Chapter 2 Divorce

The nurse froze for a moment, a flash of sympathy crossing her eyes. She didn't ask any more questions, just quietly gave a few instructions before leaving the room.

Sophie lay in the hospital bed and took out her phone. Twenty-three unread messages popped up.

All from Preston.

[Sophie, are you back in the country?]

[Why aren't you replying? Are you busy?]

[Message me back when you see this, I'm worried about you.]

Sophie looked at these messages, her lips curling into a mocking smile.

He was worried about her?

After satisfying his desires with another woman, he still had the nerve to worry about her?

Just as she was thinking this, her phone suddenly vibrated. It was Preston calling.

She stared at his name for a long time, only answering just before the ringing stopped.

"Hello."

"Sophie!" Preston's urgent voice came through. "Where are you? Why didn't you answer your phone?"

Sophie closed her eyes, her voice calm. "My phone died. I just charged it."

Preston's tone softened a bit. "I thought something happened to you. Where are you? I'll come pick you up."

"No need," Sophie said. "I'm just walking around for a bit before heading back."

"You're alone?" Preston insisted. "Tell me where you are. You're my wife, I can't relax not knowing where you are."

Sophie fell silent.

If she hadn't heard with her own ears the sounds of Preston making love with another woman, she probably would have been moved by his affectionate act.

Now hearing these words again, she just found them ridiculous.

Sophie knew that with Preston's personality, if she didn't give him an address, he wouldn't let it go. She had no choice but to tell him the hospital's address.

Half an hour later, Preston appeared near the hospital.

He was wearing the same dark gray suit from yesterday, his hair somewhat messy, with obvious dark circles under his eyes. He clearly hadn't rested well.

When he pushed open the hospital room door, Sophie was drinking porridge.

Seeing Sophie, Preston quickly walked over and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

Sophie's whole body stiffened.

He had a faint perfume smell on him, not the one she usually wore, but another woman's scent.

That smell was like a thorn, stabbing viciously into her heart.

"Don't do this again." Preston's voice came from above her head, hoarse. "Keep your phone on, you hear me?"

Sophie didn't move or speak.

Preston released her, cupping her face with both hands, studying her carefully. "Why do you look so pale? Are you feeling unwell?"

Sophie looked at him calmly, only distance and coldness in her eyes.

"I'm fine," she said softly. "Maybe just a bit tired lately."

Preston frowned. "Didn't I tell you to stop working? The Davis family can certainly afford to take care of you."

Sophie lowered her eyes without speaking.

When they first got married, Preston had asked her to quit her job. To make him happy, Sophie had already turned down most of her design invitations, living no differently from a full-time housewife.

She thought this way she could firmly hold onto her marriage, hold onto happiness, but what she got in return was her husband's betrayal.

"Let's go home," Preston said, lowering his head to kiss her hair. "I've already had people cancel all my work. I'll spend the next few days with you."

He reached to take Sophie's hand, but she dodged away.

The two barely spoke on the way back. Preston kept checking her expression through the rearview mirror, feeling that something was off about Sophie today.

After returning to the villa, the room had been cleaned. Preston put away her luggage, his tone gentle. "Go take a shower first. I'll make you some hot chocolate."

Hot chocolate again. The thought made Sophie want to vomit.

"No need. I'm going to rest in my room first." Sophie didn't even look at him, heading straight upstairs.

Opening the bedroom door and facing the bed that Elena had slept in during the day, Sophie found it disgusting no matter how she looked at it. She opened the closet, took out a new set of sheets, and changed them.

Preston watched all this, asking suspiciously, "You can just call the maid to change the sheets. Why do it yourself?"

After changing the sheets, Sophie still felt uncomfortable. She grabbed her pillow and walked toward the door. "I'm sleeping in the guest room tonight."

Preston grabbed her, his eyes boring into hers. "I've felt something was wrong with you since earlier. What's going on with you today?"

Sophie didn't want to recall what she'd seen during the day. She turned her face away, muttering quietly, "You know what you did."

Preston froze, about to say something when his phone suddenly rang.

From the corner of her eye, Sophie saw the caller was Elena.

Preston glanced at her, then walked toward the balcony with his phone, his back to her as he started talking.

His voice was very low. Sophie couldn't hear what he was saying, and she had no interest in listening. Holding her pillow, she left the room.

Just after she'd made up the bed in the living room, there was a knock at the door.

"Sophie, something came up at the company. I need to go." Preston's voice sounded somewhat urgent.

Sophie naturally knew who he was going to see. She didn't respond, just turned over and lay down on the bed.

Soon, she heard footsteps gradually fading away from the door.

After the whole house became completely quiet, Sophie took out her phone and dialed a number. "Is this the law firm? I want a divorce."

Early the next morning, Sophie went to the law firm.

Looking at the back of the man standing by the window, Sophie felt he looked somewhat familiar.

"Mrs. Davis." The man turned around, revealing a handsome smile. "Long time no see."

Sophie froze.

She never expected that New York's famous divorce lawyer would be her college senior, Matthew Howard.

Matthew was two years ahead of her and had once pursued her. She had rejected him.

It wasn't that he wasn't good enough—it was that back then, Preston was all she could see.

She'd heard Matthew went to Paris after graduation. She never expected he'd come back as a lawyer.

Sophie stood there, momentarily at a loss for words.

Matthew poured her a glass of water, placed it in front of her, then sat down across from her.

"Five years," he said, looking at her with complicated emotions in his eyes. "You've changed a lot."

Sophie lowered her eyes, smiling somewhat unnaturally. "Have I?"

Matthew nodded. "Before, when you smiled, your eyes would light up. Now..."

He trailed off.

Sophie's fingers tightened slightly.

She used to be a dazzling socialite in high society. For Preston, she'd long since stopped being herself.

"You came to me because you want a divorce?" Matthew asked tentatively.

Sophie nodded and began to explain.

After hearing her divorce demands, Matthew frowned slightly. "Given your current situation, getting 15% of Davis Group shares might be difficult, especially since your husband hasn't done anything wrong."

Sophie touched her belly. She hadn't wanted to fight Preston for any assets, but she had to secure a living for the child in her womb.

"What if I have proof of his affair?" Sophie looked up and asked.

Matthew paused, then smiled. "Then forget 15%—I'll fight to get you half of all marital assets."