saw the messages, the late-night calls. You can deny it all you want, but I know the truth."
She faltered for a moment, and then regained her composure. "You can't prove any of that."
I shot back, "And you can't prove your baseless accusations about Sophia and me. We're done here, Catherine."
She smirked, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Oh, I think I can. I have my ways."
I scoffed, "You're just trying to stir up trouble because you can't handle the fact that I've moved on."
She leaned in, her voice a venomous whisper. "I'll make sure everyone knows your little secret, Henry. Enjoy your new life while it lasts."
Catherine's sudden appearance in my office sent a chill down my spine. The air thickened with tension as I demanded, "What do you want, Catherine?"
She feigned innocence, replying with a casual, "Oh, I just thought I'd drop by and say hi."
I rolled my eyes. "Cut the crap. What do you really want?"
A sly grin danced on her lips as she circled around me, enjoying the discomfort she was causing. "Well, isn't it nice to see you, Henry? It's been a while."
I sighed in frustration. "Stop dancing around it, Catherine. Spit it out."
She finally dropped the act, a mocking tone in her voice. "Fine, if you must know, I came here to discuss us, Henry."
A bitter laugh escaped me. "Us? There is no 'us,' Catherine. We're divorced, and for good reason."
She pouted, mocking hurt. "You say that, but deep down, you know we were meant to be together."
I shook my head, refusing to entertain her delusions. "Catherine, we both know that's not true. We're not compatible, and our marriage was a disaster."
Her eyes sparked with mischief. "Maybe, but deep down, I know you still care about me."
I sighed, growing impatient. "Cut to the chase, Catherine. What do you really want?"
She leaned in, her voice a low whisper. "I want you back, Henry. I miss us."
I scoffed, unamused. "Don't play games, Catherine. We can't be together, and you know it."
She twirled a strand of her hair, a devious smile on her face. "Well, if we can't be together, there's something else I want."
I folded my arms, glaring at her. "Spit it out."
Her eyes locked onto mine. "A million dollars, Henry. Give me that, and I'll keep our little secret safe."
My jaw tightened at her audacity. "You're blackmailing me?"
She shrugged, unapologetic. "Call it what you want. I call it compensation for my silence."
I shook my head, my frustration boiling over. "You're not getting a dime from me, Catherine. Not for lies, not for anything."
She chuckled, enjoying the power she thought she had over me. "We'll see about that, Henry. I have my ways of getting what I want."
As she left my office, her threat lingered in the air, a storm brewing that would test not only my resolve but the newfound stability I had found with Sophia.
The walls of my office seemed to close in on me as I grappled with Catherine's absurd demand. A million dollars to keep her from revealing my relationship with Sophia to Collins. The absurdity of it all struck me, and I couldn't help but scoff at the audacity.
"How did I end up in this mess?" I muttered to myself, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. The weight of the situation pressed on my shoulders, threatening to crush the fragile peace I had built with Sophia.
The thought of Collins finding out about my relationship with his daughter sent shivers down my spine. The fallout would be catastrophic, not just for me but for Sophia too.
My phone buzzed, a text from Sophia. *Are you okay?* The timing was uncanny, as if she sensed the turmoil in my office. I replied, *I'll explain later.*
I continued to pace, a determination set in. I couldn't let Catherine's greed dictate the course of our lives. I needed a plan, a way to neutralize the threat without succumbing to her demands.
With each step, my resolve strengthened. I would fight for Sophia, for us. Catherine might have thought she held the upper hand, but she had no idea the lengths I would go to protect the woman I loved.