Chapter 25: A Homewrecker

Sophia walked out of Allure Fashion clutching her file folder tightly. Her heels clicked against the pavement, echoing her hurried steps. The meeting with the panel had gone well, but her mind churned with nervous anticipation. She did her best and will leave the rest to God. 

She had to walk past a few blocks since she had her driver drop her far to avoid drawing much attention.

"Well, well, well, Sophia," Lila's shrill voice echoed, causing Sophia to pause mid-step.

She turned her head, and her heart sank when she saw Lila. She was standing a few feet away with Marcus, who looked equally surprised to see her. Her eyes immediately darkened with anger. 

Memories of that night when he drugged and tried to force himself on her came flooding back, making her clench her fists. This bastard... How could I have ever loved him? I must have been blind to trust him, let alone fall for him. She took a deep breath and turned away, intending to ignore them and move on. 

"What are you afraid of, Sophia?" Lila's taunt followed her like a shadow, challenging her to stop. Sophia exhaled sharply, reluctantly coming to a halt.

Lila and Marcus walked up to her, Lila's lips curling into a smirk. "Oh, look at you, Sophia," she sneered, glancing over Sophia with mock pity. "Can't even afford a cab and you're forced to walk?"

Sophia folded her arms, raising an eyebrow. "And what does that have to do with you, Lila?"

Lila chuckled, relishing the moment. "Well, of course, it concerns me. We were college mates, after all. The same course, remember? If you need help… just say the word." Her words dripped with condescension.

Sophia let out a dry laugh. "Thank you for your… kind offer, but I'm fine." She tilted her head, her gaze unyielding. "But let's be honest, if you were that capable, would you be standing here as a mistress?"

Lila's face flushed, momentarily caught off guard. She glanced at Marcus, silently pleading for backup.

Marcus, who had been silent the entire time, shifted uncomfortably under Sophia's gaze. His mind raced with conflicting emotions. He remembered vividly how he had underestimated her, only for things to spiral out of his control. 

He had suspected that Sophia had something to do with his family's crisis, but seeing her walking around hunting for a job cleared that suspicion.

He cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably as he avoided Sophia's eyes. Despite his calm exterior, his gaze wavered, and he felt guilty for what he'd done to her that night. But despite his guilt, his family's precarious financial situation forced him to prioritize Lila's position in the investors' circles.

"Lila will be my wife soon," he said, voice strained. "She's not a mistress. We're already divorced."

Sophia's lips curled into a disdainful smile. "Oh, right, I almost forgot. She's not a mistress… just a homewrecker."

"You…" Lila's face twisted in anger, and she clenched her fists. "How dare you?"

Sophia chuckled softly. "Am I wrong? I still have that little recording from the night you called me. Care to hear it again?"

A flash of panic crossed Lila's face. She darted a look at Marcus, gauging his reaction.

Marcus's expression darkened as he turned to Lila, eyes narrowing. "Wait… You were the one who called her that night? Do you have any idea what you did?" He took a step closer, his voice low but laced with anger. "That recording was what she used to file for divorce. You ruined every chance I had."

Lila's confidence faltered. "Honey, you know I only did it because… I couldn't stand seeing you with her. I was jealous." Her voice wavered, sounding desperate now.

"Jealous?" Marcus's face contorted in frustration. His family's entire future had been jeopardized by her impulsive jealousy. He recalled his grandfather's warning, echoing in his mind like a curse: Sophia isn't just any woman. She's an asset to our future. 

Although he doesn't know what his grandpa meant, he is sure the old man is very cunning and manipulative. He must know something, they don't.

But it was too late now. He'd lost her, and Lila was the cause of it all.

Sophia, watching their spat with a faint smile, couldn't help but feel a grim satisfaction. But her satisfaction was cut short when Marcus pointed at the file in her hands.

"Sophia… are you looking for a job?" he asked, feigning nonchalance but unable to hide his curiosity.

Sophia raised an eyebrow, folding her arms again. "And if I am?"

Marcus managed a tight-lipped smile. "I could help, you know. One word from me, and any company would…"

"Spare me the offer," she interrupted coldly. "Why don't you focus on saving your sinking company instead?"

His smile vanished, replaced by a tense silence. Before he could respond, Sophia turned on her heel, walking away with a newfound strength. She didn't look back.

Marcus clenched his fists, grinding his teeth in frustration. Lila tried to soothe him, patting his arm. "Don't worry, honey. Once you meet with those investors, everything will be fine."

Marcus exhaled, trying to push aside his anger. He replayed the encounter in his mind, his gaze darkening. "She looked like she came from an interview," he muttered, more to himself. "But which company?"

Lila frowned, suddenly anxious. "She studied fashion design… so it must be one around here." Her eyes widened. "Wait. You don't think it's… Allure Fashion?"

Marcus's eyes lit up. "It makes sense. But isn't that place practically impenetrable? And the owner, no one even knows who they are."

Lila's lips curled into a cunning smile. "Actually… I know someone who works there. Nina Simmons. She hates Sophia as much as I do. You might know her. She graduated the same year as you."

Marcus's interest was piqued. "Can you get in touch with her?"

"She doesn't exactly respect me," Lila admitted. "But she might listen to you."

Marcus nodded, determination flashing in his eyes as he took his phone out. Give me her phone number.

He dialed Nina's number, giving Lila a nod of reassurance.

***

Later that day, in a nearby café:

At a nearby hotel, Marcus and Lila sat across from Nina Simmons, an old college acquaintance. After polite greetings and some small talk, lunch was served, but Marcus wasted no time.

He leaned in, voice low. "Nina, I'll get straight to the point. Did Sophia apply for a job at Allure Fashion?"

Nina sighed, glancing around cautiously before nodding. "Yes, she did. She came in for an interview this morning."

Marcus's eyes gleamed with relief. "I need you to make sure she doesn't get hired. Name your price."

Nina's face lit up at the offer but quickly turned grim. She hesitated. "Marcus, I already tried. I was on the interview panel, and I tried to disqualify her. But… she impressed everyone. She's likely to be hired."

Lila paled, a sense of dread settling over her. "There has to be a way. Whatever you need, we'll pay for it."

Nina shook her head. "I wish there was. But Allure Fashion doesn't tolerate corruption. If the higher-ups even suspected I tried to sabotage her, they'd kick me out without a second thought."

Marcus frowned, absorbing her words in silence. But Nina's eyes gleamed with a flicker of malice. "Don't worry. If she gets hired, I'll find other ways to make her life miserable. I'll make sure she doesn't last."

Marcus leaned back, finally satisfied. "Good. You'll be compensated well."

Nina nodded. "I'll keep you updated."

***

Sophia stepped into the hospital room, her smile softening as she saw her mother, Catherine propped up in bed. Ethan, her younger brother, sat nearby, scribbling in his notebook.

"Mom, how are you feeling today?" Sophia asked, placing a bag of food on the bedside table.

Catherine smiled faintly. "Much better now that you're here, sweetheart. Did your interview go well?"

"It went fine," Sophia replied, pulling out a container of soup. "But let's not talk about that right now. I brought your favorite lunch."

Ethan looked up from his notebook, his tired eyes lighting up. "That smells amazing, Soph."

"Good," Sophia said. "You've been working too hard, Ethan. Sit and eat."

Ethan laughed. "No rest for the poor. I have a shift after this and an assignment due tomorrow."

Catherine frowned, her eyes filling with guilt. "It's my fault. You shouldn't have to work while studying. It's not fair to you son."