Chapter 5

My mother snapped out of it and quickly waved Daniel inside. "Daniel, come in."

Daniel stepped through the doorway, his eyes finding mine right away.

He placed the gifts on the table and turned to my parents with a respectful, almost humble air. "Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, it's been too long since my last visit. These are for you."

My father's expression remained cold. He said nothing.

My mother let out a sigh and gave Daniel a weary look. "Daniel, you and Sophie were together for ten years.

"How did things fall apart like this?"

"It's all my fault, Mrs. Campbell," Daniel cut in, his voice thick with regret. "I never should have said those things.

"I hurt Sophie deeply. I came here today to apologize to her and to ask for her forgiveness."

Then he turned to me, his eyes shining with what looked like love and remorse. "Sophie, I know I made a terrible mistake. Please give me another chance.

"We can't throw all that ten years together away.

"Divorce him, and I'll make things official with you right away. Let's do it, Sophie. Let's get married."

I leaned back on the couch, arms crossed, watching his little performance with a cold, steady gaze.

Ten years, and he had always been a master at working my parents. Nobody faked that devoted, wounded look better than him.

Sure enough, my mother was already softening. She turned to me. "Sophie, Daniel knows he messed up. Why don't you—"

"Mom," I interrupted, my voice calm and firm. "I'm married now. That's the truth, and it's not changing."

"You can still get a divorce!" Daniel jumped in, desperation creeping into his voice. "Sophie, I know you're only angry with me.

"You married someone else to make me jealous. I don't blame you.

"Come back to me, and we'll forget all of this ever happened."

The whole act was absurd.

He still believed I was throwing a tantrum, that I would always be here waiting for him to come back.

Then Alice, who had been hovering quietly by the wall, suddenly spoke up.

She held up her phone with a look of feigned concern. "Mr. and Mrs. Campbell. Sophie. There's something I'm not sure I should say.

"I'm afraid you'll all be upset with me."

My mother turned to her immediately. "Alice, go ahead. Don't worry about that."

Alice glanced at me, a flash of triumph in her eyes.

She angled her phone screen toward my parents and spoke in a tone of false regret. "Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, I was so worried about Sophie that I asked a friend to look into that man.

"The man she married, his name is Eric Harris.

"He's not a decent person at all. He's just a male escort who works in nightclubs.

"The kind who makes a fortune in a single night. Sophie must have completely fallen for his tricks."

The moment Alice finished, my parents' faces went pale.

My mother shot to her feet, staring at me in disbelief. "Sophie, is that true? Did you really end up with someone like that?"

"Mom, don't listen to her. She's making things up," I said, my brows furrowing in frustration.

But Alice didn't let me finish. She cut in smoothly, her voice dripping with fake concern. "Sophie, I'm not making this up.

"My friend caught him on camera.

"He's always at those fancy nightclubs, surrounded by older women with money.

"You're acting out of spite, but you can't gamble with your whole future.

"You were Daniel's girlfriend for ten years, and now you're marrying some male escort? If word gets out, your reputation will be destroyed."

She glanced at Daniel, her voice turning sweet and wounded. "Dan has always treated you so well, and you never appreciated it.

"Not like me. I never cared about his money. I only want to be by his side."

Alice's words painted me as a gold-digging fool who didn't care about trashing her own name.

My parents' faces had never looked worse.

My father slammed his hand on the table, glaring at me, his hands trembling with rage. "Sophie! This is outrageous.

"How could you embarrass us like this?

"Get a divorce. Immediately. I want you to do it right now."

My mother wiped her tears away, begging me to reconsider. "Sophie, please listen to me.

"Stop all this drama. Daniel has been so good to you. Please forgive him.

"Let's live a proper life. Don't let those kinds of people ruin your future."

Daniel looked at me, his eyes gleaming with quiet, victorious confidence, as if he had already won.

He stepped closer, his voice gentle but edged with an unyielding command. "Sophie, you heard them.

"Your parents don't approve. Enough of this. Come home with me, alright?"

I took in everything around me. My parents' harsh accusations and complete lack of understanding, Daniel's hypocrisy and need for control, and Alice's smug satisfaction wrapped in biting sarcasm.

The whole room felt like it was closing in on me.