The rain fell in relentless sheets, a cold, unyielding deluge that mirrored the emptiness in her heart. Sophia staggered across the dimly lit street, clutching her abdomen as pain shot through her like a dagger. Her vision blurred, but not from the rain—tears mixed with exhaustion as her body screamed for relief.
In one hand, she held a crumpled ultrasound photo, the only memory of the baby she had lost just hours ago. Her free hand reached out blindly for support, but there was no one. No one except him.
She had called Adrian. Her husband. Her lifeline.
But his voice on the other end of the line had been cold, detached. "I'm busy. Don't call me for petty things, Sophia. Handle it yourself."
Petty? She had whispered, her voice trembling, "I'm bleeding… Adrian… the baby…"
The line went dead.
Now, she was truly alone. The realization struck her like a blow: Adrian had never loved her. Their marriage had been nothing more than a transaction to him, a way to solidify his business empire. And she… she had been nothing but a pawn, discarded the moment she became inconvenient.
Sophia fell to her knees, the icy rain soaking her through to the bone. Her breath came in short, ragged gasps as the world around her spun.
That's when she saw them.
Adrian's sleek black car pulled up across the street, the headlights cutting through the storm. Relief surged through her—until she saw the woman stepping out of the passenger side.
Victoria.
Adrian's so-called "white moonlight," the woman he had never stopped loving. They laughed, their faces glowing with joy as they huddled under a shared umbrella, completely oblivious to the broken woman just a few feet away.
Sophia's chest tightened as she watched Adrian gently wrap his arm around Victoria's waist. He had never looked at her that way. Not once in their three years of marriage.
A blinding flash of pain ripped through her body, and she collapsed onto the pavement. The ultrasound photo slipped from her fingers, carried away by the rain.
This is it, she thought. This is how it ends. Adrian wins. Victoria wins. I'm nothing.
But as the darkness closed in, a spark ignited within her—a faint, fiery ember of resolve.
---
Two Years Later
The ballroom was ablaze with light, filled with the city's elite. The air buzzed with anticipation as the doors at the top of the grand staircase swung open.
Every head turned.
There she stood, a vision in crimson silk that hugged her figure like a second skin. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her back, and her crimson lips curved into a confident smile.
"Sophia?" someone whispered, their voice trembling with disbelief.
But this was not the meek, submissive woman they had known. This Sophia radiated power and elegance, a queen among mere mortals.
At the foot of the staircase, Adrian froze, his glass of champagne shattering in his hand.
She met his gaze, her eyes cold and unreadable. Slowly, she descended the stairs, her heels clicking against the marble floor.
"Mr. Blackwood," she said, her voice smooth as velvet. "It's been a while."
Adrian's throat worked, but no words came out.
Sophia smiled, a sharp edge to her expression.
Let the games begin.