Chapter 44
Sophia‘s POV:
I was curled up on my bed, phone pressed to my ear as Chloe's familiar voice filled the quiet of my bedroom.
"How are you holding up, Soph?" she asked gently, her concern evident even through the phone. "Has anyone bullied you? If so, you must tell me, I will help you get revenge."
"I'm fine, Chloe," I said quickly, forcing lightness into my tone. "Nothing I couldn't handle. You know me—I'm tougher than I look."
"That's exactly what I'm worried about," Chloe said softly. "You always try to handle everything alone. You don't have to pretend with me, you know."
"There's nothing to pretend about," I forced out a laugh, though my grip tightened on the phone. "You're too nervous, Chloe."
"Better not" Chloe muttered under her breath.
"Michael has been asking about you again," Chloe continued, her voice taking on a teasing lilt. "He's called three times this week wanting to know how you're doing."
I felt a small smile tug at my lips, both flattering and comforting. "He's sweet."
"Sweet? Sophia, the man is clearly smitten. And he is no less impressive than Lucas." Chloe's laugh was infectious. "Maybe it's time you considered—"
My phone buzzed with an incoming text, interrupting her words. I glanced at the screen, frowning at the unknown number.
"Hold on, Chloe. I just got a text."
The message was brief and cryptic: "La Rose, tonight at 8. There's something you'll find interesting."
"Who is it?" Chloe asked, clearly sensing my confusion through our years of friendship.
"I have no idea. Someone wants me to go to La Rose tonight." I stared at the message. Something about this felt... deliberate.
"That's weird. Are you going to go?"
I considered it for a moment. La Rose was my favorite restaurant, a place I'd frequented after my marriage to Lucas. It was public, safe. And honestly, the mystery intrigued me.
"I think I will," I said finally.
---
Two hours later, I stood outside La Rose.
I dressed simply in dark jeans, a cream sweater, and my favorite brown leather boots—comfortable but put-together.
I opened the restaurant door. The moment I stepped inside, my breath caught.
Lucas's scent reached me, and I looked in his direction. There he was, sitting in the VIP area, with an incredibly beautiful woman I had never seen before by his side.
She was beautiful in a way that made my chest tighten with an emotion I refused to acknowledge. She was leaning toward Lucas, her hand resting on his arm as she spoke, their heads close together in intimate conversation.
Obviously, they saw me too.
When I watched, the woman's fingers traced along Lucas's jaw, and she leaned in closer, her lips nearly brushing his. Lucas didn't pull away. If anything, he seemed relaxed, almost... happy.
The pain that shot through my chest was swift and unexpected. I thought I was past this. I thought seeing him with someone else wouldn't affect me anymore.
"Miss Sophia?" The hostess appeared at my side. "Table for one?"
I almost turned around and left. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to avoid this torture. But then my pride kicked in.
"Yes," I said, lifting my chin. "Somewhere quiet, please."
I specifically chose a table where I could see Lucas's section without being obvious about it. If I left now, it would look like I was running from him, like seeing him with another woman had broken me.
I wouldn't give him that satisfaction.
Throughout dinner, I found my gaze drifting toward their table despite my best efforts. The woman was animated, clearly charming Lucas with whatever story she was telling. Their laughter carried across the restaurant.
You're being ridiculous, I told myself. You told him you never wanted to see him again. You should be happy he's moving on.
I was picking at my dessert when I finally decided I'd tortured myself enough. Standing, I made my way toward the restroom, needing a moment to compose myself before leaving.
In the bathroom, I stared at myself in the mirror, taking a deep breath to center myself.
You're fine, I told my reflection. You're moving forward. This doesn't change anything.
The door opened behind me, and I glanced up to see the woman from Lucas's table entering. Up close, she was even more stunning, with flawless skin and confident green eyes that seemed to catalog every detail about me.
"You must be Sophia," she smiled and said, her voice smooth as silk. "Lucas's former Luna. I'm Nora, Vincent Alpha's daughter from Sunlight Pack."
I turned to face her fully, keeping my expression neutral. "Nice to meet you."
"I was hoping we'd get a chance to talk." Nora moved closer, leaning against the marble counter. "I wanted to be direct with you about my intentions regarding Lucas."
My eyebrows rose slightly. "Your intentions?"
"I'm interested in him. Very interested, actually." Her smile widened, showing perfect white teeth. "I know you two have history, but I believe in being upfront about these things. Woman to woman, you understand."
Of all the things I expected tonight, this wasn't one of them.
I studied her face, trying to read between the lines.
"That's... refreshingly honest," I said casually. "Though I'm not sure why you felt the need to tell me this. Lucas and I were about to divorce. He's free to see whoever he wants."
"Of course," Nora nodded, but her eyes never left mine. "I just wanted to make sure there wouldn't be any... complications. Sometimes ex-wives can be territorial about their former husbands, even when they've moved on."
The implication hung in the air between us.
"Lucas is free to make his own choices," I replied evenly with an appearance of utter indifference.
"Lucas has already made his choice," Nora continued, her voice sweet but her words cutting. "He's decided I'll be his next Luna. We've discussed it extensively."
I felt something cold settle in my chest, but I refused to let it show on my face.
"Which is why," she went on, straightening up and smoothing down her dress, "I'm hoping you can do us both a favor and make yourself scarce. It would be so much easier for everyone if you just... disappeared from Lucas's world entirely. No more chance encounters, no more lingering around places he might be."
Her tone was still pleasant, conversational even, but the message was crystal clear: Stay away from what's mine.