Chapter 4 Walking into the Unknown

Sophie's POV

Morning came too soon.

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, my mind replayed the night before-Daniel's forced smile, the way he asked if I was okay, the way he kissed me like nothing was wrong.

Like he wasn't lying to me.

I turned over in bed and glanced at the other side.

Empty.

Again.

A tight knot formed in my stomach.

He left early. Again.

I sighed and pushed myself up, wrapping the sheets around me as I walked to the window. Down in the driveway, Daniel's car was gone.

Typical.

I wasn't sure when his absences had started bothering me. Maybe it was always there, buried under my trust, but now...

Now, I questioned everything.

I grabbed my phone, scrolling through my recent messages. There was one from the hospital reminding me about my upcoming shift, a missed call from my best friend Claire, and-

I froze.

A text from an unknown number.

"Are you ready to know the truth?"

My heart stopped.

I read the message again, my fingers tightening around my phone.

Who was this?

Lena?

Another cruel mind game?

My chest rose and fell rapidly as I stared at the words, debating whether to reply. Every part of me screamed that this was a bad idea.

But my hands had a mind of their own.

Who is this?

The reply came almost immediately.

"Someone who knows what your husband is hiding."

Daniel's POV

I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.

Sophie knew something.

I could see it in her eyes last night.

She wasn't accusing me yet, but the doubt was there, creeping into the spaces between us.

And if I didn't do something soon, I was going to lose her.

I pulled into a quiet parking lot and grabbed my phone, scrolling to Lena's number. I had ignored her long enough.

I hit call.

She picked up after one ring, her voice laced with amusement.

"Well, well. Look who finally decided to talk."

"Cut the crap, Lena." My voice was sharp. "What did you tell Sophie?"

She laughed lightly. "Oh, I didn't have to say much. Just a little push in the right direction."

Anger coiled inside me. "Stay away from her."

"Or what?" she taunted. "You forget, darling, I know everything."

I clenched my jaw, inhaling sharply.

"Whatever game you're playing, it ends now."

She hummed. "And if I don't?"

I hesitated.

Lena had me in a chokehold with the past. One wrong move, and she could shatter everything.

She knew that.

And she was enjoying every second of it.

Sophie's POV

I paced my bedroom, gripping my phone.

I should ignore this.

I should block the number and move on.

But the truth was, I wasn't ready to let it go.

I needed to know what Daniel was hiding.

So I texted back.

Tell me.

A few moments later, another message appeared.

Meet me at the Blue Orchid Café. 3 PM.

I stared at the message, my heart pounding.

This was a bad idea.

But at this point, I had no choice.

I had to find out the truth.

No matter what it cost me.

The clock ticked slowly, each second stretching longer than the last.

I sat in my car outside the Blue Orchid Café, my fingers gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white.

What am I doing?

Meeting a stranger-who may or may not be Lena-just to dig into Daniel's secrets?

My gut told me this was dangerous, that I was stepping into something I wasn't prepared for.

But my heart?

My heart needed answers.

I took a deep breath and checked my phone again.

2:59 PM.

One minute to go.

My hands trembled as I pushed open the car door and stepped out. The café was small and cozy, with an outdoor seating area filled with neatly arranged tables. The scent of fresh coffee filled the air, mixing with the soft murmur of customers chatting inside.

I scanned the place carefully.

Then I saw her.

A woman in a black dress, sunglasses perched on her nose, sipping from a cup like she had all the time in the world.

My stomach dropped.

Lena.

Of course it was her.

Daniel's POV

I should have known she'd do this.

Sophie was never one to sit in silence. She was strong, determined, relentless when she wanted the truth.

And now?

She was slipping right through my fingers.

I sat in my car, gripping my phone.

I had checked Sophie's location-something I never did before. But today, I had no choice.

She was at the Blue Orchid Café.

And there was only one reason she'd be there.

Lena.

I cursed under my breath and started the engine.

I had to stop this before it was too late.

Sophie's POV

I took slow, cautious steps toward the table.

Lena noticed me instantly. A slow smirk curled across her lips as she removed her sunglasses, setting them aside.

"Well, well," she drawled, tilting her head. "I didn't think you'd actually come."

I crossed my arms. "You wanted me here. So talk."

She gestured to the empty chair across from her. "Sit, darling. We have a lot to discuss."

I hesitated.

Every instinct screamed at me to turn around and leave.

But I didn't.

Because as much as I hated to admit it...

I needed to hear what she had to say.

I sat down, forcing my voice to remain steady. "I don't have all day, Lena. Just say what you came to say."

She smiled, taking a slow sip of her drink.

Then, in a voice so casual yet dripping with poison, she said:

"Daniel never loved you, Sophie. You were just a replacement."

Daniel's POV

I pushed the car faster, weaving through the traffic.

My chest was tight, my pulse racing.

I had made so many mistakes.

But this-this-was the one mistake I couldn't afford to make.

I had to get to Sophie before Lena fed her more lies.

Before she twisted the truth into something even I couldn't fix.

I gritted my teeth as I saw the café come into view.

Please, let me not be too late.

Sophie's POV

The words hit like a dagger to my chest.

I felt my breath catch, but I refused to look away.

I wouldn't let her see me break.

Lena leaned closer, her eyes filled with cruel amusement. "He was in love with someone else. But she left, and he was broken. You were convenient. A stand-in for what he lost."

The world around me blurred.

I didn't know if it was the truth or a twisted version of it, but deep down...

Some part of me already suspected it.

Lena smirked, watching me carefully. "Tell me, Sophie... how does it feel to know you were never his first choice?"

Before I could even process her words, a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Sophie."

I turned.

Daniel stood there, breathless, eyes filled with something I couldn't read.

His presence alone was an answer in itself.

And for the first time...

I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear the truth.