My Perfect Marriage

Chapter27

"How could you? To Sophia of all people? Why, Leon? WHY?" Johnny is furious, but Leon manages to dodge his punches and steps back, trying to avoid the confrontation. However, Johnny persists, throwing another punch and another, desperate to bring him down. Yet, Leon easily catches his wrist, effortlessly controlling him, before swiftly spinning him around and immobilizing him with a skilled fighter's move, his arm locked around Johnny's neck.

"Stop it, and I'll let you go. Please, Johnny, do you think this helps? Do you think I wanted to see her like this? She and I grew up together; this is not what I wanted for her."

"You never deserved her. You should have never married her when we all knew the love was one-sided. I despise you for taking any chance of me being happy and for treating her with such disregard. You're scum. You're not my brother, and I've resented you every single day for wearing that ring on your finger that means nothing to you."

Johnny's anger provides a slight catharsis for Sophia, even though it doesn't change the situation. His fierce loyalty to her and his instinct to defend her bring back a sense of her strength. She pulls herself out of her thoughts, realizing that his words hold some truth.

"Let him go. Stop it. Stop it, right now!" Mother's voice cuts through the chaos as she quickly intervenes, forcefully separating them and slapping their arms and hands to snap them out of their fight. Both comply, though the tension remains palpable, and she guides Leon towards the bedroom door. Reluctantly, he goes, his eyes lingering on Sophia, the expression hidden from her view.

"Leave. Go downstairs and wait for me there. I need to talk to you alone." Mother insists, pushing him away again.

Johnny steps away from her and approaches Sophia, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as she remains curled up on the floor. He comforts her, patting her back gently, the brotherly love providing solace. While she clings to her knees and silently cries, her tears flowing uncontrollably, she feels utterly shattered and worthless. It's a stark contrast to the composed and strong woman they have known for years.

Everything is broken. Her entire life revolved around keeping the family together, being the rock, the glue, sacrificing her own happiness for the sake of the family's harmony. And now, she lies in ruin because of love. Not because she was unaware of the one-sided nature of her marriage, but because she allowed her identity to be defined by the pursuit of his love, despite everything. It's a profound feeling of despair, a crushing realization of her own inadequacy if she can't hold onto him.

"It's going to be alright. Don't let him get to you like this. You have strength within you," Johnny comforted Sophia from behind, embracing her. She couldn't find the energy to lift her head or respond, as shock and pain overwhelmed her, and her mind instinctively shielded itself from further harm.

"I apologize, Sophia. I never intended to cause you such pain. I didn't anticipate that things would turn out like this... I'm sorry," Leon's voice reached her through the haze, but she couldn't find the words to reply. A coldness seeped into her, coursing through her veins like freezing ice, causing her heart to wither into a charred, lifeless remnant that ceased to beat. Faced with her own powerlessness, she realized that the purpose she clung to was disintegrating before her eyes.

"That's enough. We can overcome this. It's just a temporary setback. You still have so many years ahead of you to move past this," Mother intervened, shifting into damage control mode. She reinforced the familiar commands Sophia had heard for as long as she could remember. It seemed that she ignored the gravity of her son's actions, instead focusing on preserving her reputation and dismissing their emotions because they didn't fit her desired narrative. This had always been the way, and now it had led them to this breaking point.

"Mom... please stop. All of it. Just stop," Leon turned to their mother, and Sophia finally lifted her chin to meet his gaze, observing a stranger before her. Mother redirected her attention forcefully, repeating the words that had been ingrained in her throughout her life. Sophia's emotions began to fade, replaced by the familiar emptiness as everything seemed to die out once again.

"Don't cry, Sophia. Pull yourself together, Sophia. Don't make waves or create problems, Sophia."

"I want a divorce."

Four simple words.

That was all Sophia heard. They were delivered calmly and without emotion, as if stating an inconsequential fact. They sliced through the thick atmosphere like a sharp sword through smoke. They marked the end of everything, revealing the true desires hidden behind the façade. They ravaged her, reviving the cold, detached ice queen within. She felt discarded after all she had done. The purpose she had clung to so tightly had been extinguished by just four unassuming words.

"Stop speaking like that."

"You heartless bastard."

Mother and Johnny find themselves on opposing sides of the situation, and Sophia gently brushes off Johnny's touch, unable to bear any physical contact, not even from him. Lost amidst the fragments of her shattered thoughts, she slowly gathers herself, sensing Leon's gaze as he turns to face her. His posture remains rigid and strained, but he doesn't share the same emotional despair that engulfs Sophia, despite delivering a devastating blow with just four simple words. They had raised her, shaped her, and conditioned her existence to revolve solely around Leon.

"If you decide to divorce me, I will destroy you. I will strip you of your position at POLO, dismantle everything you have built, and banish you. The board will never support an adulterer who poses a threat to our most significant investment of the decade. With a majority share and undeniable proof of your infidelity, I possess the means and the desire to witness your complete downfall. I will erase you, expel you, and ensure that you are never able to set foot in that building again." These words emerge from the depths of Sophia's anguished soul, spoken with a calculated and venomous clarity. Each word carries a lethal intent, as she fully comprehends her capacity to follow through. They had shaped her into a monster, a pawn in their schemes, the obedient hound of the company. And now, she has turned to bite the hand of her master.

Mother's eyes widen in shock at the change within Sophia, witnessing the hatred that emanates from her. Leon frowns, his expression filled with sadness, as he stares at Sophia as if he no longer recognizes the person standing before him, realizing that any chance of finding common ground has crumbled away.

"Is this truly the path you want to choose? To threaten me? To dismantle our father's legacy and destroy POLO in the process? Is this who you have become? Is this your response to my search for love and happiness, and my attempt to set us free for our own well-being?" Leon's cold demeanor matches Sophia's resolve, their stubbornness clashing like unyielding steel. Sophia nods, maintaining a resolute focus on his eyes, devoid of any hint of remorse.

"Leon, go downstairs. I won't ask again. Leave. Your actions will only escalate the situation," Mother interjects with a bitter tone, forcefully pushing against his shoulder to urge him away. Leon lets out a breathy sound, seeming bewildered by Sophia's words, before slowly turning and making his way out. He steals a glance back at Sophia, shaking his head in disbelief. He appears shocked by the depths within her, and yet, isn't Sophia the one who heartlessly abandoned her own child to perish alone?

Johnny still stands behind Sophia, his breathing heavy and tears streaming down his face. Although Sophia doesn't need to turn around, she can sense his tear-soaked expression. Her dear, emotionally vulnerable brother. Leon's betrayal doesn't only shatter Sophia; it shatters Johnny's entire perception of their family dynamics, leaving him reeling from the aftermath.