Chapter 141 Thee Alliance
Sophia’s POV
I paced the bedroom, counting my steps. Twenty paces from the window to the door. Twenty back.
I’d been doing this for an hour. Waiting for Gavin to come home.
My husband. The word tasted bitter.
The door finally opened. Gavin finally walked in, already loosening his tie. He didn’t look at me. I planned on breaking him, but he is the one destroying me by simply not doing anything at all. And it’s annoying. It's just terribly annoying and I’m struggling to keep it all together.
“Gavin.” I stepped in front of him blocking his path to the bathroom. “What is the meaning of this?”
He stopped. Raised an eyebrow. “Meaning of what?”
“This marriage.” My voice rose. “I don’t understand. We’re married. Why won’t you touch me?”
“Sophia…”
“No. Don’t ‘Sophia’ me.” I moved closer. “I let what you did at our wedding slide. I told myself you’d come to your senses once we were alone. But it’s been three weeks, Gavin. Three weeks and you still ignore me. Your wife.”
He looked at me finally. “My wife?. The only wife I’ll ever have is Malissa. The only one. Please let me rest. I'm tired.”
“You’re always tired. And I’ll pretend you didn’t say that because no matter what I’m the one bound to you by blood.” I reached for his face. “I’m right here. I’m your wife. Why won’t you…”
He caught my wrist and pushed it away. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what? Touch my own husband?”
“I need to shower.” He moved past me.
I grabbed his arm. “Gavin, please. Just talk to me. Tell me what I did wrong. Tell me how to fix this…”
He shoved me.
“There’s nothing to fix.” His voice was flat. Empty. “This is what it is, Sophia. You wanted the marriage. You have it. Don’t ask for more than that. And you are terrible at pretending honestly.
He walked into the bathroom and closed the door and locked it.
I stood there staring at the closed door. Breathing hard with my hands shaking with rage. Then I started throwing things.
The lamp on the nightstand. Crashed against the wall.
The decorative vase. Shattered on the hardwood floor.
The framed wedding photo. Glass exploding across the room.
I screamed. Tore at my hair. Kicked the dresser until my foot hurt.
Then, slowly, I stopped.
Took a breath.
Another.
I walked to the mirror and looked at myself. My hair was wild even my face looked flushed, my mascara was smeared under my eyes.
I looked insane. I felt insane
I straightened my hair. Fixed my makeup. Smoothed my dress.
Then I grabbed my keys and left.
——-
Stephen’s house was not far away at all. I used my key, letting myself in.
“Stephen?” I called out.
“In here.”
I followed his voice to the living room and froze.
Melissa was there. Sitting in a chair by the window. Staring at nothing.
She looked terrible, her skin looked too pale. Her hair unwashed. She was wearing a nightgown that hung off her frame.But it was her eyes that stopped me. It was completely empty. That was the eye of a killer.
“What did you do to her?” I whispered.
Stephen was on the couch. Covered in bandages. With scratches on his face and neck. Bruises forming under his eye.
He scoffed. “You’re overreacting.”
“Overreacting?” I walked closer to Melissa. She didn’t even look at me. “Stephen, what the fuck did you do?”
“What needed to be done.”
I saw the cast on her arm. The bruises on her wrists.
“We can’t harm her body.” My voice rose. “Do you know what will happen if Zeus finds out? If Gavin sees her like this?”
“Zeus won’t find out. And Gavin’s too busy playing husband to notice anything.”
“You need to wait for Zeus to die. Gavin will lose some of his standing then. You can take her to fucking Alaska for all I care. But how could you…” I gestured at Melissa. “How could you do this?”
Stephen stood then walked to me he grabbed my arm hard enough to bruise it.
“Don’t tell me you haven’t felt like hurting the bitch as well.” His voice was low.. “She’s the reason Gavin won’t touch you. The reason he looks at you like you’re nothing. She’s been haunting us both.”
I looked at Melissa again. At her empty eyes.
Part of me felt sick.
“Stephen.” I turned back to him. “Take her and run. Go somewhere Zeus can’t find you. I won’t lose you over this.”
He cupped my face. “I’m not running.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to take what’s mine. The family. The business. Everything Gavin has.” His thumb brushed my cheek. “And you’re going to help me.”
“How?”
“ Just trust me.”
He kissed me. I kissed him back, my poor extremely foolish Stephen. When will he learn that he will never be as good as Gavin. He will end up dead.
A laugh interrupted us. We broke apart.
Melissa was looking at us now. Those empty eyes suddenly bright with something vicious.
“You’re pathetic.” She laughed again. “Sad fuckers. Both of you.”
“Shut up,” Stephen snarled.
“You’re so desperate for what Gavin has that you’re destroying yourselves to get it.” Melissa’s smile was wrong. “And you.” She looked at me. “You married him knowing he didn’t love you. Knowing he’d never love you. How does that feel, Sophia? Being second choice? Being the consolation prize?”
Rage flooded through me.
I crossed the room and slapped her.
Her head snapped to the side.
She turned back. Still smiling. I slapped her again. Harder.
“Stop talking,” I hissed.
“Why? Hurts to hear the truth?” Melissa leaned forward as much as her injuries allowed. “Gavin will never love you. Never want you. Never touch you the way he touched me. You’re just the woman his father forced him to marry. A burden. Nothing.”
I hit her again. And again.
She took it. Didn’t fight back. Just kept smiling that horrible, broken smile.
“I’ll warn you one last time.” Melissa’s voice was hoarse. “Kill me now. Because if you don’t, when Gavin finds me…and he will find me…he’ll destroy you both. He’ll tear this family apart. He’ll burn everything to the ground. And you’ll have no one to blame but yourselves.”
“Gavin’s not coming for you,” I said. “He moved on. He has a wife now. A real one.”
“Does he fuck you?” Melissa tilted her head. “Does he make love to you at night? Does he whisper your name? Does he make you feel like you’re the only woman in the world?”
I slapped her again.
“That’s what I thought.” Melissa laughed. Blood dripped from her split lip. “He’s still mine. Even married to you. Even thinking I’m gone. He’s still mine. And you know it.”
“Enough.” Stephen pulled me back. “She’s trying to get under your skin.”
“It’s working,” I snapped.
Melissa was still laughing. It was a horrible broken, sound that made my skin crawl.
“You’re right about one thing,” she said finally. “I am pathetic. Sitting here waiting for someone who’s not coming. Hoping for rescue that won’t happen. But at least I’m honest about it.” Her eyes met mine. “Can you say the same, Sophia? Can you honestly say you don’t know you’re living a lie?”
I wanted to hit her again. I wanted to make her stop talking. Stop smiling. Stop existing.
But Stephen was right. She was trying to provoke me.
“Come on.” He pulled me toward the door. “Let’s go.”
“What about her?”
“She’s not going anywhere.” He glanced back at Melissa. “Are you?”
Melissa had turned back to the window. Back to her empty staring.
“No,” she said quietly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
We left her there.