The Billionaire regret: Reclaiming his contract Bride

The Office

CHAPTER 6

I stood outside Cross Empire headquarters for the second time in my life.

The first time, I was twenty-three and desperate. Selling myself to save my mother.

Now I was twenty-eight, successful, and about to walk back into the lion's den voluntarily.

For him.

To save him.

Even though he didn't deserve it.

Maya's words echoed in my head: You're better than this. You're not cruel.

I took a deep breath and walked through the glass doors.

Same marble floors. Same expensive art. Same cold, perfect lobby that screamed money.

Nothing had changed.

Except me.

"Mrs. Cross." The receptionist smiled. Still called me that even though everyone knew about the divorce. "Mr. Cross is expecting you. Top floor."

I got in the elevator. Watched the numbers climb. Felt my heart pound harder with each floor.

What was I even going to say?

Hey, your girlfriend is using you for money and plans to trap you with a baby then divorce you for half your fortune.

Yeah. That would go over great.

The elevator dinged. Top floor.

I stepped out.

Jennifer was waiting. "Sophia. It's good to see you."

"You too, Jennifer."

"He's in his office. You have fifteen minutes." She gave me a sympathetic look. Like she knew this was going to be a disaster.

She was probably right.

I walked down the hallway. Past the conference rooms. Past the windows overlooking the city.

To his door.

I knocked.

"Come in."

That voice. God, that voice still did things to me I didn't want to think about.

I opened the door.

Damien sat behind his desk, looking at his computer. He glanced up.

And froze.

"Sophia."

"Damien."

We stared at each other. The air felt thick. Heavy.

He stood up slowly. "You wanted to talk?"

"Yes."

"About what?" He gestured to the chair across from his desk. "The divorce papers are filed. Everything's handled. Unless you've changed your mind about the settlement..."

"I need to tell you something about Isabella."

His expression shifted. Closed off. "I'm not discussing her with you."

"Damien, please...."

"No." He crossed his arms. "Whatever you think you know, whatever you want to say, I'm not interested. Isabella and I are together. That's not changing."

"She's using you."

Silence.

Damien's jaw tightened. "Excuse me?"

"She's using you. For your money. She doesn't love you."

He laughed. Actually laughed. Cold and bitter. "Of course. The scorned ex-wife warning me about my new girlfriend. How original."

"I'm serious..."

"So am I." He walked around the desk, leaning against it. "Let me guess. You overheard something? Saw something? And now you want to play the concerned friend to break us up?"

"I'm not trying to break you up..."

"Then what are you doing, Sophia?" His voice was hard. Angry. "Why are you here? We're getting divorced. You made it clear you want nothing to do with me. So why do you care who I'm with?"

"Because she's going to destroy you!"

The words came out louder than I meant. Desperate.

Damien stared at me. "Why do you care?"

Good question.

Why did I care?

He broke my heart. Threw me away. Asked for a divorce without a second thought.

I should want him to suffer.

But I couldn't. I just... couldn't.

"I heard her," I said quietly. "At a coffee shop two days ago. She was on the phone with someone named Marcus. She was talking about marrying you, getting pregnant, then divorcing you for half your money. She said she's only with you because her last divorce left her broke."

Damien's expression didn't change. "That's quite a story."

"It's not a story. It's the truth."

"You expect me to believe that Isabella, who I've known for years, is some kind of gold digger? Based on a conversation you supposedly overheard?"

"I'm not lying..."

"Why should I believe you?" He pushed off the desk, stepping closer. "You hate Isabella. You hate that I'm with her. This is just you trying to sabotage my relationship."

"I don't hate her..."

"Don't you?" He was close now. Too close. "You looked at her like you wanted to kill her at the gala. You can barely stand to be in the same room as her. And now you conveniently overhear her confessing to being a con artist?"

"Damien, I swear..."

"No." His voice was cold. Final. "I don't believe you. And even if there was some truth to this, which I doubt, Isabella loves me. She came back for me. She chose me."

"She chose your bank account..."

"Get out."

I blinked. "What?"

"Get out of my office. This meeting is over."

"You're not even going to consider..."

"Consider what? That the woman I love is lying to me? Based on the word of my ex-wife who has every reason to lie?" He walked back to his desk. Sat down. "I tried to be civil, Sophia. I tried to make this divorce as painless as possible. But if you're going to play these games, we're done being civil."

"I'm not playing games!"

"Then what do you call this?" He looked up at me, his gray eyes ice-cold. "You come here with some ridiculous story about Isabella being a gold digger. You expect me to believe you over her. And when I don't, what? You'll go to the press? You'll try to ruin her reputation?"

"I would never..."

"I think you should leave." He turned back to his computer. "And Sophia? Don't contact me again unless it's through lawyers. We're done talking."

His words hit like a slap.

I stood there, frozen, my hand pressed against my stomach where our baby grew.

He didn't believe me.

Of course he didn't believe me.

Why would he? I was just the contract wife. The business arrangement. The woman he threw away.

Isabella was the love of his life.

"Fine," I said quietly. "I tried to warn you. I tried to do the right thing. But you're right, it's not my problem anymore."

I turned toward the door.

"Sophia."

I stopped. Didn't turn around.

"Why did you really come here?" His voice was softer now. Confused. "What did you think would happen?"

I closed my eyes. "I thought... I thought maybe you'd listen. Maybe you'd believe me. Maybe you'd realize that not everyone is lying to you."

"But you did lie to me."

I turned back. "What?"

"You said you were fine with the divorce. You said you wanted it too. But you're not fine, are you?" He was watching me carefully. "You're here, warning me about Isabella, trying to save me from making a mistake. That's not someone who's moved on."

My heart stopped.

"I have moved on," I said.

"Have you?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you here?"

Because I'm an i***t. Because I still care about you even though I shouldn't. Because despite everything, I don't want to see you get hurt.

"Because it was the right thing to do," I said instead.

"Or because you're still in love with me."

The words hung in the air between us.

I should have denied it. Should have laughed in his face. Should have told him he was delusional.

But I couldn't.

Because he was right.

I was still in love with him.

God help me, I was still in love with Damien Cross.

"It doesn't matter," I said finally. "You don't love me. You love Isabella. And if you want to let her destroy you, that's your choice."

I walked to the door.

"Sophia, wait..."

"Goodbye, Damien."

I walked out. Past Jennifer. Past the conference rooms. Into the elevator.

The doors closed.

And I broke.

Tears streaming down my face. Hand on my stomach. Heart in pieces.

I tried. I really tried.

But he didn't believe me.

He chose Isabella. Again.

And I was done.

Done trying to save him. Done caring about him. Done loving a man who would never love me back.

When the elevator reached the lobby, I wiped my eyes. Straightened my shoulders. Walked out with my head high.

And made a decision.

I was leaving. Contract or no contract. Money or no money.

I couldn't stay in New York for five more months watching him marry Isabella. Watching him get destroyed.

I was done.

Maya was right, I was better than this.

And my baby deserved better than this.

So I was leaving.

Tonight.

Meanwhile, in the office...

Damien sat at his desk, staring at the door Sophia had just walked through.

His hands were shaking.

Why were his hands shaking?

You're still in love with me.

He'd said it to hurt her. To prove she was lying. To win the argument.

But when she didn't deny it...

Something twisted in his chest.

She was still in love with him.

After everything. After the divorce. After Isabella. After three years of him being cold and distant and terrible.

Sophia Martinez was still in love with him.

And he'd just thrown her out of his office.

His phone buzzed. Isabella.

Isabella: Lunch today? I found the perfect caterer for the engagement party.

Engagement party.

They weren't even engaged yet and she was planning a party.

He stared at the text.

Thought about what Sophia said.

She's using you for money. She's going to get pregnant and divorce you for half your fortune.

It was ridiculous. Crazy. Obviously a lie from a jealous ex-wife.

Right?

But...

Isabella had been pushing for marriage. Hard. Talking about babies. Redecorating his penthouse. Making plans for his money like it was already hers.

And when he'd suggested waiting, taking things slow, she'd gotten angry. Really angry.

No, he told himself. Sophia is lying. She has to be.

But what if she wasn't?

He picked up his phone. Called his head of security.

"Marcus, I need you to look into someone. Isabella Chen. Financial records. Phone records. Everything."

"Sir, is this about..."

"Just do it. Quietly."

"Yes, sir."

He hung up.

Stared at his computer.

If Sophia was lying, the investigation would prove it. He'd have ammunition for the divorce proceedings.

If Sophia was telling the truth...

He didn't want to think about that.

Because if Sophia was telling the truth, it meant he'd been played. Again.

It meant he'd divorced the only woman who actually cared about him for a woman who just wanted his money.

It meant he was the world's biggest i***t.

His phone buzzed again.

Richard: I heard Sophia came to see you. What did she want?

Of course his grandfather knew. Richard knew everything.

He didn't respond.

Instead, he thought about the look on Sophia's face when he threw her out.

Hurt. Disappointed. But not surprised.

Like she'd expected him not to believe her.

Like she'd given up on him.

And for some reason, that bothered him more than anything else.

That night...

Sophia packed.

Not everything. Just essentials. Clothes for her and the baby. Documents. Money.

"You're really doing this?" Maya asked from the doorway.

"I have to."

"What about the contract? The money?"

"I'll figure it out." Sophia folded a sweater. "I can't stay here, Maya. I can't watch him marry her. I can't risk her finding out about the baby."

"Where will you go?"

"I don't know yet. Far. Somewhere he'll never find me."

"Sophia..."

"I tried, Maya. I warned him. He didn't believe me." She sat on the bed. "I'm done. I'm done trying to save someone who doesn't want to be saved."

Her phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

She almost didn't answer. But something made her pick up.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Cross? This is Marcus Webb, Mr. Cross's head of security. We need to talk."