Divorce To Marry a CEO

Chapter 38: Sophia is Really Upset

Sophia’s heart skipped a beat as every head in the room turned to look at her. Some women, like Nina, glared with thinly veiled jealousy, while others, like Emily, grinned with excitement for her friend. The male colleagues seemed intrigued, perhaps wondering what had caught the chairman’s attention about her.

Nina clenched her fists under the table, her green eyes watching Sophia with envy. She had worked hard, clawed her way up to her position, but somehow, Sophia always seemed to have things fall into her lap. It didn’t help that Sophia was kind and gracious, making it difficult for Nina to openly despise her without appearing petty.

Emily, on the other hand, leaned closer to Sophia with a barely suppressed giggle. “Oh my God, what did you do to catch his attention? Maybe he’s secretly been in love with you this whole time!” she teased, winking as if they were in on some grand conspiracy.

Sophia smiled weakly, still trying to process everything. Of course, none of them knew that she and Alexander were married. They didn’t belong to the same social circles, and Sophia had always kept her private life away from the office. The last thing she needed was to be treated differently because of her relationship with the chairman.

“Miss Blackwell,” Carla, her superior, said with a tight smile. “It seems the chairman has taken note of your excellent work. Congratulations.” Though Carla was not jealous, she remained professional. In her mind, it was only natural that someone with Sophia’s talent would catch the attention of the higher-ups.

Sophia thanked her and stood up, feeling every eye in the room on her as she made her way to the door. She could feel Nina’s intense glare burning into her back, and Emily was practically bursting with excitement beside her.
She shouted, " You got this girl!"

Sophia nodded, barely able to form a response. What does he want to talk to me about? she wondered. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t spoken that morning—he had kissed her goodbye before she left for work, acting as though nothing was amiss. And now, here he was, her boss.
Although Sophia knew the vast networks and capability of Evans by now, it was still a surprise to realize allure fashion belonged to her husband.

As Sophia exited the boardroom, Nina huffed, crossing her arms in irritation. “Why her?” she muttered under her breath. But deep down, Nina knew the answer. Sophia’s designs were impeccable, and her work ethic unmatched. It was no wonder that she had garnered the attention of someone as important as the chairman. That didn’t mean Nina had to like it.

Drake watched the scene unfold with mild amusement. He had known Alexander long enough to see through his composed facade. The fact that he had singled out Sophia was no coincidence, but he played along. As the CEO, it was his job to keep things running smoothly, and he’d been doing that with finesse for years. The friendship between him and Alexander went way back, all the way to their time abroad. They had helped each other through the toughest times, and Drake had made the decision to work for Alexander rather than take over his own family’s business.

Women flocked to Drake like moths to a flame, but he had always been more focused on work. The clock was ticking, though. His family had given him a ten-year deadline to return, and the time was almost up. But for now, he would continue hiding at Allure, doing what he did best—running the top fashion house in the country.

As Sophia disappeared behind the door, Nina bit her lip, determined. If there was one thing she knew, it was that she wouldn’t let anyone else get ahead without a fight.

As the meeting continued, the employees were abuzz with speculation, some still fixated on the chairman’s striking looks, while others wondered what Alexander had planned for Sophia.

Sophia’s mind raced as she stormed down the hallways of the office. The rage building inside her had taken on a life of its own, and with every step, her determination grew. How could Alexander do this to her? The man she thought she knew, trusted—her husband—had been keeping a secret that shook her to the core.

Her heels echoed against the polished floor, but she didn’t care who was watching or what they might think. Every face she passed blurred into the background, and her focus zeroed in on one thing—the door at the end of the hall.

The chairman’s office.

Without knocking, she burst in, the door swinging open with a force that left Alexander stunned.

Inside, Alexander sat behind his imposing desk, blissfully unaware of the storm that was about to hit him. He had expected today to be a day of celebration, the day when his carefully planned surprise would finally make Sophia happy. He had been looking forward to her expression when she discovered the truth—his truth. But nothing could have prepared him for what came next.

The door flew open with such force that Alexander jumped, startled by the sudden intrusion. His usual calm demeanor faltered for a split second as he processed the rage in her eyes. Before he could even greet her, she started.

“So, is it fun playing me like a fool, Alexander?!” she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion. “Didn’t I deserve to know that you—YOU—are the chairman I’ve been working for all this time? Oh, it must have been so entertaining for you, watching me act like a clueless idiot back there, right? Seeing my reaction when I found out must have been hilarious to you!”

Her words were sharp, piercing the air between them. Alexander, for once, was at a loss for words. He had expected surprise, maybe even some initial shock, but not this. Not this anger. His heart raced as he struggled to form a response, her relentless barrage of questions leaving him reeling.

“Sweetheart…” he started, trying to inject some calm into his tone, but his voice wavered. “I thought it didn’t matter to you. Don’t you remember? You said you wanted to secure a job on your own, without my help, and you did. I didn’t think telling you would make a difference.”

Sophia’s eyes flared with even more fury, her cheeks flushed with a mix of hurt and betrayal. “I did?!” she repeated incredulously. “Tell me, does me getting this job here have anything to do with you? What about my promotion, Alexander? Was that your doing too? Did you pull strings behind my back for that as well?!”

Alexander ran his fingers through his hair, a gesture that betrayed his frustration, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Sophia, please, will you just listen to me?” he pleaded, his voice thick with urgency. “I swear, I didn’t interfere with your hiring process. You got the job on your own, just like you wanted. As for your promotion, that had nothing to do with me either. It is all because of your hard work. You can ask your superiors if you don’t believe me. They don’t even know about us. How could I have interfered?”

Sophia crossed her arms, still not convinced, and took a shaky breath to calm herself. Her anger was starting to fade, but suspicion remained, leaving a tight knot in her stomach. “You really think I’m that naive?” she asked, her voice lowering but still firm. “You promised me that I would  be able to work from home, and I didn’t think much about it at the time. But now, it all makes sense. You must have had something to do with that too. Tell me I'm I right?”