The sound of my assistant’s voice echoed through the entire banquet hall.
—Madam President, the council awaits your decision. Shall we authorize the ten billion yuan investment in Reed Technologies?
For a few seconds, nobody understood what was happening.
Not the guests.
Not the executives.
Not even Marcus Reed.
His face slowly lost all color.
Because the woman he had ignored for three years was standing in front of everyone, holding the fate of his company in her hands.
The same woman he had just called heartless.
The same woman his pregnant secretary had slapped.
The same woman everyone believed was nothing more than a decorative wife.
I looked at Marcus.
He was staring at me like he was seeing me for the first time.
—Sophia…
His voice was different.
No longer arrogant.
No longer impatient.
Almost afraid.
I tilted my head slightly.
—What is it?
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Because for the first time, Marcus realized something terrifying.
He never knew me.
Not really.
Three years ago, when Marcus Reed was still a struggling salesman, nobody believed in him.
Nobody except me.
Back then, he was talented.
Ambitious.
But unlucky.
His proposals were always rejected.
His ideas were always ignored.
He would come home late at night, sitting alone in the dark, wondering whether he had chosen the wrong career.
And I was always there.
I reviewed his presentations.
I connected him with people who could open doors.
I corrected mistakes in his business plans.
I used my family’s resources quietly behind the scenes.
But I never took credit.
Because I loved him.
I wanted him to feel proud.
I wanted him to believe he succeeded because of his own ability.
The day he finally became sales manager, he held me tightly and said:
—Sophia, one day I will build an empire and give you the best life.
I smiled.
I believed him.
But I never imagined that the empire he built would one day become the weapon he used against me.
Back in the banquet hall, my assistant waited.
—Madam President?
Everyone was watching.
I closed the folder.
—Cancel the investment.
The entire room gasped.
Marcus stepped forward immediately.
—Sophia, wait.
I looked at him.
—Why?
His expression changed.
Because he knew.
He couldn’t order me anymore.
Not tonight.
Not ever again.
—You can’t do this.
I smiled.
—Can’t I?
His voice lowered.
—Reed Technologies has been preparing for this investment for months.
—Yes.
I nodded.
—And for months, you thought the person making it possible was someone else.
Marcus froze.
I continued:
—You thought your success came from your talent alone.
A painful silence spread through the room.
—But every major partnership you signed in the last three years passed through my investment group.
The executives exchanged shocked looks.
One of them whispered:
—Impossible…
My assistant calmly opened the folder.
—Madam President owns 48% of the parent investment company that approved the Reed Technologies project.
The room exploded.
Marcus looked at me.
—You…
His voice trembled.
—You were the investor?
I didn’t answer.
Because he already knew.
Then Lily screamed.
—Marcus!
Everyone turned.
She was still sitting on the floor, one hand covering her stomach.
—You can’t let her destroy us!
Her voice was full of panic.
—She hates me because I’m carrying your child!
Marcus immediately turned toward her.
That old protective expression appeared again.
The same expression he had shown when she slapped me.
The same expression that had broken the last piece of my heart.
But this time…
I felt nothing.
Lily pointed at me.
—She wants revenge!
I looked at her calmly.
—Revenge?
I laughed softly.
—No, Lily.
I walked closer.
—This isn’t revenge.
Everyone became silent.
—Revenge means I still care about hurting you.
I looked at Marcus.
—This is just business.
Those words hurt him more than anger would have.
Because he finally understood.
I wasn’t fighting for him.
I wasn’t trying to make him regret losing me.
I had simply removed myself from a situation where I was no longer respected.
The next morning, Marcus came to my office.
Not the luxurious office everyone thought belonged to him.
Mine.
The one I had hidden from the world.
He stood outside the door for several seconds before knocking.
—Come in.
He entered.
For the first time, he looked nervous around me.
—Sophia.
I didn’t look up from my documents.
—If you’re here to discuss business, sit down.
His lips tightened.
—And if I’m here to apologize?
I finally looked at him.
—Then apologize.
He froze.
Maybe he expected me to forgive him immediately.
Maybe he expected tears.
Maybe he expected the old Sophia.
The woman who always gave him another chance.
But she was gone.
—I’m sorry.
His voice was quiet.
—For what?
He looked down.
—For letting Lily humiliate you.
—Only that?
His face changed.
I continued:
—Are you sorry you betrayed me?
Silence.
That silence answered everything.
I leaned back.
—Marcus, do you know what hurt me the most?
He looked at me.
—It wasn’t Lily.
His expression tightened.
—It wasn’t even the child.
I took a breath.
—It was watching you protect the person who hurt me while looking at me like I was the enemy.
His eyes turned red.
But I didn’t stop.
—For three years, I stood behind you because I loved you.
—And you spent the last year making me feel like I was a burden.
Marcus whispered:
—I thought you didn’t care anymore.
I smiled sadly.
—Because I stopped begging?
He couldn’t answer.
That afternoon, a piece of news shocked the business world.
“Reed Technologies’ ten billion yuan investment canceled.”
“Major shareholder Sophia Bennett withdraws support.”
“CEO Marcus Reed faces internal investigation.”
The same people who had praised Marcus the night before now questioned everything.
Because success built on someone else’s support was fragile.
And Marcus finally discovered the truth.
His greatest achievement had always been standing on my shoulders.
Three days later, I received an unexpected visitor.
Marcus.
But this time he wasn’t alone.
His lawyer followed behind him.
I frowned.
—What is this?
Marcus placed a document on my desk.
A divorce agreement.
I looked at him.
Then I smiled.
—You finally brought it.
His eyes filled with regret.
—Sophia…
I picked up the pen.
But before signing, I asked:
—One question.
He looked at me.
—Did you ever love me?
The room became silent.
A painful silence.
Marcus lowered his head.
—I did.
I waited.
—But I was too arrogant to protect the person who loved me.
I looked at him for a long time.
Then I signed.
The sound of the pen moving across the paper was strangely peaceful.
Because three years ago, I married him believing I was gaining a partner.
Today, I left knowing I had found myself.
As Marcus walked toward the door, his phone suddenly rang.
He answered.
After a few seconds, his expression changed.
—What?
His face became pale.
I looked up.
—What happened?
He slowly turned toward me.
And the fear in his eyes made me realize something was wrong.
—Lily…
He swallowed.
—The baby…
I stood still.
Not because I cared about Lily.
But because I knew something was coming.
Marcus’s hands trembled as he looked at the report.
Then he whispered:
—The child isn’t mine.
The room froze.
And before I could say anything, my assistant rushed in.
—Madam President…
She looked at Marcus.
Then at me.
—There’s another problem.
I frowned.
—What problem?
She handed me a file.
Inside was a photo.
A man.
Lily.
And a date.
The date was before Marcus ever met her.
My assistant spoke quietly:
—We discovered Lily didn’t approach Mr. Reed by accident.
I looked at the photo.
Then at Marcus.
Because suddenly everything became clear.
Lily hadn’t destroyed our marriage because she loved him.
She had a different reason.
A much darker one.
And the person behind her…
Was someone neither of us expected.
To be continued…
