Sophia po

Jennifer wasn't just a good woman; she was kind, thoughtful, and genuinely caring. Everything she did seemed sincere, and it was impossible not to trust her.

She looked at me with a smile and said, "Get ready. We're going shopping."

"Shopping?" I repeated, unable to hide the surprise on my face.

"Yes," Jennifer replied. "You can't dress like this when you're meeting my father. He is a man who values appearance. The way you present yourself tells him the kind of person you are."

"I already have clothes in my bags," I protested.

She shook her head gently. "Those clothes are old, young lady. You need new ones."

"I can wash them in the machine and dry them immediately."

"No," she insisted. "And besides, you're not the one spending the money. I am, so don't worry about it."

Seeing there was no point arguing, I finally relaxed.

When we arrived at the luxury mall, Jennifer surprised me by placing her ATM card in my hand.

"Buy whatever you want," she said. "I've been called away for an emergency."

Before I could ask another question, she was already gone.

For almost twenty minutes, I stood there staring at the card in my hand. The mall was filled with expensive designer brands. A single dress could easily cost five hundred thousand dollars, and Jennifer had told me to buy as much as I wanted.

"Did she leave because she wants to test my loyalty?" I whispered to myself.

After thinking about it carefully, I shook my head.

"No, Jennifer doesn't seem like that."

I finally selected only two simple outfits.

"Hello, Madam."

I turned and saw a female staff member smiling politely.

"Yes, how can I help you?"

"Miss Jennifer instructed me to assist you with your shopping."

I looked at the clothes in my basket and handed her the card.

"I'm done. Please process the payment."

The young woman smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Madam, but I'm not the cashier. Besides, you haven't even selected items worth one million dollars."

My eyes widened.

"One million dollars? For what?"

"Miss Jennifer has already approved a budget of five million dollars for your wardrobe. If you leave without buying enough, she'll be disappointed, and we might lose one of our most valued customers."

I stared at her in complete silence.

She folded her hands respectfully.

"My name is Lynn, Madam."

"Lynn, I'm finished shopping."

"I'm afraid you aren't. At least two million dollars has been allocated for your office wear alone."

I sighed helplessly.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"If the favor is allowing you to leave without choosing more clothes, then I'm sorry, I can't."

There was no room for negotiation.

For the next two hours, Lynn guided me through every section of the store. We selected elegant office suits, casual dresses, evening gowns, shoes, handbags, and accessories.

Every time I tried to stop, she reminded me of Jennifer's instructions.

I wasn't comfortable spending so much money. If it had been mine, I would never have bought half of those things. The only reason I continued was because I didn't want Jennifer's kindness to create problems for the store.

By the time I reached home, exhaustion had completely taken over.

I fell asleep on the couch.

The next thing I knew, Jennifer was standing beside me.

"You almost left the front door open, Sophia," she said gently.

I rubbed my eyes.

"I'm sorry. I was so tired that I needed to rest."

"It's alright. I'm not trying to scold you. I only want to remind you so you'll be more careful next time."

"Thank you," I replied sincerely.

That night, I slept peacefully.

The following morning, Jennifer personally picked out the best outfit from everything we had purchased. She adjusted my collar, smiled proudly, and then spoke.

"My father is waiting for you."

Those words instantly woke every nerve in my body.

"Am I late, Miss Jennifer?"

"Almost. I already booked your flight. Please hurry and take your shower."

I didn't know how to thank her. Since entering my life, Jennifer had shown me nothing but kindness.

Within an hour we were at the airport, and shortly afterward our flight landed in Marcus City.

As I stepped outside, my new phone rang.

"Turn around. The guards are waiting for you."

I turned and saw a tall man dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit.

"Mr. Marcus sent me to pick you up, Madam."

"I'd like to confirm that first."

I immediately called Mr. Marcus.

"Yes, Sophia," he answered warmly. "He's my driver. You can trust him."

Only then did I nod.

"Let's go."

The company headquarters looked exactly as I remembered.

Employees hurried through the halls, busy with their work.

Some of the older staff recognized me immediately.

"Miss Sophia! Where have you been?"

An elderly cleaner who had worked there for over fifteen years walked toward me with tears in her eyes.

I gently held both of her hands.

"I'm back."

A bright smile spread across her face.

Inside the executive office, Mr. Marcus stood up the moment he saw me.

"Please, come in, Sophia."

I followed him quietly.

After studying me for a few moments, he smiled.

"You've become even more beautiful."

Heat rose to my cheeks.

He slowly walked toward me while continuing to speak.

Fear immediately settled inside my heart.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

I remained silent, watching every step he took until he stopped directly in front of me.

"Has anyone ever told you just how beautiful you are?"

His words confused me.

"With all due respect, sir, you invited me here to discuss business. Why are we talking about my appearance?"

He smiled.

"This is part of the business, Sophia. Everything starts with trust."

My heartbeat became faster.

A frightening thought crossed my mind.

What if Mr. Marcus expected something far beyond a business partnership?

He seemed to notice my discomfort.

"Relax," he said calmly. "Whatever happens here will remain private. Besides, you're no longer in a relationship, and you don't have a husband."

I took a deep breath and met his eyes.

"I beg your pardon, sir, but I'm not the kind of woman you seem to think I am."

He frowned.

"And there's something else you should know."

"What is it?"

I placed a hand over my stomach.

"I'm carrying my ex-husband's child."

The color drained from Mr. Marcus's face.

Every trace of confidence disappeared from his expression as silence filled the office.

It was as if every plan he had made the moment he saw me had come to an unexpected end.

Sophia POV

Mr. Marcus then sat back in his chair.

“Here is your appointment letter, but you won't resume work until you have finally given birth,” Marcus said to me.

I froze before asking, “Please, I need money to take care of myself and my unborn child. There's no need hiding this from you.”

“You want to be paid?” Mr. Marcus asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“Then resume tomorrow,” he answered and handed the envelope to me.

I collected it and signed the appointment letter.

Reaching home, I still couldn't understand the whole situation. In fact, fear gripped me.

“Should I believe this man won't someday try anything stupid with me?” I asked myself, still confused and contemplating what to do when Jennifer walked over.

“Thinking about what my father did at the office?” she asked.

I was shocked.

“How do you know?”

“Well, you don't need to panic. He never meant any of those acts. And to be frank with you, you'll be treated like a sibling to me.”

I immediately felt relieved. My heavy heart suddenly became light.

“I almost rejected the job,” I replied.

“Why would you, Sophia? What you need right now is rest, and tomorrow you'll start this job. I believe you'll love working with my father again. Most importantly, what will help you grow higher and faster is your experience. The company was once controlled by you, so you won't find it difficult to navigate and succeed unless you're no longer smart,” Jennifer teased.

“Why would you say that, my dear? I have always been a smart girl until love brought me to this point. I promise I will regain everything I have lost,” I assured her.

The next day at the office, Mr. Marcus had taken the earliest flight back to the state and handed the company over to me.

Dressed in a beautiful suit, I walked around, observing what every staff member was doing.

“We're glad you returned again.”

I smiled, keeping everything professional, before holding the board meeting.

Work started immediately. I made sure new ideas were drafted and every worker carried out their duties effectively. When I went into my office to rest, I found my late father's picture inside the drawer.

“Dad?” I whispered to the photograph, feeling silence surround me. He looked handsome and kind.

Smiling at the picture, I placed it against my chest.

“I made a promise to you, and I will fulfill it. Just count on me, Dad.”

Then I picked up the laptop and started going through the files. I discovered many orders waiting to be delivered and called the head of distribution.

“You sent for me?” he asked.

“Yes. I need this list cleared within two days, and after that, a new brand of perfume will be produced.”

“We have no problem with deliveries. The issue is from the production section. I think most of the funds allocated there have been swallowed by the head of department. Even Mr. Marcus has found it difficult to trust the senior staff,” he replied.

“He hasn't been sacked yet?”

“No, ma'am. He has only been placed under suspension.”

“I'll send him a letter right now. If he delays production this time, I'll have him fired,” I told the young man.

“I want an urgent delivery. Let's clear the old stock within two days,” I repeated.

When the letter reached the production section, the head stormed into my office shouting.

“Even Mr. Marcus has no right to threaten me like this,” he scolded. “You just resumed today and expect me to follow your instructions when I don't even know if you're here to feed or expose evil.”

“You have just two hours to do as I said. Production starts immediately, or you lose your job,” I replied firmly like the boss I was.

“Imagine her threatening me,” he said, pointing at me.

“Who are you?” I asked a newly employed engineer.

“I am Phillip, ma,” he answered respectfully.

“You're the young man assigned to work with this man?”

“Yes, ma.”

“Alright.”

I paused before continuing.

“I have read your experience and seen what you're capable of. Therefore, with the authority given to me by Mr. Thomas, you will, from today, resume as acting head of this office. Go and do your best.”

I picked up my small bag.

“You can't do this to me, young lady. You don't even know who I am.”

I ignored him and watched Phillip instruct the engineers to begin work immediately.

With the list in my hands, the orders were arranged accordingly.

Within a few hours, production was running smoothly.

The next morning, I officially fired the former head of production and replaced him.

That alone made the workers become more serious. It wasn't that I was too strict with them, but I had to keep everyone's hands busy.

“Ma,” the accountant called.

“Did you receive the alert?” I asked.

“Just a few hours ago, ma'am. We received a payment of 200 billion dollars,” she said.

Just then, Mr. Marcus called while I was about to sip a glass of wine.

“What's going on?” he asked.

“I don't understand, sir,” I replied.

“I just saw a huge amount of money entering the company's account.”

“Yes, sir. That's the money realized from today's perfume supplies. I ordered the production department to begin work immediately.”

Marcus was shocked.

“I can't believe this. You did this just yesterday and today?”

“Yes, sir. And I'll do even more.”

“I'll credit you some money for your weekend,” Marcus assured me.

I wanted to refuse but remained silent and focused on my work.

Suddenly my phone rang.

It was an alert for three million dollars, far more than my salary.

“This must be a mistake,” I muttered and immediately called him back.

“Sir...”

He cut me off.

“I've sent you three million dollars. Use it to take care of yourself and stay comfortable. I'm in a meeting, and more clients are reaching out to me right now.”

Marcus, who had once been reluctant, was now completely awakened by the company's sudden success.

I stared at the alert on my phone.

“Three million dollars just for the weekend.”

I nodded slowly.

“I am worth millions of dollars.”

A smile spread across my face.

Alexander PO

I couldn't believe my eyes when I started hearing about Marcus and Sophia Perfume in the market, a brand that had just been introduced. It was already trending, with investors pouring their money into it.

I paused for a moment at the office.

“Isn't this Sophia Williams' former company, the company that almost went silent? How then did it rise overnight?” I asked myself.

“Well, that's not my problem. It should be theirs...”

I smiled and overlooked everything.

I decided to drive to Clara's office that afternoon.

On my way there, I spotted a car that dropped someone who looked exactly like Clara at a restaurant.

“Isn't that Clara?” I asked myself, filled with curiosity that almost consumed me.

“This is my wife. I am very sure of what I am saying.”

I nodded my head confidently.

Then I parked some distance away. Clara never told me she was going out for lunch, and why did it have to be with a man?

When I walked closer, I realized it was the same man she claimed she had left for me.

“What...?”

I held myself back.

“We just got married last week, and here she is with her boyfriend.”

I was about to step forward but stopped.

“She might deny everything.”

Instead, I brought out my phone to take a picture.

“I'm sorry, sir, this is not allowed here.”

“What do you mean? Fuck you!”

I pushed the security guard aside, causing him to fall to the ground and draw everyone's attention.

“My goodness. It is Alexander.”

Clara stood with both hands over her mouth.

I didn't even realize when my fist landed on her boyfriend's face.

“So you have been lying all this while, Clara. You told me you had nothing to do with him, yet you are having lunch with him. Not just that, he kissed your lips!”

I scolded.

“Security!” Clara called.

“What are you trying to do, Clara? Get me thrown out of this place?”

“Yes, since you are acting mentally unstable. You behave like someone who has suddenly gone insane.”

Her reply fueled my anger even more.

“What are you waiting for? Take this man out of this place.”

Clara behaved as if I wasn't her husband.

I was dragged out of the restaurant.

With speed, I drove home, pulled off my coat, and picked up a glass of wine. But while pouring it into the cup, my anger forced me to smash the glass.

“Damn! Damn...!”

I screamed loudly.

“Son, what's the problem?”

“Please stay away from this, Mother.”

I pointed at her.

“You are not looking normal. Where is your wife? She ought to have been here by now.”

She acted concerned.

“Look here, Mother. That lady is not my wife. She is a cheat, and not just a cheat but a liar as well!”

I shouted at her.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I think I should never have allowed Sophia to leave. I think I am now regretting my actions.”

“You don't have to say that in a hurry, son. You must understand that Sophia was never your fit. She only wanted to be seen around you.”

“She is far better than Clara.”

I was still speaking when Clara drove in.

“Here comes the liar.”

I pointed at Clara as she stepped out of the car and walked in confidently.

I grabbed her and pinned her against the wall.

“You have the guts to do that to me at the restaurant?”

I asked, tightening my grip.

“Take your hands off me before I label you a murderer. Take your hands off me, Alexander.”

She struggled to breathe.

“Stop that, Alexander! Do you want to kill her?”

I removed my hands from Clara's neck.

“Fuck you, Alexander!”

Clara glared at me.

“You think I was having something serious with him?”

“Did you just hear yourself, Clara? Even when I caught you with him?”

I shouted even louder.

“Yes. That was the young man I left for you. He only visited town for a meeting.”

“A meeting?”

My mother almost screamed.

“Is anything wrong with trying to have lunch with him? I met him there and we simply shared the same table.”

She spoke so fast.

“You are the greatest liar I have ever met. What do you take me for? A blind man, a fool, or an illiterate?”

I pointed at myself.

“Look here, Clara. I made the worst mistake by taking you back.”

“Calm down, son.”

“Please do not use that on me. I am not going to calm down over this.”

I started pacing around in anger.

With the same frustration, I walked into the room.

Clara followed immediately and stood by the doorway.

“Alexander, I am sorry for what happened. It was a mistake. I only ran into him.”

Clara put on a pleading expression.

I stared at her in anger.

“You are nothing but a bitch, and Sophia is far better than you.”

I said it directly to her face.

“Get your things out of my room. You are no longer going to sleep here.”

I pointed toward the door.

Clara remained speechless. This was the last thing she expected from me.

“I am not leaving. Please, I am going to stay here with you.”

She knelt down and held my feet.

“I can't be fooled anymore, Clara. It is obvious that you have been manipulating me all this while, and that's something I can't take anymore.”

I pushed her aside and relaxed on the bed, breathing heavily with anger.

I could see the tears flowing down her cheeks.

“I'm sorry, Alexander. I never thought this would get to this point.”

I shook my head in disappointment and scrolled through the contacts on my phone, hoping to reach Sophia.

The number wasn't going through.

I tried again and even checked her social media accounts.

For months, Sophia had remained inactive.

I threw my phone onto the bed in anger.