Chapter 9

James's face turned red with anger as he turned to Rachel. "What was that all about?" he demanded, his voice low and even.

Rachel shrugged, a smirk on her face. "I was just telling Sophia about our past, James. I thought she should know."

James's anger boiled over. "You had no right to talk to my wife like that, Rachel. I'm only helping you because I feel sorry for you, not because I have feelings for you."

Rachel's smirk faltered, and she looked taken aback. "James, I thought..."

But James cut her off. "No, Rachel. There's nothing between us. Not anymore. And I wish you would stop trying to make Sophia think otherwise."

With that, James turned and ran after Sophia, catching up to her in the hallway. "Sophia, wait!" he called, grabbing her arm.

Sophia spun around, her eyes flashing with anger. "Leave me alone, James. I don't want to talk to you right now."

But James held tight. "Please, Sophia. Listen to me. I'm sorry about what Rachel said. She was way out of line."

Sophia shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. "You're always defending her, James. Always making excuses for her. But I'm your wife. I deserve better."

James's face crumpled, and he pulled Sophia into his arms. "Oh, Sophia. I'm so sorry. I was blind to what was going on. Please forgive me."

Sophia pushed him away, her eyes blazing with anger. “Just stay the hell away from me James, please.”

James didn't give up. He followed Sophia out of the house, calling after her. "Sophia, please! Don't go! We need to talk about this!"

But Sophia kept walking, her heels clicking on the pavement. James caught up to her again, grabbing her arm.

"Sophia, stop! Listen to me!"

Sophia spun around, her eyes blazing with anger. "If you hadn't accepted Rachel's invitation, none of this would have happened! If you hadn't cajoled me into coming, I wouldn't have had to endure that humiliation!"

James looked taken aback. "Sophia, I..."

But Sophia cut him off. "No, James! You always do this! You always put others before me, before our relationship! You're so blind to what's going on, so oblivious to my feelings!"

James's face crumpled, and he pulled Sophia into his arms again. "Sophia, I'm sorry! I was wrong to go to the dinner party, wrong to push you to come! I promise to make it right, to prioritize you and our relationship from now on!"

But Sophia pushed him away again, her eyes streaming with tears. "I don't know if I can trust you, James! I don't know if I can ever trust you again!"

And with that, she turned and got into the car, leaving James standing alone in the darkness, feeling lost and desperate.

Rachel watched as James chased after Sophia, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. She had played that perfectly.

As she turned to go back inside, her daughter, Emily, ran up to her. "Mommy, who was that man?" Emily asked, looking up at Rachel with curious eyes.

Rachel hesitated for a moment before answering. "That was James, sweetie. A friend of mine."

Emily looked thoughtful. "Is he my new daddy?"

Rachel's smile grew wider. "Not yet, sweetie. But soon."

Emily's eyes lit up. "Yay! I want a daddy!"

Rachel laughed, hugging her daughter tight. "I know, baby. And soon you'll have one. James will make a great daddy for you."

As Rachel hugged Emily, she couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph. She had set her plan in motion, and soon James would be hers. And Sophia would be out of the picture for good.