Page 2

Sophie

“What is that thing you’re wearing around your neck?”

Sophie glanced down at the necklace Marcus had gifted her earlier that morning, resting between her breasts. As predicted, Alex took offence at the jewellery. She wasn’t at all surprised.

When the necklace had hung around her grandmother’s neck, Sophie thought it was one of the prettiest things she had ever seen. And she was a girl who wore diamonds for fun. It was hard to impress her.

She wasn’t sure what exactly Marcus had done to it, but this was not the necklace she remembered from her youth. Perhaps it was the opals. She always thought they were a particularly ugly stone.

“A birthday gift,” she said, addressing her boss. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

“From your husband, I presume?” Alex asked, reaching for the pendant. His eyes were on hers as his fingers brushed over her breast. “I thought he had taste.”

“Well, he married me, didn’t he?” She replied with a smirk.

Poor Marcus. Usually, he was great at picking out jewellery. She wasn’t sure how he’d missed the mark so spectacularly. Although it seemed this year, he’d chosen sentimental bullshit over any sort of class. Still, his gift had worked in her favour, and Alex was playing right into her hand. “I didn’t have you pegged for a jewellery snob.”

“I’m not,” he said, finally releasing the pendant and leaning against her desk. She glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone was looking in their direction, adrenaline making her fingers tingle. She tried to hide her disappointment when all she saw were people hard at work .

How could they not be interested?

“I just don’t like to see something so ugly worn by someone so beautiful,” Alex continued, winking at her.

Sophie flushed with pleasure at his compliment. She glanced down, biting her lip for a moment as though shy. Slowly, she looked back at him, dragging her eyes up to meet his. It was a move her mother had taught her, and it had got her what she wanted more times than she could count.

“People could hear,” she warned, lowering her voice even though she wanted nothing more for them to hear.

“I don’t care,” he said, shrugging dismissively. “I can’t compliment my favourite PA?”

“You’ll set off the gossip, you know?”

“Sophie, you’re the biggest gossip in here. I’m not worried.”

She forced herself to laugh with him, even though she found no humour in his words. Is that how he saw her? An airhead with nothing better to do than gossip?

She had to work on that.

Ever since she started working for Alex’s company, she had done everything in her power to make him notice her.

At first, it was innocent.

Yes, she had a crush on him. But that’s all it was. She just enjoyed being complimented by him and having him praise her work. Every time he smiled in her direction, or gave her a wink, it made her work harder and take more pride in her job.

It had paid off wonderfully.

Sophie had started out as a receptionist, answering calls and making copy after copy of the same old documents. She knew she could offer more, and after a short meeting with Alex, he agreed.

She was now his personal assistant. Sure, she still managed a lot of the secretarial work, but she got to work closely with Alex and manage his appointments.

It was working closer with him that led to their current situation and the fact they were openly flirting with one another in full view of the office .

“So, did you get me a gift?” She asked, moving the conversation away from her gossiping ways.

“I might have,” Alex said with a smirk. “Why don’t you come to my office at lunchtime? You’ll find out then.”

Offering her a final wink, Alex pushed off her desk and made his morning rounds. Her eyes followed him around the room, watching as he joked with his staff.

She never intended to start anything up with him. Since she first started dating, she had never cheated on anyone. The thought disgusted her. But then she met Alex and something about him sparked a fire inside her.

His looks played a big part in that. There was no point denying it. After spending her childhood dressing up to look like a princess, she had always imagined her prince charming to be something out of a fairytale.

Alex looked like he could have stepped out of a Disney movie.

He was classically handsome, with dark hair and beautifully piercing eyes. His face was so chiselled, she refused to believe he hadn’t had some kind of work done.

And his body.

God, the man knew how to wear a suit like no one else. His shirts, always a touch too tight, hugged his muscles in a way that made her think too much strain would tear the fabric. He always presented himself well and moved with such confidence, she couldn’t help but fawn over him.

But beyond the physical, Alex was everything she envisioned for herself.

He was wealthy and ambitious, and it wasn’t until she had struggled financially that she realised how important that security was for her.

She hated that her situation with Marcus had forced her to find a job. In an ideal world, she’d be sitting in some high-end coffee shop, drinking with the girls and ignoring the pastries so full of calories while they gossiped the day away.

She was a socialite on a pauper’s budget, and the two did not mix well.

Sometimes she fantasised that she and Alex were married. She’d host dinners for his clients and gossip with the wives as the men talked shop. They’d compliment her cooking, and she’d smile graciously, knowing that a chef was slaving away in their kitchen.

And the clothes.

Oh, she would wear the most beautiful clothes befitting her status in society.

But, alas, Alex was not her husband, and he already had a woman at his side to do all those things for him.

It didn’t happen very often, but sometimes Sophie would meet a woman so incredibly stunning that she’d feel insecure. So used to being the most beautiful woman in the room, Sophie couldn’t stand to share that spotlight.

Unfortunately, Sophie found Erica incredibly intimidating.

Alex’s wife was the epitome of beauty. Tall with the most insane curves, she belonged on a fashion runway, not a dinky office in Scotland.

And if it wasn’t enough for her to have flawless looks, she was such a nice person . People gravitated towards her, and she gave them her entire attention.

When Sophie fantasised about being Alex’s wife, it came with the thought of Erica becoming their maid. A constant reminder that she, Sophie, had won and taken everything from her.

Sometimes, more than anything, she just really wanted to put the bitch in her —

“Sophie?”

Looking up into Erica’s eyes, Sophie forced a smile, startled by the other woman’s sudden appearance. “Are you okay?”

She gestured to the desk where Sophie had been stabbing a pencil into the grain of the wood. “Hm? Oh. Oh, yes, I’m fine.” She cleared her throat and laid the pencil flat on the desk. “Um, what are you doing here?”

Erica gave her a strange look, and Sophie mentally chastised herself. She couldn’t speak to the boss’ wife like that.

“Sorry, that came out wrong,” she stammered, trying to regain her composure. “I just mean —”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Erica said with a chuckle. “Monday mornings, right? ”

“Right,” Sophie said, subtly wiping her palms on her skirt. “Should I grab Alex for you?”

“No need,” Erica said with a smile as she placed a box on the desk. “Alex mentioned it was your birthday, so I just came to drop a small gift off.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” Sophie said, genuinely surprised.

How much more perfect could this bitch get?

“It’s only a small token of our appreciation,” Erica said. “Between us girls, you’ve really helped improve Alex’s days. He has so much more time to relax now you’re on top of his schedule.”

Sophie kept a smile fixed on her face. She hoped she didn’t show just how gleeful those words had made her.

There was something very thrilling about meeting a woman’s eyes, knowing she was sleeping with her husband. Erica was completely clueless, and that gave Sophie the biggest kick.

She took the box and muttered a thanks, tugging at the ribbon. She was determined to hate this gift until she saw the twinkle of diamonds and her resolve faded.

“Erica, this is too much!” she said, just for the sake of looking modest.

“Not at all,” Erica said. “You said you liked them at the last charity auction.”

Sophie glanced down at the box that housed the diamond earrings. Erica was wrong. She hadn’t just liked them. She had almost bankrupted them trying to win them at auction. Had Marcus found out, he’d have divorced her on the spot, but it seemed worth it to own something so stunning.

Lucky for her, someone had come in with a last-minute bid and a distraction had stopped Sophie offering a counter bid.

“I thought these sold,” she said, pulling the earrings Marcus had gifted her out of her ears and discarding them.

“They did,” Erica replied, frowning. “These are slightly different. Sophie, you don’t have to wear them now—”

“Oh, no. You don’t keep earrings like these in a box. They’re made to be shown off. ”

“But…” Erica chewed her lip. “It’s just the earrings you were wearing look quite expensive.”

“These things? No. My husband got them repaired for my birthday. They’re my grandmothers.”

“Sentimental value then,” she smiled. “I’m glad you like our gift, but don’t feel you have to change them.”

“I don’t!” Genuine surprise played across Sophie’s face. She rarely did things to please other people. “Diamonds and opals don’t really compare, do they? I want to wear the diamonds.”

Erica frowned again, tilting her head. Sophie could sense her disapproval, but she didn’t care. She’d only worn Marcus’ gift to get a reaction from Alex. Beyond that, she didn’t care to wear something so ugly.

“Erica?” Both women looked up as Alex approached the desk, his eyes warm as he smiled at his wife. “What are you doing here?”

“Just giving Sophie a birthday gift,” Erica said, leaning to kiss Alex’s cheek. Sophie glanced away, ignoring the pang of jealousy.

She didn’t want to see this, but she couldn’t move without showing her distaste. Whenever Erica was around, Alex forgot Sophie existed.

He never looked at her like he looked at Erica. Hell, Marcus never looked at her the way Alex looked at Erica.

It was hard to watch the man she wanted so desperately lavish attention on his wife and shower her with love. Sophie glanced out at the room and sure enough, people had turned in their direction.

Erica was enough to make them look up from their computer screens, and that drove her fucking crazy.

“Why don’t you come and hang for a bit, and I’ll take you to lunch?”

Sophie’s head snapped up as she heard Alex’s offer. No, that’s not how things were supposed to go! He had already invited Sophie to spend lunch with him.

No way he had forgotten. It was her fucking birthday, after all!

“A very tempting offer,” Erica said. “But I promised Josh I’d run an errand for him, and I’m running late. ”

“Shame,” Alex said. “I definitely would have loved to eat you.” He gave her a devilish smile and covered his mouth. “Forgive me, I meant eat with you.”

Erica tapped his chest playfully and rolled her eyes. “Sophie, I’m so sorry you had to hear that. Though I’m sure your husband is just the same.”

Sophie forced a chuckle and nodded, before looking pointedly back at her computer.

Fucking bitch.

And Alex, too. First, he forgot their lunch plans, and then he flaunted his relationship in front of her. What an asshole.

“Hey, why don’t you have lunch with Sophie?” Erica said with a smile. “Celebrate her birthday.”

Sophie glanced at Alex and saw the exact moment the penny dropped. He shot a glance in Sophie’s direction. “That’s a wonderful idea, darling. Perhaps I will.”

“That’s sorted then,” Erica said, kissing Alex’s cheek again. “Must dash, love.”

Rushing past Alex, Erica looked over her shoulder at Sophie and waved. “Happy birthday, Sophie, and make sure my husband sticks to his word and buys you lunch!”

Sophie’s face remained frozen with a fake smile until Erica disappeared. Even after she left, her cheeks ached with the effort of not showing her true feelings.

“Don’t pout, Sophie,” Alex muttered. “You know the deal here.”

Erica must never find out.

It was Alex’s number one rule and Sophie hated him for it. She hated herself for going along with it. She should tell him to fuck off. Instead, she nodded in agreement.

“I’ll see you in my office for lunch. Why leave if we won’t eat much?” He winked at her before turning towards his office before she could reply.

If she was a smart woman, she’d leave him waiting in his office with blue balls. But she wasn’t a smart woman. She desperately wanted his attention, and she’d be there in his office as soon as the clock struck twelve, demanding he buy her the lunch he promised her .

If she couldn’t have her fantasies, this was the next best thing. Even if it hurt her ego, she’d run to him whenever he called.

Unfortunately for her, she was already too far into their affair to stop herself.