My Perfect Marriage

Chapter21

"She's the representative of the company I'm investing billions in. The company that I see as my personal project, my baby. She's nothing else. Why are you like this?" His anger is evident, with strained words and a fiery aura. His denial, however, wounds Sophia. That he would disrespect the years they have known one another. Despite their rocky romance, they have been business alliances for so long, and he's usually so blatantly honest on other fronts that this brings her hackles back up, revives her fight or flight instinct fiercely. It would show a modicum of respect for her if he didn't lie to her face so blatantly.

"You know, if you get caught having an affair with an employee from that company, it's all over for you and them. It's gross negligence and misuse of power. She'll lose her job and reputation, and you'll lose your seat on POLO for a million legal and ethical reasons. You're a married man to the VP of your own company." It's a warning, Sophia's only real way of digging her claws into him because she knows an emotional plea will do nothing. It's not like he's afraid of losing her love or their marriage.

"Sophia!" His warning tone through gritted teeth only fuels her on.

"It would bring the entire deal into question, about your motives and hers, and exactly what private deals you two made between the sheets. Don't you think?" Sophia adds it with venom avoiding his eye and yet feeling his gaze burning into her side profile as she stares blankly ahead. Her eyes are misting over, and yet she feels dead inside. It's not the satisfying deliverance of a blow she thought it would be.

"I can't believe you're threatening me. You really have sunk that low, huh? What is it? That you don't control me? Or is it that you see her as a threat? It's all in your head, and you should see about that....... Get out. This is pointless and stupid. Don't make problems where there isn't any." Leon turns on his heel to storm away as he does anytime they have conflict, yet Sophia's not done. Biting down, refusing to be shaken.

"She shouldn't buy expensive presents for you that leave paper trails if you don't want to get caught. One of a kind custom leather jackets from a place that easily hands out information about its buyers." Sophia lies through her teeth and snorts sadly as he pauses mid-step, his whole body taut instantly, and she knows she hit that hammer right on the nail. His back to her, but she can tell his jaw is tensing, and he's trying to formulate a response or an excuse.

He stands there, and Sophia sits here, and the silence stretches only seconds, but it feels like hours. It's an admission of guilt, whether it seems that way or not. If she's buying him those kinds of gifts, this is more than a business alliance. He wore it right in front of her to take her for lunch. Even if he's not yet having an affair with her, the emotional affair has already begun.

"I'm not having an affair. This is all in your head, and I'm done talking about it. Believe what you want, but this conversation is over." Leon stalks off towards his changing room, and Sophia knows he'll slam the door, lock it tight, and not come out until she's gone. He can't admit it because he knows she's right. This is a weapon she could use to destroy him and her. She just hoped he would be honest with her for the sake of how they used to be.

Her hands are shaking in her lap, and her legs are too weak to take her weight, so she gives herself a few minutes. Swallowing to bring back the moisture in her mouth as her body vibrates, she blinks rapidly to curb the tears threatening to come. There's a dam building inside of her that's fit to bursting, and yet she somehow finds the ability to keep it suppressed. It's an acute type of pain, similar to the day she found out her parents died and yet somehow different. Somehow more devastating.

Sophia doesn't know how she finds the strength to get up and walk out of there, but she does. She doesn't stop when she hits the foyer, and she carries on to the elevators in a state of trance and a blank expression, taking nothing in. Everything feels like it's tumbling down, and she can't breathe properly.

She somehow makes it to the parking garage as though she blinked, and she was there, holding it all tight and stumbling to her car, beeping it open and sliding in as her legs finally cave. She closes her eyes, rests her face on the steering wheel, and tries to breathe through her anxiety attack, everything heavy and unresponsive, while deep in her heart, she knows he's lying to her.

Sophia fumbles for her cell phone, and she pulls up a search page, keeping it low on her knees, so her steering wheel continues to support her by her forehead, and she types in the words 'private investigator'. She is close to crying for the first time in a long time and hesitates to press on the links.

She didn't lie about needing a team to investigate the plausibility of Biochem. She won't give that woman a single cent of POLO's money before she knows for sure what is going on between them. If it's what she suspects, she will tear her down, rip her out of that company, and rake her through hot coals for daring to walk into her life and muscle her way in. She won't lay still and have him ruin her in yet another way after everything she sacrificed for him.

Leon will pay in other ways, but she needs proof that she's not insane, and this is not in her head. In all her stupidity, her heart loves that man, and she knows when something is deeply wrong.