Pear-Shaped Marriage.

A Cracks in The Facade.

Jason paced back and forth inside his mistress' apartment, his mind racing with frustration. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, tie loosened, and a glass of whiskey in his hand. The usually composed and calculated Jason was unraveling at the seams. The weight of the new investor deal with Ryan was pushing him to his limits.

"I swear, it's like he's trying to bury me alive with this project," Jason vented, his voice tight with anger. "Ryan is relentless. I don't even know how Sophie's ex managed to get involved in this, but I'm not letting him outdo me. No way in hell."

His mistress, lying casually on the couch, raised an eyebrow. She had been listening for the past twenty minutes, trying to follow the winding tale Jason spun about the new deal, the stress, and how everything was spiraling out of his control. She was stunned, almost amused by how deep he was getting into it.

"Wait, wait," she said, sitting up, disbelief evident in her voice. "You mean to tell me Sophie's ex just magically shows up as your big investor? And you don't think any of this was planned? Come on, Jason. You're not that naive. Sophie has to be involved."

Jason stopped dead in his tracks, shooting her a sharp glare. "No. She's not. There's no way Sophie's in on this," he snapped defensively. "She doesn't even know about the deal, and even if she did, she wouldn't have a clue about Ryan's involvement."

His mistress stood up, walking over to him with slow, deliberate steps. Her fingers gently grazed his shoulder, then traced down his arm in an attempt to soothe him. "Jason, you're too tense. Relax," she cooed. "You're here now. You don't have to worry about anything tonight. Stay here. Clear your head. Let it go for a while."

But Jason shook his head, pulling away slightly. "I can't," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "If I stay here too long, Sophie will get suspicious. I can't risk anything going wrong right now."

Her eyes narrowed, a flash of irritation crossing her face. "Suspicious? You're more concerned about Sophie right now than anything else? You think she's that clueless, huh?"

Jason's jaw tightened. "I'm doing this to prove myself. To prove to Ryan that I'm the man. I need this deal to work, and I need everything in place before I can even think about ending things with Sophie. Once I've got everything sorted, I'll deal with Ryan. I'll push him out, and then we can figure out the rest."

His mistress gave him a sideways glance, trying to hide her growing jealousy. "Deal with Ryan? Seriously, Jason? You're still talking about Sophie like you're in control of everything. How long are you going to keep up this charade?"

Jason turned, irritation flashing in his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She crossed her arms, staring him down. "You say all these things about getting everything in order, but all I hear is you making excuses. You're promising me everything will change, that we'll be together, but it's always after this deal, after this project, after you 'handle' Sophie. Meanwhile, you keep running back to her, comparing me to her like I'm some... placeholder."

Jason's face twisted in frustration. "What are you even talking about? This isn't about her! This is about getting everything lined up so we can actually be together, officially. I just need time, okay?"

His mistress's eyes burned with anger now. "Time? What do you think I've been giving you this whole time? I've been patient! But it's always the same damn thing with you. 'Sophie this, Sophie that.' Why don't you just be with Sophie if she's so perfect? If she's all you need, then what the hell are you doing with me?"

Jason slammed his whiskey glass down on the table, the sound echoing through the apartment. "Because she's not all I need! You know damn well that if she was, I wouldn't be here!"

His mistress didn't back down, her voice rising. "Then why are you still comparing us? I'm not Sophie. I'll never be Sophie. You keep saying you're going to leave her, but you're still playing house with her like nothing's wrong."

Jason's frustration reached its boiling point. "You're just pissed because you don't know how to wait. Sophie is patient, she's always been patient, and you—"

"Stop," she snapped, cutting him off. "Do not compare me to her again, Jason. I'm not here to be some consolation prize while you figure your crap out. I want what you promised me. I want us to be together without all this sneaking around, without Sophie hovering in the background."

Jason ran a hand over his face, feeling the tension mount inside of him. "I will end it with her, alright? But I need to get this deal under control first. Ryan is watching me like a hawk, and if I make one wrong move, it's over."

His mistress looked away, clearly still upset but unwilling to push him further. She stepped back, her voice softer now. "Fine. But don't think you can string me along forever, Jason. I'm tired of waiting."

Jason let out a deep breath, walking over to her and pulling her into his arms. "I know. Just trust me. Once this is over, we'll be free. I just need a little more time."

She melted into his embrace, though the doubt lingered in her eyes. "I'll wait," she murmured, "but don't make me regret it."

They stood there for a moment in silence, locked in an embrace that was both comforting and suffocating. Jason's mind, however, wasn't fully in the moment. As much as he hated to admit it, Sophie was still on his mind, and so was Ryan. He needed to stay sharp. One wrong move and everything would come crashing down around him.