Unfinished Affairs: The Dark Secrets

Chapter 9: The Confession

Sophia's heart was pounding in her chest as she dialed Christian's number. Her fingers trembled, and she felt a rush of anxiety, knowing that what she was about to do could change everything. As the phone rang, she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. When Christian answered, his voice was calm and familiar, a stark contrast to the chaos she felt inside.

"Sophia?" Christian's tone was curious, but there was a hint of concern. "What's going on?"

"I need to talk to you," she said, her voice barely steady. "It's important."

There was a pause, and then Christian's voice dropped to a more serious tone. "Alright. I'm listening."

"Noah knows," she began, her words coming out in a rush. "He's been suspicious for a while now, and... he overheard part of our conversation at the restaurant. I tried to brush it off, but he found some things in your office. Documents, emails... he's piecing things together, and I... I can't keep lying to him."

Christian's silence on the other end was unnerving. When he finally spoke, his voice was laced with both frustration and urgency. "What exactly did you tell him?"

Sophia swallowed hard, her gaze drifting to the floor. "Not everything," she admitted. "But I'm going to. I'm going to tell him about how we first met—about the island."

Christian's breath seemed to hitch slightly, and for a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, his voice came through, softer but with an edge. "Are you sure that's what you want to do? Once you tell him, there's no going back, Sophia."

"I don't have a choice," she replied, her voice shaking. "It's time he knew the truth."

Later that evening, Sophia sat across from Noah in their living room, her hands clenched together in her lap. Her throat felt dry, and she struggled to find the words to begin. The tension in the room was suffocating, and she could see the worry and anger in Noah's eyes, even though he hadn't said anything yet.

"There's something I need to tell you," she started, her voice barely audible. "Something about my past—about before you and I met."

Noah's expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—curiosity, or perhaps dread. "Go on," he said, his tone guarded.

Sophia took a deep breath. "Three years ago, I went on a trip—a cruise that stopped at a beautiful island. It was supposed to be a vacation, a way to get away from everything and clear my head. That's where I met Christian."

Noah's jaw tightened, but he said nothing, his gaze fixed on her.

"It was... intense," Sophia continued, her voice cracking slightly. "We spent a lot of time together—talking, exploring, getting to know each other. It was like... like we were in our own little world, away from reality. And we connected—deeply."

Noah's eyes darkened, and he clenched his fists, his voice barely restrained. "And by 'connected,' do you mean...?"

Sophia nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Yes," she whispered. "We were involved... physically and emotionally. But when the trip ended, we didn't exchange contact information. We just... left it as a beautiful memory."

She saw the hurt flash across Noah's face, the betrayal seeping into his expression. He took a step back, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process what she was saying.

"Why are you telling me this now?" he asked, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and confusion. "Why did it matter if it was just a fling before we even met?"

"Because it wasn't just a fling," Sophia said, her tears spilling over. "When I saw him again, when he became your boss... all those feelings came rushing back. I tried to bury them, to be the person I needed to be for you, but I couldn't stop thinking about him. That's why... that's why things have been different lately."