Chapter 15 The Truth Bomb
I leaned against the doorframe, watching William and Gina Rossi rush to their daughter's bedside. The worry etched deep into their faces mirrored the tension in the room. Alexander stood at the foot of the bed, his expression unreadable as he observed the reunion.
"Thank God she's stable," Gina whispered, stroking Sophia's pale forehead.
Alexander cleared his throat softly. "I think it would be best if you took her home to rest in familiar surroundings," he suggested, his voice gentle but firm.
William nodded in agreement, but Gina's expression turned anxious.
"When she wakes up and doesn't see you, she'll just come looking for you again," Gina said, her voice breaking. "And it might trigger another seizure."
I watched Alexander's face carefully, noting the flash of pain in his eyes.
William sighed heavily. "Alexander, she's been talking about you non-stop. Coming back to New York to see you was the first thing on her mind."
We moved to the living room to give Sophia some peace. I made coffee for everyone, feeling the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air.
"There's something you should know," William began, his voice low. "When Sophia left five years ago, it wasn't just to pursue her dance career in Paris."
Gina's eyes welled with tears. "She was diagnosed with a brain tumor," she choked out. "With epileptic symptoms. The dancing was real, but so was the illness."
The coffee mug nearly slipped from my hands. I set it down carefully, watching Alexander's reaction from the corner of my eye. His face had gone completely still, like a statue.
"She didn't want to burden you," William continued. "You were just taking over Sterling Group, facing a corporate crisis. She knew how much pressure you were under."
"Why didn't she tell me?" Alexander's voice was barely audible. "I could have been there for her. We could have faced it together."
"That's exactly why she left," Gina explained, dabbing at her eyes. "Sterling Group was in trouble, you were working yourself to the bone—sleeping only two or three hours a night. She couldn't bear to add to your burdens."
Alexander ran a hand through his hair, his composure cracking. "But I needed her then. Even just seeing her face would have given me strength to keep going."
The raw emotion in his voice made my heart twist uncomfortably. I'd never heard him speak with such vulnerability before.
"She's always kept you in her heart," Gina said softly. "During her treatments, she would always ask about you. She was terrified that her condition would only add to your stress. She chose to carry that burden alone. But after years of treatment with no improvement, Sophia just gave up. She wanted to come back and spend whatever time she has left with you."
Alexander sat in silence, absorbing this revelation. The tension in the room was palpable.
Gina leaned forward, her eyes searching Alexander's face. "Alexander, would you be willing to accept Sophia back into your life?"
Before he could answer, a weak voice called from the hallway. "Alexander?"
We all turned to see Sophia standing in the doorway, looking fragile in her wrinkled dress. Her eyes lit up when she saw Alexander, and a small, relieved smile touched her lips.
I moved to her side, helping her to a chair. "Miss Rossi, you should be resting. Let me help you back to bed."
"I'm fine," she insisted, though her voice was barely above a whisper. She reached for Alexander's hand, which he gave without hesitation. "I just needed to see you."
I straightened up, summoning my most reassuring smile. "Miss Rossi, please take care of yourself. Alexander and I will find the best doctors in America for you. We'll make sure you get better."
William Rossi looked at me with confusion. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"
"I'm Emma North," I began, "I'm—"
"Alexander's wife," Sophia interrupted, her voice suddenly sharp. Her face contorted with shock and pain. "No, that can't be true. When did you get married? Is this some kind of joke? Are you pretending, Alexander?"
The atmosphere in the room instantly transformed from somber to explosive. Alexander squeezed Sophia's hand gently.
"Sophia, calm down. Yes, Emma and I are married. It's not a joke." He pulled out his wallet and showed her our marriage certificate.
"You can't be serious," Sophia whispered, tears streaming down her face. "After everything we've been through?"
William stepped between us. "Young lady, I think you should leave us. My daughter can't handle this kind of shock in her condition."
"Dad, please," Sophia sobbed. "I don't believe it. How could you move on so quickly? After all our years together?"
Alexander glanced at me, his expression torn. "Emma, maybe you should go rest. I'll handle this."
I nodded, understanding the implicit request. "Of course. Good night, everyone."
I walked upstairs to our bedroom, turned off the lights, and lay down on the bed fully clothed. My mind was racing, replaying the evening's revelations over and over. I wasn't sure how long I'd been lying there when I heard the door open quietly. Alexander's familiar silhouette appeared against the hallway light.
"Still awake?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah," I replied, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "Is everything taken care of?"
"Sophia's parents went home. Sophia is asleep in the guest room." He sounded exhausted.
"Now that you know why she left you, are you feeling confused?" I asked directly.
Alexander sighed. "I had no idea she was suffering through a brain tumor all this time."
"So what are you going to do now?"
"Get her the best medical treatment possible," he answered without hesitation.
"And after that?" I took a deep breath. "We should just get divorced. Then you can marry the woman you've always wanted to marry. I don't want to be the person who breaks up a relationship, and I don't want someone constantly disturbing our life. You two should sort things out yourselves."
Alexander turned sharply toward me, his eyes widening. "No. I don't agree. I won't divorce you."
Before I could respond, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and answered it.
"Sophia?" His voice softened with concern. "What's wrong?"
I could hear her tearful voice through the phone. "Alexander, I'm scared. I had a nightmare. I was being chased, and you abandoned me." She was sobbing. "Can you come stay with me? Please?"
Alexander hesitated, looking at me. After a moment, he got up quietly and left the room, closing the door behind him.
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the lights of Manhattan sparkled against the night sky, beautiful and distant. I felt equally distant from them.