Chapter 1: The Emerald Cage

Sophia was scrolling through her phone when it buzzed with an incoming call from her younger brother.

"Hello Ethan, is Mom okay?" She asked, worried.

"Hey, Soph, Mom is okay for now, but the doctor said the surgery can't be delayed any longer. What should we do?" Her brother's voice came, and she could tell how worried he was.

Sophia panicked too, but still managed to compose herself. "How many days do we have to schedule for the surgery?" She asked.

"We have 3 days, or Mom can't make it past that. Soph is Marcus not going to help Mom?" he asked, his voice hopeful.

"I'll try to talk to him again. Don't worry Ethan, we will find a way." She comforted her brother even if she didn't know how they could raise the money.

After ending the call, she stood at the massive window of Marcus' villa, looking out over gardens so pristine and endless they looked surreal. The perfectly trimmed hedges and the sparkling marble walkway all screamed of wealth and power. But to her, it was all just a beautiful cage, mocking her emptiness.

This was Marcus' house, not hers. Three years of marriage, and yet she felt like little more than a fixture, as untouched as the pricey paintings on the wall. Their marriage had never even been consummated. Marcus, once eager and affectionate, now hardly even looked at her.

Back when they were dating, he had tried to be close, to get intimate. But Sophia, raised with strict values, had always insisted on waiting until marriage. Now, after three cold years, she couldn't help but wonder if that choice had cost her everything.

Pushing aside her thoughts, she went to look for him. She wanted to try again to ask for his help with her mother's surgery. She knocked on his study door, trying to brace herself for what she knew would be a difficult conversation.

"Marcus, can we talk?" Her voice was tentative, but there was a thread of hope in it.

He looked up from his laptop, his expression already irritated. "What is it, Sophia? I'm busy. If it's about your mother, I already said I don't have the money. Our company is undertaking a very important project and we can't afford to withdraw a large amount of money"

Sophia swallowed hard, trying to suppress the pain she felt in her heart. It was clear that whether her mother survived or died didn't matter to him at all.

She bit her lower lip before changing the topic. "Then can we talk about our marriage? It's falling apart, Marcus." She held onto the doorframe to keep herself steady.

He scoffed, barely sparing her a glance. "Sophia, I don't have time for this right now. We'll talk later."

"Later?" Her voice rose, frustration spilling over. "It's always 'later' with you! I can't do this anymore. You're never here, and when you are, it's like I don't even exist."

He turned back to his screen with a dismissive wave. "Enough. This conversation is over."

Her heart sank, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She turned and closed the door behind her quietly, retreating to her bedroom. Dinner time came and went; he didn't bother to show up, just like every other night.

She left for the kitchen. She needed something to eat despite everything.

She stood in the kitchen, her gaze distant as she poured a packet of noodles into the pot. Steam rose, filling the air with a faint, savory aroma that hardly registered. She absently stirred the simple, repetitive motion offering a kind of solace in her whirlwind of thoughts.

Was this marriage worth fighting for?

She'd asked herself that question countless times, and each time, her heart twisted painfully, reminding her of all the hopes and promises that had brought her to this point. She thought back to those early days with Marcus, back when everything felt so… possible. She'd been so young and sure of the life they would build together, one that would be filled with love, trust, and a genuine partnership.

But now, she couldn't remember the last time Marcus had smiled at her, looked at her with any spark in his eyes, let alone touched her. As she absently stirred the noodles, Sophia felt a pang deep inside, an ache that wouldn't go away. Her friends would always say she was the strong one, the one who could handle anything. But, standing there alone in the kitchen, she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on.

Am I not good enough for Marcus? The question stung. She'd given up so much to be his wife, including her career, tried her best to fit into his world, to be the perfect partner, and even endured his family's cruel treatment. Yet, every effort seemed wasted, ignored, as if she were invisible in her own home. There was a loneliness that had seeped into her bones, one that a simple meal in an empty kitchen seemed to amplify.

The noodles were done. She strained them, watching the water swirl away, disappearing down the drain. It reminded her of how she felt, pouring all of herself into a void, hoping for something in return that never came.

Maybe it's time to stop fighting, a quiet voice whispered in her mind. She took a deep breath, set the bowl of noodles on the counter, and stared at it for a long moment. If her marriage was meant to be a partnership, it was painfully clear she was the only one showing up.

Around 10 p.m., after finishing her meal, she checked his study. Empty, as usual. With a sigh, she went back to her room. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, and she didn't realize her hands were shaking until she reached to pick it up. For a second, she hoped it was him, but as soon as she saw the caller ID, her heart skipped a beat and her face lit up. It was indeed him. He never calls.

Curiosity and a faint, ridiculous hope flared up as she answered. "Marcus?"

A woman's laugh echoed from the other end. "Oh, Sophia, don't be so naive."

Sophia's stomach twisted. She recognized that voice. Lila. Her old college rival, the woman who'd once fought for Marcus' attention, back when she was just another girl with a crush.

"Lila?" Her voice was barely a whisper, disbelief and shock gripping her.

Lila chuckled, the sound sharp and cold. Then, Sophia heard voices on the other end, her heart pounding as she listened in.

"Marcus," Lila's voice purred. "Aren't you worried Sophia will catch you one of these days?"

"Don't bring her up while we're together," he replied with a sneer.

Sophia felt her chest tighten, her whole body going numb. Every word felt like a dagger, twisting deeper and deeper.

"Oh, come on," Lila teased. "She's never even been to bed with you, has she?"

A pause, then his voice, cold and dismissive. "Sophia? She's so… reserved. I tried when we were dating, but she wanted to wait. So now, I'm making her wait."

Sophia's face crumpled as the tears came. This was her husband, the man she'd trusted with her heart.

"And you're the one I want, Lila," Marcus murmured.

"But Marcus you know….mmmhhh"

Marcus sealed her lips before she could continue, "Shhh enough of her, don't spoil the moment."

What followed was their soft breathing and moaning. Sophia had soaked her nightgown with her tears. She didn't realize when her tears started pouring like a waterfall.

The picture of her husband in bed with another woman, her love rival at that?

Silence fell as soft sounds of their intimacy filled the line.

Sophia couldn't listen any longer. She hung up, choking on her tears. This was it. This was her wake-up call. She'd been a fool.

Wordlessly, she pulled out her suitcase and began to pack, taking only the things that were hers. Each item she folded felt like reclaiming a part of herself that had been lost in this gilded cage. This was her escape, her path to freedom, and she wouldn't let anything stop her.

Just as she finished packing, the doorbell rang. Her heart skipped. She had planned to leave quietly, like a shadow in the night, but it seemed fate had other plans.

Opening the door, she found Evelyn, Marcus' mother, and Lauren, his sister, standing there in their designer dresses and smug expressions. Cold air seeped into the room as they brushed past her, barely acknowledging her presence.

Evelyn barely glanced at her as she walked in. "Where's Marcus?" she asked, her tone impatient.

"He's not here," Sophia replied, her voice clipped.

Lauren rolled her eyes, an amused smirk on her lips. "Someone's got an attitude tonight. Is there a problem, Sophia?"

Sophia forced herself to stay calm. "What do you want?"

Evelyn gave a short, dismissive laugh. "We came by to drop off some clothes. We expect you to have them laundered tomorrow. After all, appearances are everything."

Sophia felt her control slipping, her voice going cold. "I'm not your servant anymore, Evelyn. Take your clothes and leave."

They stared at her in shock.

"What did you just say?" Lauren asked with disbelief in her voice.

Sophia's eyes narrowed. "I said, take your clothes and go."

Evelyn's face hardened. "Marcus could divorce you for this kind of disrespect, Sophia."

Sophia met her gaze without flinching. "I'm the one divorcing him. Now, get out."

Evelyn's eyes turned icy, her tone full of venom. "If you walk away from this, don't expect us to welcome you back."

Sophia picked up her suitcase, her heart racing, yet a strange calm washed over her. "Don't worry, Evelyn. I'm not coming back."

Without looking back, she brushed past them, stepping out into the chilly night. She heard Evelyn's last, seething words follow her. "You'll regret this, Sophia."

Pausing at the gate, she looked back just once, her voice steady. "The only regret I have… is not leaving sooner."

Turning, she closed the door to her past.

As she reached the street, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She considered ignoring it but something made her check. It was an unknown number. Against her better judgment, she picked up.

"Mrs. Hawthorne?" a man's voice said on the other end. "This is the family butler. Old Master Hawthorne would like you to visit the family house tomorrow morning."

Before she could respond, the line went dead.