No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 39

SOFIA'S POV

I had gotten home from the hospital when the adrenaline began to fade, replaced by something sweeter, something warmer. Victory.

Everything had gone exactly as planned. Almost too perfectly.

I stepped out of my shoes in the hallway, my feet aching a little from how quickly I had rushed out earlier, but it didn’t matter now. I placed my handbag on the table, took a deep breath, and smiled to myself.

The house felt different tonight. Lighter, calmer. As if the very air could sense that a nuisance had been removed from our path.

I walked over to the window and drew the curtains halfway, letting the glow of the evening lights spill across the living room. My heart still pounded in my chest — not from fear, but from excitement. Relief.

Finally, things were falling into place.

My phone buzzed, breaking the silence. It was Vee.

“On my way, babe.”

Perfect. She never kept me waiting.

I sent her a quick reply, telling her the door would be unlocked for her, and walked over to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water. My hand trembled a little as I lifted the glass to my lips, but it wasn’t guilt. It was anticipation.

Ten minutes later, the door clicked open, and there she was — Vee, in her ripped black jeans and an oversized t-shirt, her hair tied up carelessly. She had that curious look in her eyes, the one she always had when she knew I had something juicy to share.

“Well?” she said, dropping her purse on the couch, not even bothering to sit yet. “Tell me everything. Don’t leave a single thing out.”

I let out a soft laugh, feeling lighter just by having her here.

“You might want to sit for this,” I teased, and she rolled her eyes but did as I said, sinking into the armchair across from me.

“So?” she pressed. “Did it work?”

I walked over, sat opposite her, crossing my legs. “It worked,” I said, my lips curling into a smile I couldn’t hide even if I wanted to. “It worked better than I could have imagined.”

Vee’s eyes lit up, and she leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “Tell me. Tell me everything.”

I took a slow breath, reliving every detail in my mind. “I sent Ethan that message. Told him I was bleeding and rushed to the hospital. Of course, he panicked and drove straight there like the lovesick fool he is.”

Vee chuckled, “Naturally.”

“Exactly. And while he was busy worrying about me and our baby, that gave the assassin the window he needed. Elena was left all alone, completely unprotected. And… he did it.”

Vee whistled low under her breath. “Wow. So it’s really done, then?”

“It’s done,” I said, my voice almost a whisper now. “She’s Dead, Vee. Really gone.”

A heavy silence hung between us for a moment, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. It was thick with satisfaction, shared understanding.

“Thank you,” I said finally, my eyes meeting hers. “For giving me his contact. He did an incredible job, honestly. Quick, clean… and he even sent me proof.”

“No,” I said without hesitation. “Ethan is too blinded by his own grief and by what I show him. And the assassin you gave me — he’s a professional. He made sure there was nothing to trace back to me. Ethan might blame himself forever for leaving her alone, but he’ll never suspect me.”

Vee’s smile widened. “You really thought this through, didn’t you?”

“I had to,” I said, my voice calm, almost cold. “I’m not going to let my child grow up competing for his father’s love. Now, there’s nothing in the way.”

Vee leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. “So what happens next?”

“Now,” I said, my voice softer, “I wait. I stay by Ethan’s side. I comfort him. I remind him that we’re still a family, that our baby needs him. And when he finally divorces Lauren — and he will, after this — then it’ll be just us. Me, Ethan, and our child.”

“And the guilt?” she asked gently, though I knew she already knew the answer.

“There is none,” I whispered. “I did what had to be done. A mother protects her child’s future, Vee. And if that means removing someone from the way, then so be it.”

Vee reached across and squeezed my hand gently. “I’m proud of you,” she said. “And your baby will thank you one day. For fighting for them.”

A soft, satisfied smile touched my lips. “I know.”

We sat in silence for a few moments, the only sound the faint hum of the air conditioner. Outside, the world kept moving, completely unaware of what had happened to the life I’d taken, and the future I’d secured.

But I didn’t care. To me, this wasn’t cruelty. It was love. Ruthless love, maybe, but love all the same.

Elena’s existence would have always been a threat to what truly mattered — me, Ethan, and our child. And now, that threat was gone.