by Emma Easter
Chasing After Destiny
The Destiny Series Book 4
Emma Easter
Chasing After Destiny
(The Destiny Series 4)
Emma Easter
CKN Christian Publishing
An Imprint of Wolfpack Publishing
6032 Wheat Penny Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89122
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, other than brief quotes for reviews.
Kindle Edition
Copyright © 2020
CKN Christian Publishing
Characters, places and incidents are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN 978-1-64734-706-2
Contents
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
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Chapter 1
Sofia Ross finished cooking dinner for her and George and hurriedly went to set it on the dining table. She smiled as she inhaled the delicious aroma of the spaghetti carbonara, and then went back into the kitchen to get the Caesar salad she had made earlier in the day that she’d kept in the refrigerator. She took it to the dining room and placed it beside the spaghetti.
Lighting a few scented candles, she turned off the lights in the dining and living rooms and stepped back to inspect how everything looked. She smiled at the romantic ambience of the place. She never cooked, but she’d decided to cook today because she wanted to pamper George. She hadn’t seen him in what seemed like forever. She missed him so much and couldn’t wait to see him again after his three-week business trip to Southeast Asia. Excitement ran through her as she glanced at the clock on the wall. Soon, George would be here.
She walked out of the dining room to the bedroom, and for the hundredth time, she straightened the sheets and rearranged the rose petals she had scattered across the bed. Her body tingled with anticipation as she thought about spending the night with George. It had been such a long time since they were together. She smiled as she imagined waking up next to him. She had Skyped a couple of times with him, but she was eagerly looking forward to finally having him physically present with her.
She went to stand in front of the full-length mirror near the bedroom door and gazed at herself. She ran her hand through her bangs and fluffed her dark hair for the umpteenth time. Fingering her pink lingerie and the matching silk robe she wore over it, the one George had bought her on their last trip together to Italy, she couldn’t help smiling. Once again, waves of excitement and anticipation ran through her as she remembered his phone call earlier that day. He had told her he was back in town and wanted to see her immediately because he had something important to tell her. She could already guess what it was. She’d been telling herself to calm down since he called. But it had been hard to hold down her excitement until he arrived at her apartment. She hadn’t stopped smiling since then as she imagined him proposing to her. She would finally be able to marry the man she loved so much after years of being the other woman and having to hide their relationship because of his wife.
For a long moment, she frowned at the thought of George’s wife. Anger and bitterness raced through her as she recalled how much of a thorn in her flesh the woman had been over the years. She had used threats and tears to get George to stay with her, even after she found out about their affair. What sort of woman did that? She had held on tightly to George and threatened to leave him, taking their children with her. George worked as the CEO of her father’s company, and she had also threatened to have George fired if he did not break off the affair. At the time, George had promised his wife that he would end their affair, but of course he had done no such thing. They both loved each other very much, which was something his wife didn’t understand.
Sofia sighed and went to sit on the bed. For a few years after they started dating, she had refused to admit that she loved George because she wanted to maintain some level of emotional freedom, and she was afraid of having her heart broken. She’d wanted to protect herself, especially because she had struggled with depression for as long as she could remember. Most people didn’t know that about her because she was outwardly a very jovial person. But from time to time, when something unexpected happened and life seemed too hard to bear, she’d gone to a very dark place and become suicidal. Thankfully, she’d never physically hurt herself, though she’d done so emotionally.
She sighed again. She’d finally opened her heart about two years ago and decided to admit to herself that she loved George. Finally, she could now rest in the knowledge that she would never lose him, that they would be together forever. He had probably found a way to escape the clutches of that woman. He was talented and a hard worker. He would find some other job easily. He didn’t have to work for his wife’s — hopefully soon ex-wife’s — father.
Her mind went to George’s three children, and a thread of guilt went through her. What would they think about their father divorcing their mom? And what would they think about her, the other woman who had “stolen” their father’s heart?
She pressed her lips tightly together and shut her eyes, unable to shake the guilt that had gripped her. His youngest child was just seven. Would the fact that his parents were soon going to be separated affect him? It was one of the things she worried about whenever she thought of one day being able to finally marry George. She bit her lips, exhaled, and then forced the guilt out of her mind. George was a good father. He did not have to be married to his children’s mother in order to be actively involved in their lives.
A smile tugged at her lips, and she gave in to it. She had every right to be pleased that she and George would finally be able to take the next step in their relationship. She went to stand in front of the mirror again and gazed at herself. She checked her hair again, and then applied a fresh layer of lip gloss.
Being away from George for so long had made her realize not just how much she loved him, but that she could not live without him. Once he was divorced, they would not have to keep enduring the pain and frustration they felt whenever he had to stay away from her for a while because his wife was getting suspicious about their affair. Now, they could both openly let everyone know that they were together, that they would be together forever.
Happiness flooded her. She could not wait to be his wife, and she was itching to tell someone about what she suspected — that he was going to ask her to marry him today. If only Lily were here so she could share her good news once George proposed. But Lily was away on her honeymoon and would not be back anytime soon. She had been slightly envious of Lily when Lily told her about her wedding and subsequent honeymoon, but not anymore. Soon, it would be her turn.
She smiled in self-mockery as she thought about Lily’s reaction to her good news. Lily would not par
ticularly think it was ‘good news.’ Lily was a goody-two-shoes and extremely religious. She had never been a fan of her relationship with George because George was married. Maybe it was for the best that Lily wasn’t here.
Sofia exhaled. She was still dying to share her news with someone, but she had no one else who she truly yearned to share it with. She had a lot of acquaintances and friends, but none were as trustworthy and as caring as Lily was. The only other person she could think to call once George proposed was Edith, her college friend. But Edith was unpredictable and sometimes abrasive. Sofia could never be sure of her reaction. She could be happy for her or she could tell her that George was a jerk and that marrying him would be a mistake. Yes, Lily also didn’t approve of her relationship with George, but at least she spoke out her disapproval with less vehemence. Edith, on the other hand, was nice and complimentary to George one day, and the next she was calling him names.
Sofia left the bedroom again and went to the dining room. She sat at the table and looked at the food she had set for her and George. She hoped he would like her cooking and that she could persuade him to spend the night with her. He had rented this apartment for her a few years ago, gotten her the job she now had in a sister company to the one where he worked, and taken her on multiple trips abroad. In general, he treated her like a princess. Virtually all she had now had been bought by him. He was such a generous man.
Her mind went back to when they first met about five years ago. She’d been twenty-one then, while he’d been about to turn forty. She had met him at an acquaintance’s housewarming party. He’d walked over to her and, without mincing words, had asked her out. She had refused immediately, but she had not been able to get rid of him. She’d met him again on two other occasions. Whether it was coincidental or he had planned it all because of her, she still didn’t know. As much as she tried to put him at arm’s length because she was afraid he was too old for her, his wooing had been constant and persistent.
She was not very pleased when he appeared at her door some days later, but for some reason, she let him into the tiny apartment she shared with another girl. He was such a perfect gentleman that when he came back days later, she let him come in again.
After that he became a regular at her apartment and showered her with gifts regularly. And then he got her a job, for which she was forever grateful to him. He was so charming, even though he was much older than her, that she had been unable to resist his wooing for long. They soon began dating and gradually became inseparable.
She’d found out he was married a month after, but by then she’d been too into him to really care. However, she soon began to care a year or so later, when she’d started to vie for more and more of his time with his wife.
She sighed. At least all that would be over soon. Once his divorce was through, she would not have to compete with his wife for his attention anymore. Soon she would be his wife, and they would be able to take their trips abroad without being afraid that someone who knew him would spot them together and report back.
She frowned as she glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already eight-thirty. George had told her he would he here by eight o’clock.
Where are you, George?
She sighed again. Hopefully his wife was not the cause of his delay. That woman had no shame. He had probably told her that he wanted a divorce, and she was most likely pleading with him, trying to get him to stay with her, or threatening to tell her father and get him fired from his job and then leave with their kids. It was exactly what she had told him when she’d found out about the affair.
Sofia pursed her lips. George had told her that his wife had cried and threatened him until he was forced to let her have her way. But he had told her that it would never happen again. He’d told her that he would leave his wife in a month, once he was able to put his finances and some other stuff he was working on together. It was more than a month now. Sofia was confident that he was finally ready to make her his wife as soon as possible, and that meant filing for a divorce.
Once again she glanced at the clock on the wall, and then began to grow worried. Why was it taking so long? It wasn’t typical of him. He was a man who liked to keep time. She placed her hand on her forehead as troubling thoughts ran through her mind. What if George had given in to his wife’s threats again?
No, that was impossible. George had given her his word that he would let his wife know that he wanted a divorce as soon as possible and that he wanted to marry her. He would not give in to his wife’s manipulation. He wouldn’t do that again. And he loved her dearly and couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her.
She glanced at the clock again and fear gripped her. Why wasn’t George here? Where was he?
Where are you, my love? She was itching to have him here in her apartment. She wanted to be in his arms now. She looked at the food on the table. Their dinner was getting cold. She sat waiting for another minute, and then she stood up and went to pick up her phone from the coffee table in the living room. She started to dial George number and then turned toward the door when the doorbell rang. Relief flooded her heart, and she dropped the phone on the sofa and rushed to answer it. She flung the door wide open and cried out, “George, I have missed you so...!”
And then she gasped and her mouth fell open as she stared in bewilderment. George’s wife stood beside him.
Chapter 2
Sofia turned to George and frowned, puzzled as to why his wife was here with him. Her heart raced as a disturbing thought crept into her mind. What if George’s wife had convinced him to break up with her and was here to make sure he did it?
No, it cannot be. She bit her lip and then finally found her voice. “George? Why is she here?”
George was still in his business suit, which meant he’d not had any time to change before he came here. But that did not explain why he was here with his wife. The look on his face caused her to tremble and filled her with fear. He looked ashamed and scared. Sofia turned to his wife and stared at her in horror. Please, let this not be what I am thinking.
George’s wife was in her early forties. Sofia had seen her only once in person. She had gone to visit George in his office one day, and just before she’d entered the office, a tall, slender woman with a pixie cut, a haughty demeanor, and a pretty face, walked out. She had turned to look at Sofia, frowned slightly, and then walked away. When Sofia entered George’s office, his mouth had dropped open, and then he had closed the door quickly. He’d grabbed her hand and pulled her into the restroom.
“Sofia, what are you doing here?” he had asked in a hushed voice, as though there were other people to hear them.
She told him she had come to see him because she missed him and he had sighed heavily. “Thank God you didn’t come in when my wife was here. Did she say anything to you?”
Sofia had blinked, surprised. At that time, she had never seen a picture of George’s wife because he had never shown her one and she hadn’t wanted to see his wife’s picture either. “That was your wife? The woman who just came out of your office?”
“Yes, that was my wife, Elena,” he had told her.
Sofia stared at the woman before her now. She still had the same haughty look and the same pixie cut. She wore bright red lipstick, almost the same shade as the one Sofia liked to wear, and the expression on her face was one of a woman who had come ready to do battle. Sofia blinked rapidly as she stared tongue-tied at Elena.
George shifted his feet, clearly also unable to speak.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us, George?” his wife said. She walked into Sofia’s apartment without invitation, and Sofia glared at her.
George shrugged and walked in, but he still did not look at Sofia.
Sofia turned to face him fully and asked again, “George, what is your wife doing here… in my apartment?”
Elena said, “Technically, it’s not really your apartment. I am here to reclaim this place.”
“What?” Sofia gritted her
teeth, her blood boiling with fury. She glared at Elena. “What place? This is my apartment.” She turned to George again and eyed him. His silence angered her. “What on earth is she talking about, George?”
George finally looked at her. “I’m so sorry, Sofia.”
Elena looked around Sofia’s apartment, a smug smile on her face. “So this is where George has been spending his days when he’s not home. He’s been lying to me for years. He tells me he has to go on these important business trips, or that he has to work late, when in fact what he’s been doing is coming here.” She faced Sofia fully, her smug smile still in place. “To be with you.”
She looked Sofia over, her eyes settling on the see-through robe Sofia was wearing. Her smile melted away. “I’m not even going to ask how you can live with yourself when you are sleeping with a married man. I’m going to step back and let George tell you why we came here together.” Her heels clapped on the tiled floor as she walked to the sofa and sat down. She looked up at George, and then at Sofia and said, “Well George, tell her why we are here.”
Sofia felt like she was in a dream. Her heart thudded as she turned to George, hoping against hope that he was going to stand up to his wife and tell her that he wanted a divorce and wanted to marry her instead. She pleaded with her eyes. Please George, do the right thing now. Tell her we love each other and want to get married. Tell her you want a divorce.