Chapter 9: whisper in the dark

Sophia barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Madison's smirk, heard her voice dripping with arrogance. We should catch up soon. You know, for old times' sake.

She turned in bed, her back facing Ethan. He was awake too—she could tell by the way his breathing remained steady but forced, like he was waiting for her to say something.

She didn't.

By morning, Sophia got up early and left for work before Ethan. If he noticed, he didn't stop her.

—

The office buzzed with quiet chatter when she arrived. People were still adjusting to the fact that she and Ethan were married. But today, the whispers felt… different.

Lisa practically ran into Sophia's office, slamming the door behind her.

"You're not going to like this," she said breathlessly.

Sophia frowned. "Like what?"

Lisa hesitated before sliding her phone across the desk.

Sophia's stomach twisted as she looked down. A photo. Ethan. Madison. Seated at an intimate-looking table in a private restaurant booth.

It was blurry, but unmistakably them.

The caption from the anonymous gossip blog read:

"CEO Ethan Caldwell spotted on a late-night dinner with an old flame. Trouble in paradise?"

Sophia's hands gripped the phone so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"He went to dinner with her?" she asked, her voice eerily calm.

Lisa winced. "It looks like it."

Sophia's blood ran cold.

He didn't even tell her.

Before Lisa could say anything else, Sophia grabbed her phone and dialed Ethan.

He answered after two rings. "Hey, I was just about to—"

"Don't lie to me," she cut in. "Did you have dinner with Madison last night?"

A pause. Then— "It wasn't like that, Sophia."

She laughed bitterly. "Oh, really? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks exactly like that."

Ethan sighed. "She requested a meeting. She's an investor. I didn't think—"

"You didn't think to tell your wife?!"

"Sophia, it was business."

"Business?" Her voice wavered, but she refused to let him hear the hurt. "Then why was it a private dinner?"

More silence.

"Right," she said stiffly. "Good to know where we stand."

"Sophia—"

She ended the call before he could finish.

Lisa watched cautiously. "Are you okay?"

Sophia stood, grabbing her purse. "I need some air."

She stormed out of the office, her heart pounding with something dangerously close to heartbreak.

Was she being paranoid? Or was Madison slowly slipping into the cracks of her marriage?

And worse—was Ethan letting her?

To be continued…