Evil twin won
The Caldwell villa was unusually quiet, save for the sharp commands Sophia was barking at the servants.
"Get rid of that rug," she snapped, pointing to the intricately woven piece in the corner of the living room. "Evelyn always loved sitting there with her books. And that vase—she picked it out. Toss it. Everything that reminds anyone of her goes. Do you understand?"
The servants hesitated for a moment, exchanging nervous glances. Evelyn had been kind to them, always asking after their families and treating them like people rather than mere staff. But Sophia's sharp glare left no room for argument, and they reluctantly obeyed.
Sophia watched with satisfaction as each item was hauled away, her lips curling into a slight smirk. This was her moment. Finally, Evelyn's presence would be erased from the house—and from Hunter's life.
The sound of the front door opening made her pause. Hunter walked in, loosening his tie, his expression weary. But as his gaze swept the room, his tired eyes sharpened.
“What the hell is going on here?” he demanded, his tone colder than Sophia had expected.
She quickly replaced her smirk with a wide-eyed, pitiful expression. “Hunter! You’re home.” She coughed lightly into her hand, her cheeks flushing as if she were embarrassed. “I—I didn’t want to bother you with this. It’s just… I thought it would be better for you if Evelyn’s things weren’t here anymore.”
His jaw tightened, his gaze shifting to the empty spaces where Evelyn’s cherished items once were. “Better for me? Who asked you to throw her stuff?”
Sophia stepped closer, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I just thought… every time you see something of hers, it must hurt. It must remind you of how things ended. I only wanted to help you move on.” She coughed again, this time more dramatically, placing a hand on her chest, acting to be sick.
Hunter’s anger faltered. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sophia, you can’t just throw things away without asking me.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I just... I know how much you’re hurting, even if you won’t admit it. After all you loved her so much,” She looked up at him, her expression soft and vulnerable. “I only want what’s best for you.”
Hunter stared at her, his annoyance wavering. She looked so frail, so genuinely concerned. Guilt clawed at him. After all, Sophia had always been there for him, hadn’t she? Even when he was married to Evelyn.
“It’s fine,” he said finally, though his tone lacked conviction. “I won’t be heartbroken over Evelyn’s things. She and I… we didn’t love each other anyway.”
Sophia’s eyes widened slightly, and she clasped her hands in front of her. “Do you mean that, Hunter? Really?”
He hesitated, sensing the weight of her question. “Yeah,” he said, though the word felt heavy on his tongue. He didn't understand why he felt he was lying.
There were never any romantic feelings between him and Evelyn. Not any he remembers. He always considered their relationship as mere business and he believed that Evelyn thought like this too.
Sophia has always told him how much of a bully Evelyn was to her all of her life. And that's why he never wanted to do anything with her. He doesn't like people like her who hurt others. Sophia is sick and yet Evelyn always tries to hurt her.
Yes, he doesn't love Evelyn. Why would he love her?
So, then why does it hurt whenever he thinks of her crying face? Why does his chest feel heavy thinking how they'll divorce soon and she will never come back to him?
Sophia’s gaze dropped to the floor, and she took a step closer, her voice trembling just enough to sound sincere.
“Hunter… when you said in front of Evelyn that you would marry me, did you mean it? Or was it just something you said to hurt her?”
His stomach tightened. He had spoken those words without thinking, more out of anger and frustration than any real intention. “I…” He looked away, unable to meet her gaze. “I wasn’t really thinking when I said it.”
Sophia’s lip quivered, and her eyes filled with tears. She turned away, as though she didn’t want him to see her cry. “I understand. I suppose I was just being foolish to hope… to think that you might really want me.”
Hunter felt a pang of guilt as she coughed again, this time covering her face with her hands.
“Sophia…” he began, his voice softening.
She turned back to him, her expression a mixture of sadness and hope. “I know I’m not as perfect as Evelyn,” she whispered. “But I’ve always cared for you, Hunter. Always. Even when I knew I didn’t stand a chance. And I would never expect you to love me. I know how hard that would be for you. But if you… if you think there’s even the slightest chance that we could have something, I’d be the happiest woman in the world.”
Hunter stared at her, his mind racing. He didn’t love Sophia. But she was loyal, wasn’t she? She had been by his side through everything, even when Evelyn hadn’t. And looking at her now—so fragile, so devoted—he felt something akin to sympathy. Maybe it wasn’t love, but wasn’t sympathy enough?
“Maybe,” he said slowly, more to himself than to her. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.”
Sophia’s eyes lit up, and before he could say another word, she threw her arms around him. “Oh, Hunter! You’ve made me so happy,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest.
He hesitated, then patted her back awkwardly.
Over her shoulder, Sophia’s lips curled into a triumphant smirk. Years of planning, scheming, and waiting had finally paid off. Evelyn was out of the picture, and she had Hunter right where she wanted him.
She thought back to the day her father had insisted on marrying Hunter to Evelyn instead of her. She had been furious, but she’d played her part, biding her time. And now, she was the one standing beside him.
As Hunter sighed, clearly conflicted, Sophia tightened her grip on him. She wasn’t going to let him slip away now.
This was her victory.