Chapter 68
Sophia stared up at his raised hand, unflinching. It wasn’t the first time he’d hit her, so she just figured it was another bite from their rabid dog of a marriage. The wind whooshed past her ear, but the expected sting never came. Jason froze, jaw clenched, a vein throbbing in his forehead like a trapped viper. He wanted to slap her, make her understand, but the sight of her pale, almost sickly skin snagged his arm mid swing. “One last chance,” he growled, the words squeezed through gritted teeth. “Stay by my side, behave, or…”
“Lust,” Sophia cut him off, voice steady as a rock.
Jason squeezed his eyes shut, broad shoulders slumping slightly. This goddamn woman would rather service a room full of strangers than share his life. Fine. “Have it your way. Tomorrow night, Lust.” He scanned her face, his voice hardening. “Half the rich jerks in Cester City know your face, know you’re Mrs. Wilson. Wear a mask. I can’t have that kind of scandal.”
Sophia eyed him with something akin to pity, a cold sneer twisting her lips. “Sign the divorce papers, and we can both walk away with some dignity. Why cling to this mess and embarrass yourself further?”
“Sophia!” Jason’s voice boomed, a warning laced with desperation. “Divorce talk again, and Corey rots in prison.” He rose abruptly, straightening his clothes with a jerk, and stormed out.
Sophia watched him leave, frustration etched on his back. Why wouldn’t he let her go? Was it just about keeping her away from Oliver? Was that more important than his own pride? Now, with Ada pregnant, the perfect excuse to ditch her and reunite with his first love lay at his feet. So what was he waiting for? Could it be…?
A chilling thought slithered into her mind. Could there actually be some twisted affection behind his cruelty? Loving her yet feeding her birth control? Loving her yet betraying her with another woman’s child? Loving her yet forcing her to sell herself to strangers, shredding her dignity to pieces? Loving her yet breaking her spirit with his own hands?
Sophia
squeezed her eyes shut. It was a theory, a hunch that needed testing. She had to see how deep this alleged love went. Because if he did care, even a little, then the sweetest revenge would be twisting that love into a knife and grinding it into his heart until he wished he were dead.
He shoved the door As Jason stormed out of the master bedroom, a maid intercepted him, summoning him to Ada’s temporary quarter open and found her perched on the bed, a saccharine smile plastered on her face. It grated on him, a jarring note in the symphony of chaos his life had become.
He got lost in a thought spiral, ‘If she hadn’t thrown herself in front of danger to save me five years ago, would I have even been in Vrun City two months back? And if I hadn’t been there, would that awful night have ever happened?‘
Although his relationship with Sophia lacked passion, it was precious for its peace and quiet. The small acts of tenderness in their daily lives were enough for him to feel attached to her. However, those peaceful days were gone forever since the news of Ada’s pregnancy was exposed. He betrayed Sophia, so she followed suit and got involved with his nemesis. He was very clear about the crux of this marriage. If he didn’t get rid of Ada and the fetus in her womb, Sophia, with her personality, would never forgive him, let alone reconcile with him. But to get rid of this child…
Maybe his icy glare was too much. Ada’s smile faltered, replaced by a flicker of fear. “Jason, am I holding you back? If you’re really struggling. then… then just schedule an abortion.”