Chapter 150
SOPHIA’S POV
After dinner, I drove home. It was still early – only eight p.m. So I didn’t call Damien yet about getting the marriage certificate. We’d need it for the courthouse tomorrow.
I settled onto my bed and scrolled through my phone, trying to distract myself from tomorrow’s finality. But social media had other plans.
Tiffany’s latest post appeared at the top of my feed. It was a video. I almost scrolled past, but something made me tap it.
The frame showed only Damien’s lower half. I could see his expensive slacks, his polished shoes, his hand gesturing as he spoke. But his voice was obvious. He was explaining something.
“so if you structure your research methodology this way, the results will be more statistically significant. Your doctoral committee will appreciate the rigor p>
Tiffany laughed. “You’re so smart! I don’t know what I’d do without you helping me with this p>
Damien chuckled “Happy to help. Your research is important p>
I tapped “Not interested” and locked my phone. My wolf whimpered at how intimate the video was. He was helping her with her doctoral work, pending his evening supporting her academic dreams.
Something he’d never done for me.
My phone rang, start ling me. Damien’s name flashed on the screen.
“Hello?” I answered
“I can’t find our marriage certificate.” His voice was tense. “I’ve looked everywhere in my study. It’s not here p>
My stomach dropped. “What? Are you sure p>
“Yes, I’m sure. I’ve gone through every drawer, every file. It’s gone p>
“I’m coming over.” I was already grabbing my coat. “Don’t move anything else. I’ll search too p>
I drove to Stone Villa faster than I should have. My mind was racing. The marriage certificate had to be there. We needed it for tomorrow. Without it, we couldn’t finalize the divorce.
When I arrived, Damien was in his study, surrounded by open drawers and scattered papers. His hair was disheveled from running his hands through it. Even his tie was loosened.
“I’ve checked everywhere,” he said when he saw me. “It’s not in any of the usual places p>
I started my own search. I checked everywhere – the desk drawers, the filing cabinets, the safe. I found nothing. I moved to our bedroom, checking the nightstands, the closet, even under the mattress.
Nothing.
The sound of my searching must have woken Franca. She appeared in the doorway, wrapped in her robe.
“Luna Stone? Is everything alright?” she asked me.
“Have you seen our marriage certificate?” I asked. “A red folder with some official documents p>
Franca shook her head. “I’ve never touched your personal papers, ma’am. Alpha Stone is very particular about that p>
“Thank you, Franca. Go back to bed p>
After she left, I pulled out my phone to call Damien, but it went to voicemail. He was probably on another call or probably with Tiffany, discussing her research.
I waited, pacing the bedroom. My wolf was getting more and more. agitated.
Finally, my phone rang. Damien.
“You need to come help me search,” I said. “I can’t find it anywhere p>
“I’m still at the office. It might be late before I can get there p>
“Then I’m leaving if you’re not here soon. We need that certificate for tomorrow, Damien p>
“I know. I’ll be there as soon as I can p>
I hung up and went downstairs to wait in the living room. The house was too quiet. The place was too full of memories I wanted to forget.
Hours passed. I checked my phone repeatedly – ten p.m., eleven p.m., eleven-thirty.
At midnight, I decided he wasn’t coming. I reached for my coat, ready to leave and deal with this tomorrow.
Then I heard a car horn outside.
Moments later, Damien walked through the door. He looked exhausted. His tie was gone. His shirt was wrinkled. And there, on his neck just above his collar, was a red mark.
A hickey.
My wolf snarled, but I pushed the feeling down. It didn’t matter. We were getting divorced tomorrow anyway.
“Did you find it?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I searched everywhere. It’s not here p>
His expression hardened. “You managed this household for years. How do you not know where our marriage certificate is p>
The accusation hit me hard. I stared at him in disbelief.
He was blaming me for this? Typical Damien.
I laughed bitterly. “All my energy went into taking care of Ashley, Damien, into being the perfect mother and Luna. I didn’t have much left for filing paperwork p>
He had the grace to look slightly ashamed. “I only saw it once. The day we registered the marriage. I never looked at it again p>
“Neither did I.” I rubbed my temples. “What do we do now p>
Damien pulled out a cigarette and lit it. slowly, he inhaled and smoked.
“We could always remarry first and then divorce again.” He joked with a shrug
I stared at him. “That’s not funny p>
“I wasn’t joking.” But his slight smile said otherwise. “We’ll just apply for a replacement certificate. It’ll delay things by a few days, but p>
“A few days?” I raised my voice. “Damien, I want this over with. I can’t keep-” I stopped myself. “We’ll get the replacement as soon as possible p>
He took a long drag from his cigarette again. “Only you and I have access to this house besides Franca. So where could it have gone p>
“Your mother has been here too,” I reminded him. “Remember? She stayed here last month when you were away p>
Damien’s expression shifted. He pulled out his phone and called Helen.
I could hear her voice even from across the room. her tone was filled with anger.
“-calling me at this ungodly hour with absurd accusations!” Helen screamed “Why would I take your marriage certificate? What possible reason p>
“I wasn’t accusing you, Mother” Damien sighed “I was just asking p>
“Well, I don’t have it! And I’m insulted you’d even suggest such a thing! Maybe if you kept better track of your important documents. Ask Sophia p>
Damien hung up. “She doesn’t have it p>
“So we apply for a replacement.” I moved toward the door. “I’ll handle it tomorrow p>
“Sophia, wait p>
Something in his voice made me stop. I turned to find him watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. In his eyes, it looked like confusion mixed with something else.
“Why are you so desperate to end this marriage right now?” he asked quietly. “What’s the rush? We’ve been married for years. A few more days won’t hurt. Why do you want to end it so bad p>