Chapter 1 Cheating On Her

In Hillridge, everyone knew that Ian Sheffield's love for Sophia Chance bordered on obsession. Ian had severe germaphobia. Unless it was Sophia, nobody was allowed to get close to him. Once, a female secretary deliberately brushed his hand while passing him a document. He fired her on the spot and ordered her blacklisted across the entire industry. After that, he locked himself in the bathroom and scrubbed himself over and over until his skin split and bled before he finally stopped. But around Sophia, he was like a different man. Sophia loved flowers, so he planted them himself, even if it meant getting filthy. He even filled an entire mountainside with blooms for her. If she couldn't finish her food, he'd take it from her without the slightest hesitation, as though it were something he was grateful for. That was why everyone believed Ian was the one man who would never cheat, and yet he did. He'd even kept his mistress hidden for five full years. The woman was six years older than him and a single mother to a child. In the photos, Ian gently wiped crumbs from her mouth, and they appeared to be a happy little family of three. Sophia didn't cry, nor did she make a scene. She simply tossed the divorce agreement and the photos in front of him. "Sign it. We're getting a divorce. Everything should be split down the middle." Her hands were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. The pain was the only thing keeping her from losing the last thread of clarity she had left. However, Ian's casual attitude felt like someone had taken a knife and driven it straight into her heart. "Don't be dramatic, Sophia," he said, barely glancing at the photos. He even chuckled. "Let me get through this busy stretch first, and then I'll spend time with you. Wherever you want to go, we'll go." He spoke as though she were merely throwing a childish tantrum. The next second, his phone rang with a call from his secretary, Gabriel Whittaker. "Mr. Sheffield, Ms. Henderson and Ollie are missing." Ian's expression changed instantly. The panic in his eyes, visible behind his gold-rimmed glasses, made everything unmistakably clear. He looked up sharply at Sophia, whose face had gone paper-white, and in that instant, he understood. His expression darkened, and his tone turned interrogatory. "Where did you take them?" The air in the study seemed to freeze as a thick silence fell over them. Sophia didn't answer. Her gaze drifted to the divorce agreement. "Sophia, the Sheffield family doesn't do divorce. We only do widowhood. I'm not agreeing to this. Besides, I need a presentable wife," Ian said, his voice gentler now, but the pressure behind it was unmistakable, his words dripping with venom. Sophia thought he'd back down, but she'd underestimated just how ruthless he could be. Ian had her only sister, Rosalie Chance, tied to the back of a Ferrari. "My patience has its limits," he said. Sophia was pinned down by several bodyguards, her eyes red with fury as she screamed, "Ian, let my sister go! I'll tell you where they are!" She gave him what he wanted, but he still didn't stop. "Sophia, you went too far this time. There needs to be a punishment. They're a widowed woman and a child. They were never going to threaten your position as Mrs. Sheffield." As his words fell, the Ferrari's engine roared to life, then came the blood-curdling screams. Sophia fought and sobbed and begged, but none of it mattered. Rosalie was dragged for five full kilometers before the car finally stopped. Sophia collapsed beside her, shaking as she gathered her sister into her arms, staring at the blood and mangled flesh until the last strand of reason inside her snapped. Rosalie was rushed into the hospital, and the operating room light stayed on for 12 straight hours. Sophia called Ian again and again for help. At that point, she only wanted one thing, and it was for her sister to live. Unfortunately, every call was rejected. She slid down against the wall, hollow and numb, and dialed the number of Ian's sworn enemy, Theodore Hayes. "Help us leave Ian for good," she said. There was a brief pause on the other end. "Help you how? What's in it for me?" "60% of Sheffield Group's shares." Theodore didn't hesitate. "Deal. In seven days, I'll have someone get you out, and I guarantee Ian Sheffield will never find you again."