Divorce To Marry a CEO

Chapter 39: I screwed

Alexander sighed, realizing this was the moment he would have to come clean about one thing. He stepped closer, his heart pounding in his chest. “Okay, I admit that part,” he confessed. “But, sweetheart, you have to understand—I did it to protect you. I didn’t want you to get caught up in the danger Gerald posed. He’s not someone you can take lightly. So, yes, I made a call to Drake Egerton to arrange for you to work from home. That’s all I did, I swear.”

Sophia’s expression softened momentarily, her defenses wavering as she processed his words, but her distrust hadn’t fully dissipated. “And Drake? Does he know about us?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, a hint of vulnerability creeping in.

Alexander nodded, stepping even closer, his eyes pleading for her understanding. “He does now, but only because I called him for that favor. Drake and I go way back; we studied abroad together. He’s someone I trust implicitly. But I promise you, he didn’t know who you were until I made that call. He couldn’t have interfered with your hiring or your promotion because he wasn’t involved until after you’d already been hired.”

Sophia’s anger was beginning to subside, but she still wasn’t ready to let it all go. “You should have told me,” she said, her voice softer now, but tinged with hurt. “It’s been months. How long were you planning on keeping this from me?”

Alexander stood and crossed the room, closing the distance between them. “I’m sorry, Sophia,” he said sincerely, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re right. I should have told you sooner. It won’t happen again.”

Before Sophia could respond, there was a subtle noise outside the door. Unbeknownst to both of them, Drake Egerton had been standing just beyond the threshold, listening in disbelief. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that his long-time friend, Alexander—one of the most powerful men in the Evans family—was apologizing, and to a woman no less! The all-powerful Alexander, brought to his knees by love. Drake suppressed a smirk, silently shaking his head.

Back inside the office, Alexander walked back to his desk and pulled a document from one of the drawers. He approached Sophia with it, his expression serious, his heart racing at what he was about to propose.

“Honey, I need you to sign this,” he said, handing her the papers, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him.

Sophia’s brow furrowed as she took the document from him, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. “What is this?” she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion, and she could feel the tension crackling in the air between them.

Alexander hesitated for a moment before answering, feeling the weight of what he was offering. “It’s a shares transfer,” he explained. “I’m giving you sixty percent of Allure Fashion. I’ve been planning this for a while, actually. I wanted it to be my wedding gift to you.”

Sophia’s eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat. “You’re what?” she exclaimed, disbelief washing over her. “Alexander, that’s insane! I can’t accept this. It’s too much! I don’t want your company, and I certainly can’t handle it.”

Alexander moved closer, hoping to reason with her, his heart pounding in his chest. “Please, Sophia, just hear me out. This isn’t just some random gift. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. You’ve worked so hard, and I want you to have it. You deserve it.”

But Sophia wasn’t having it. She stepped back, shaking her head, a determined look crossing her face. “No,” she said firmly, her voice resolute. “I don’t want it, and I won’t sign. And don’t even try to convince me otherwise.”

Alexander’s heart sank as he watched her push the document back toward him, despair pooling in his stomach. He had hoped she would see this gesture for what it was—a symbol of his love and admiration for her. But instead, it had only made things worse.

“And one more thing,” Sophia added, her voice hardening again as she turned her gaze to meet his. “No one should know about our relationship, especially not my colleagues. I don’t want you to affect my work here in any way. I’m going to handle my job myself, and I don’t need any favors from you or Mr. Egerton. Got it?”

Alexander swallowed the words he wanted to say, feeling a lump form in his throat. He simply nodded, knowing that pushing the matter any further would only make things worse. He watched as she turned on her heel and marched out of the office, her anger still simmering beneath the surface.

As she flung the door open, nearly knocking over Drake, who had been eavesdropping outside, she muttered a quick apology and walked away without looking back.

Drake, still leaning against the doorframe, raised an eyebrow at Alexander. “Well, that went well,” he said sarcastically, crossing his arms, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Alexander let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as he collapsed into his chair. He stared at the unsigned document on his desk, wondering how everything had spiraled so quickly out of control.

Drake walked into the office, closing the door behind him. “You know,” he said, taking a seat opposite Alexander, “I never thought I’d see the day when the mighty Alexander Evans would get chewed out by his wife. And apologize, no less.”

Alexander glared at him, frustration mixing with embarrassment. “I wasn’t apologizing,” he said, though the look on his face betrayed the truth.

Drake smirked. “Sure you weren’t. Listen, man, I get it. You wanted to surprise her, but maybe you should have come clean sooner. Women appreciate honesty, you know?”

Alexander groaned, leaning back in his chair. “Don’t you think I know that now?” he said, rubbing his temples. “I just didn’t want her to think I was meddling. She’s worked so hard to get to where she is, and I didn’t want to take that away from her.”

Drake leaned forward, his expression more serious now. “Look, Alex, I get it. But you’ve got to find a way to balance protecting her and being honest with her. She’s not just some employee. She’s your wife.”

Alexander nodded, knowing Drake was right. He would have to make it up to her somehow. But for now, he was left with the silence of his empty office and the weight of the unsaid words hanging between him and Sophia.

Sophia stormed back to her workstation but she changed the direction. Her heart was racing and anger still bubbling inside her. She needed a moment to cool off, so she headed to the restroom. As she entered, she found Nina washing her hands at the sink, a forced smile spreading across her face.

“Oh, look who we have here,” Nina said, feigning innocence. “How did it go with the chairman?. Heard you were called in for a private meeting. Must be nice! but don't think too much about it, Sophia”

Sophia clenched her fists, her patience wearing thin. “What’s your problem, Nina?”

“Oh, nothing,” Nina replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Just wondering how it feels to compete for the position to represent Allure Fashion internationally. I guess we’ll see who really deserves it, won’t we?”

That comment ignited the fire within Sophia. “You think I care about the damn competition?

Nina’s smirk faltered, shock washing over her face. “Wait, what?”

Sophia took a step closer, her voice low and fierce. “You can have it for all I care. In fact you can have the whole of allure fashion to yourself ! Just get out of my way!

Nina stared, speechless, as Sophia bypassed her. 'Did something happen to her?' She thought to herself.