The Billionaire regret: Reclaiming his contract Bride

The Coffee Shop

CHAPTER 5

I wasn't supposed to be at the coffee shop on Fifth Avenue.

I was supposed to be at the one near Maya's apartment. The cheap one with the stale muffins and watered-down coffee. The one where nobody knew who I was.

But I had a meeting with a potential client in Midtown. Some rich woman who wanted to hire me for event planning. Maya thought I should start building my own career, something that was mine and not connected to Damien.

So here I was. Fifth Avenue. Expensive coffee. Trying not to throw up from the smell.

Morning sickness was getting worse, not better. The doctor said it should ease up after the first trimester. I was almost there. Almost at three months.

Almost showing.

I ordered a decaf latte, no caffeine for the baby, and sat at a corner table, trying to look professional in my loose blouse that hid my tiny bump.

The meeting wasn't for another twenty minutes. I pulled out my phone, checking emails, trying to look busy.

That's when I heard her voice.

"...don't be ridiculous, Marcus. Of course I'm going to marry him."

Isabella.

My head snapped up.

She was at a table near the window, her back to me. Phone pressed to her ear. Designer handbag on the chair. Looking perfect as always.

I should have left. Should have grabbed my coffee and walked out.

But I couldn't move.

"The divorce will be final in five months," Isabella continued, her voice low but clear. "Then we wait maybe six months for appearances. A year tops and I'll be Mrs. Damien Cross."

My stomach twisted.

"No, he doesn't suspect anything. He thinks I came back because I still love him." She laughed. Cold. Mean. "Please. I came back because my divorce left me with nothing. Jonathan had a prenup that screwed me over. But Damien? Damien is worth billions. And he's still stupid enough to believe in true love."

I couldn't breathe.

"Of course I'll sign a prenup. Then I'll get pregnant as fast as possible. Once there's a baby, the prenup doesn't matter. I'll get half of everything in the divorce." Another laugh. "What? No, I'm not staying married to him. Are you insane? Damien is boring. He works all the time. He has no life. But his money? His money is very interesting."

Oh my god.

Oh my GOD.

"I give it three years. Maybe four if the baby takes longer. Then I'll divorce him, take half his fortune, and actually live my life. Maybe I'll finally buy that house in the Hamptons you keep talking about."

She was using him.

This whole thing, coming back, the reconciliation, the divorce from me, it was all a con.

She didn't love him. She never loved him.

She just wanted his money.

"Marcus, I have to go. My next manipulation session starts in ten minutes." She laughed at her own joke. "I'm meeting with a wedding planner. God, the things I do for money. Yes, yes, I'll call you later. Bye."

She hung up.

Stood up.

Turned around.

And saw me.

Her face went white. Then red. Then carefully blank.

"Sophia." Her voice was sugar-sweet again. Fake. "What a surprise."

I stood up slowly. My hands were shaking. My whole body was shaking.

"How long have you been sitting there?" Isabella asked, walking toward me. Her smile was tight.

"Long enough."

"I don't know what you think you heard..."

"I heard everything." My voice came out stronger than I felt. "I heard you tell Marcus that you're using Damien. That you're going to trap him with a baby and then divorce him for his money."

Isabella's mask dropped. Her eyes went cold. "So what if you did? What are you going to do about it? Tell him?"

"Yes."

She laughed. Actually laughed. "Please. He won't believe you. You're the bitter ex-wife who's being replaced. Anything you say will sound like jealousy."

She was right. I knew she was right.

But I couldn't just... let this happen.

"He deserves to know," I said.

"He deserves to be happy. And I make him happy." Isabella stepped closer. "You couldn't. Three years and you couldn't make him love you. But me? I have him wrapped around my finger."

"By lying to him."

"By being smart." She crossed her arms. "Look, Sophia. Let's be real. You and Damien were never going to work. You're a nobody from nowhere. He's a billionaire. You were always just a placeholder until someone better came along."

Her words hurt. Even though I knew they were meant to hurt.

"At least I actually cared about him," I said quietly. "At least I was honest."

"Honest?" Isabella's smile was cruel. "You married him for money. Don't act like you're better than me. We both sold ourselves to Damien Cross. I'm just better at playing the game."

"I married him to save my mother's life. You're marrying him to buy a house in the Hamptons. It's not the same."

"Money is money, darling." She picked up her handbag. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a wedding to plan."

She started to walk past me.

"I'm telling him," I said.

Isabella stopped. Turned. Her face was hard.

"If you tell him, I'll destroy you."

"You can't. The divorce is already happening. I'm leaving. You can't touch me."

"Can't I?" Isabella smiled. Sharp. Dangerous. "I have friends, Sophia. Rich friends. Powerful friends. Friends who can make sure you never work in this city again. Friends who can audit your taxes. Friends who can make your life very, very difficult."

"I'm not staying in this city..."

"Then I'll make sure you can't work anywhere. I'll ruin your reputation. I'll tell everyone you're a gold-digger who trapped Damien. I'll make sure no one ever hires you for anything." She stepped closer. "Or, you can keep your mouth shut, take your little settlement, and disappear like a good girl. Your choice."

My heart was pounding. My hands were pressed against my stomach, protecting the baby Isabella didn't know existed.

Could she really do all that? Destroy me?

Maybe. Probably.

People like Isabella always had power.

People like me just got crushed.

"Think about it carefully," Isabella said sweetly. "Is warning Damien really worth destroying your entire future? He's a big boy. He can take care of himself. Not your problem anymore, right?"

She walked out of the coffee shop, heels clicking on the marble floor.

I sat back down.

My coffee was cold. My hands were still shaking.

I should tell him. I should warn him.

But Isabella was right about one thing, he wouldn't believe me. I was the ex-wife. The one he didn't want. Anything I said would sound like jealousy or revenge.

And if I tried to warn him and he didn't believe me... Isabella would destroy me. And I had a baby to think about now.

I couldn't risk my baby's future to save a man who didn't love me.

Could I?

That night at Maya's apartment...

"You have to tell him," Maya said immediately after I told her everything.

"He won't believe me."

"So make him believe you!"

"How?" I slumped on her couch. "Maya, he chose her over me. He divorced me for her. If I show up and say 'hey, your girlfriend is using you,' he'll think I'm just trying to break them up."

"Then show him proof. Record her or something."

"I don't have proof. Just what I heard."

"Then tell Richard. He'll believe you."

I considered that. Richard might believe me. But would he be able to stop Damien from making this mistake?

Damien was stubborn. Once he decided something, he didn't change his mind.

He'd decided he wanted Isabella.

Nothing I said would change that.

"Sophia." Maya grabbed my hands. "I know you're hurt. I know he broke your heart. But you can't just let her destroy him."

"Why not?" The words came out bitter. "He destroyed me. Why should I save him?"

"Because you're better than that. Because you're not cruel." Maya squeezed my hands. "Because despite everything, you still love him."

I wanted to deny it.

But I couldn't.

Because she was right.

Damn it, she was right.

I still loved him. Even after everything. Even after he chose Isabella. Even after he asked for a divorce without a second thought.

I still loved him.

And I couldn't just watch him get destroyed by a woman who only saw him as a bank account.

"Okay," I said quietly. "Okay, I'll tell him."

"When?"

"I don't know. Soon." I pressed my hand to my stomach. "But if he doesn't believe me... if Isabella goes through with her threats... I'm leaving early. Contract or no contract. I can't risk her coming after me. Not now."

"Because of the baby."

"Because of the baby."

Maya nodded slowly. "Okay. But Sophia? Be careful. Isabella sounds dangerous."

"I know."

Two days later...

I texted Jennifer, Damien's assistant.

Me: I need to speak with Mr. Cross. It's urgent. Can you schedule a meeting?

Jennifer: Mrs. Cross, Mr. Cross is very busy this week. Can this wait until the next scheduled...

Me: No. It can't wait. Please, Jennifer. It's important.

There was a long pause.

Jennifer: Tomorrow, 2 PM, his office. 15 minutes only.

Me: Thank you.

I stared at my phone.

Tomorrow. I was going to see Damien tomorrow.

And I was going to tell him the truth about Isabella.

And he probably wasn't going to believe me.

And my entire future might blow up in my face.

But I had to try.

Because as much as I hated him for breaking my heart... I couldn't let Isabella break him too.

Even if it meant risking everything.

Even if it meant he'd hate me more.

Even if it meant I'd lose the last shred of dignity I had left.

I had to warn him.

Maya was right.

I was better than this.

Better than revenge. Better than bitterness.

I just hoped Damien would listen.

But knowing him?

He wouldn't.

Meanwhile, at Cross Empire...

Damien sat in his office, staring at his computer screen.

Jennifer had just told him Sophia wanted a meeting. Urgent.

He told Jennifer to schedule it. Fifteen minutes. That was all he could handle.

Seeing her at the gala had been hard enough.

Seeing her in his office, where they'd first met, where this whole mess started?

That would be t*****e.

But she said it was urgent.

And despite everything, despite the divorce, despite Isabella...

He couldn't say no to her.

He never could.

That was the problem.