Her Divorce, His Downfall (Sophia and Damian) novel Chapter 170

The questions piling up in her head gave her pause. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes before cold derision took its place.

“Then hurry up and marry her. Isn’t the engagement already happening?”

“Just hear me out.” Damian didn’t argue back. His eyes held nothing but sincerity as he continued, “Aaron was my personal bodyguard. When I was ten, I was kidnapped by my father’s enemy. Aaron took a bullet for me and saved my life.

“Before he died, he gave me a pendant. He told me it was one of a pair. If a girl ever came to me carrying the other half, I was to take care of his goddaughter no matter what.

“I swore an oath to him on his deathbed that I’d protect her for the rest of my life. Later, Isabelle showed up with that pendant, and that’s how I found out she was Aaron’s goddaughter.

“I couldn’t betray Aaron’s dying wish. So I covered for her again and again, no matter how spoiled or reckless she got. I cleaned up every mess she made, no questions asked.”

He paused, his tone softening with a deep, helpless weariness.

“There’s nothing between Isabelle and me. I never touched her.

11:37

The only reason I looked after her was because I made a promise

to Aaron. That’s it. Nothing more.”

Sophia listened in silence, her face betraying nothing. The only sign was her fingers, clenched so tight her knuckles had gone white.

Maybe everything Damian said was true. But so what?

The damage he and Isabelle had done to her was real. It had happened. No amount of explanation could erase it.

A faint ripple of something, a twinge of bitterness stirred by his raw sincerity, rose inside her. It lasted only a moment before resentment swallowed it whole.

She let out a cold scoff and stared straight at him, her eyes dripping with contempt.

“So? Am I supposed to applaud you for being so noble and loyal? Your promise? You threw me away for a promise.

“You watched her get me killed for a promise. Damian, your precious promise is a joke.”

“I know. My promise is no excuse. The reason I saved her first was because she faked being unconscious and tricked me. That woman is despicable.”

The memory of what Isabelle had said in the hospital om 11:37

made Damian’s teeth clench with rage.

If he had proof that she wasn’t Aaron’s goddaughter, he would have strangled her right there in that hospital bed.

She couldn’t die yet. He still hadn’t unraveled the mystery surrounding her.

Once he had the whole truth, no matter who she turned out to be, he would give Sophia the reckoning she deserved.

He steadied himself and added, “The moment I got her out, I turned right around to go back for you. But the building had already collapsed. They held me back. They wouldn’t let me go

1. in.

“Then the fire department arrived. Sophia, believe me. How could I possibly abandon my own wife?”

“Is that so?” Sophia’s brow creased. Her voice was flat, stating a simple fact. “And yet you did abandon your wife. You let me die in that fire.”

“Sophia, I’m sorry, I was wrong. Completely, inexcusably wrong.”

Damian didn’t try to argue. He dropped his gaze, his jaw tight, his eyes swimming with regret.

3/6

11:37

“These past months without you, I’ve been barely alive. I regret it. I truly regret it. I keep asking myself, if I’d saved you first in that fire, would everything be different?”

“There is no ‘if.‘ There’s only the fact that you chose your debt of gratitude over me.” Sophia raised an eyebrow and let a careless smile cross her lips.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Mr. Hall is about to get engaged to

his savior’s goddaughter. I wish you both a long and happy marriage.”

“It’s not real.” Damian looked at her steadily, his expression solemn. “The engagement with Isabelle is fake. It’s part of a plan.”

“Not real?” Sophia’s eyes didn’t hold a single ripple. Her lips curved, but there was no warmth in the smile.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify