"We're just colleagues."

The rest of the ride was silent. When they got home, Sophia headed straight into the bathroom, as if trying to wash away the humiliation of dinner.

When she came out, Ethan was leaning casually against the bedroom doorframe, smiling like nothing had happened.

Sophia had resolved to let it go-but his calmness, the way he always looked like he had everything under control, made her feel ridiculous for being upset. The anger she'd been suppressing exploded.

"She's my godmother's daughter," Ethan said.

So she had overthought it.

"But I'm not Lucas's sister," she said, pouting.

Ethan chuckled and tousled her damp hair affectionately.

Sophia stared at his handsome face, confused by what was real and what wasn't. Then she blurted out a question she hadn't even thought to ask when they got married.

"Ethan, why did you marry me?"

He paused. Just for a second. Then he smiled. "Because you're great."

So not because he loved her.

Sophia didn't feel particularly happy or sad about that answer. After all, she hadn't married him out of love either. It was just. convenient. Right time, right person, right opportunity.

But was that love that had matured into calm-or love that never existed?

-

Lucas's Rolls-Royce started appearing outside the office frequently, like a label everyone now associated with Sophia.

"Well, well, Sophia darling. Quite the operator, aren't you?" Emily passed by with a cup of coffee, her tone thick with sarcasm.

Sophia buried herself in paperwork, pretending not to hear. The cut on her forehead had healed, leaving only a faint pink line. But the exhaustion in her heart was growing.

She needed that commission. Which meant dealing with Lucas-and the rumors that came with him.

During lunch, just as she stepped outside, Lucas's Rolls-Royce pulled up again. The window rolled down, revealing his impassive face.

"What is it, Mr. Marshall?" she asked stiffly.

"Get in," Lucas casually scanned the surroundings, taking in every detail of what was going on nearby.

"Seriously, if you needed to talk to me, you could've called. Stopping me like this in such a public way-did it ever cross your mind how that might make me feel?" She kept her voice low, but the anger was unmistakable.

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "I don't have your number."

Even on the project file, only Henry' number and the company address had been left. Sophia really was discreet.

She sighed and got in, knowing full well the gossip this would spark.

During the meal, she barely touched her food. "Lucas, this is making things difficult for me."

"Difficult how?" he asked, slicing his steak slowly. "Because your coworkers see you with me? Or because your. husband might find out?" He said 'husband' with a hint of disdain.

"This has nothing to do with him!" she snapped.

"Doesn't it?" Lucas set down his utensils and leaned in. "Then why haven't you told him you met me because of a car crash? Why haven't you told him you're dealing with me because of this contract? Is there even basic communication between you two?"

He chuckled. "Come to a blind date with me tomorrow. Maybe I'll reconsider the contract."

"You? Going on a blind date?" Sophia cast him a suspicious glance.

"Take it as a compliment," Lucas said with a faint smile.

When he extended his hand toward her, Sophia eyed it warily. "What are you doing?"

"Your phone."

"You're not seriously asking me to go with you just so you can scare the other person off, are you?"

"You guessed right."

Reluctantly, she pulled out her phone. He entered his number into it and handed it back, then started typing something mysteriously on his own phone, grinning in a way that made her uneasy.

Sophia was dying to know what he had typed, but Lucas had already pocketed his phone and walked off without a word.

Later, in the middle of her hectic schedule, she received a text message-it was the time and location for the blind date the next day.

-

That afternoon, Noah stopped her in the stairwell, visibly upset.

"Sophia, if it's about money, I can help you. You don't have to put up with him."

"This is my choice, Noah. My career. I don't need saving."

"Even from a husband who doesn't care if you're out at night with another man?"

"Shut up!" she snapped. "Don't talk about him like that!"

"Am I wrong?" Noah bit back. "A man who can't even protect his own wife-what is he, if not useless? I pity you, Sophia. Married to a coward."

SLAP.

The sound echoed in the empty stairwell.

Sophia's eyes burned as she stared into his stunned face. "Listen carefully, Noah. Whether Ethan is capable or not is none of your business. Yes, we got married fast-so fast you'll never understand. But even if he had nothing, even if it all started with a misunderstanding, he is my husband. And I won't let anyone insult him."

She walked away, back straight. Back at her desk, under everyone's curious stares, she sat down like nothing had happened.

A call from Lily interrupted her thoughts-she needed Sophia to accompany her on a blind date. Unfortunately, it clashed with her appointment with Lucas.

One was a lifelong friend. The other, a contract and her father's medical bills.

She felt like she was being torn in two.

Later that night, Ethan came home. He smelled faintly of alcohol but looked sober. He took off his jacket and saw her sitting there, frowning.

"What's wrong?"

Sophia looked up at Ethan. Under the soft lighting, his features appeared especially gentle, and that rare tenderness gave her unexpected courage. She leaned into his embrace, her voice muffled against his chest.

"Ethan, something important came up tomorrow. but Lily needs me too."

She hesitantly explained Lily's "blind date" idea, her voice growing softer and more embarrassed by the second.

To her surprise, Ethan didn't object.

He paused for a moment, fingers gently combing through her hair. Just when Sophia thought he might turn her down, his deep voice came from above.

"Alright."

She blinked. "You. agree?"

He lowered his head, smiling faintly. "I'm an outstanding man. If she meets me, how could she possibly settle for anyone else?"

"If she can't, you can marry her too. I don't mind sharing you with my best friend," Sophia teased half-jokingly.

"I mind," he chuckled, scooping her up into his arms. "Let's talk about how you're going to thank me first."

As things heated between them, a trace of unease flickered through Sophia's mind. Was it really okay to deceive Lily like this? And was Ethan's easy agreement a sign of trust. or just indifference?

-

The next afternoon, Sophia arrived at the café. Lucas was already there, dressed in a tailored black suit, his expression unreadable as always.

She'd barely sat down when the door opened again-and the world came to a standstill.

There stood Ethan, beside Lily.

Four pairs of eyes met. Shock. Awkwardness. Disbelief.

Ethan was the first to break the silence. "What a coincidence." His gaze settled on Sophia, calm and composed, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.

Sophia opened her mouth, desperate to explain, but all she could say was: "Yeah. what a coincidence."

She saw Lily's eyes widen and her smile falter. Lucas, meanwhile, smirked faintly, as if he'd expected this all along.

Unable to bear it, Sophia stood up. "Ethan, can I talk to you for a second?"

Ethan smiled and followed her out, leaving Lucas and Lily staring at each other in stunned silence.

Lily had clearly put effort into her appearance today. Her subtle, elegant makeup did a good job of softening her otherwise fiery personality. The man sitting across from her was cold as ice, yet something about him stirred her interest.

She'd been on plenty of blind dates before. Rich, powerful, stunningly handsome, and actually her type? She'd always thought that was too much to hope for. In fact, she'd come today with the mindset that as long as the guy had a decent family and good character, looks didn't matter. But now? It felt like she'd hit the jackpot.

But. why had he brought Sophia with him? Was he not taking the date seriously?

"Let's cut to the chase," Lily said, never one for beating around the bush. "What do you think of me?"

Lucas finally looked up at her, then glanced briefly toward the door. "What do you think of her?"

"You like her?"

"Yeah. You guessed it."

"What do you like about her?" Lily leaned back, genuinely intrigued.

"Well, she's better looking than you. Better body too."

Lily let out a scoffing laugh. "Are you blind?"

Lucas narrowed his eyes, the temperature in the room dropping several degrees. No one had ever spoken to him like that.

"I'm not Sophia." Lily said, cocking an eyebrow. "You think I can't see what's going on? You clearly know she's married to Ethan, and yet you're still doing all this. What's your angle? From what I've seen, you and Ethan aren't just casual acquaintances. You two didn't even bother introducing yourselves-your vibe is more like old friends from way back."

"I heard you're a painter," Lucas said coolly. "But you're giving off serious detective energy."

"Thanks. I'll take that as a compliment. In fact, I have every reason to suspect this whole blind date setup was orchestrated by you. So tell me-what's your real motive?"

"Smart women aren't cute," Lucas replied, eyeing her.

Lily smirked again, unimpressed. "And you think Ethan is someone to be trifled with?"

Lucas met her gaze, his eyes gleaming with provocation. "I don't know whether he is someone to be trifled with. But I'm definitely not."

Meanwhile, just outside the private room, Sophia was standing face-to-face with Ethan. He said nothing-just looked at her with a faint, unreadable smile.

"Lucas and I are just business acquaintances. I'm trying to secure Brighten's contract. This was just a formality-to help him deal with family pressure."

Ethan listened without interruption, his eyes deep and unreadable. Then, he reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The softness of the gesture made her heart race.

"I believe you," he said, his voice gentle to the point of suffocation. "Don't frown. It doesn't suit you."

"Ethan." Her voice trembled. She felt no warmth in his trust-only a chill. What kind of husband could remain so calm, so kind, after finding his wife at a blind date with another man?

"You're not mad I lied to you?"

"You didn't lie," he said calmly. "You really did have something to do. It was business. I get it."

Back at the table, the atmosphere was icy. They quickly wrapped up and left. Sophia's phone rang-Henry calling to tell her that Brighten had officially approved the contract. They had the deal.

She hung up, unsure whether to feel relieved or hollow.

That night, she asked Ethan, "Aren't you angry? That I went on a blind date with another man and lied to you?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly. He pulled her into his arms. "You said once you didn't want fights in this marriage. You wanted trust and communication. I trust you. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Ethan. I'm scared. Scared one day this marriage won't exist anymore."

"It won't disappear," he said gently, cupping her cheek. "And even if it does. I'll still be here."

"Why are you so good to me?"

He didn't answer. He simply held her as he opened a book, quietly reading as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Much later, his voice broke the silence. "There's a get-together with a few friends this weekend. Want to come?"

"Hmm?"

"To meet my friends," Ethan said casually, but each word was clear and deliberate.

Sophia suddenly sat up and leaned against his chest, her bright eyes locking onto his, searching for any sign of sincerity.

Sincere-his eyes were incredibly sincere.

He actually wanted to take her to meet his friends?

Her arms wrapped around his firm waist as Ethan set the book aside. "You do realize this is dangerously close to flirting, right?"

"Huh?" She pouted in confusion, then gave a knowing little smile. "Maybe."

"Should we stay here or go back to the bedroom?" he mused aloud, then scooped her up effortlessly. "Better head back-can't exactly do much in here."

"You're the worst!" she giggled, playfully hitting his chest with a mock scolding.

The Saturday came quickly. It was the first time in six months that he had voluntarily brought her into his social circle. She spent the entire afternoon getting ready-choosing the perfect dress, applying flawless makeup.

"You look so good, how's anyone supposed to concentrate at work?" he teased, leaning against the doorframe.

"Is that 'anyone'. you?" she asked playfully.

He smiled but said nothing, walking over and wrapping his arms around her waist. For the first time, she felt like they were finally acting like a real married couple. Maybe the past misunderstandings had just been that-misunderstandings.

The gathering was held at one of the city's most exclusive private lounges. When they entered the private room, conversation paused briefly as several men turned to look at Sophia.

Ethan introduced her with a hand around her waist. "My wife, Sophia."

A man grinned. "So this is the wife you've been hiding for half a year? Didn't expect you to go for the sweet, stay-at-home type."

Sophia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Ethan pulled her closer with a protective smile. "Don't be fooled-she's got a wild side."

The group burst into laughter. Sophia gave him a mock glare, but inside, she melted a little at his open affection.

She observed the group as they chatted-these people operated on a level far beyond her daily life. She felt like a tourist in a foreign land, smiling politely while struggling to keep up.

Then she saw her.

In a shadowed corner sat a woman in a sleek black dress, her makeup flawless, her posture queenly. She wasn't part of the banter. Her eyes, however, never left Ethan.

Sophia recognized her instantly-it was the woman from the photo.

Chloe Patterson stood and approached, her heels clicking sharply on the floor like nails on Sophia's nerves. She stopped in front of her and extended a hand, smiling with perfect poise. "Hi. I'm Chloe."

Sophia noticed a faint pink scar on her wrist beneath a dainty bracelet-exactly where the bandage had been in the photo.

"I'm Sophia." She shook her hand, noting how cold Chloe's fingers were.

"You're very pretty," Chloe said, eyes scanning her like a scanner.

"So are you," Sophia replied, trying to read her-but all she saw was a bottomless calm.

"Well, look at that-everyone's here?" A cocky voice drifted in from outside before the man himself appeared.

Sophia blinked. He looked familiar. Where had she seen him before?

"Hey, why does this girl look so familiar?"

Their eyes locked for a few seconds before it hit them both at the same time.

"It's you!" Sophia blurted out.

"You're the girl who was supposed to confess to someone that night!" James exclaimed. Then, seeing the situation unfold around him, he stammered, "Wait, wait-you're the wife Ethan said he was bringing?"

"You guys are friends?" Sophia asked, still confused.

She turned to Ethan, who gave her a small nod to confirm. So-he had watched her get toyed with by his friend that night. and said nothing?

Ethan stood and came over, gently pulling her into his arms. As if reading her mind, he leaned down and whispered into her ear, "I'll make him apologize."

Still in a daze, Sophia let him lead her back to the group, unsure how to face James now.

But James didn't hesitate. He followed behind them, patting his chest dramatically. "Oh come on, I was just joking that night. Don't take it to heart. If I'd known you were Ethan's woman, no way I'd have messed with you."

Sophia had been holding in a wave of frustration, but seeing this goofy, apologetic version of James made her anger evaporate. Though. her annoyance with Ethan still lingered.

"Exactly. So all of this is Ethan's fault," she said, shooting him a sharp glare.

James nodded eagerly. "Totally agree. If he'd stopped me back then, we wouldn't be in this awkward mess now, right?"

Sophia couldn't help but laugh. James's antics were ridiculous, and somehow she ended up drinking a few extra rounds because of him. Ethan didn't seem to mind. With a glass of red wine in hand, he sat back and watched them with a faint smile in his eyes.

"Your wife's really something," Chloe said as she sat down beside him, her gaze fixed on Sophia.

Ethan smiled, clearly proud. "She's more than something. She's full of good surprises."

Chloe glanced at the wine on the table, grabbed a glass, and-without a word-downed it.

Ethan's brows furrowed instantly. He reached out and snatched the glass from her hand.

"What are you doing?" Chloe's eyes were dazed, unfocused.

Of course Ethan remembered-she couldn't hold her liquor. One sip, and she was done.

"You still care about me, don't you?" Chloe slurred, her tone suddenly open, no longer hiding behind pretense.

Ethan set the glass down, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation.

"Do you have any idea what it's been like?" Chloe's voice cracked. "You won't see me, you ignore my messages-you won't even talk to me. Since you came back, I've felt worse than I did after we broke up!"

"You're drunk," Ethan said flatly, pushing her off as she slumped against him.

No one else dared intervene. Chloe was known for being unpredictable, and everyone knew her history with Ethan was. complicated.

Ethan motioned for James to help calm her down.

But Chloe suddenly shouted, "Stay out of this! All of you!"

Ethan's jaw tightened. "Are you done yet?"

Chloe seemed to collapse, her energy spent. She slumped into his arms, her breath reeking of alcohol.

"Take me home," she murmured, nearly unconscious.

He froze. Glanced at Sophia, who was slumped on the table, seemingly passed out. Then back at Chloe, sobbing in his arms.

Everyone in the room was watching.

One was his "drunk" wife. The other, his weeping ex.

Who would he choose?