Chapter 5: The Woman Behind The Lie
The drive back to Meridian City felt unreal.
For the first time in five years, Griffin and I were sitting in the same car.
Not as husband and wife.
Not as enemies.
But as two people chasing the same truth.
Leo sat in the backseat, quietly drawing in his notebook.
Every few minutes, I looked at him through the mirror.
Every time, I expected to feel relief.
Instead, I felt fear.
Because someone had threatened him.
Someone who had spent years hiding in the shadows.
Griffin noticed.
"You keep checking on him.""
I kept my eyes on the road.
"Because he's my son.""
His expression tightened.
"Our son.""
The correction was gentle.
But it still made my hands tighten around the steering wheel.
I hated how natural those words sounded.
Our son.
Five years ago, I would have given anything to hear Griffin say that.
Now, it felt dangerous.
"Don't do that.""
"Do what?""
"Act like everything changes because you know the truth.""
He looked out the window.
"I know it doesn't.""
The answer surprised me.
"I know five years don't disappear because I finally understand what happened.""
Silence.
Then he added quietly:
"But I missed five years of his life.""
I glanced at him.
There was something in his voice I had never heard before.
Regret.
Not the kind people displayed in interviews.
Not the kind billionaires expressed in carefully written statements.
Real regret.
The kind that kept someone awake at night.
"I saw his first steps," I said.
Griffin closed his eyes.
"I know.""
"I heard his first word.""
His throat moved.
"I know.""
"I sat beside him when he had a fever so high I thought I was going to lose him.""
His voice was barely audible.
"I wasn't there.""
"No.""
I looked forward.
"You weren't.""
The car became silent again.
A few minutes later, Leo lifted his head.
"Mommy?""
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"Is Mr. Griffin mad at me?""
My heart broke.
I looked at Griffin.
He immediately turned around.
"No.""
His voice softened.
"I'm not mad at you.""
Leo studied him.
"Then why do you look sad?""
Griffin froze.
Because children had a way of seeing through people.
"I think..."" Griffin paused.
"I think I'm sad because I missed a lot of things.""
Leo tilted his head.
"Like what?""
Griffin smiled faintly.
"Everything.""
Leo thought about that.
Then he held up his drawing.
It was a picture of three people standing together.
A small child between two adults.
I recognized it immediately.
Me.
Leo.
And Griffin.
My chest tightened.
"When did you draw that?""
"On the plane.""
I looked at him.
"You drew him before you knew?""
Leo nodded.
"Grandma said families can look different.""
Griffin looked at me.
"Your mother knows?""
I nodded.
"My mother knew Leo existed.""
"Does she know I'm his father?""
"Yes.""
His expression changed.
"She knew all this time?""
"She also knew what happened.""
"Why didn't she tell me?""
I almost smiled.
"Because she hated you after the divorce.""
That actually made him blink.
"Your mother hated me?""
"She watched me fall apart.""
Griffin looked down.
"I understand.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"You don't.""
He didn't argue.
Again.
That was becoming the strangest part.
The old Griffin would have defended himself.
The old Griffin would have explained.
The new Griffin just listened.
We arrived at the penthouse forty minutes later.
The building looked exactly the same.
Glass walls.
Private entrance.
Security guards.
The place where I had once believed my life was perfect.
I sat in the car for a moment.
I didn't want to go inside.
Not because I was afraid.
Because some places remembered.
The elevator ride was silent.
When the doors opened, I felt it immediately.
The smell.
The cold marble floor.
The same artwork hanging in the hallway.
Everything was frozen in time.
Except us.
Griffin unlocked the door.
"Daniel's location said here.""
I stepped inside.
The apartment was dark.
Too dark.
"Daniel?""
No answer.
Griffin moved ahead.
I grabbed his arm.
"Wait.""
He looked back.
"What?""
"This is exactly how everything started.""
His expression softened.
"I know.""
"No.""
I looked around.
"Five years ago, you came home. You found my phone. You believed the worst thing about me.""
His eyes lowered.
"I know.""
"This time, don't believe the worst thing.""
For a moment, we just stood there.
Then he nodded.
"I won't.""
A noise came from the living room.
We both turned.
Griffin moved forward.
"Stay behind me.""
I almost laughed.
"You still give orders.""
"Some things don't change.""
"No.""
I looked at him.
"Some things do.""
We entered the living room.
The lights turned on.
And I stopped breathing.
Because someone was sitting on the couch.
A woman.
Elegant.
Calm.
Wearing a black dress and holding a glass of wine.
I knew her immediately.
Griffin did too.
His face changed.
"No.""
The woman smiled.
"Hello, Griffin.""
He stepped back.
"That can't be possible.""
My blood ran cold.
Because I had seen her before.
Not recently.
Five years ago.
During the divorce.
During the media storm.
During the moment my entire life collapsed.
Her name had been everywhere.
Sophia Vale.
The daughter of one of Griffin's biggest investors.
The woman newspapers described as "Griffin Ashworth's closest confidante" after our divorce.
The woman who gave interviews about how Griffin was "finally healing.""
The woman who stood beside him while the world believed I had betrayed him.
"Why are you here?"" Griffin asked.
Sophia smiled.
"Because you finally found the truth.""
My hands curled into fists.
"You knew.""
She looked at me.
"Vivienne.""
The way she said my name made my stomach turn.
"You always were the intelligent one.""
Griffin stepped forward.
"What did you do?""
Sophia laughed softly.
"Still protecting her?""
His voice became dangerous.
"Answer me.""
She placed her glass down.
"You really don't remember, do you?""
"Remember what?""
"The night you found those messages.""
Silence.
I looked at Griffin.
Sophia continued.
"I was the one who sent the first screenshot.""
Griffin went completely still.
"What?""
"I knew exactly what you would think.""
My heartbeat thundered.
"You manipulated him.""
Sophia looked at me.
"No.""
She smiled.
"I guided him.""
The words made my skin crawl.
Griffin's voice was ice.
"Why?""
"Because you were destroying everything I had spent years trying to build.""
"What are you talking about?""
She stood slowly.
"Your marriage.""
A pause.
"Your trust in Vivienne.""
Another pause.
"Your loyalty to anyone except yourself.""
I stared at her.
"You wanted him alone.""
Sophia's smile widened.
"Exactly.""
The room became silent.
Griffin looked like he had been physically hit.
"You were behind Daniel disappearing.""
Her expression changed slightly.
Finally.
A crack.
"Daniel made things complicated.""
"Where is he?""
She ignored him.
"Do you know what the problem was with you two?""
I didn't answer.
She walked closer.
"You were better together.""
The admission was chilling.
"You made each other stronger. Smarter. More dangerous.""
Griffin stared at her.
"So you destroyed us.""
Sophia tilted her head.
"I separated you.""
Her eyes moved toward Leo.
"And then I waited.""
My body went cold.
Griffin noticed.
"What does that mean?""
Sophia smiled.
"It means the divorce was never the final goal.""
A terrible silence followed.
Then she said the words that changed everything.
"The final goal was making sure Griffin Ashworth never had an heir.""
Griffin's face drained of color.
I pulled Leo closer.
Sophia looked at him.
"Unfortunately, I underestimated Vivienne.""
The room felt like it was closing in.
Because suddenly, I understood.
This was never just about destroying a marriage.
It was about control.
A company.
An empire.
A legacy.
And Leo.
Griffin stepped in front of us.
"What did you do five years ago?""
Sophia didn't answer immediately.
She only smiled.
Then she reached into her purse.
And placed a small envelope on the table.
"Open it.""
Griffin stared at it.
"What is that?""
Sophia looked at me.
"Proof.""
My heart stopped.
"Proof of what?""
Her eyes moved between us.
"Proof that Leo almost never made it into this world.""
And inside the envelope was a hospital document.
With my name on it.
And a signature I recognized.
Griffin's.
But I knew he had never signed it.
Because the date on the paper was the night Leo was born.
The night everything changed.
May you like
The night someone tried to erase my son.
And failed.
