The Silent Womb's Revenge

Chapter 27

The elevator dinged open. Alexander took two steps out before realizing Sophia wasn’t following. He turned to find her still inside, her fingers absently tracing the edge of her phone.

"What’s wrong?" he asked.

Sophia shoved her phone into her bag and hurried after him. Their rooms were directly across from each other. As she swiped her keycard, her fingers trembled slightly.

"Alexander." She suddenly called out to him.

He turned. The warm yellow hallway light cast soft shadows across his sharply defined features.

"Want to come in?" Her own heartbeat roared in her ears. "I mean... should we try... being together?"

Alexander’s pupils dilated. The moment the words left her mouth, Sophia regretted them—she shouldn’t have been so impulsive—

"Yes."

The word was firm. Alexander strode toward her, the door clicking shut behind him. He pinned her against the wall, his usually restrained gaze now burning with intensity.

"Shall we continue, Sophia?" His voice was rough.

Her ears burned. She blinked rapidly but nodded with resolve. "...Yes."

Alexander chuckled lowly, cupping her face. The kiss started gentle, then deepened abruptly. Sophia clutched his shirt as her world spun.

The next morning, a shrill ringtone shattered the silence. Alexander answered groggily but snapped awake at the words on the other end.

"Emily, I told you—no blind dates." He hung up stiffly, then looked at Sophia in panic. "My family keeps pushing, but I’ve never agreed to any setups except that first time when I was tricked—"

Sophia was already sitting up, her gaze clear. She trusted Alexander, and she trusted his feelings. But marriage was never just about two people.

"Alexander," she said softly, "let’s end this."

His face paled.

"I’m sorry. Please leave." She lowered her lashes. "My trip should be over now."

The room was deathly quiet. After what felt like an eternity, the door clicked shut. Sophia exhaled slowly, but her chest felt like it was weighed down by stone.

She had fallen for him—but she loved herself more. Life was too short to leap into another disaster.

Her phone lit up with a message from Margaret. Sophia replied with a single "Okay" and booked a flight home.

Alexander left early. Sophia spent the last two days of her trip alone. When her plane landed, a light drizzle misted the sky.

At the restaurant, Ethan was already waiting. He shot to his feet when she entered, his thin frame swaying slightly in the suit—the wedding gift she had once given him.

"Darling..." His voice shook as he offered her a bouquet of purple roses.

Sophia set them aside without a glance. "I stopped liking purple a long time ago."

Ethan’s eyes reddened. "I had the entire rose garden replanted with purple roses. I even hired the chef from that shrimp dumpling place you loved—"

"Ethan," Sophia scoffed, "are you serious?"

Outside, the rain grew heavier. Streaks of water trailed down the windowpane like silent tears.