The Man Who Destroyed Me Is Now Begging to Mend Me 12

Lucas’s heart clenched as he watched Sophia walk away, her posture rigid with finality. “Sophia…” he called out, his voice barely a whisper.

His attention was abruptly pulled back by Emily’s sharp intake of breath. “Lucas, my back,” she winced, “I think I’ve really hurt it.”

Any concern for Sophia was instantly forgotten as he focused completely on Emily.

****

The grounds of the Grandon Hotel featured a serene cherry blossom grove, and tonight, the trees were a vision in full bloom. A gentle wind stirred, carpeting the path with a whisper of pink petals.

As Sophia wandered deeper into the grove, she noticed a man sitting with perfect posture beneath a blossoming tree.

Bathed in the soft light, he was contemplating a chessboard. The way he moved a white piece in the midst of the black army highlighted the solitary nature of his

game.

Drawn by an impulse she didn’t question, Sophia approached and settled into the seat opposite him. Without a word, she reached out and advanced a black piece.

A subtle shift in the shadows hinted at bodyguards ready to act, but a nearly imperceptible signal from the man made them stand down.

They played in comfortable silence. Before long, the man noticed something unusual about Sophia’s strategy –she moved her pieces with an unexpected simplicity that defied conventional chess wisdom.

Yet each of her moves, while unconventional, perfectly countered his sophisticated attacks.

Cherry blossoms drifted down around them as the black and white pieces advanced and retreated across the board.

After a decisive move, Sophia relaxed her shoulders and looked calmly at the elegant man opposite her. “Checkmate,” she stated.

She had launched a surprise assault with her queen and knight, a simple but effective combination that he

had overlooked.

The man remained impeccably composed, his elegant bearing giving him an air of unapproachable refinement.

“And I’ve achieved my own victory,” he responded calmly.

He had anticipated this outcome. Several moves earlier, he had orchestrated a stalemate, leaving her king with no escape yet not in direct check, resulting, by the rules, in a draw.

With a quiet smile, Sophia faded into the night as silently as she had come.

The man’s gaze lingered on the chessboard, his eyes revealing nothing.

After some time, he pulled out his phone and captured the chess layout, preserving the game.

Sophia left for Rosaville the following day to conduct market research.

When Annabelle’s call came a few days later, her voice crackled with indignation. “Why should you be the one to leave? Stay in Jelasburg and see what else they dare to pull right in front of you.”

“We’re divorcing anyway,” Sophia replied. “No need to torture myself.”

Sophia had made her peace with the situation. Signing the divorce papers had been her moment of release, and now she wanted nothing more than a clean break.

“You’re too kind,” Annabelle shot back, her anger mounting. “If it were me, I’d make sure the whole world knew what trash they are. I’d stick around just to make their lives hell.”

A wave of gossip had reached Annabelle lately, and every whisper of it seemed to be a fresh criticism of Sophia.

“I’m just tired of the mind games,” Sophia replied, shaking her head.

She couldn’t bear to watch them flaunt their happiness in front of her any longer. Leaving seemed like the only way to find some peace.

“When will you be back?” Annabelle asked.

“A month, maybe.”

By then, it would be time to meet Lucas and finalize their divorce.

But her plans were cut short. Within days, a call from her father, Charles Evans, summoned her back to Jelasburg.

According to Charles, her mother Margaret had fallen into a lake and was now dangerously ill. He insisted that Sophia return home without delay.

A knot of anxiety in her chest, Sophia booked the first available flight and hurried back.

But as she approached the Evans residence, her worry turned to confusion. The villa was brightly lit for a celebration, expensive cars crowded the driveway, and the sound of a party spilled out from inside.

Sophia stood at the entrance looking travel-worn and weary, only to discover the truth-Margaret’s accident had been a ruse to bring her back for Emily’s welcome party.

Mark