After I Walked Away
Anna · Ongoing · 326.0k Words
Introduction
After four years of supporting him to the top of the business world, she caught him with his adopted sister, Cecilia Jackson, on their anniversary.
In anger, he ripped up their divorce papers, thinking he could humiliate her into staying. But when Sophia vanished, armed with a terminal diagnosis and a cold heart, she returned as a stunning race car driver, shattering Nicholas's world.
Desperate to find her, he used every trick to keep her close, only to see the love in her eyes replaced by dreams of another man. As secrets from a tragic accident four years ago begin to surface, Nicholas wonders: Can he ever win her back?
Chapter 1
On their wedding anniversary, Sophia Brown discovered her husband, Nicholas Jackson, was cheating on her.
Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, she looked through a high-powered telescope and saw Nicholas walking into the presidential suite of a hotel with a young, beautiful girl.
The girl wore a white slip dress, had a slim figure, and her eyes carried an innocent, naive look.
"Just for this woman, Nicholas even forgot your wedding anniversary? What a jerk!"
Sophia's best friend, Scarlett Lewis, stood beside her, gritting her teeth in anger.
Sophia didn't say anything, just watched quietly.
The girl spilled a glass of champagne on her dress, cried out in surprise, then looked at Nicholas with a hurt expression.
Sophia thought Nicholas would probably get impatient.
Because he had always been cold and reserved, hating this kind of delicate, affected behavior. Even though she was his wife, he had zero tolerance for such acts.
But the next second, reality slapped her hard in the face.
Nicholas actually knelt down on one knee, pulled out a handkerchief from his suit pocket, and carefully wiped the wine stain on the girl's dress, his movements incredibly gentle.
The girl smiled happily, then playfully dipped her finger in some cake frosting and lightly dabbed it on Nicholas's straight nose.
Not only did Nicholas not get angry, but he also reached out and gently tapped the girl's nose with his finger.
The tenderness and affection in Nicholas's eyes were something Sophia had never seen before.
Sophia gently closed her eyes.
She remembered once, when she just wanted to help him straighten his tie in the study and accidentally messed up a stack of documents on his desk, Nicholas's face darkened, and he told her to leave.
So he wasn't incapable of tenderness—he just gave all his tenderness to someone else.
When she opened her eyes again, Nicholas had already gotten up and drawn the curtains. What would happen next was obvious.
Sophia's eyes were completely lifeless.
"Did you find out who she is?" she asked Scarlett calmly.
Scarlett pulled out the girl's information and handed it to her, "Her name is Cecilia Jackson. She's the adopted daughter that the Jackson family took in fifteen years ago. Nicholas has been extremely devoted to his sister since they were young."
She paused, then continued, "I heard Nicholas's grandmother got very angry when she discovered Cecilia and Nicholas were having an affair, so she sent Cecilia abroad to study for five years. She just came back recently and got together with Nicholas."
Sophia frowned slightly.
Five years?
She and Nicholas had been married for four years. No wonder she had never met Cecilia.
Nicholas was actually cheating right under her nose. Sophia wasn't going to let them off that easily.
She turned and took the tablet from Scarlett's hand. It showed Cecilia's detailed information.
"As soon as she came back, Nicholas bought her a villa, gave her the latest sports car, and even put her in charge of an art gallery under the Jackson Group." Scarlett looked at her. "Sophia, what are you planning to do?"
Sophia scrolled through the screen, her tone calm, "Of course... help them get what they want."
But only if Nicholas was willing to split the Jackson family assets with her.
She didn't want the business she had worked so hard to maintain to end up benefiting Cecilia.
Sophia collected herself and called Nicholas.
The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up. Nicholas's voice came through, slightly breathless, "What is it?"
Sophia lowered her eyes, "Today is our wedding anniversary. Are you coming home for dinner?"
Nicholas was silent for a moment.
Before Nicholas could answer, Cecilia's sweet, whiny voice came through the phone, "Nicholas, what are you doing? I'm so bored alone in bed."
A hint of panic flashed in Nicholas's voice, which quickly returned to coldness. "I still have things to deal with here. I'm hanging up."
The busy tone of disconnection came through the receiver.
Nicholas was as decisive as always, leaving no room for discussion.
Scarlett couldn't help but curse under her breath, "That's too much! They're actually still in bed."
Halfway through, realizing Sophia's expression was off, she immediately comforted her, "Sophia, don't be upset."
Sophia smiled faintly, "I'm not upset. Getting upset over a jerk like that isn't worth it."
She raised her head, a cold gleam flashing in her eyes, "Scarlett, help me copy the video of them entering the hotel. I'll need it later."
Scarlett nodded, "Okay!"
Sophia didn't say anything more. She turned her face toward the night view outside the window.
She still remembered four years ago, in the ancient church on the Azure Sea, Nicholas swore to the priest that he would love her forever and be faithful to her.
Looking back now, she just found it ridiculous.
Sophia didn't say anything out loud, but her heart felt like it was bleeding.
After returning home, she began drafting a divorce agreement on her computer. At that moment, Scarlett sent over the copied video.
When she saw Nicholas looking at Cecilia with such affection in the video again, she couldn't help but close it.
After all, she and Nicholas had been husband and wife for five years. She had accompanied him from being a playboy who only knew how to spend money to becoming an elite in the financial world. No one knew how much effort Sophia had put in.
During the hardest times, she even stayed up late working on proposals for Nicholas until she had a stomach hemorrhage.
When the Jackson Group was thriving, and Sophia thought her good days were coming, she was met with Nicholas's betrayal instead.
In Sophia's mind, she couldn't help but picture Nicholas's gentle expression as he wiped the stain from Cecilia's dress.
He probably preferred Cecilia's soft, sweet type more.
She frowned slightly, feeling ashamed of her current thoughts.
Just then, the bedroom door was gently pushed open.
Nicholas was back.
He stood in the doorway, wearing a custom-made black suit that made his figure look even taller and broader. Combined with his chiseled features and deep eyes, many women had thrown themselves at him over the years just for his looks.
But he had chosen Sophia.
Sophia thought she was the happiest woman in the world, but in the end, she became a stepping stone for another woman.
Nicholas walked in slowly and stood behind her. Through the mirror, he saw her curvy figure under her silk nightgown. He wrapped his arms around her waist, rested his chin in the curve of her neck, and said in a magnetic voice: "Still up this late? Were you waiting for me?"
As he finished speaking, he planted kisses all over Sophia's shoulder, his breathing irregular.
Thinking about how he had treated Cecilia the same way, Sophia felt a wave of nausea in her stomach. She broke free from his embrace and looked at him coldly, "Mr. Jackson, you really have great stamina. Just finished having sex with another woman, and now you want to have sex with me?"
Nicholas paused for a moment, then smiled."You mean that phone call during the day? That was my sister. She sprained her ankle, so she was sitting on the bed."
Sophia listened to him lie with no expression on her face, then laughed coldly."I've been married to you for four years. How come I didn't know you had a sister?"
Nicholas didn't want to continue this topic. He picked her up and placed her on the bed, his tall body covering hers.
"Isn't today our wedding anniversary?" Nicholas gently caressed her earlobe and whispered, "Let's have a baby, okay?"
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