By evening, William was back on the terrace, staring at the Guest House window. He hadn’t spoken to Sophie since breakfast. The “Divided Husband” was failing to hide his heart, and Sophie could no longer bear the humiliation of being the “Wife in Waiting”.
She grabbed her keys and drove out of the estate gates, escaping the suffocating atmosphere of the “Impossible House”. She didn’t go to a bar; she went to the one place that felt safe.
The clinic was quiet. Dr. Lucas Hale looked up from his chart as Sophie walked in, her eyes red-rimmed.
“He’s watching her window again, isn’t he?” Lucas asked softly.
Sophie nodded, collapsing into the chair opposite him. “I feel invisible, Lucas. I’m his wife, but I feel like I’m the mistress intruding on their tragedy.”
Lucas reached across the desk and took her hand. “You aren’t invisible to me, Sophie.”
For the first time, Sophie didn’t pull away. She let him hold her hand, finding warmth in the dynamic–seeking attention where she could find it, away from the man who was neglecting her for a ghost.