Sophie couldn't sit still.
Her leg bounced anxiously under her desk as she stole another glance at the clock. An hour. It had been more than an hour since Mara walked into Alex’s office.
Her chest tightened.
The first time Mara came, she was in there for thirty whole minutes. That was bad enough. But this?
Sophie swallowed hard, trying to ignore the ugly thoughts creeping into her mind.
What if she tells the media? What if….
Her fingers curled into fists.
She couldn’t take it anymore.
Maya had just called herself Alex’s fiancee and she needed answers from Alex. He had asked her to excuse them both as soon as Maya announced that to her.
Standing abruptly, she marched to his office. Her heels clicked against the floor with purpose, but her heart was racing in her chest.
She reached for the doorknob.
It didn’t turn.
The door was locked.
Sophie’s stomach dropped.
Her breath caught in her throat as doubts turned into suspicions.
Was he…?
She shook her head, trying to push the thought away.
Then she heard it.
A moan.
Loud. Sultry.
Sophie froze.
Her jaw fell open, her entire body stiffening as her brain tried to process what she just heard.
No… no, I must be imagining things…
But the moment stretched.
She didn’t know how long she stood there, paralyzed, her nails digging into her palms to keep herself from breaking down.
Then the door swung open.
Mara stepped out, adjusting her blouse, a smirk curling on her lips.
She met Sophie’s shocked gaze and licked her lips seductively.
“Enjoyed the show, sweetheart?” she purred, before strutting away, her heels clicking against the floor like victory drums.
Sophie snapped.
Her hands shook with fury as she pushed past the door and stormed into the office.
Alex was sitting at his desk, his hands running through his hair, looking like he was battling some internal war.
She didn't care.
“What the hell was that?” she demanded.
Alex’s head jerked up. His eyes locked with hers, surprise flickering in them before they turned cold.
“What are you talking about?”
Sophie laughed bitterly. “Oh, don’t play dumb, Alex. I saw her walk out. I heard—” she swallowed, her voice breaking slightly, “—I heard everything.”
His jaw tightened. “You heard wrong.”
Sophie scoffed. “Oh really? So you’re telling me you didn’t just sleep with your supposed ex in your office?”
His eyes darkened with irritation. “I don’t owe you an explanation, Sophie.”
That stung.
Her fingers trembled. “Wow. So that’s how it is?”
Alex stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Am I?” she snapped, stepping closer. “Because from where I’m standing, it sure looks like you just—”
“Enough!” he suddenly barked.
Sophie flinched.
Her chest heaved with emotion, but she refused to back down.
“Why?” Her voice was softer now, but laced with pain. “Why, Alex?”
He exhaled sharply, his hands gripping the edge of his desk.
Her heart clenched. “You don't expect me to pretend like nothing happened, do you? She said she is your fiance, what can you say about that?”
He rubbed his temples, clearly frustrated. “You’re making this a bigger deal than it is.”
Sophie let out a breathless laugh. “A bigger deal? I just—” She shook her head, trying to steady herself. “You know what? Maybe I’m the idiot here.”
Alex stared at her, unblinking.
Sophie took a step back. “You never cared, did you?”
His jaw twitched. “Sophie—”
“No.” Her voice wavered, but she held her ground. “You said it was nothing. But it wasn’t nothing for me.”
His eyes hardened. “Then that’s your mistake.”
The words cut her like a knife.
Silence filled the room, thick, suffocating.
Then, he delivered the final blow. “After all, it was just sex. It’s not like we’re in a relationship.”
Sophie felt her entire world crumble.
She stared at him, the weight of his words sinking into her bones.
Benita was right. She had warned her. She told her not to get attached.
Because for Alex, It was just sex.
But for her? It was so much more.
Her eyes burned. A tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.
Alex’s chest rose and fell, but his face remained unreadable.
“I’ll never be enough for you, will I?” Sophie asked, her voice trembling but resolute. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest as though shielding herself from the weight of her own words. Her eyes, usually so bright, now shimmered with unshed tears.
Alex sat behind his desk, his head cradled in his hands. His temples throbbed with a dull ache. The office was oppressively quiet, save for the relentless ticking of the clock on the wall and Sophie’s uneven breathing.
“Sophie…” Alex began, his voice hoarse like gravel scraping against steel. He lifted his head just enough to glance at her but quickly averted his gaze when he caught the anguish etched into her face. “You were great…”
Sophie let out a bitter laugh, one that felt more like a sob she refused to let escape.
“That’s the kind of thing people say when they’re about to throw you away,” she said, shaking her head. Her lips curled into a painful smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “What is it, Alex? Just tell me. Why won’t you choose me?”
Alex’s shoulders sagged as though he were bearing the weight of every unspoken truth between them. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair—an old habit Sophie had once found endearing but now only made him look small and desperate. His throat tightened as he struggled to form words that wouldn’t tear them both apart.
“I have no choice, Sophie,” he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “You know I have to do this. I have to end us.”
Her breath hitched audibly at his words, and for a moment, she seemed frozen in place, as if time itself had paused just to prolong her pain. Then she blinked rapidly, her lashes damp with tears that refused to stay hidden. When she spoke again, her voice cracked under the weight of her heartbreak.
“So that’s it, huh?” she said, her tone teetering between disbelief and resignation. “I was only ever your secret.” She laughed again, but this time it was hollow, empty—a sound that echoed off the cold walls of his office like a ghost haunting them both. “I never stood a chance, did I?”
“Sophie—” Alex began, but she cut him off with a sharp shake of her head.
“I believed you,” she said, her voice rising with every word as anger began to seep through her sorrow. “I made you my world. I gave you my time, my energy, my love—because I believed in us. And maybe…” Her voice faltered for a moment as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. She wiped them away hastily with the back of her hand before continuing. “Maybe that was my mistake.”
She turned abruptly and strode toward her desk in the corner of the room. The sound of drawers sliding open and papers rustling filled the air as she began shoving belongings into her bag with trembling hands.
“What are you doing?” Alex asked, finally rising from his chair. His footsteps were hesitant as he approached her as though afraid she might shatter if he got too close.
Sophie didn’t look at him as she answered. “I’m quitting,” she said flatly.
The finality in her tone sent a jolt of panic through Alex’s chest. “Sophie…don’t do this,” he pleaded, reaching out but stopping short of touching her shoulder. “Please don’t leave like this.”
She froze mid-motion and turned slowly to face him. . “Leave like what?” she asked quietly. “Like someone who finally understands where they stand? Like someone who refuses to be second best?”
Alex opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss for words. The truth hung between them like an unspoken confession he couldn’t bring himself to utter.
Sophie shook her head again and resumed packing her things with renewed determination. The framed photo of them together at last year’s office party—a moment when they’d been happy and carefree—was shoved unceremoniously into her bag along with pens and notebooks.
“You can’t just walk away,” Alex said desperately, stepping closer now as though proximity alone could fix what was broken between them.
“Watch me,” Sophie replied without missing a beat. Her voice was steady now—cold and resolute in a way that made Alex’s stomach twist uncomfortably.
As she zipped up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, she paused in front of him one last time. For a brief moment, their eyes met—hers brimming with heartbreak yet laced with the kind of strength he’d always admired in her.
“I hope whatever it is you’re choosing over me is worth it,” she said softly but firmly. “Because you just lost someone who would’ve done anything for you.”