The shattering truth
1133 Words
(Sophie)
“I want a divorce.”
The words left my mouth with such clarity, it startled even me. I stood at the foot of the bed, my voice calm, though inside everything was burning.
Marcus looked up from the tablet he was reading, confused, half dressed. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me.” I didn’t blink. “I want a divorce.”
He swung his legs off the bed, running a hand through his hair. “Sophie, don’t be ridiculous. Where is this coming from? You just got back.”
Exactly. I had just gotten back. A day earlier than planned. The original flight was tomorrow, but something in my gut told me to come home today.
I hadn’t expected to find Victoria Sterling in our bed, naked and laughing like she belonged there. I hadn’t expected to stand in the hallway for over a minute, frozen, listening to them talk about me like I was disposable. I hadn’t expected to feel so calm as I watched the man I married betray me so completely.
But I had. And now I was done pretending.
Marcus walked toward me slowly, like I was a wounded animal that might bolt. “Is this about the merger stress? I told you everything would be fine.”
“No,” I said, still holding my posture. “This is about me finally seeing the truth. You don’t love me, Marcus. You never did.”
His brows drew together. “That’s not true.”
I laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Really? Should I quote what you told Victoria when you thought I wasn’t home?”
His expression cracked. “You were eavesdropping?”
“I walked in on my husband screwing another woman in our bed. Forgive me if I didn’t knock.”
Marcus’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. His usual charm and smooth lies had deserted him. I had always been easy to pacify, always quiet and understanding. That version of me was dead now.
“You don’t understand,” he said finally. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like that.”
I tilted my head slightly. “Oh? Was I supposed to walk in after the divorce papers were served? Or after you felt like you’d gotten everything you wanted?”
He pressed his lips together. “You’re being dramatic.”
I stepped closer. “She said I was pathetic. That pretending to love me for a year must have been exhausting. You didn’t deny it. You said it was worth it. For what you’d get out of it.”
Marcus exhaled, then tried again. “Sophie, you are smart. You know how these things work. Marriage is complicated. People make mistakes. But I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
A loud laugh escaped me. “Not like you meant to fall into bed with her? You married me because you thought I was useful. You pushed for details about clients, companies, executives. You changed the subject every time I mentioned anything real about myself. And I let you.”
His face crumpled. “That’s not fair. I care about you. I know I messed up, but it doesn’t mean it was all fake.”
I walked past him, into the living area. The penthouse was sleek, modern, expensive. Marcus had decorated it with designers I never chose, never liked. I dropped my bag on the couch, pulled out the divorce envelope I had prepared, and turned back to face him.
“I’m saying it’s over.”
“You can’t just decide that,” he said quickly. “Sophie, please. Let’s talk. Really talk. I messed up, yes, but we can work through this. You didn’t even give me a chance.”
I stared at him. “I gave you a year of chances.”
He stepped closer. “I never wanted to hurt you. I didn’t plan for any of this to happen. Victoria doesn’t mean anything to me. It was a stupid, selfish mistake.”
“More than once,” I said flatly. “I heard enough to know this wasn’t the first time.”
His shoulders sagged. “I was weak. I took you for granted. But we can fix this. We can go to therapy. We can take a break, anything but divorce. Please.”
That made me smile. He always begged when things slipped from his control.
“You thought I was a nobody. A woman who got lucky. But you were the lucky one, Marcus. You married someone who actually cared. And now, you’ve lost her.”
His voice dropped. “Don’t say that. Please. Don’t say that like you mean it.”
I let the silence stretch before answering. “I mean every word.”
His breath came faster. “You think walking out is going to solve everything? You think leaving is going to make you feel better?”
“No. But it will stop me from feeling worse.”
He ran a hand down his face. “Just talk to me. Yell at me. Scream. Do anything but walk away.”
“I don’t need to scream. I’m not angry anymore,” I said calmly. “I’m just done.”
He looked like he had more to say but couldn’t form the words. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
“You’ll regret this,” he said quietly.
“No. You will.”
The silence between us stretched like a wall, thick with the weight of all the lies and manipulation. I thought of all the nights I stayed up worrying about him, of the moments I’d tried to impress him, of the time I spent trying to make this cold penthouse feel like home. I thought of every fake smile, every condescending remark he passed off as affection.
And then I thought of Victoria’s voice, dripping with cruelty as she laughed in his arms.
A whole year of pretending to love her must have been exhausting.
No more sneaking around. No more pretending that secretary means anything to me.
They’d planned everything. And they thought I would stay quiet. Humiliated. Broken.
Instead, I grabbed my luggage, walked to the front door, and turned back once.
“Goodbye, Marcus. Enjoy your weekend.”
I stepped out without another word.
Outside, the night air wrapped around me, cool and sobering. I paused on the steps, exhaling slowly as the weight of freedom settled on my shoulders. For the first time in a long time, I recognized the woman I had forgotten.
Marcus Sterling thought he was discarding a nobody secretary. Instead, he'd just made an enemy of one of the most powerful women in America.
He will regret it when he knows who I really am.
- Writer
