MY EX-HUSBAND LEARNT TOO LATE

Four

Sophie

I positioned myself behind Alex, who wore a white gauze bandage wrapped tightly around his head, as my gaze locked onto Ava—motionless on the bed, a haunting sight that filled the air with tension.

Grandpa Russo sat next to her, his face a storm of worry, indignation, and barely-contained fury.

“I need to uncover the truth! Who would have the audacity to harm my granddaughter, especially after her long return from abroad?”

His anger radiated like a tempest, and I instinctively pressed closer against Alex, hoping to blend into the shadows and escape the weight of the impending chaos.

Alex was quick to respond, putting on that good son facade that could fool everyone but not me.

I had my doubts about what happened to Ava but Alex can't be behind it because he was clearly injured.

“Grandpa, leave it to me. I’ll be sure to find out who is behind this and get back to you immediately”

Grandpa Russo nodded his head with fervor, his determination to seek justice for his beloved granddaughter radiating from him like a beacon.

Just when I thought the meeting had come to a close and I could rush off to check on Ava, Grandpa Russo's booming voice cut through the air once more.

"And one more thing! Once she pulls through, I will make a grand announcement about Ava joining the company!"

I couldn't help but steal a glance at Alex, who seemed to be wrestling with his emotions, his fingers digging into his palms as he fought to maintain a calm facade.

From my vantage point, I could only imagine the tension on his face.

Suddenly, as if perfectly timed with Grandpa Russo’s declaration, a piercing voice rang out from the doorway, adding an unexpected twist to the moment!

“No way”

The room fell dead silent as all eyes turned to the doorway. Who would dare counter Grandpa Russo’s words?

A pretty-looking young lady strolled in like she owned the place. Long chestnut-brown hair fell in deep waves around her shoulders and hung just above her lower abdomen.

Ocean blue eyes that looked just like Alex’s.

My eyes grew wide as I realized, this was Kiara, Alex’s only biological sister.

I’ve heard stories about how she acted all high and mighty and from the looks of it, they were true.

Her eyes swept over the faces in the room before landing on Grandpa Russo’s face. Then with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, she began.

“She is already crippled, Grandpa. Accepting her into Russo Enterprise would only bring shame to the Russo family”

Gasps of shock and whispers erupted from around the room. The tension could be cut through with a knife.

I couldn’t stand it anymore, how could she even say that? Ava was her cousin for God’s sake.

“Don’t say that Kiara”.

The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. I don’t know where the sudden burst of courage came from but I found myself stepping forward.

“Ava is a part of the Russo family too”

I squared my shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes, trying to look brave but internally, I was a bundle of nerves.

Kiara smiled, slow and deliberate. The kind that made you unsure of yourself and made you wish you had stayed silent.

She took three steps toward me, making me shrink back subconsciously. My heart slammed against my rib cage.

This is not how I want to be introduced to the Russo family.

She stopped just inches away from me—that darned smile. Goodness, I really want to wipe it from her face.

“Don’t think that just because you married my brother, I’ll ever accept you as my sister in law”

The words stung more than I could admit but my expression didn't falter.

She leaned in, her breath fanning my ear as she muttered, “I will make your stay here interesting, Whitmore Princess”. Her words carried a subtle edge hinting at deeper meanings.

I hardened my gaze and met hers with equal intensity. “Thanks for the warm welcome, Russo Princess”

Alex squeezed my hands - an indication to shut my mouth, but his sister had already made her way towards Grandpa Russo.

After what felt like an eternity, the meeting finally wrapped up, and I nearly burst with relief. Just when I thought I could savor my newfound freedom, reality hit me hard, reminding me of my place in the household.

As I stepped into the room I shared with Alex, I was desperate for peace, but instead, I stumbled upon an intimate scene that ripped my heart apart.

There was Alex, wrapped around his mistress, Catherine, who lounged against him like a damsel in distress, her vulnerability on full display as he tenderly ran his fingers along her back—the kind of touch that sent shockwaves through me.

He had never treated me with such affection. Never looked at me with those infatuated eyes.

The warning signs had been popping up all along, and I had chosen to brush them aside. Perhaps it was because he showered me with just enough attention that I mistook it for love, convincing myself that was all I needed.

But boy, had I learned my lesson the hard way.

Frozen at the threshold of the door, I felt my heart race as Catherine's sickly sweet voice cut through the tension.

“Alex, my feet feel so cold.”

She must have seen me. Just as I turned to make my escape, Alex’s icy voice sliced through the air, stopping me dead in my tracks.

“Where do you think you're going? Didn’t you hear the lady? Fetch a basin of hot water, and do it now!”

The words hung in the air like a sudden storm, and my heart raced as I dashed out of the room.

Tears threatened to spill from the corners of my eyes, but I steeled myself, determined to push through the chaos swirling inside me.

The idea of fleeing flitted through my mind for just a moment, but I quickly dismissed it, reminding myself that my father's and the company's fate would be decided by the monster I call a husband.

I had to hold on for their sake.

Steeling myself, I brought the basin of water and laid it beside her feet. Carefully lifted her feet from the floor and submerged them in the bowl of warm water.

Her reaction was the complete opposite of what I expected.

With a sudden burst of energy, she yanked her feet from the water, sending droplets flying in all directions and splattering across me. In the next moment, she tumbled into Alex's waiting embrace, shaking and shivering like a fish out of water.

Then with a weak voice and a hand to her mouth, she hurriedly exclaimed.

“I'm so sorry Sophie, I didn't mean to do that. It's just that the water was too hot so I only reacted on impulse.”

As if that wasn't enough, she began coughing violently and clutching her chest.

This girl deserves an Oscar for her acting.

Alex’s voice boomed again, making me flinch subconsciously.

“Sophie, hurry and get a bowl of warm water!” he barked, his tone sharp and commanding. “Do you want to scar her skin, just like you did with her face?!”

My heart raced with anger and humiliation. How could he be so oblivious? There I stood, drenched and shivering, my dress plastered to my skin, yet all he seemed to care about was her health. Did I even matter to him? The frustration bubbled within me, igniting a fire I couldn’t contain.

When I got back with the water, Alex had already left which forced me to be alone in the same room as Catherine.

In a moment filled with both humility and intensity, I prepared to wash her feet, bowing down with a bowl in hand. However, just as I was about to begin, she unexpectedly kicked me in the chest.

The sudden impact sent me sprawling backward, and I landed hard on the floor, jolted and disoriented. The atmosphere shifted dramatically, leaving my heart racing and the tension palpable.

She crossed her arms above her chest and snickered. “You think that with all you've done, I will just forgive you? On what grounds do you stand to take everything from me!”

Her voice was a tempest, dripping with fury and disdain, and the only part of her visible through the shadows of her features was her penetrating gaze, a weapon laced with raw hatred as it bore into me.

"He married me because of you anyway" I countered, fighting to maintain my composure while my legs threatened to give way beneath me. "Just convince him to divorce me. I know he’ll listen to you."

With that, I turned on my heel and stormed out, but just as I made my way toward the kitchen, a wave of muffled voices washed over me from a nearby corner, low and conspiratorial.

Fueled by curiosity, I crept closer, straining to catch every word. To my surprise, one voice was unmistakably Alex’s, while the other belonged to Kiara, his sister. What secrets were they discussing? I couldn’t help but inch closer, heart racing at the thrill of the unknown.