When Love Dies, I Rise

Chapter 4

Dinner that evening was just Sophia and Mia again. As they sat at the table, Mia happily munched on pizza, chatting non-stop about her day at the amusement park.

Watching her daughter's animated expression, Sophia found herself lost in a daze, as if she were seeing a much younger version of her child—a two-year-old Mia.

Back then, John wasn't like this. No matter how hectic his schedule was, he always made time for their little family. Whether it was a trip to the amusement park or a stroll in the park, he was always right there, a reassuring presence by their sides.

So when did things change? Gradually, his work hours grew longer. "Overtime" became his default excuse. It wasn't just that their outings stopped; even sitting down for a meal together became a rare luxury.

Even though they lived under the same roof, it was as if they were strangers. There were entire weeks when they barely crossed paths.

"Mom, are you even listening?" Mia's voice broke through her mother's thoughts.

Jolted back to the present, Sophia blinked, forcing a smile. "Sorry, sweetheart, my mind wandered. What were you saying?"

"Mom, I was saying how much fun I had with Dad today! I just wish he could've stayed for dinner. Why is he always so busy?"

Why, indeed? Sophia had her suspicions, but she couldn't let her daughter know. She was far too young to bear the weight of those thoughts.

Suppressing the ache in her chest, Sophia reached over and gently stroked Mia's hair. "Daddy's busy with work, but don't worry, Mom will always be here for you."

That night, as expected, John didn't come home.

The next morning, after dropping Mia off at kindergarten, Sophia drove straight to the service center. She was determined to check John's call history.

Page after page of call records were printed, and she scrutinized every single entry.

Everything appeared clean—just calls with business partners and the occasional conversation with her. Nothing stood out as suspicious.

For a moment, it almost felt like the painting, the scent of women's perfume in the studio, and her growing doubts were nothing but her imagination. But deep down, she knew better. It was all real. It had happened.

By noon, as she stood at the stove stirring vegetables in a sizzling wok, the sound of the front door unlocking caught her attention.

Before she could turn off the heat, a pair of arms wrapped firmly around her waist.

"Wow, something smells amazing—oh wait, it's you," John teased playfully, his voice coming from just behind her.

"Stop it. I'm cooking. Don't mess around," she said, shrugging him off.

Instead of taking the hint, John stepped back with a grin, producing a bouquet of roses from behind his back. He held them out dramatically, like a magician performing a trick. "For you, my lovely wife. You've been working so hard lately."

He hesitated, trying to gauge her mood, then added, "About yesterday at the amusement park… I was a little on edge. I was just worried about Mia getting hurt."

His explanation didn't earn him so much as a glance. Undeterred, he pressed on, his tone turning faintly reproachful. "But you were kind of out of line too. That was the first time you met Olivia, and you were pretty intense. She was just holding Mia, nothing more. You need to chill out a bit, okay?"

Still, Sophia didn't respond. She simply plated the stir-fry and carried it out of the kitchen.

John sniffed the air appreciatively, oblivious to her mood. "I worked late last night—I'm beat. I'm going to take a quick shower. Can't wait to dig into your delicious cooking!"

When she returned to the dining room, he was gone. The sound of running water came from the bathroom, and his phone lay unattended on the table, its screen still unlocked.

Moments later, a new message popped up on the screen. The sender: Olivia.

Heart pounding, Sophia picked up the phone and opened the message.

Olivia: John, did you make it home? Did my performance impress you yesterday? I'll wear the bunny costume again today. Waiting for you.

The text stopped her cold. She scrolled up, but the chat history was eerily empty. It seemed they had deliberately deleted their conversations.

Her trembling fingers tapped the "forward" button, revealing that Olivia's name sat at the very top of the recent recipients list. The lack of visible messages didn't change the fact that John had been in frequent contact with her.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. Eyes fixed on the damning text, she whispered, "John, so you really did lie to me."

Her chest tightened as a stabbing pain pierced her heart. The sting of betrayal burned in her nose, threatening to overwhelm her. She bit her lip hard, determined not to let the tears fall.