LOVE TURNED SOUR, THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

an's

he city lights. She seemed so small, so fragile. Sophia didn't belong to this world of pain she had been thrust

e. The whispers of betrayal and heartbreak had reached my ears through business circles. I hadn't sought her out as a romantic con

e crisp evening air, I wondered if sh

ht?" I asked,

assy but steady. "I'm fine," she said soft

ple use when the

anding beside her. My tone was calm but firm. I didn't beli

o a bitter smile. "

en all over

feel. Everything happened so fast. One minute, I was someone's wife. The next, I wa

Sophia wasn't the kind of woman you rushed. She needed tim

low. "You survived something most people wouldn't.

trying to find some hidden motive. I didn't blame her. Trust was

?" she asked, her voice

ng w

ry me. You could have anyone

yself the same thing countless times. I wasn't the kind of man who gave without expecting somet

phia, it wa

one I want, but none of them are you. You're different, Sophia You don't realize it yet, but you have the

surprise. "You make it sound so... noble,"

hings I'm not proud of. But with you... I want to be better

turning in her mind. She was weighing my words, trying to det

uldn't b

ice steady. "I'll trust you. But do

r her growing. "You won

e. For the first time in years, I wasn't thinking about business deals or p

r than to think

ke John before-cowards who didn't know what they had until it was gone,

ld come after Sophia,

ook to protect her, even

me. She was my future. And I would des

love with some many ladies that I have dated ba

r first love

lian"

d she leave

out my tight busine

ll not happen wi

oesn't love

ou say that

listic and she was a

o her and hold h

I have for her but she wa

hrough my thoughts. Although that wasn't the major reason why she left me, I knew that Sophi

engaged, I would reveal my true nature, and that's when the problems would start. I had a tendency to sacrifice everything for them dur

ut Lillian was an exception; she lasted a whole year before she finally gave up o

o see past my flaws and love me for who I truly was? Or would sh