Once His Wife, Now His Rival

Chapter 2

At around 10:00 p.m., Daniel and Sophia returned home.

Sophia clung tightly to her father’s coat as she stepped out of the car, dragging her small feet. She was unhappy about coming back to the villa that night. The reason was simple—her mother, Kimberly, was there. She did not want to face her.

Clara noticed the hesitation and leaned closer with a smile. She teased Sophia gently, reminding her that Kimberly had traveled a long distance just to see them. If they refused to return, Kimberly would surely be hurt. Daniel added that if they stayed away that night, Kimberly might even show up at the beach the next day.

Sophia’s little face scrunched up. She had no desire to upset her father, and she certainly did not want her mother tagging along to the beach. At last, though still unwilling, she gave a slow nod. “Okay,” she whispered.

Even then, her worry lingered. Tugging at Daniel’s sleeve, she asked gloomily, “Dad, what if Mom insists on going with us tomorrow?”

“She won’t,” Daniel replied, his voice calm and steady.

He knew Kimberly well. Over the years, she had always tried to stay close to him, but she was also smart enough to know when to step back. Once he made it clear that he did not want something, she never pushed.

Sophia thought about this. In all her memories, her mother had always obeyed her father. That was the pattern—Kimberly followed Daniel’s words without protest. Hearing him say it with such confidence made her relax. A small smile returned to her face, and soon she was skipping into the villa, calling cheerfully to Evelyn, announcing that she wanted to take a bath.

“Of course, Miss Sophia,” Evelyn answered warmly. Then, remembering something, she quickly handed Daniel an envelope. “Mr. Forester, Mrs. Forester asked me to give this to you.”

Daniel accepted the envelope without much interest. “Where is she?” he asked casually.

“Mrs. Forester packed up and left for the country this afternoon. Didn’t you know?” Evelyn’s tone carried surprise.

Daniel paused on the staircase, one foot resting on the next step. He turned slightly, his brows lifting just a little. “She’s gone back?”

“Yes,” Evelyn confirmed with a nod.

Daniel did not press further. He had not cared enough to ask why Kimberly came to Stanford in the first place, and now that she had left, he cared even less. He simply turned away and continued climbing the stairs.

Sophia, however, looked startled. Even though she had complained about her mother earlier, she had secretly hoped Kimberly would stay. She had wanted her mother’s help with the necklace she was making. The seashells were rough, and polishing them had hurt her small fingers. She thought of how careful and gentle her mother’s hands were. For a moment, regret stung her heart.

Evelyn, standing by, recalled Kimberly’s expression when she left—lips pressed tight, her eyes dim, her usual calm gone. After a pause, she added carefully, “Mrs. Forester seemed upset when she left. She… looked angry.”

Daniel stopped for a short moment. Kimberly? Angry?

It felt almost strange to imagine. In his presence, she had always been patient, quiet, and obedient. She rarely showed emotion, never raised her voice, never demanded more than he allowed. The thought of her being upset was almost foreign to him. With a faint, dismissive smile, he waved Evelyn off and went upstairs.

Inside his room, Daniel opened the envelope Kimberly had left. But before he could read it, his phone buzzed with Clara’s call. Without hesitation, he answered. After a few short words, he tossed the envelope onto the bed and walked out of the room.

Hours later, the envelope slid off the bed, landing on the floor. Forgotten. Unopened.

That night, Daniel never returned home.

Meanwhile, Kimberly had already landed back in the country. At her residence, she began the slow work of packing. Six years of marriage had left her with plenty of belongings, yet now she picked only what she truly needed—some clothes, her essentials, and a few books from her college days.

Every month, Daniel had deposited money into two accounts—one in her name, one in Sophia’s. Kimberly had never touched Sophia’s account; that money was meant only for her daughter. As for her own, she had rarely used it for herself. Most of it went into buying gifts for Daniel and Sophia—ties, cufflinks, shoes, dresses, even small items that reminded her of them.

Her life had circled entirely around them.

But over the past year, with Daniel and Sophia living away in Stanford, she had fewer chances to buy them gifts. To her surprise, her account balance had quietly grown. Now it was over three million dollars. To Daniel, that amount meant nothing. But to Kimberly, it was more than enough. It was the key to starting over.

Without hesitation, she transferred the money into her new account and left both old bank cards behind.

Dragging her suitcase, she stepped out. She didn’t look back.

Kimberly owned an apartment near her workplace, a modest 1,100 square feet. She had bought it years ago, mostly to help a friend reach sales targets, and had never lived there. Now, it would be her shelter. After a bit of tidying, it was ready.

That night, she washed up and went to bed early. Her body was tired, but for the first time in years, her heart felt a little lighter.

At 2:00 a.m., a loud alarm rang and pulled her from her sleep. Confused, she blinked at the clock.

It was 7:00 a.m. in Stanford—the usual breakfast time for Daniel and Sophia.

For months, she had kept the alarm so she could call Sophia every morning. At first, those calls were filled with warmth. Sophia’s voice had been bright and loving. But slowly, the tone had changed. The replies became short, her voice impatient, sometimes even cold.

The alarm was no longer needed. But Kimberly had not found the courage to delete it. Until now.

With a faint, bitter smile, she pressed delete. The alarm disappeared. Switching off her phone, she lay back in bed, letting the darkness close around her.

The next morning in Stanford, Daniel and Sophia had breakfast together. When Kimberly’s call didn’t come at the usual hour, Daniel noticed but brushed it off.

Sophia noticed too, and this time, she felt relief. With her mother no longer calling, she didn’t have to pretend to be cheerful or hide her irritation. Humming happily, she dashed to the car before Evelyn could stop her.

Meanwhile, Kimberly was making another important decision.

She had joined Forester Group years ago, working there only because of Daniel. But now that she had chosen to end the marriage, there was no reason for her to stay.

The following morning, she carried her resignation letter and handed it directly to James Jackson, one of Daniel’s senior secretaries.

James blinked in shock, staring at her as though he couldn’t believe his eyes.