Page 60 of Checkmate
Sophie ought to let her have it, and tell her exactly what she thought of her and make her feel-
“Nice to see you. Shopping went well then, yeah?”
How many times did one woman have to be humiliated in one day?
“Fine thanks,” she muttered through gritted teeth. “This all looks very cosy. What’s going on?”
“You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you,” Marcus said, not even looking at her. “So, since I know you’re about to call Alex, why don’t you fill in the blanks and tell him whatever you want?”
Sophie huffed and moved through the flat to her bedroom. Slamming the door behind her, she threw her bags on the bed and paced the floor as she considered her options.
Marcus was right.
She was desperate to call Alex and tell him exactly what she had walked in on, with a few embellishments here and there.
But she didn’t want Marcus to be right.
Also, she wasn’t sure how she felt about the entire thing. Her husband was currently sitting with another woman, holding hands and sharing a bottle of wine.
Every instinct inside her told her something was going on, but in her heart, she knew that Marcus would never do that to her, no matter how much she fucked him over.
“Think, Sophie. Think.”
They didn’t pull away from one another; she realised. Someone who was up to no good would look guilty. Neither Marcus nor Erica seemed at all concerned about being caught doing whatever they were doing.
Sophie was positive what she walked in on was completely innocent. Despite what others thought about her, she wasn’t stupid. She knew how to read people and she was good at understanding social cues.
For reasons unknown to her, Erica was comforting Marcus. Nothing more, nothing less.
Not that she was going to tell Alex that.
Dialling his number, she held her breath as she waited to hear him. On the sixth ring, when she was sure he wouldn’t answer, she finally heard his voice.
“Sophie. What is it?”
“Erica is in my flat,” she whispered, suddenly conscious of how thin the walls were.
“What about your flat? I can’t hear you when you’re whispering.” He sighed and she could almost picture him rubbing his eyes. “I haven’t got time for your—”
“Erica is in my flat!” She said, a little louder this time.
Silence greeted her, stretching painfully until she became aware of how loud her heart was thumping and the constant ticking of her alarm clock.
“Alex?”
“I’m here,” he said, sounding utterly dejected. “Did you say Erica is there at your flat?”
“Yes. She’s sharing a bottle of wine with Marcus, and chain-smoking, judging by the stench of cigarettes.”
“We had a fight,” he admitted. “And I accused her of sleeping with your husband.”
Sophie could have punched the air in victory.
Finally, her hard work was paying off and Alex was doubting Erica. All it would take was a little extra poking.
“Oh, god, do you think?” She asked, sounding horrified at the idea. “What did she say?”
“No, obviously. But if Marcus asked you about us, are you admitting it?”
