If I closed my eyes, I could still remember how peaceful and perfect my life was.

Mornings with Damian was always my favourite part of the day.

There was something about the tranquillity before the day began, the sound of the city coming to life and the pale sunlight pouring into the house through the glass windows. It was the only time things felt simple, without the pressure that came with running a company like Laurent Technologies.

I stood in the kitchen, one hand on a mug of coffee, and the other adjusting the sleeve of my shirt. My mind was already brewing with work as I mentally planned how my day would go. My sound of footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts.

I didn’t need to look back to know it was him.

Damian stroked into the kitchen, looking as composed as ever, his shirt properly pressed and his tie loosened slightly. His eyes found me immediately and his gaze softened.

“I can tell that mind of yours is already thinking about work,” he grinned, the amusement in his tone noticeable.

I smiled softly, lifted the mug to my lips. “Well, you know how I am. I don’t need to get to the office to starting working.”

He laughed softly and walked over to the counter before pouring himself a cup of coffee. “And someone of us know when to take a break from work.”

“Are you saying I don’t know when to take a break?” I giggled.

He glanced over his shoulder, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips before he picked up his cup and strode over to me. “If that’s what you think,” he grinned, placing the cup down beside me.

Before I could react, his hands slid around my waist, pulling men gently towards him and his lips brushed softly against mine. He kissed me in a way that made it feel like I was melting. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine, his voice low and soft.

“Sophie, I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life.”

The words settled in my chest, making my heart flutter and I smiled widely before I could control myself. “I think you’d manage.”

“Barely,” he said, huffing out a laugh.

I laughed, pulling away from his slightly, just enough to get a glimpse of his face properly. Moments like this made everything feel worth it. The long hours, the stress and the sleepless nights. Because it wasn’t just about the company, it was about us.

“Speaking of manage,” he continued, picking up his coffee again, “How’s that new product coming along?”

It eyes lit up and I couldn’t hide my excitement, I never could when it came to work. “I made some adjustments to the design and interface last night. I still need to make a few corrections and it’ll be ready.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Oh? Looks like it’s going to be a good product.”

“It’s going to be even better,” I grinned. “If this goes the way I’m planning, this it could change everything for us.”

For a moment he looked at me, before nodding. “Then we will make sure it gets the attention it deserves.”

The words ‘we’ made my chest grow warm. Because that is how it has always been, at least in my mind. I was the brains of Laurent Technologies, but I never took credit for it’s success. I believed that every success and breakthrough belonged to the both of us, even though the world only say him standing at the front.

I never minded that it was that way.

Damian and I finished up out coffee and left the penthouse together. The drove to the company and the ride was comfortable, filled with small conversations about the day head.

We arrived at the company soon after, and the calm morning slowly morphed into something more serious and focused. We walked into the building and the whole space was buzzing with every. 

And as always, the moment we stepped into insure, Damian became the CEO. And I became something irrelevant.

We walked to the elevator together and closer we got to the executive floor, the more I could feel the distance between us. I was used to this, at least that’s what I always told myself.

When the elevator door cranked open, he stepped out first, his expression more composed now as he quickly greeted a few members of the board. I hung back behind him slightly, offering a smile to them.

“I’ll see you later,” he said in a tone that was way more professional now.

I bit my inner lips and nodded again. “Yeah,” I said flatly.

 I tuned and headed towards my office, pushing the thoughts aside.

I reached my office and immediately settled into my desk, picking up the tablet and flipping through notes on the new product I was working on. This product had the potential to change everything for the company and I could feel it in my bones.

A soft knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Come in,” I called out, not looking away from my tablet.

The door opened and a familiar face slipped into the office.

“How are you here so early?” Olivia said as she leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms loosely over her chest. “Do you ever sleep, or is that just a myth to you?”

I looked up, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “I just really like working, is there anything wrong with that?”

She laughed softly, pushing herself off the doorframe and walked further into the office. “Well, some of us believe in balancing work with our outside life. You know, you should try it sometime.”

“I’m pretty sure I balance my work and normal life very well,” I replied, rolling my eyes as I set the tablet down. “I just prefer to be ahead of things.”

Olivia studied me for a moment, her gaze trailing to the documents scattered across the table. “Is this the new product you’ve been working on?”

I nodded, unable to hide the excitement in my voice. “Yes, but it is still in the development stage. If everything goes the way I’m planning, then this will completely put us at the top of the market.”

Olivia’s brows lifted, a spark of excitement in her orbs as she stepped forward to examine the outlined and diagrams on the document.

“Wow, it’s that big?” she asked.

My eyes grew wide. “Bigger,” I grinned. “This could be the one thing that boosts Laurent Technologies for the next decade.”

Her gaze lingered on the document longer than I had expected, an unreadable expression on her face. She finally looked up at me, a smile settling on her lips.

“Well, if anyone can pull it off, it’s you.”

There was something about the way she said it that put a reassuring feeling in my chest. Olivia has always been like that, a supportive best friend and someone I knew I could rely on.

“Thanks Olivia,” I said, shooting her a soft smile.

She waved it off, moving to perch herself at the edge of my desk. “So when will you present it?”

“Soon enough,” I replied, glancing back at my tablet. “I just want to make some final changes before I present it to the board.”

“You mean before Damian takes it to the board,” she corrected after rolling her eyes.

I hesitated for a second before shrugging. “I mean, it doesn’t really matter who presents it. As long as it gets approved.”

Olivia tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she studied me. “Really? You honestly don’t mind?”

I shot her a small smile that didn’t feel genuine. “It is our company. His success is my success.”

Those words sounded right, but Olivia kept studying me. There was something about the way her gaze lingered too long on me and it felt like she was trying to pry into my mind.

“Well,” she sighed, pushing herself off the desk. “Just don’t let him take all the credit forever. You deserve some credit to, Sophie.”

I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I began to rearrange a few papers, avoiding her gaze as I forced a laugh. “Come on Olivia, you know I’m not doing this for recognition.”

“Maybe you should be,” she muttered.

I opened my mouth to speak when she pushed herself away from the desk and walked over to the door.

“I’ll catch you later, I need to get back to work before the boss scolds me again,” she grinned before walking out of the door.

I sighed softly and turned my attention back to work.

The rest of the day passed in a blur and I was buried in work for hours on end. The sun was already retreating away from the sky and the purple hue streaks of light cascaded over my office through the glass window.

Workers were already preparing to leave, but I was still buried in paperwork. My phone buzzed against the desk, pulling me away from work as I reached for it. Damian’s name flashed on the screen and I answered it without hesitation.

“Hey darling,” I said with a smile on my lips.

“Hey baby, I have a businesses meeting tonight,” he voice said through the phone. “You can go home first today.”

I frowned. “Okay, what time will you be back home?”

“Probably, very late,” he sighed. “Don’t bother waiting up for me.”

“Alright, I’ll see you later then.”

The call ended and I sighed through my nostrils, planning how I was going to spend the evening without my husband.

“Well,” Olivia’s voice rang through the air. “It looks like someone is free tonight.”

I looked up, raising a brow and I saw her standing by the door. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to know that I have time with my bestie today,” she grinned. “Come on, we’re going out. We’ll get dinner and some drinks. Anything that doesn’t involve staring at paperwork.”

I hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. “It’s not like I could refuse anyway.”

Olivia squealed and ran over to me, carrying my purse and pulling me out of the office. We walked out of the office building and into the city. Olivia drove us through the street, until we stopped at a large restaurant.

We hopped out of the car and walked into the restaurant. It was warm and inviting, the soft lighting making the atmosphere feel comfortable. We walked over to our table and sat down when I familiar voice caught my attention.

I snapped my head around, scanning the room when it landed on Damian. 

He sat a table across the room and his posture was relaxed in a way I hadn’t seen before. His attention was fully focused on the person sitting across from him.

My heart stopped.

It was Crystal.

I couldn’t think or breathe well as I stared at them, the image refusing to make any sense.

“Sophie? Are you okay?” Olivia asked, but her voice blurred into the background.

I didn’t answer, but there was only one question running through my mind.

Why was my husband having dinner with my sister?