Game Over No Second Chances novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20

SOFIA’S POV

I finally got back home to my apartment and slipped my shoes off by the door, letting out a long sigh. Geez, the whole day had been exhausting. My feet were sore, my back ached, and the tension in my shoulders felt like stone. But despite it all, I felt good actually, better than good. I felt satisfied.

Because today, I’d finally done something I’d been wanting to do for so long. I had faced that so-called wife of Ethan’s – Lauren – and shown her, without saying it outright, that I wasn’t just another fling he’d hide away in the dark. No, I was different. I was the woman carrying his child. That fact alone changed everything. It gave me leverage, power – a path forward that belonged to me and no one else.

I made my way over to the fridge and pulled out a chilled bottle of orange juice. I found a clean glass, set it gently on the counter, and poured myself a drink, As I watched the juice swirl and settle, a small, satisfied smile curved across my lips. I really am the ultimate needle mover, I thought to myself, lifting the glass and taking a slow sip.

It all felt like a game I’d planned years ago finally starting to play out exactly the way I’d imagined. I leaned against the counter and let my mind drift back, back to when this was all just an idea, a tiny seed waiting to grow.

A few years ago, things weren’t like this. Back then, I’d just gotten out of a messy relationship with an ex who, frankly, never really cared about me. In fact, none of the men I’d been with after Ethan had cared. They only wanted one thing-sex- and once they got it, they’d vanish, block my number, or act like y’d never existed. It used to sting at first, but over time, I got used to it. It’s just how men were.

And even though I hated to admit it, somewhere deep down, I knew Ethan was the only guy who ever really looked at me like I mattered. Not just my body, but me. But then reality would slap me in the face – he was just too broke.

I mean, look at me: I’ve always believed I was meant to live like a queen. I deserve the best clothes, dinners, vacations – everything. And how could Ethan possibly give me that when he couldn’t even take care of himself properly? At that time, he was struggling to keep his family’s dying business alive. He’d spend nights worrying about bills while I dreamed about luxury.

So yes, I left. Some people might call me cruel, say I was heartless, or that I was only ever there for the money – but what was I supposed to do? Stay and

struggle? Live paycheck to paycheck? I was thinking about my future and the future of my children. Because if a man can’t take care of me now, how could he ever take care of a family later? I told myself back then, never again. Never again would I settle for a man without wealth. I would rather stay

single than tie myself to someone poor.

And for a while, I kept that promise to myself. But everything changed three years after I left Ethan.

I remember that day so clearly – it had been an especially bad day. I had just gotten back from a job interview that felt pointless. My feet were killing me because I’d worn heels all day, and by the time I got home, all I wanted was to sink into my couch.

I kicked off my shoes, let my tired body fall onto the cushions, and turned on the TV, hoping to forget about the day. And that’s when I saw him.

Ethan Black.

Except… he wasn’t the same Ethan I’d known in college. No, this Ethan was different. He looked taller somehow, his shoulders broader, and his eyes filled with a new kind of quiet power. His dark hair was slicked back perfectly, and his tailored suit looked like it cost more than half my year’s rent. Even the small details – the watch on his wrist, the polished shoes, the neat fold of a pocket square – screamed wealth.

My heart actually stopped for a moment. That confidence, the way he carried himself… it wasn’t something you could fake. He had finally become the man I’d always hoped he would become after his parents’ business went bankrupt.

And seeing him like that made something spark deep inside me again. All those nights I’d convinced myself I was better off, all those words I’d told myself about him being useless- they slipped away, replaced by a single thought: I want him back.

Then what really caught my attention was when he announced the opening of his company headquarters – Black Corporations.

The name hit me like a train, jolting through my memory. It sounded so damn familiar, like a distant echo from a life I’d almost forgotten. I sat there frozen, staring at the TV screen as my mind raced to remember.

Where had I heard it before?

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Then it came back to me -clear as day.

He told me about it once, back when we were still dating in college. It was late at night, after one of those expensive dinners he loved to take me on, when we were sitting in his old car. I barely listened, to be honest. My attention was buried in my phone, scrolling through Gucci dresses and designer handbags, picturing how perfect they’d look on me.

But he was so passionate when he spoke about it. His voice lit up like a kid dreaming of the stars. He called it Black Corporations – said it was going to be his greatest achievement, the legacy he’d leave behind.

At the time, I didn’t think much of it. To me, it was just another young guy rambling about dreams that would probably never come true. After all, talk is cheap. Everyone had plans, but very few ever made them real.

I let out a small, surprised scoff, half laughing at my own disbelief. “So he actually built it,” I whispered under my breath, the words tasting strange on my

tongue.

Did I… make a mistake leaving him too early?

For the first time in years, the thought crawled into my head, refusing to leave.

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