Chapter 6
Sophie thought for a moment, then retrieved the smashed wedding portrait. "Could you toss this for me on your way out?"
After they left, Sophie sat on the sofa and turned on the morning news.
Jeremiah came home at half past eight.
When he saw Sophie sitting there, a flicker of surprise and unease crossed his face. "Sophie, why are you up so early? You usually sleep in until nine."
Sophie said, "I had a nightmare, so I figured I'd just get up."
Jeremiah walked over and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Don't be scared. I am home now. What kind of nightmare did my baby have?"
She said softly, "I dreamed you fell in love with Alice. The two of you were rolling around in bed, having the time of your lives."
The moment she finished speaking, the body pressed against hers went rigid.
Sophie felt the shift and let out a light laugh. "Pretty terrifying, right?"
Jeremiah had faint dark circles under his eyes and a bit of puffiness.
It was obvious he had given quite a lot of himself away the night before.
Stubble had started to appear on his jaw, making him look utterly worn out.
There was also a faint trace of a woman's perfume clinging to him, mixed with the stale, musky scent of sex.
Sophie thought, 'Looks like those two really went at it last night.'
Jeremiah tightened his hold around her. "Dreams are just the opposite of reality. They're nonsense. You can't take them seriously."
Sophie pushed him away. "Dreams can be premonitions sometimes. Maybe this one was a warning."
Jeremiah let out a sigh. "Sophie, if you're going to get mad at me over a stupid dream, that's really not fair."
He quickly changed the subject with a smile. "What do you want for breakfast? I'll make it for you."
With that, he headed into the kitchen and started pulling ingredients from the fridge with practiced ease. A few slices of toast, two eggs, some meat, and vegetables.
"Steamed eggs okay? Or do you want a breakfast sandwich?"
Sophie stood up and looked straight at him. "Jeremiah, do you love me?"
Jeremiah said, "Of course I love you."
She asked again, "Would you ever fall for another woman?"
His smile faltered for a split second, but he didn't answer directly. He kept his head down, focused on the food in front of him. "Stop overthinking things, baby. It was just a dream.
"We're so good together, and we're trying to start a family. Soon it'll be the three of us living happily ever after. Okay?"
Sophie thought, 'You'll have your family of three, alright. But it won't include me. I'm done playing the clueless fool.'
Buzz. Buzz.
His phone went off again.
Jeremiah pulled it out, glanced at the screen, silenced it, and shoved it back into his pocket.
Sophie asked bluntly, "More work stuff?"
Jeremiah muttered, "Yeah."
"Then get going," she said. "Don't let me hold you up."
Jeremiah leaned in and kissed her hair. "Be good and don't let your mind wander. I'll order your favorite bread for breakfast. Your husband has to go make some money to take care of you."
The truth was, Sophie didn't need him to take care of her anymore.
She had another identity. She was Maya, a well-known illustrator online.
For years, while everyone thought she was just a housewife, she had been creating a massive body of work and building a huge following.
Her commissions sold at top market rates, more than enough to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
Jeremiah grabbed his coat and left.
After he was gone, Sophie opened the computer again.
Vixen: [You are so amazing. I'm all raw and sore now. It hurts so bad!]
Jeremiah: [Just rest up for the next two weeks. By the time I get back from traveling with Sophie, you should be all healed up.]
Vixen: [Okay. I'll be a good girl and wait for Master to come back.]
Sophie closed the computer with a sense of utter boredom. She didn't even bother saving this exchange.
Sophie thought, 'What a pointless conversation. I was almost hoping Alice would actually send a photo of her "raw" skin. Now that would've been a show if it ever got leaked.'
The night before, while sorting through her clothes, Sophie had deliberately set aside a white blouse. Perfect for ID photos.
She changed into the blouse and went to the courthouse.
The clerk double-checked with her. "Miss Curtis, are you sure you want to change your name to Claire Martinez?"
Sophie nodded. "Yes, I'm sure."
The clerk gave her a look of mild confusion.
The name Sophie wasn't exactly stunning or unique, but it was certainly more distinctive than the bland and ordinary name Claire.
What the clerk didn't understand was that being bland and ordinary was the whole point.
The more common the name, the harder it would be to track her down.
There had to be millions of Claires across the country, and countless Claires would be boarding flights every single day.
Blending in would make it that much easier to vanish.
The clerk finished processing the paperwork and handed her a receipt. "Your new ID will be active in one week. After that, you can begin using your new name."
Sophie nodded and tucked the receipt away safely. "Thank you."