Page 6 of Checkmate
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.
