The Aftermath

Chapter 3: The Aftermath

I stared at the ceiling in my childhood bedroom, the faint scent of lavender from the diffuser doing nothing to calm my racing thoughts. The events of the night before replayed in my head like a twisted horror movie on loop. Liam’s devastated face, the incriminating images, and Angel’s mocking laughter—they all haunted me.

I had lost everything. My fiancé. My reputation. And perhaps, most painfully, Liam’s trust.

The scandal continued to ripple through my life like a stone cast into still water, leaving destruction in its wake. I was losing everything—my fiancé, my dignity, and even the family unity I had always depended on. But I refused to let it end this way.

I couldn’t just sit by while Liam believed a lie. I had to face him, no matter how much it terrified me.

Early the next morning, I dressed carefully in a simple yet elegant outfit—a white blouse and navy blue pencil skirt. I didn’t want to look too formal, but I also didn’t want to seem like I was trying too hard. My heart pounded as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

“Are you sure about this?” my mother asked as she entered my room.

I turned to her, nodding firmly. “I have to try, Mum. He has to hear my side of the story.”

Her face softened with concern. “You’ve already called him, and he didn’t pick up. What if he refuses to see you?”

“Then I’ll wait for him,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “I can’t just give up.”

She sighed, pulling me into a hug. “Be strong, Sophia. Whatever happens, remember that we’re here for you.”

I arrived at Liam’s office just before noon. His company’s towering glass building loomed above me, a cold and imposing structure that mirrored the emotional distance between us.

The receptionist gave me a hesitant look as I approached. “Good afternoon. Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but it’s urgent,” I said, forcing a polite smile. “Please, just let him know that Sophia is here to see him.”

The receptionist’s eyes flickered with recognition, her expression shifting to one of awkward pity. “I’m sorry, Miss, but Mr. Liam is currently in a meeting. I can’t disturb him.”

My resolve hardened. “I’ll wait.”

Two hours later, I was still sitting in the lobby, my legs aching from the uncomfortable chair. People bustled past me, casting curious glances in my direction, but I didn’t care.

Finally, I saw him. Liam stepped out of the elevator, his broad shoulders and confident stride commanding attention. For a brief moment, hope flared in my chest.

“Liam!” I called out, rushing toward him.

He stopped, his expression darkening as he saw me. “What are you doing here, Sophia?”

“Please, I need to talk to you,” I said, desperation lacing my voice. “Just give me five minutes.”

He hesitated, glancing around at the watching eyes. “Fine,” he said curtly. “My office.”

The atmosphere in his office was suffocating. He stood by the window, his back to me, while I sat nervously in one of the leather chairs.

“Say what you need to say,” he said, his tone cold.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Liam, I didn’t do this. I swear to you, I have no idea how those photos came to be. You have to believe me.”

He turned to face me, his eyes filled with anger and hurt. “Do you think I’m a fool, Sophia? Those pictures aren’t just rumors—they’re evidence.”

“Evidence of what?” I countered, my voice trembling. “That I was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Liam, I don’t even remember what happened that night. Someone is trying to ruin us!”

His jaw tightened, and he crossed his arms. “And why would someone go to such lengths to do that, huh? If it’s not true, then why were you in his bed?”

“I don’t know!” I cried, tears streaming down my face. “But I would never betray you, Liam. You know me better than that.”

“Do I?” he asked bitterly. “Because right now, I’m not so sure.”

His words cut deeper than I expected. I stood up, my hands clenched into fists. “Liam, we’ve been together for three years. Three years! Do you really think I’d throw all of that away for one mistake—one night that I can’t even explain?”

He stared at me, his expression unreadable. “People change, Sophia. Maybe I didn’t know you as well as I thought I did.”

The silence that followed was unbearable.

“Liam,” I said softly, stepping closer to him. “Please, don’t let this destroy us. If you don’t believe me, then investigate it. Find out the truth. But don’t shut me out like this.”

He turned away, his shoulders tense. “I can’t do this right now,” he said quietly.

“What does that mean?” I asked, my voice cracking.

“It means we’re done, Sophia. I can’t marry someone I can’t trust.”

I felt the ground shift beneath me as his words sank in. “Liam, please—”

“Leave,” he said, cutting me off. “I need you to leave.”

Tears blurred my vision as I stumbled out of his office, the weight of his rejection pressing down on me like a vice.

Angel’s POV

Sophia’s shattered expression haunted my mind long after I saw her coming back from Liam’s office. A part of me wanted to revel in the glory of her pain immediately, but I knew patience was key. The real joy would come later when everything truly fell apart.

I settled into my plush couch, a glass of wine in hand, replaying the events of the engagement night in my head like a perfectly scripted movie. It hadn’t been easy to pull off, but every moment of planning was worth it.

How could someone so naïve ever think she could outshine me her elder sister?

Sophia thought she had it all—a doting fiancé, her precious engagement party, the admiration of everyone around her. She was the golden girl, basking in the kind of love and attention I could only dream of. And that’s exactly why she had to fall.

The idea had struck me two weeks before the engagement party. I was supposed to help Sophia with some of the arrangements—flowers, guest lists, you name it. That was when I overheard her casually talking about Liam’s business connections and the high-profile guests he was inviting. She didn’t know it, but she handed me the perfect weapon.

One name stood out: Lucas, the elusive billionaire. He was known for his eccentric behavior and unpredictable personality. A recluse most of the time, but when he showed up, chaos followed. Rumor had it he drank too much at social events and didn’t always remember what happened afterward.

Perfect.

The night of the engagement party, I put everything in motion. I watched Sophia like a hawk, waiting for the perfect moment. She was radiant, as usual, wearing her designer gown and glowing with excitement. The attention she received was nauseating.

I planned it with one of the guest.

It was almost too easy to slip the sedative into her glass while she chatted with some guests. Nothing too strong—just enough to make her groggy and disoriented.

As the night progressed, I guided her toward one of the private rooms upstairs, feigning concern.

“You look tired, Sophia,” I said with fake warmth. “Maybe you should rest for a bit. There’s a quiet room upstairs where you can lie down. I’ll take care of everything here.”

She nodded weakly, trusting me like the fool she was.

What she didn’t know was that Lucas was already in that room. I had no idea why he was there, but luck seemed to be on my side that night. He was drunk, slumped on the couch, looking every bit the careless playboy he was rumored to be.

I slipped out of the room as soon as Sophia stumbled in, closing the door behind her.

“Good luck, sweetheart,” I murmured under my breath, a wicked smile spreading across my face.

The next step was capturing the evidence. I didn’t do it myself, of course. That would’ve been too risky. Instead, I paid one of the waitstaff a hefty sum to “check on the guests” and discreetly snap a few photos of Sophia and Alexander in the compromising position I knew was inevitable.

The photos turned out better than I could’ve hoped. Sophia lying on the bed, dazed and disoriented, with Lucas on her, shirt unbuttoned and a drink in his hand. It was a scene made for scandal.

Watching Liam’s reaction to the photos was a masterpiece in itself. His fury, his disbelief—it was everything I had envisioned. And Sophia? She looked like a ghost, her world crumbling around her in real-time.

But the best part? No one suspected me. I was just the helpful friend, the concerned bystander.

Now that the seeds of doubt were planted, I needed to act fast. Sophia was stubborn, and I knew she wouldn’t give up on Liam easily. She’d try to explain, to clear her name. But Liam wouldn’t listen—not when I was there to gently nudge him further away from her.

The next phase of my plan was simple: make myself indispensable to Liam.

As I poured myself another glass of wine, I thought about Sophia’s devastated face one more time. The joy of her downfall was intoxicating, but I wasn’t done yet.

Sophia’s engagement might have been ruined, but her life wasn’t destroyed—not yet. I wanted her to lose everything: my family’s trust, her friends, her career. And when she had nothing left, I would take Liam for myself.

This was only the beginning.