The Wife He Lost

Part 2: The Secret About Sophia

The elevator doors began to close.

Then Vincent’s voice echoed through the hospital hallway.

“CLAIRE! PLEASE, JUST LISTEN TO ME!”

I pressed the button to keep the doors open but didn’t step out.

Madison turned toward him, her expression furious.

“You’ve had five years to explain yourself, Vincent. Why should she listen now?”

Vincent ignored her.

His eyes remained fixed on me.

“Sophia isn’t just my assistant.”

I looked at him coldly.

“Congratulations. You’ve promoted her to something else?”

His jaw tightened.

“She has been stealing from my company.”

For a moment, nobody spoke.

“What?” I asked.

“She’s been transferring money through several shell companies. My accountants discovered it two days ago. I was meeting her last night because I wanted her to confess.”

I almost laughed.

“So the diamond bracelet was part of your investigation?”

Vincent looked away.

“No. That was…”

“Don’t.”

My voice trembled.

“Don’t insult me with another lie.”

He stepped closer.

“Claire, I didn’t sleep with her.”

“But you told her she was more important than your wife.”

He had no answer.

Madison folded her arms.

“Then why is she at the maternity ward?”

Vincent glanced toward Sophia.

She was now sitting in a wheelchair, surrounded by medical staff.

“She claimed she was having breathing difficulties. I brought her here because she said she needed medical attention.”

I shook my head.

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re holding her hand.”

Before he could respond, a nurse approached.

“Mr. Moretti?”

Vincent turned.

“Yes?”

“Your companion’s examination is complete. Her oxygen levels are normal. The doctor suspects an anxiety episode.”

Sophia immediately looked uncomfortable.

“Vincent, I think I should go.”

But the nurse continued.

“There’s something else. She requested a pregnancy test, but she declined to provide the name of the father.”

The hallway became silent.

Vincent slowly turned toward Sophia.

“What pregnancy test?”

Sophia’s eyes filled with tears.

“Vincent, please. Not here.”

My stomach tightened.

I had no desire to hear another detail about their relationship.

But Sophia suddenly spoke.

“I’m pregnant.”

Vincent froze.

“What?”

She lowered her head.

“I’m ten weeks pregnant.”

I stared at her.

Ten weeks.

My baby was eight weeks.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then Vincent asked the question that made everything worse.

“Is it mine?”

Sophia began crying.

“I don’t know how to tell you this.”

I watched my husband struggle to process the revelation.

Then I stepped forward.

“Vincent, I don’t care whose child she’s carrying. I want a divorce.”

He turned toward me.

“Claire, please don’t leave.”

I pulled my wrist away when he reached for me.

“You should be worried about the woman you gave my birthday present to.”

I stepped into the elevator.

This time, Vincent didn’t stop me.

The doors closed.

And I finally allowed myself to cry.

That afternoon, Madison took me to her apartment.

I had barely finished drinking a glass of water when my phone started ringing.

Vincent.

I rejected the call.

He called again.

And again.

Finally, a message appeared.

Vincent: Claire, please answer. I swear I never knew Sophia was pregnant.

Another message followed.

Vincent: I need to explain everything. Come home.

I stared at the screen.

Then I typed:

Claire: You don’t need to explain anything. My lawyer will contact you.

I switched off my phone.

Madison sat beside me.

“Do you think he’s telling the truth?”

“I don’t know.”

“About Sophia?”

I looked down at the ultrasound photograph on the table.

“I don’t care anymore.”

But deep down, I knew something was wrong.

Vincent had looked genuinely shocked when Sophia announced her pregnancy.

And if she had been stealing from his company, why had he given her such an expensive gift?

That evening, Madison received a call from an unfamiliar number.

She answered.

“Hello?”

A man’s voice spoke quietly.

“Is Mrs. Moretti with you?”

Madison glanced at me.

“Who is this?”

“Daniel Hayes. I’m Vincent’s chief financial officer.”

My stomach tightened.

“What do you want?”

“I think Claire needs to know something about Sophia Reynolds.”

Madison put the call on speaker.

Daniel continued.

“Mrs. Moretti, Sophia wasn’t hired by Vincent. She was recommended by his mother, Eleanor.”

I frowned.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Everything. We’ve been investigating her financial records. But yesterday, we discovered something much worse.”

“What?”

There was a long silence.

Then Daniel said:

“Sophia has been using the Moretti family name to access confidential medical records. And she has been telling people she is carrying Vincent’s heir.”

My blood ran cold.

“Why would she do that?”

“Because she believes your marriage is about to end. And someone in the family has promised her that she’ll become the next Mrs. Moretti.”

The call ended.

I sat completely still.

For five years, I had believed Vincent’s family was my family.

Apparently, I had been the only one who believed that.