Chapter 2 - The Realization

• Sophia gripped her chest tightly as if it felt like her heart was about to escape from her chest. Her hand slipped over her mouth as she tried to muffle her cries. She left the bathroom in the guest room scanning the room.
• ‘Two years’ she whispered. She had lived in the guest house just a small distance from the main mansion. The building was neat with very modern amenities. She didn’t lack anything and had a dozen staffs at her beck and call.
• Noah reduced the amount of attention she was being given by the staff when his girlfriend, Kira Robinson, the daughter and sole heir to the Robinson group started to nag him. He had to give in to her demands. Kira was spoilt and insatiable, not the type of woman anyone would want to spend their whole life with.
• A union between the Milton’s and the Robinson’s would consolidate both families in the world of business for a lifetime. None the less, that wasn’t what George wanted for Noah. Kira Robinson was never a good fit. She acted on a whim because she believed her actions were inconsequential. Her father always took care of any mess she created.
• “You’re still here?” Sophia turned in the direction of the hoarse trying her best to wipe her tears with the sleeve of her knitted sweater.
• “Whyte,” he called her in the most disgusted tone he could summon. Noah had concern written all over his face, “why are you crying?” he asked her.
• Sophia paused almost dramatically when she saw Noah’s expression. He was doing it again, pretending like nothing had happened. She spent two years of her life married to the most insensitive person. The worse part was, she had already fallen way too deep.
• Sophia and Noah never slept together in the same room, the only time they did was when George Milton, Noah’s father was around.
• George was diagnosed with a terminal heart disease the year they got married. He was on different medications, which at that time, were working perfectly. After a while, his body stopped responding. George Milton battled his condition until the end. He was a strong man who began the Milton empire that was highly praised by everyone.
• “I’m not crying,” she lied, stuffing her clothes into her suitcase. Noah approached her subtly, he held her face gently, wiping the tears off. This action startled Sophia a little, but she didn’t stop him. His touch felt nice on her skin, she prayed that he wouldn’t stop but she knew that was her being delusional.
• Every day was a constant struggle for her, ‘which lover will I get today?’ she always thought to herself. Noah planted a kiss on her forehead.
• “Whyte, I don’t think I can do this anymore,” he spoke softly against her skin, his breath sent tinkles to her senses. It made her knees buckle.
• She scoffed, “Sophia, my name is Sophia. Noah—” she was cut off by a knock on the door, it was Kira.
• “Is she still there?” Kira whispered.
• “What did I tell you about snooping in my house?” Noah asked with a hint of rage in his voice. He couldn’t stand Kira or her entitlement. She was like a little kid and threw tantrums when she didn’t get what she wanted. She flipped her hair before walking out. Noah always knew how to put her in check.
• Sophia stood there, lifeless. She couldn’t believe how stupid she was, almost falling for his excellent theatrics again. She continued dumping clothes inside her suitcase. When she was satisfied, she zipped it up and pulling it towards the main door.
• “Sophia, what are you doing? Did I say you could leave?” he asked looking down, his height towering over her. Her emerald green eyes glistered in the warm lighting of the living room. Sophia stared at him in silence.
• He scoffed, “If you want to leave, do it. But don’t take anything that I bought with my hard-earned money. I know how people like you can be.”
• ‘People like me?’ A wry smile tugged at her lower lips. She let go of the suitcase immediately, causing it to topple over. Sophia stared at Noah who stood there speechless. She walked to the mirror and examined herself, taking off every item Noah had gotten her.
• One of them made her chuckle in pain as she bent down to take of the expensive piece of jewelry on her ankle. Noah had gotten her a leg chain used to identify sex workers. He said “it would make her remember where she came from so, she could never feel comfortable in his house”. But she had already done that. She made up all these thoughts in her head, praying daily that he would change but he never did.
• She looked him dead in the eyes, her face contorting in pain. Sophia pulled his palm open, placing the jewelry in his palm, “For your next hoe.”
• Sophia walked towards the massive gate of the Milton estate, obviously after the stunt she just pulled Noah wasn’t going to have a driver take her out.
• Just then her phone began to vibrate and she picked it up immediately. It was her best friend, Chantelle Wilson. She had texted her earlier to pick her up from Noah’s house.
• Chantelle parked her car in front and Sophia climbed in. “Are you okay?” Chantelle asked.
• “Just take me home,” Sophia prompted without an ounce of emotion in her house.
• The money she earned at Milton group should have been enough to rent a neat apartment in a good area, but since she was paying off a lot of debts, including her mother’s bills and school loans, it was quite difficult to live.
• Her house was in the worst neighborhood. It was the cheapest option they could find and was suitable enough because it had two bedrooms and one bathroom. That way, her mother could live relatively comfortably.
• After she got married to Noah, her mother moved in with her younger sister’s family. It was quite a difficult adjustment, given the fact that her aunt was married with kids of her own.
• Sophia made up for it by pitching in a good sum every month. It was able to feed all six of them. It was hard but they did what they could to survive and lead an honest life, just like her father.
• “I want to leave,” Sophia broke the silence as she, her mother and Chantelle sat on the coffee table sharing worried glances. Noah’s words echoed in her head.
• “But why baby?” Ava, Sophia’s mother asked. She was off her medications and had been healthy for six months. She even went back to her job as a pre-school teacher. Ava couldn’t understand why Sophia would want to leave the city where she grew up.
• “I completely agree with you,” Chantelle chipped in, causing Sophia to smile a little. Chantelle turned to Ava, “After all you guys have been through, you need a fresh start. I can arrange it all for you, you wouldn’t have to bother about the logistics.”
• Sophia smiled at that, sending her mother a reassuring look. Ava couldn’t say no to Sophia, especially not after all the sacrifices she had made.
• All her dreams had burned to the ground. Her first love and the man who took her virginity on a drunken night, everything was gone. There was nothing left in the city for her, she had to move on.