Chapter 2

I felt like a soulless puppet, mechanically stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the first floor.

I was alone in the enclosed space. The three voices kept reverberating in my mind.

My mother's last words hid a secret about who I really was.

Sophie's final words exposed the sordid truth behind how Charles built his fortune.

And Charles's dying words hinted at the tragic yet ridiculous fate that awaited him.

The elevator doors slid open with a ding, and I stepped out.

The receptionist glanced at me, her eyes flickering with barely concealed sympathy and a hint of schadenfreude. Everyone in the company was probably waiting to see me make a fool of myself.

They were all watching to see how I, stuck by Charles when he had nothing, would get kicked to the curb by his perfect muse, young and beautiful.

I kept my eyes straight ahead as I walked past her, leaving the building that was once so familiar to me.

The sunlight was blinding, but I couldn't feel a bit of warmth.

I needed to see for myself. I had to know whether this sudden ability was a figment of my imagination or was actually real.

I took out my phone and dialed Sophie's number.

The call rang for ages before she finally picked up. Her voice was stuffy and shaky, like she'd been crying. "Olivia... are you okay? I saw the news... That bitch, Emily, the moment she came back, Charles—"

"Sophie," I cut her off, my voice eerily calm. "Let's meet up."

Half an hour later, I met Sophie at a café in the city center. Her eyes were red and swollen.

The moment she saw me, she rushed over and hugged me, tears falling again. "Olivia, don't scare me. You're so calm, and it scares me."

I patted her back and led her to a seat.

I looked at her. Her final words kept replaying in my mind. "Olivia, I'm sorry... If only I'd told you sooner, about how Charles slept with a wealthy woman to secure an investment when he was starting..."

I picked up my coffee, took a sip, and said, trying to sound casual, "Sophie, are you hiding something from me?"

Sophie stiffened instantly, her hand trembling so much that coffee sloshed out onto the table.

"N-no... what could I possibly be hiding from you?" she mumbled, her eyes darting away, refusing to meet mine.

That was the telltale sign. My heart sank. I knew then it was real, not in my head.

I set my coffee cup down, locked eyes with her, and asked, word by word, "About Charles. When he was starting, he slept with a wealthy woman to get an investment. Did you know about this from the beginning?"

Sophie's coffee cup slipped from her hand and smashed on the floor, shards flying everywhere. Her face turned pale as a sheet, lips trembling, staring at me in disbelief. "Olivia, how did you know about that?"

That was basically her admitting it.

With that, whatever warmth I had left in my world was shattered.

My best friend, Sophie, had been hiding things from me, too.

"Why didn't you tell me?" My voice was icy calm, not blaming, lifeless.

She broke down in tears, grabbing my hand as she sobbed, "Olivia, I'm so sorry, I never meant to hide it from you. Back then, you two were struggling so much, and Charles begged me.

"He said it was an act, that he only did it for your future. I saw how much you loved him, how much you trusted him, and I... I couldn't bring myself to tell you.

"I was afraid if I did, you'd break down, and your small company that was finally getting off the ground would collapse, too."

"So you helped him lie to me?"

"No, I didn't. I just..." Sophie sobbed. "I wanted you to be happy. When you two got married, he seemed so good to you. Your company was also developing. So, I thought it was all behind us, that he'd be good to you forever.

"I never imagined he'd turn out to be such a complete bastard. Olivia, hit me, yell at me. All of this is on me."

I watched her fall apart, her words of regret ringing in my head, "If only I'd told you sooner..."

Yeah, if she'd told me sooner, maybe I would never have married Charles. Maybe I wouldn't have thrown away five years of my life for nothing.

But was that useful saying any of this?

Was I angry? Of course, I was. But more than anything, I felt completely drained, as all the fight had been sucked out of me.

I pulled my hand back and said softly, "Sophie, I don't blame you. I know you meant well."

She'd already spent a lifetime regretting it in her final words. I didn't want her to carry the weight of regret while she was still alive.

"Really?" Sophie looked at me, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Really," I nodded. "But from now on, I don't want to hear any more lies about him. Tell me everything he's done, every rotten thing, no matter how ugly."

Sophie froze for a moment, then nodded firmly.

That afternoon, from everything Sophie told me, I pieced together a version of Charles I barely recognized.

He was so much more ruthless and fake than I ever could've imagined. And I was the shiniest stepping stone on his path to success.

When I stepped out of the café, the city was coming alive with lights twinkling against the dusk.

I stood on the bustling street, feeling like a lonely ghost drifting through the crowd.

The place I once called home with Charles was nothing more than a prison for sale. I didn't want to go back.

I took out my phone and booked a ticket to where my mom grew up.

The secret about the Lynn family felt like a thorn stuck in my chest. I had to find out who I really was.