Chapter 5

• "Vina, I requested the files on the Neco product line ten minutes ago; where are they?" Sophia presses the intercom button on her desk phone, addressing her secretary. Her tone is sharp and impatient. She's frustrated that even after five years as her assistant, Vina still doesn't comprehend how much her slow pace irks her. Vina is efficient in many ways, but her lack of speed is exasperating. Perhaps it's time for Sophia to consider a replacement, as her patience thins with age, and her previous assistant was dismissed for a similar reason.
• "I'm sorry, Vice President Hale, I'm on it." The tremor in Vina's voice soothes Sophia's inner irritation, knowing that Vina is easily intimidated by her. Sophia lets out a heavy sigh and slumps back in her seat. She swivels around to view the city skyline from her high-rise office, facing another grey and wet day that cloaks most of the buildings in smog. Her mood is average, like any other day of her existence these past years, and she stares blankly into the void, feeling like it could be a reflection or a self-portrait if she were an artist. If she had to assign an image to her inner voice, it would look a lot like this city on a dreary day in August.
• "Vina, is my husband back in the office yet?" Sophia adds as an afterthought, leaning sideways to reach the intercom this time, after spotting the funding approval report for one of his investments on top of the pile she has yet to tackle. He's been waiting for the accounting department to finish with it and for her to approve it, and she knows he'll want it immediately.
• "Yes, ma'am. He walked by a few minutes ago."
• Sophia taps her finger on the file and contemplates taking it to him, knowing he needs it but not eager for a cold start to her day. They work together, they see each other daily because they can't avoid it, but he's long been a distant presence to her, and she doesn't relish the idea of forcing conversation today of all days. She's not in the mood for walking on eggshells and being made to feel insignificant by his complete lack of interest in her, yet something deep inside of her wants to break the ice and see him. She knows she shouldn't, it's pointless, but her soul is crying out for him. It's this vicious cycle, knowing it will only disappoint her, but she yearns for him.
• Who knew that marrying him would only give her seven short months of potential happiness and then die as quickly as it began? Fate really had it in for her when she put her in this body and made her Sophia Andres.
• She gazes at the file blankly, all thoughts falling out of her head, and she knows she's only like this today because of the date, and she's apprehensive because she's more sensitive than usual. If it weren't for it being today, she would have her assistant take it to him and avoid him at all costs.
• Sophia pushes down her hesitation, rises from her seat, and takes the file with her, heading out to see him. She swallows down unnecessary emotions and pushes aside thoughts that only serve to hurt her. This is not who she is or how her mother raised her over the past decade. Her mother taught her well in this ruthless society in which they exist, that as women, they need to be stronger, fiercer, colder than any man if they are to succeed in the corporate world. Sophia is stronger than that, and she won't show weakness even when she's broken inside.
• Her mother helped her focus all her pain from her losses on work and being perfect. She polished and molded Sophia into something most women envy, and Sophia became a walking and breathing female version of Mr. Hale before he passed away five years ago. He lived for work, status, and respect, and Sophia became the same. Taking his place and helping her husband push POLO into world domination is her only goal in life now.
• Leon's project is a significant investment with billions of dollars of their money on the line, nothing matters more than that today, and that's all she should think about. Not even this death anniversary that she knows he won't want to remember or care about anyway. In fact, three years ago, he made it blatantly clear that he never wanted her to mention it again in his presence or he would divorce her on the spot. Looking back, divorce would probably have been easier to accept than how they live now. Then again, they didn't marry for love; they married for this and everything they have, so why would they divorce over something so trivial. POLO is more significant than them and their problems.
• Sophia strides out and confidently walks across the main foyer between their penthouse offices, looking unfazed even if she's feeling fragile. She passes Johnny's office on the way and notes that he's still out and about doing Director-related tasks. Her feet are killing her in her new heels, and she catches Johnny's secretary admiring her from her desk and checking out her new cream Louis Vuitton dress and jacket that looks killer on her slim body.
• The only things in life that give her any kind of joy are finding nice clothes that catch people's eye and achieving great things in this empire that no other woman in her field has accomplished. It's all she lives for, seeing as everything else carries only emptiness and hurt.
• "Vice President Hale, I'll announce you." Leon's petite blonde secretary is flustered at the sight of her. Another female employee who cowers at her feet, jumps up to bow, and then quickly presses the intercom. Sophia ignores her and strides past without a word. She walks without stopping, knowing she'll lose her courage otherwise, and pushes into the wide double wooden doors of his office. He has the biggest office, being the president of POLO, and his spectacular view comes at you from two entire walls of glass.