Chapter 5

Seven days until the contract expired.

Sophia didn't go to the hospital.

She went about her routine as usual. Washing clothes, cooking, cleaning.

She just spoke less.

Damien didn't bring up the abortion again.

Perhaps he thought Sophia wouldn't dare disobey his orders.

These past few days, Damien spent every day with Claire.

He took her to see the night view by the river, went shopping with her, accompanied her to art exhibitions she liked.

He never did these things with Sophia.

Sophia remembered once gathering the courage to ask Damien if he could take her to a movie.

Damien hadn't even looked up.

"I'm busy."

He said he was busy.

But now he had plenty of time to spend with another woman.

Sophia looked at the photos Claire posted on social media and deleted them one by one.

Claire posted new photos.

In them, Damien had his arm around her waist. The two of them were kissing against a sunset backdrop by the ocean.

The caption read: The best kind of love is when no matter how long you're apart, you're still the same to me.

Posted thirteen minutes ago.

Sophia turned off her phone screen and tossed it on the sofa.

She suddenly felt nauseous.

She didn't know if it was morning sickness or if the last bit of hope inside her had finally rotted away.

Just then, the living room door swung open.

Claire walked in wearing high heels, arms laden with shopping bags from luxury brands.

"Sophia, come help me with these."

Sophia walked over and took the bags from her.

Claire removed her sunglasses and looked her up and down.

"I heard you're pregnant?"

Sophia's movements paused.

"None of your business."

Claire laughed.

"Do you know what Damien told me yesterday?"

She leaned close to Sophia's ear and lowered her voice.

"He said he's just waiting for you to have the baby so you can pack your things and get out of the Cross house."

Sophia's pupils contracted sharply.

Claire smiled and stepped back.

"So don't think that just because you're pregnant, you can hold onto him."

"In his eyes, you're just a tool."

"A tool that can bear children."

Sophia stood there, still holding Claire's shopping bags.

She said nothing.

After a long while, she finally spoke softly.

"Are you done?"

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"I'm done."

"Then move."

Sophia walked past her carrying the bags.

Her movements were calm.

So calm it was as if every word Claire said hadn't hurt her at all.

But only she knew.

Her palms had four bloody crescent marks from her nails.

......

That evening, Damien came home.

He'd been drinking heavily. The smell of alcohol clung to him.

Sophia helped him remove his coat and hung it on the rack.

"Did you go to the hospital today?"

Damien leaned against the sofa, eyes closed, and asked.

"No."

Sophia's voice was calm.

Damien opened his eyes and frowned at her.

"Why aren't you listening?"

Sophia didn't answer that question.

Instead, she asked one of her own.

"Damien, if I were to leave, would you miss me at all?"

Damien froze.

He looked at Sophia.

The woman's face was haggard, heavy dark circles under her eyes, lips chapped, her hair just carelessly pulled into a ponytail.

She looked nothing like the girl from six months ago. The one who'd knelt in that back-alley clinic with defiant eyes.

He stayed silent for a long time.

"Where would you go?"

He didn't answer her question. He asked one instead.

Sophia suddenly smiled.

She understood.

"The bath is ready. Go wash up."

She turned and went into the bathroom.

Damien stared at her back, feeling something wasn't right.

But he'd drunk too much. His mind was fuzzy and he couldn't figure it out.

He leaned back on the sofa and soon fell asleep.

Sophia came out of the bathroom and draped a blanket over him.

She crouched beside the sofa, looking at Damien's sleeping face.

She reached out and gently traced his eyebrows.

Her touch was light, as if afraid of waking him.

"Damien."

She called his name softly.

"I know you never cared."

"But I really, really liked you."

"Liked you so much that I lost myself completely."

Her eyes finally reddened.

But she didn't cry out loud.

She forced the tears back, stood up, and returned to her storage room.

She picked up her phone and dialed a number.

"Mr. Cross, I've made up my mind."

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

"You really want to leave?"

"Yes."

Sophia's voice was calm.

"The contract expires in seven days."

"After seven days, I'll have nothing to do with the Cross family ever again."