Chapter 228

Chapter 228
Sophia

The electronic chirping of my tablet jerked me from a dreamless sleep. I groaned, rolling over to squint at the glowing screen in the darkness. 2:07 AM.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I muttered, shoving my face into the pillow for one last moment of defiance.

My hand fumbled across the nightstand, knocking over a half-empty glass of water before finding the tablet. I considered ignoring it—God, I wanted to ignore it—but years of conditioning had me swiping to accept before my sleep-deprived brain could even protest. I took a deep breath, trying to arrange my face into something resembling alertness.

"Hey," I said, my voice scratchy with sleep as I propped myself up against the headboard.

Blake's face appeared on screen, perfectly groomed in a crisp navy suit, looking for all the world like it was the middle of the afternoon. Not a single hair out of place, not a hint of exhaustion. Must be nice.

"Hey, beautiful. Did I wake you?" he asked casually, as if the answer wasn't painfully obvious, as if I regularly did my hair and makeup at 2 AM just in case he might call.

Are you serious right now? I wanted to scream. Instead, I ran a hand through my tangled hair. "Blake, it's two in the morning. You absolutely woke me up." I couldn't keep the edge from my voice, even as I instinctively tried to smooth down my bedhead.

"Oh, right. Time difference. Sorry about that." His apology was so quick and dismissive that it barely registered as one. Like swatting away a fly. "Listen, there's someone I need you to meet."

She? My stomach clenched instantly. Why did that simple pronoun make alarm bells ring in my head?

I bit back a response that would have been entirely composed of four-letter words. This wasn't the first time he'd called at an ungodly hour since he'd been in London. Before Jasper, before our marriage even, these middle-of-the-night calls had been common. Back then, they were because he missed me.

"How convenient. It's only 11 PM there, right?" I pulled the blanket higher, suddenly self-conscious about my worn sleep shirt with its faded Harvard Business School logo. I looked like what I was—an exhausted mother of three who'd been pulled from desperately needed sleep.

"Exactly. I wanted you two to connect before you come to London next week." Blake shifted the camera, and I could see the gleaming skyline of London behind him. "Liora heads up public relations for Kairo, the company we just acquired."

"Blake, I really don't think this is the best—"

But he was already turning the camera, and suddenly I was face-to-face with one of the most impeccably put-together women I'd ever seen. Her dark hair was pulled back in a sleek chignon without a single strand out of place. Her skin practically glowed, even through the screen, and her makeup looked professionally applied despite the late hour.

Holy shit, does she sleep in full makeup? I glanced down at my own rumpled appearance and felt a surge of embarrassment morph into quiet rage. Here I was in my old sleep shirt, hair looking like I'd stuck my finger in an electrical socket, while this woman looked ready for a magazine photoshoot. This is a goddamn ambush.

"Sofia, meet Liora Hale. Liora, this is my wife, Sofia."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the woman behind the financial genius," Liora said, her voice carrying a hint of a Spanish accent. Her eyes moved over what she could see of me in a way that felt more like an assessment than a greeting. I could practically see the checklist in her head: Tired eyes. Messy hair. No makeup.

"Likewise," I managed, forcing a smile that felt more like baring my teeth. "Blake's mentioned how vital the Kairo acquisition is." Though he conveniently forgot to mention YOU until right this second.

Liora leaned forward slightly, her silk blouse dipping low enough to reveal a perfect collarbone. "Blake and I have been joined at the hip these past two weeks. Every decision, every meeting—we're practically inseparable."

My internal alarm bells upgraded to full nuclear meltdown status. Joined at the hip? Is she fucking serious right now? I kept my face neutral as she continued, "I've been making sure he's not bored after our meetings. London has so much to offer, and a man like Blake needs proper... entertainment."

The emphasis she placed on "entertainment" made my skin crawl. Keep your hands off my husband, you perfectly manicured vulture. I swallowed hard, keeping my fake smile plastered on my face. "I'm so glad Blake has been... thoroughly taken care of."

Liora's hand briefly brushed against Blake's arm as she reached for something off-camera. The touch was deliberate, lingering a second too long. He didn't seem to notice the contact, but I felt like I'd been slapped. Are you blind, Blake? She's practically marking her territory in front of me!

"Sofia," Blake cut in, "Liora's been incredible at handling the British press."

The comment stung like salt in an open wound. My blood pressure spiked so quickly I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. What the actual fuck?

"I'd be happy to share my expertise," Liora offered with a sympathetic smile that didn't reach her eyes. "If you can find time away from the children, that is. How many do you have now? Three?"

The way she said "children" made it sound like I was running a daycare rather than raising our family. Like motherhood was some sort of career-killing disease. I could feel my jaw clenching so hard my teeth might crack.

"Three amazing children," I corrected, my voice cooling to arctic temperatures. "And my firm still maintains a client list that speaks for itself." Unlike you, I don't need to lean against men to get ahead, you backstabbing barracuda.

"Of course," Liora said with a little wave. "I just know how hard it is to stay relevant in the financial world once you're on the outside. But don't worry, I'm taking care of Blake's every need here—from speech writing to media coaching. You don't have to worry about a thing."

Every need? EVERY need? I could feel the veins in my neck throbbing with anger and anxiety. Blake just sat there nodding like an idiot, completely oblivious to what was happening right in front of him. Is he really this dense or is he enjoying this?

"Blake has always been a quick study," Liora continued, angling her body toward him. "I've been teaching him new ways to handle the shareholders, and he's picking it up beautifully."

I bet that's not all you've been picking up. The thought was so visceral I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying it out loud.

"Seems like you've got everything under control," I said tightly.

"Well, I should let you get back to sleep," Blake finally said, glancing down at some papers. "I just wanted you two to meet."

"Can't wait," I lied, my smile so forced it hurt my face. I'd rather get a root canal while listening to Lily's baby shark playlist on repeat.

"I miss you, Sofia," Blake said, but his eyes were already scanning meeting documents.

"Goodnight, Blake." I ended the call before either of them could say anything else, my finger jabbing the button with enough force to nearly crack the screen.

The moment the screen went dark, I felt a wave of nausea hit me like a freight train. "Shit. Shit. SHIT!" I barely made it to the bathroom before throwing up, my knees hitting the cold tile floor hard enough to bruise. I heaved until there was nothing left but bile and shame, tears streaming down my face.

"Fucking asshole," I whispered between gasps, not sure if I meant Blake or myself for caring so much. "Fucking blind, stupid asshole."

I splashed cold water on my face, staring at my reflection in the mirror. Dark circles under my eyes, hair a mess, face pale and blotchy from crying. When had I become this person?

"Pull yourself together," I muttered to my reflection. "It's just another corporate piranha circling. You've handled worse."

But Liora's words echoed in my head, taunting me: "I'm taking care of Blake's every need."

I crawled back into bed, exhaustion pulling at every cell in my body, but sleep wouldn't come. My mind raced with images of Blake and Liora working late, their heads close together over documents, her hand casually touching his arm, his shoulder, his face...

Just as I was finally drifting off, Jasper's cry came through the baby monitor. I sighed and pushed myself up, my body aching with fatigue as I made my way to his room.