Sophia stood in front of her mirror in the guest room, her lips curving into a smile as she ran a brush through her glossy curls.
Last night mia had caused problem to her perfect image at gala. But she had got successful in subtly sowing tension between Lucas and Ariana. But it wasn't enough. Ariana had held her ground, and that wouldn't do. She needed to escalate her efforts. Lucas had to see Ariana as the villain, and Sophia as his sole confidant and savior.
"Step two," she murmured to her reflection, setting the brush down. "Time to drive the wedge deeper."
---
Downstairs, Lucas sat at the head of the long dining table, his laptop open in front of him. His eyes scanned his emails as he absentmindedly sipped his coffee. Across the table, Ariana picked at a plate of fresh fruit. The tension between them was palpable, a heavy silence that neither dared to break.
Ariana hesitated, glancing at Lucas. She wanted to talk about last night, to clear the air and explain her side of things, but the words refused to come.
The moment was interrupted by the click of heels on the hardwood floor. Sophia breezed into the room, her radiant smile lighting up the space as though she owned it.
"Good morning!" she sang out, her tone overly bright.
Lucas looked up, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Morning, Sophia. Did you sleep well?"
"Oh, eventually," Sophia replied with an exaggerated sigh, placing a manicured hand on Lucas's shoulder as she walked past him. Her touch lingered for a moment, and Ariana's stomach twisted.
Sophia took the seat next to Lucas, across from Ariana, and reached for a cup of coffee. "But honestly, I couldn't stop thinking about last night. It was so upsetting."
"Upsetting?" Ariana's voice was quiet but sharp as she set her fork down.
Sophia's eyes widened, her expression one of exaggerated innocence. "Oh, Ariana, don't take it the wrong way. I wasn't blaming you! You did such a great job organizing everything."
Ariana's jaw tightened, sensing the bait but unwilling to rise to it.
Sophia continued, her voice softening. "It's just… some of the guests were so cruel. They questioned my intentions, implying I was trying to… overshadow you." She glanced at Lucas, her eyes shimmering with faux vulnerability.
Lucas frowned, his gaze flickering to Ariana. "Is that true?"
Ariana's heart sank. "Lucas, I didn't..."
Sophia quickly cut in, her voice trembling. "It's okay, really. I just hate the thought of anyone thinking I'd ever try to hurt Ariana. She's my sister. Why would I hurt her?"
The syrupy sweetness of Sophia's tone grated on Ariana's nerves, but the look on Lucas's face — his tightened jaw and furrowed brows hurt her more. He believed sophia.
Later that day, Sophia found Lucas in his study, working on his laptop. She knocked gently on the doorframe, stepping in with a carefully crafted look of hesitation.
"Lucas?"
He looked up, his brows knitting together. "What's wrong?"
Sophia hesitated, biting her lip as if unsure whether to proceed. "I… I don't want to cause trouble, but there's something I think you should know."
Lucas's frown deepened. "Go on."
Sophia stepped closer, her hands wringing together. "It's about Ariana. I overheard her talking to Mia earlier. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but they were saying some really unkind things about you."
Lucas's expression darkened. "What kind of things?"
Sophia glanced away, feigning reluctance. "I shouldn't repeat it. I just thought you should know because… well, I hate seeing you hurt."
Lucas closed his laptop and stood, his fists clenching at his sides. "Sophia, just tell me what she said."
Sophia lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "She called you cold and controlling. And Mia...she encouraged her. They said you're blind to not know the truth about me."
Lucas's face hardened, his jaw tightening as he processed her words. Without another word, he strode past her and out of the study, leaving Sophia smirking in his wake.
Ariana was in the garden, trimming the rose bushes, the warm sunlight doing little to lift the heavy weight in her chest. Her mind replayed the events of the gala, the unspoken tension with Lucas, and Sophia's meddling.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Lucas approaching until his shadow fell over her. She looked up, startled by the stormy expression on his face.
"Why don't you just admit it?" he demanded, his voice sharp.
Ariana blinked, confused. "Admit what?"
"That you've been bad-mouthing me behind my back!" he snapped. "Calling me cold and controlling. Saying I'm blind when it comes to Sophia."
Ariana's heart raced as anger and disbelief coursed through her. "Lucas, I didn't say any of those things. Who told you that?"
"Sophia overheard you talking to Mia," Lucas replied, his tone laced with accusation.
Ariana's blood boiled. "Sophia is lying! I would never..."
"Stop," Lucas interrupted, raising a hand to silence her. "I don't want to hear your excuses, Ariana. I'm done with your petty jealousy."
"Jealousy?" Ariana's voice cracked with emotion. "You think this is about jealousy? Lucas, she's manipulating you, and you're letting her ruin us!"
Lucas's eyes narrowed. "Enough. I'm not going to stand here and listen to you slander her. Maybe if you focused more on our relationship instead of finding ways to attack Sophia, we wouldn't be in this mess."
Ariana felt tears sting her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "You're right, Lucas. We are in a mess, but it's because you trust a liar over your wife."
Lucas didn't respond. He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Ariana standing amidst the roses, her heart shattering into a million pieces.
As Lucas disappeared into the house, Ariana dropped to her knees, her hands trembling as she reached out to steady herself against the garden bench.
She stared at the roses, their vibrant red petals mocking the pain blossoming in her chest. For the first time, she felt truly alone.
Tears finally spilled over, running down her cheeks as she whispered to herself, "What happened to us, Lucas? When did we lose each other?"