Once His Wife, Now His Rival

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

When Kimberly Santos landed at Stanford Airport, the sky was already dark. The cold air was sharp, cutting into her skin because she wore only light clothes that were no match for the night breeze. She shivered slightly as she stepped outside the plane, dragging her small suitcase with tired arms.

It was her birthday. Her phone kept buzzing with alerts. Friends from school, old colleagues, and even relatives she had not spoken to in years had sent her messages to wish her well. She scrolled through them, her lips curving into a faint smile. But as she read on, the smile slowly faded. There was one message missing. The most important one.

Daniel Forester. Her husband.

He had not called. He had not sent a text. Not even two simple words “Happy birthday”.

The silence from him hollowed her smile and made her heart sink. She pressed her phone screen off and slipped it into her bag, her throat tight with disappointment.

By the time Kimberly arrived at the villa, it was already quarter to midnight. The long drive from the airport to the Forester estate had been silent, with only the sound of the tires against the road keeping her company. When the front door opened, the housekeeper, Evelyn Marsh, stood there, her eyes wide in surprise.

“Mrs. Forester… I wasn’t expecting you,” Evelyn stammered, stepping back as Kimberly entered the house with her luggage.

“Where’s Daniel? And where’s Sophia?” Kimberly asked quickly, placing her bag in Evelyn’s hands. Her voice carried the quiet urgency of someone who had been waiting all day for a reunion.

“Mr. Forester isn’t home yet. Miss Sophia’s upstairs,” Evelyn replied softly.

Kimberly’s heart lifted slightly at the thought of her daughter. She walked up the stairs with hurried steps, her heels clicking against the polished wood. Inside Sophia’s bedroom, she found the little girl sitting in her pajamas at a small table, her tiny hands carefully threading colorful beads onto a string.

“Sophia,” Kimberly called gently, her voice warm and hopeful.

The little girl turned her head. Her eyes lit up with a glisten of recognition. “Mom!” she exclaimed. But almost immediately, she returned her focus to her beads.

Kimberly walked closer, knelt beside her, and wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter. She kissed her on the cheek, breathing in the familiar smell of her child. But Sophia squirmed in her hold, wriggling away.

“Mom, I’m working on this,” she said, her voice more serious than playful.

Kimberly’s heart ached. It had been three long months since she last saw Sophia. She had spent all that time longing to cuddle her, to hear her laugh, to talk about little things like school and friends. Yet here she was, being pushed away by the very child she had missed so dearly.

Trying to hide her hurt, Kimberly asked, “What are you making? Is it a seashell necklace?”

Sophia’s face brightened instantly. “Yes! It’s for Aunt Clara’s birthday. Dad and I collected the shells together. Aren’t they nice?” She held up the string proudly, showing the shells one by one.

The words caught Kimberly’s throat like a blade. Still, Sophia went on, her fingers never pausing. “Dad’s even getting her a special gift tomorrow.”

Kimberly swallowed hard, her eyes stinging. “Sophie… do you know what today is?” she asked softly.

“Hm?” Sophia looked up briefly, but then frowned at her beads. “Mom, don’t distract me. I just messed up the order!”

Kimberly stood still, the silence pressing heavily between them. After a moment, she turned and quietly walked out of the room.

Downstairs, Evelyn was waiting. Her face was careful as she said, “I reached out to Mr. Forester. He said he’s busy tonight and asked you to rest.”

“I see,” Kimberly murmured, her voice almost breaking.

She hesitated before taking out her phone. This time, she called Daniel herself. The line rang several times before he finally picked up.

“I’m busy. We’ll talk tomorrow,” he said, his tone clipped and cold.

But in the background, Kimberly heard a woman’s voice. “Daniel, who’s that?”

It was Clara.

Kimberly’s fingers tightened around her phone until her knuckles turned white.

“No one important,” Daniel replied before hanging up the call.

The screen went dark in her hand. Kimberly stared at it, her chest hollow and her eyes wet. After months of waiting, months of longing for her husband’s voice, this was all she got. She had grown used to calling him again and again, begging for just a moment of his time. But tonight, she didn’t try. She felt too drained. Too unwanted.

The next morning, she tried again. Because of the time zone difference, it was still her birthday here. All she wanted was one small thing: lunch with her husband and daughter. A simple family meal.

Daniel didn’t answer her call. Hours later, a text came instead. What’s it?

Kimberly typed quickly: Lunch today? Just us three.

The reply came fast: Okay. Send the location.

That was it. No “Happy birthday.” No warmth. Just cold, short words. Kimberly told herself she wasn’t surprised, but the sting still cut deep.

Heading downstairs, Kimberly overheard a conversation between Evelyn and Sophia.

“Aren’t you happy your mom is home?” Evelyn asked softly.

“Not really,” Sophia answered flatly. “Dad and I promised Clara we’d go to the beach tomorrow. If Mom comes, it’ll spoil the fun. She has never liked Clara.”

“Sweetheart, Mrs. Forester is your mom. That’s hurtful to say,” Evelyn replied.

“I know, but I love Clara more. Why isn’t she my mom?”

Kimberly froze on the staircase. Her heart squeezed painfully. She had raised Sophia almost alone for years. But since Daniel returned to Stanford, Sophia had chosen to live with him. And now her own daughter wished Clara was her mother.

Kimberly’s face drained of color. She had flown across the world, leaving her work behind, only to hear this. Quietly, she returned to her room. She unpacked the gifts she had brought and began to repack them, sealing away the excitement she once had.

Later, Evelyn messaged her: Madame, I went out with Sophia. Do let me know if you need anything.

Kimberly sat on her bed, staring at the walls. Her presence here seemed useless, like an unwelcome shadow.

Around noon, she remembered the lunch plan. Before she could even decide whether to pick Sophia up herself, Daniel’s message arrived: Something came up. Lunch canceled.

Kimberly stared at her phone, numb.

Restless, she drove around the streets without direction. By chance, she stopped outside a familiar restaurant—the one she and Daniel had once visited often, back when things felt new.

And there they were.

Daniel. Sophia. Clara.

Through the glass window, she saw Clara laughing, leaning close to Sophia as she fed her pastries. Sophia’s giggles echoed even through the glass, her small legs kicking with joy. Daniel sat across from them, serving food with a bright, carefree smile. His eyes softened as he looked at Clara.

They looked exactly like the family Kimberly had always dreamed of. Only she was not part of it.

Her hands trembled on the steering wheel. After a long moment of watching, she drove away.

Back at the villa, she sat at the desk and opened her laptop. Her fingers shook, but she typed quickly. Divorce papers.

Daniel had been her youthful dream, the love she once thought would last forever. But the truth had always been clear—he never wanted her. She had held on for years, believing that her love was enough. But now even Sophia was no longer hers.

That was the end.

She sealed the papers, handed the envelope to Evelyn, and carried her suitcase downstairs. Without looking back, she left the villa and called for a cab to the airport.

On the way, she dialed a number she had avoided for months. The line clicked, and a familiar voice answered.

“Hello?”

Kimberly drew in a steady breath. “That offer you made… does it still stand? I’m ready.”