Sophia POV

I had loved Alexander Knight with all my heart—everything I had belonged to him.

When he had nothing, I secretly sold my birthright just to help him build his empire. I sacrificed my future, my inheritance, and my happiness for the man I believed would love me forever.

Now he was rich.

And everything had changed.

I used to believe that if I loved him deeply enough, faithfully enough, he would eventually look at me the same way I looked at him.

I was wrong.

The crystal chandelier above the dining hall sparkled beautifully, casting golden light across the long marble table. Everything around me screamed luxury—the expensive wine, the polished floors, the fresh white roses carefully arranged at the center of the table.

Yet none of it felt warm anymore.

Not to me.

I sat quietly in my chair, my fingers trembling slightly around the spoon in my hand as I stared at the untouched dinner before me.

Across from me sat Alexander.

He did not even bother to look at my face anymore. The man who once woke me every morning with kisses and compliments had disappeared completely. The Alexander who used to call me beautiful and make me blush no longer existed.

Now, he woke me with insults and humiliation.

I watched him eat the food I prepared as though I had served him poison.

“You’re not eating.”

His deep voice broke the silence.

Before I could answer, he continued coldly.

“How can you be hungry after serving me this rubbish? You have never been useful, Sophia. You’re disgusting and embarrassing. Having you as my wife is a disgrace. In fact, the entire Knight family wishes you never existed here.”

The words shattered something inside me.

I slowly lifted my eyes to his face in disbelief.

“The fact that you’ve been cold toward me all this while doesn’t mean you should humiliate me like this,” I whispered painfully. “I am the reason you are where you are today.”

The moment the words left my mouth, Alexander slapped me hard across the face.

The force nearly threw me sideways.

I froze.

My cheek burned instantly.

“You sacrificed for me?” he sneered. “You think that little sacrifice means anything? Do you think it can erase the shame you brought into this family? Your barrenness? The fact that you still cannot give me a child?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Alexander,” I said shakily, trying to ignore the pain from the slap.

“Look at you,” he snapped. “I’ve had enough of you. And soon—”

He suddenly stopped speaking when the sound of heels echoed through the dining hall.

Then came a sweet familiar voice.

“Sophia? Alexander?”

I looked up immediately.

Isabella.

My older sister walked in gracefully wearing a tight red dress that hugged her body perfectly. Her lips curved into a smile the moment she saw me, but something about that smile felt sharp tonight.

“You came,” I said softly.

“Of course.” She kissed my cheek before sitting beside Alexander naturally, as though she belonged there.

“I wanted to see how the anniversary preparations were going,” she said smoothly.

Alexander cleared his throat awkwardly.

A strange feeling settled inside me.

“Did you plan an anniversary dinner for us?” I asked hopefully.

“That’s just a business dinner with some clients,” Alexander replied casually. “I want you there.”

For a brief second, my heart softened.

It had been so long since Alexander included me in anything related to his business life. Recently, he barely acknowledged me in public.

Just moments ago, he had slapped me.

Now he was suddenly inviting me to dinner.

Today marked four years of marriage.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Isabella said innocently.

“Not at all,” Alexander replied immediately.

I noticed how his expression softened around her.

A servant quickly poured Isabella a glass of wine while she effortlessly began discussing a charity event she had attended earlier that day. Alexander actually listened to her.

Occasionally, he even smiled.

He used to smile at me like that once.

I lowered my eyes to my plate, fighting the ache growing heavier inside my chest.

Maybe I truly was the problem.

Then Isabella suddenly turned toward me.

“Oh, Sophia,” she said casually. “Did you finally tell Alexander where you went last week?”

My heart skipped instantly.

Alexander’s eyes narrowed.

“What is she talking about?”

I frowned in confusion. “What?”

She blinked innocently.

“The hotel.”

The room went silent.

A cold feeling spread through my body.

“I think you’re mistaken,” I said carefully.

Isabella laughed softly. “Maybe. I just thought Alexander already knew.”

Alexander slowly placed his wine glass down.

“What hotel?”

I swallowed hard.

“I went to meet an investor for the foundation project,” I explained quickly. “I already told you about it.”

“At night?” he asked darkly.

“It was a business dinner.”

Isabella sighed quietly beside him.

“I probably shouldn’t say anything…”

My stomach twisted painfully.

Alexander’s jaw tightened.

“Say it.”

She hesitated dramatically before looking at me with fake concern.

“I saw Sophia entering the Grand Palace Hotel with another man.”

Silence.

Pure silence.

My heartbeat pounded violently inside my ears.

“What?” I whispered.

Isabella reached for my hand gently.

“Sophia, I’m not judging you. Maybe there’s an explanation—”

“There is,” I interrupted immediately. “Because that never happened.”

Alexander’s face had already turned dangerously cold.

“Who was the man?”

“There was no man.”

“Sophia—”

“There was no man!” I repeated shakily.

But the damage had already been done.

I could see it clearly in his eyes.

God.

When did my husband begin believing the worst about me so easily?

Alexander suddenly stood from his chair.

“I’m done eating.”

“Don’t you trust me anymore?” I asked quietly.

He laughed bitterly.

“You expect me to trust a woman who spreads her legs for rich men? You’ve been sleeping around the city, taking drugs, destroying your womb, and now you expect me to accept the consequences of your sins?”

“I beg your pardon, Alexander,” I whispered painfully.

I wanted to tell him the truth.

I wanted to show him the pregnancy test hidden inside my room.

Maybe the baby growing inside me would save my marriage.

But the cruel words pouring from his mouth left my mind completely blank.

“I hate everything about you, Sophia,” he said coldly. “I regret ever marrying you.”

Isabella suddenly spoke up softly.

“You should have told him the truth earlier.”

“You need to stop interfering in my marriage!” I shouted at her.

“She’s innocent, Sophia,” Alexander replied immediately.

Then he brought out his phone.

My breath caught as he played a video.

The moment I saw the screen, my blood ran cold.

It showed me naked beside a business partner—the same young man I had sold my birthright to years ago just to help Alexander succeed.

“This is AI,” I cried out immediately. “I never slept with him!”

Alexander’s expression remained emotionless.

“You did. This proves exactly what you’ve been doing behind my back.”

“No!” I cried desperately. “He was only helping me financially. I swear I never touched him!”

Before I could defend myself further, another voice interrupted.

“What is going on here?”

My heart sank instantly.

Melissa Knight.

Alexander’s mother had just returned home.

The moment she saw the video, rage filled her face.

“You abandoned me at the airport for this nonsense?” she snapped at Alexander.

“This woman caused it,” Alexander replied angrily. “She’s been cheating on me with strangers.”

Melissa walked toward me furiously and slapped me twice across the face.

“You disgusting woman!” she screamed. “You are completely useless!”

Tears burned my eyes.

But my anger was no longer directed at them.

It was directed at Isabella.

I looked at my sister painfully.

“What did I ever do to you?”

Isabella folded her arms calmly.

“What did you expect me to do? Stay quiet while you destroy this family with your lies?”

“You cannot blame Isabella,” Alexander said immediately. “An anonymous person sent me the evidence.”

I stared at my sister in disbelief.

She never even looked guilty.

Then Alexander spoke the words that destroyed me completely.

“I’m divorcing you, Sophia. This marriage is over.”

I froze.

I thought he was bluffing.

Until he walked upstairs and returned with divorce papers.

The excitement on Isabella’s face did not escape me.

Suddenly everything became clear.

She wanted my place.

“Sign it,” Melissa ordered harshly.

I looked at Alexander with trembling eyes.

“What about dinner?”

He smiled coldly.

“You don’t deserve to attend dinner with the Knight family.”

I opened my mouth.

I wanted to tell him.

I’m pregnant.

But before I could speak, Melissa interrupted angrily.

“Sign the papers and get out!”

My hands trembled as I picked up the pen.

Tears blurred my vision while I signed away four years of my life.

“Good,” Alexander said coldly as he collected the papers.

Then he turned toward Isabella and his mother.

“Let’s go.”

At that moment, I realized Isabella truly was replacing me.

Before leaving, Melissa pointed at me cruelly.

“If I return and still see you here, I’ll have my future daughter-in-law throw you out herself, you barren witch.”

Future daughter-in-law.

Isabella.

The realization crushed me completely.

I slowly tried to sit down, but suddenly Alexander shouted—

“Security!”

Two guards entered immediately.

“Throw her out,” Alexander ordered coldly. “She no longer belongs here.”

Without another glance at me, he walked out with Isabella and Melissa.

Moments later, I heard the sound of his car driving away.

I was dragged outside like I meant absolutely nothing.

The same mansion my sacrifice had built now rejected me completely.

Tears streamed endlessly down my cheeks.

“Isabella…” I whispered painfully. “You will pay for this.”

With only my belongings in my hands and nowhere left to go, I walked into the cold night alone

Sabella POV

Inside the car, silence settled heavily between us, but it was not the peaceful kind. It was the kind of silence filled with hidden intentions, dangerous thoughts, and secrets nobody dared to say aloud.

I sat in the front passenger seat while Alexander and his mother occupied the back seat like royalty being escorted to their grand celebration. The soft leather beneath me felt expensive, the air conditioning cool against my skin, yet none of it comforted me. My mind was too occupied with everything that had happened.

Behind me, Melissa suddenly laughed softly.

“The bitch has finally left the line,” she said proudly.

Alexander chuckled beside her.

“And tonight,” Melissa continued, satisfaction dripping from her voice, “the Knight family will officially welcome their new daughter-in-law.”

A smile slowly formed on my lips, though my chest still felt strangely tight.

For a moment, victory tasted sweet.

Not because I loved Alexander.

Not because I truly wanted to replace Sophia.

But because I believed this was justice.

Sophia had destroyed our family long before today.

She sold her birthright.

She sacrificed the Williams family properties just to help the man she loved build his empire. The very properties our father treasured with his whole heart. The same inheritance he protected for years with pride.

And when Father discovered what Sophia had done…

He died.

The memory still haunted me.

I could still remember the trembling of his hands, the disbelief in his eyes, the pain in his voice when he realized the daughter he trusted most had given away the family’s legacy for love.

He had adored Sophia.

He believed she would become the pride of the Williams family.

Instead, she shattered everything.

And now…

Now Alexander Knight had become rich and powerful because of her sacrifice.

So why shouldn’t the Knight family pay for it?

Why shouldn’t Sophia experience pain too?

I closed my eyes briefly and rested my head against the seat.

Yet even in that moment, something felt wrong.

Very wrong.

Because one truth kept bothering me.

I never sent Alexander that video.

The video of Sophia speaking with the man who bought the Williams properties.

That day had been the only day I truly decided to play my own game against my sister. I wanted Alexander to doubt her. I wanted cracks in their marriage.

But those messages…

Those pictures…

The anonymous information Alexander kept receiving…

None of them came from me.

Which meant somebody else had been manipulating everything from the shadows.

Somebody wanted Sophia destroyed long before I became involved.

And suddenly, I realized I had only been another pawn.

A slow chill crawled down my spine.

Whoever that person was, they clearly hated Sophia far more than I did.

But at that moment, I pushed the thought aside.

I no longer cared.

Not tonight.

Tonight was supposed to be my victory.

A few minutes later, the car finally stopped.

I looked outside the window and my breath caught.

The event hall was breathtaking.

Golden lights decorated the massive building beautifully while luxurious cars filled the entrance. Elegant guests walked inside wearing expensive gowns and tailored suits. Music echoed faintly from within the hall while photographers waited near the staircase.

Everything looked magnificent.

Everything looked like a dream.

The driver opened the door for us.

Alexander stepped out first, adjusting his expensive suit confidently. The moment he stood outside, flashes from cameras immediately surrounded him.

He smiled proudly like a man who owned the entire world.

Then he turned toward me.

“Isabella,” he called.

I quickly walked toward him, trying to act composed.

“Yes?”

“Is everything okay?” he asked casually.

“I’m fine,” I replied softly.

But before I could say anything else, Alexander glanced toward the road.

“I think Clara hasn’t arrived yet,” he murmured. “She just left the hotel.”

I froze instantly.

My heart skipped.

“Clara?” I repeated slowly.

Alexander nodded absentmindedly.

I stared at him carefully before asking,

“Your ex-girlfriend who abandoned you when you had nothing?”

The curiosity inside me immediately turned into uneasiness.

Melissa smiled strangely but said nothing.

Then suddenly, headlights appeared.

A black BMW slowly drove toward the entrance with another security vehicle following behind it.

Alexander’s entire expression brightened immediately.

“There’s Clara,” he said happily.

And before I could even process what was happening, Alexander and Melissa both walked toward the arriving car excitedly.

Confusion filled me.

The car door opened slowly.

A beautiful young woman stepped out gracefully.

She wore a stunning silver gown that hugged her body perfectly while diamonds sparkled around her neck. Even from where I stood, I could smell her expensive perfume drifting through the air.

And the moment I saw her face…

Shock nearly knocked the breath out of me.

It really was Clara.

Alexander’s former lover.

The woman who abandoned him years ago.

Before I could recover from my shock, Alexander reached her and kissed her directly on the lips.

My eyes widened instantly.

“Alexander!” I shouted.

The both of them turned toward me.

Alexander frowned slightly.

“Isabella, what’s the problem?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“You’re not supposed to be with her!” I cried emotionally. “She abandoned you when you had nothing! And now that you’ve made it, she returned to replace my sister?”

My voice cracked painfully.

Melissa sighed dramatically.

“My goodness,” she muttered.

Then she looked at me coldly.

“Young lady, what exactly were you expecting from us?” she asked. “Did you truly think you could become your sister’s replacement?”

Her words hit me harder than a slap.

I stood there speechless.

But deep inside, humiliation slowly began burning through me.

Still, I forced myself to speak.

“You became rich using the Williams properties,” I said bitterly. “The sacrifices Sophia foolishly made for your family helped you rise. Now you divorce her only to bring back your ex-girlfriend?”

Alexander suddenly laughed.

The sound was cruel.

“Did you actually expect me to choose you?” he asked mockingly.

I swallowed hard.

“Yes,” I answered boldly despite the shame rising inside me.

Alexander laughed even harder.

Melissa shook her head in disgust.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered.

Then Alexander stepped closer toward me, his eyes filled with mockery.

“You really think I would involve myself with another woman from the Williams family after seeing the kind of products your parents brought into this world?”

His words stunned me.

“Barren women. Unfaithful women. Disgraceful women,” he continued mercilessly. “What makes you think you’d be any different from your sister?”

My chest tightened painfully.

Every word pierced directly into my pride.

“Babe,” Clara suddenly interrupted while pointing at me arrogantly, “who exactly is this pathetic woman?”

Alexander smirked.

“That?” he answered carelessly. “That’s my foolish ex-wife’s lazy sister.”

Clara widened her eyes dramatically.

“Your former sister-in-law?”

Alexander scoffed.

“I’d rather pick a prostitute from the streets than choose anyone from the Williams family.”

Clara burst into laughter.

And in that moment, I finally understood.

I was never part of their plans.

Never.

I had only been useful.

A weapon against Sophia.

Nothing more.

Alexander gently held Clara’s hand and began leading her toward the hall entrance.

Then suddenly, he stopped and turned back toward me.

“Oh, one more thing.”

One of his guards quickly handed him a thick envelope.

Alexander tossed it directly at me.

It landed near my feet.

“That’s my wedding invitation,” he said coldly. “You’re invited.”

Tears instantly filled my eyes.

My hands trembled violently.

The humiliation felt unbearable.

Same day.

The same day Alexander managed to destroy two sisters completely.

I thought I had won.

Instead, I became the biggest fool.

Slowly, I bent down and picked up the invitation card.

My hands tightened around it.

Then angrily, I tore it into pieces.

I threw the remains onto the ground and stepped on them repeatedly while tears streamed down my face.

Behind me, loud cheers erupted from the crowd as guests welcomed Alexander and Clara inside the hall.

Their laughter echoed painfully in my ears.

I stood there alone, broken,humiliated, used and finally…

Awake.

A bitter smile slowly appeared on my face.

“So now I understand,” I whispered painfully.

It was Clara.

She had been the one manipulating Alexander all along.

She was the one sending those pictures.

Those messages.

Those lies.

She wanted Sophia gone so she could reclaim her place beside Alexander.

And I…

I helped her destroy my own sister.

Regret crashed into me heavily.

For the first time since everything began, guilt truly settled inside my chest.

Sophia lost everything because of people like us.

Because of me.

I slowly wiped my tears.

No.

I could not enter that hall now.

Not after making such a fool of myself.

Not after realizing I had been nothing but entertainment to them.

I clenched my fists tightly.

“This time,” I muttered painfully, “if Sophia decides to fight back… I’ll help her.”

My breathing became heavier.

“But not openly.”

My eyes darkened with hatred.

“Alexander Knight,” I whispered, “nothing from the Williams family that made you rich will remain with you.”

My voice trembled with rage.

“I swear you and your mother will pay for every single dime.”

The pain inside me only deepened.

Slowly, I reached for my phone.

I stared at Sophia’s number for a long moment before finally calling.

But the call failed.

Her phone was switched off.

My heart sank further.

I had nowhere to find her.

Nowhere to go.

And even if I found her…

Would she ever forgive me?

Probably not.

Because regardless of my reasons, I betrayed her.

Maybe part of me believed I was teaching her a lesson.

Maybe I wanted her to feel the pain our father felt.

But now…

Now I realized I had gone too far.

Still, no matter what happened, I needed to make peace with Sophia.

Not only because of guilt.

But because if the Knight family could betray one sister so easily…

Then none of us were ever safe around them.

And for the first time in my life, I truly feared what Alexander Knight was capable of.

Sophia POV

Writing

Sophia’s Life Was About To Change

Sophia’s POV

The next morning, the sky looked dull and heavy, as though the heavens themselves understood the pain inside my heart. I stood quietly beside the window of the small motel room I had spent the night in, staring at the silent streets below while clutching my phone tightly in my trembling hands.

The phone had remained switched off since yesterday.

Ever since I left the Knight mansion.

Ever since Alexander chose my sister over me.

Ever since my entire world collapsed.

For a long moment, I simply stood there, breathing slowly while trying to gather the remaining strength left inside me. My eyes slowly drifted toward my stomach, and my fingers unconsciously rested there.

My baby.

The only reason I still had the courage to keep moving forward.

I closed my eyes briefly before whispering to myself.

“I have to leave…”

Singapore.

That was the only place my mind could think of.

Far away from Alexander Knight.

Far away from Sabella.

Far away from every painful memory connected to my old life.

But before leaving, there was one place I needed to visit.

My father’s grave.

About thirty minutes later, I stepped outside the motel with my small luggage bag beside me. The cold morning breeze brushed against my skin as I stood by the roadside waiting for a taxi.

The moment one finally stopped in front of me, I entered quietly.

“Where to, miss?” the driver asked politely.

I lowered my gaze before answering softly.

“The Williams family cemetery.”

The driver nodded and started the car.

Throughout the ride, silence filled the vehicle. I sat quietly near the window, watching buildings pass one after another while painful memories flooded my mind endlessly.

My father’s smile.

His proud voice whenever he spoke about me.

The sacrifices he made for me.

And how I threw everything away for Alexander Knight.

Tears slowly gathered inside my eyes again.

By the time the taxi stopped at the cemetery gate, my chest already felt unbearably heavy.

“We’re here, miss,” the driver said gently.

I paid him before stepping out slowly.

The cemetery looked peaceful and silent beneath the cloudy sky. Dry leaves moved softly across the ground as the cold wind blew around me.

I walked slowly through the rows of graves until I finally reached my father’s resting place.

The moment my eyes landed on his grave, the tears I had been trying to suppress completely broke free.

My legs weakened instantly.

I slowly knelt down beside the grave.

“Father…”

My voice cracked immediately.

I lowered my head while tears rolled heavily down my cheeks.

“Father, I know I have wronged you.”

My shoulders trembled violently.

“I disappointed you… I disappointed myself.”

The pain inside my chest became unbearable as memories of everything I sacrificed for Alexander flashed through my mind.

“I thought I was doing the right thing,” I cried bitterly. “I thought helping Alexander was love. I thought if I gave him everything, he would treasure me forever.”

I placed my shaking hand on the cold gravestone.

“But I was wrong…”

Tears continued falling uncontrollably.

“I sold my birthright… the company you worked your entire life to build for me.”

I bit my lower lip painfully.

“You trusted me with your legacy, Father. You believed I would protect it. Instead, I handed it over to a man who never truly loved me.”

The cemetery remained silent except for my sobs.

“I’m sorry…” I whispered brokenly. “I’m so sorry.”

For several minutes, I cried quietly beside his grave until my breathing gradually steadied again.

Then slowly, I lifted my head.

“But I promise you something today.”

My voice became firmer despite the tears.

“I have learned from my mistakes.”

I gently wiped my face.

“Maybe I learned too late… but I finally understand now.”

I rested both hands protectively on my stomach.

“I’m carrying your grandson, Father.”

A faint smile mixed with my tears.

“I know it’s a boy.”

For the first time since yesterday, warmth entered my heart slightly.

“He will know about you. He will know the kind of man his grandfather was.”

I swallowed painfully before continuing.

“And I promise… I will build an empire again.”

The wind blew softly around me.

“This time, it will carry your name.”

Fresh tears escaped my eyes again, but unlike before, there was determination hidden inside them now.

“I will make you proud.”

After remaining there quietly for a while, I slowly stood up.

My wristwatch caught my attention.

I had less than thirty minutes left before my flight.

Taking a deep breath, I stared one final time at my father’s grave.

“Goodbye, Father.”

Then I turned and slowly walked out of the cemetery.

As I reached the roadside, I pulled out my phone.

The same phone Alexander had called countless times before betraying me.

The same phone connected to every painful memory.

Without hesitation, I dropped it directly onto the road.

A second later—

CRASH!

A passing car drove over it immediately, smashing the device completely.

I stared at the broken pieces silently.

Then I whispered coldly,

“Goodbye, Alexander Knight.”

My eyes darkened slightly.

“And goodbye to the old Sophia.”

I raised my hand and stopped another taxi.

“To the airport,” I instructed calmly.

The driver nodded before driving away.

Hours later, after a long exhausting flight, I finally arrived in Singapore.

The city lights glittered beautifully outside the airport windows, but despite how beautiful everything looked, I still felt emotionally drained.

I was alone.

Completely alone.

With only a little money left in my possession, I searched carefully before finally finding a small apartment I could barely afford.

It was a shared two-bedroom apartment.

Not luxurious.

Not comfortable.

But enough to survive.

By the time I arrived there with my luggage, exhaustion filled my entire body.

The apartment was simple but neat. One side already looked occupied.

I quietly placed my bags near the wall before hearing footsteps approaching from outside.

A moment later, the doorbell rang.

I walked toward the door and opened it slowly.

Standing there was a young woman dressed in a nurse’s uniform. She looked tired from work, but her face immediately brightened the moment she saw me.

“Oh!”

She blinked in surprise before smiling warmly.

“You must be my new roommate.”

Her friendliness caught me off guard slightly.

“My name is Jennifer Abraham,” she introduced herself while stretching out her hand.

I hesitated briefly before shaking it gently.

“I’m Sophia Williams.”

“Nice to meet you, Sophia.”

Her smile looked genuine.

Unlike the fake smiles I had grown used to back home.

“Come in properly,” she said kindly. “You must be exhausted.”

I nodded softly.

Jennifer immediately moved around comfortably inside the apartment while speaking casually with me.

“Have you eaten yet?”

“A little,” I answered quietly.

“That means no,” she replied instantly.

Before I could refuse, she had already entered the kitchen.

“I’ll prepare something simple for you.”

I watched her silently.

There was something comforting about her energy.

Something peaceful.

For the first time in days, my tense heart relaxed slightly.

A few minutes later, Jennifer returned with food and placed it in front of me.

“You should eat properly,” she insisted.

I thanked her softly before eating little by little.

Afterward, she sat across from me while studying my face carefully.

“You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?”

The question almost broke me again.

But somehow, her voice carried no judgment.

Only concern.

So slowly, I explained everything.

Not every detail.

But enough.

By the time I finished speaking, Jennifer looked shocked.

“So… you’re pregnant?”

I nodded quietly.

“Yes.”

Instead of pitying me, Jennifer simply leaned back thoughtfully.

Then suddenly she said,

“I’ll help you.”

I looked at her immediately.

“What?”

“I said I’ll help you,” she repeated calmly. “But only if you promise to be sincere with me.”

Confusion filled my expression.

“What do you mean?”

Jennifer smiled mysteriously.

“You should rest for now,” she said while standing up. “We’ll talk properly tomorrow.”

Before I could ask further questions, she had already walked toward her room.

Leaving me filled with curiosity.

That night, despite my exhaustion, my mind remained restless.

Who exactly was Jennifer?

And what kind of help was she talking about?

The next morning, the sound of cooking coming from the kitchen woke me up.

I slowly walked out and found Jennifer frying eggs while humming softly.

She smiled immediately after noticing me.

“Good morning, Sophia.”

“Good morning.”

“How was your night?”

“It was okay.”

Jennifer nodded.

“I have a night shift later today, so I decided to prepare breakfast early.”

Within minutes, she arranged tea and fried eggs neatly on the dining table.

We both sat down to eat.

Then suddenly—

“Sophia.”

I looked at her.

“Are you willing to work as an assistant manager for a cosmetics company and earn two million dollars monthly?”

The fork nearly slipped from my hand.

I stared at her in complete shock.

“I… I don’t understand.”

Jennifer leaned back calmly.

“I’m not as poor as you think.”

My confusion deepened.

“I choose to live this way because I like simplicity. My parents are wealthy, although they’re divorced.”

I remained speechless.

Then she added,

“My father is Lucas Marcus.”

The moment I heard that name, my entire body froze.

Lucas Marcus.

The man who bought my company.

Jennifer noticed my reaction immediately.

“You know him?”

I swallowed slowly.

“That’s… the name of the man who bought my company.”

Jennifer’s eyes widened slightly.

“You were the original owner of Williams Beauty Production?”

I nodded.

“Yes.”

For a moment, Jennifer simply stared at me in disbelief.

Then slowly, she smiled.

“That means fate truly brought you here.”

I frowned slightly.

“What do you mean?”

“My father has been searching for someone trustworthy to help manage the company’s main production branch here in Singapore.”

She crossed her arms confidently.

“And honestly? There’s nobody more qualified than the woman who built the company in the first place.”

My chest tightened emotionally.

Part of me wanted to refuse.

The memories still hurt too much.

But another part of me remembered my promise at my father’s grave.

I needed to rise again.not for Alexander, not for revenge.

But for myself and for my child.

Jennifer watched me quietly before speaking again.

“You can rebuild your life, Sophia.”

I lowered my gaze silently.

“You once created something powerful. You can do it again.”

I finally lifted my head.

“If your father truly gives me this opportunity… I’ll do my best.”

Jennifer grinned immediately.

“That’s better.”

Then her expression became serious.

“But there’s one condition.”

I blinked.

“What condition?”

“You must completely let go of Alexander Knight and if possible your sister.”

Her words hit directly into my heart.

Jennifer continued calmly.

“You cannot move forward while still carrying them inside your heart.”

I looked down silently.

“I don’t love him anymore and as for my sister I have cut the with her,” I whispered painfully.

“But the pain is still there.”

Jennifer softened slightly.

“That’s normal.”

Then she leaned closer.

“But instead of crying over what you lost, focus on becoming stronger than the people who betrayed you.”

Her words settled deeply inside me.

“What should matter now,” she added, “is how to grow so high that nobody can ever destroy you again.”

I slowly nodded.

“Yes.”

Jennifer smiled warmly.

“Good.”

Then she suddenly picked up her phone.

“I’ll call my father now.”

My heart immediately became nervous again.

Jennifer dialed the number calmly before placing the call on speaker.

The phone rang twice.

Then a deep mature voice answered.

“Jennifer?”

“Dad,” she said casually, “I found the assistant manager candidate.”

“Oh?” the man responded. “Who is it?”

Jennifer smiled while looking directly at me.

“Her name is Sophia Williams.”

Silence filled the line instantly.

Then suddenly—

“Sophia Williams?”

The shock in Lucas Marcus’s voice was unmistakable.