“It doesn’t complicate anything,” she said finally. “Because I’m falling in love with you too.”
James’s face transformed with relief and joy. “Really?”
“Really,” Sophia confirmed, stepping closer to him. “You’ve been kinder to me, more caring and supportive than anyone has ever been. You make me feel valued and appreciated and loved.”
“You are loved,” James said, reaching up to cup her face gently in his hands. “So very loved.”
When he kissed her, it was nothing like the brief, formal kiss they had shared at their courthouse wedding. This was warm and tender and full of all the feelings they had been holding back for weeks.
“So what happens now?” Sophia asked when they finally broke apart.
“Now we stop pretending this is just an arrangement,” James said, his arms still around her. “Now we see what it’s like to be married for real.”
That night, for the first time since their wedding, James didn’t go to his own room. They talked until late into the night, sharing stories about their childhoods and their fears. They talked about Tyler and James’s former business partner, about the pain of betrayal and the healing power of trust.
“I never thought I’d be able to trust anyone completely again,” James admitted as they lay together in the dark.
“Neither did I,” Sophia said, tracing circles on his chest with her finger. “But somehow, trusting you feels like the easiest thing in the world.”
“I love you, Sophia Crawford,” James said, and the sound of her married name on his lips made her heart sing.
“I love you too, James Crawford,” she replied. “My husband.”
The word husband had never sounded so perfect.
Three months into their new relationship, Sophia was happier than she had ever been. Her work at Crawford Industries was thriving, her marriage with James had blossomed into something beautiful and real, and she had finally begun to feel like her life was moving in the right direction. That’s when Tyler showed up.
Sophia was leaving the Crawford Industries building after work when she saw him waiting by her car. For a moment, she thought she was imagining things. But no, it was definitely Tyler, looking much the same as he had on their almost-wedding day, except perhaps more desperate.
“Sophia,” he said, stepping toward her as she approached her car. “Thank God. I wasn’t sure you’d see me.”
“What are you doing here, Tyler?” Sophia’s voice was calm, but her heart was racing. She hadn’t seen or heard from him since that phone call the day after their failed wedding.
“I needed to see you,” Tyler said, his eyes pleading. “I’ve been trying to reach you for months, but your phone number has been disconnected, and you moved out of our apartment.”
“I have a new life now,” Sophia said simply. “You made that necessary when you abandoned me at the altar.”
“I know, and I’ll regret that for the rest of my life,” Tyler said quickly. “But, Sophia, I’ve had time to think, to figure out what really matters. I made the biggest mistake of my life when I walked away from you.”
Sophia looked at him carefully. He seemed thinner than she remembered, and there were dark circles under his eyes.
“Tyler, it’s been over four months. You can’t just show up and expect—”
“I know it’s been a long time,” Tyler interrupted. “But I needed to understand why I ran, needed to work through my commitment issues. I’ve been seeing a therapist, Sophia. I’ve been working on myself.”
Despite everything, Sophia felt a flicker of the old compassion she had once felt for Tyler. “I’m glad you’re getting help. But that doesn’t change what happened.”
“I know I hurt you,” Tyler continued, moving closer. “I know I destroyed your trust and humiliated you in front of everyone we know. But I love you, Sophia. I’ve always loved you, and I’m ready to prove it now.”
“Tyler, I know you probably hate me,” he said desperately. “But I also know you loved me once. Real love doesn’t just disappear, does it? We had three years together, Sophia. Three good years. That has to count for something.”
Sophia felt a confusing mix of emotions: anger at Tyler for what he had put her through, sadness for the relationship they had lost, and something else—relief, maybe, that she felt none of the devastating heartbreak she might have expected to feel seeing him again.
“You’re right,” she said quietly. “I did love you. But, Tyler, that was four months ago. A lot has changed since then.”
“What do you mean?” Tyler asked, and for the first time, he seemed to notice her professional attire, the confidence in her posture, the way she carried herself differently than she had when they were together.
“I mean I have a new life now. A job I love, a purpose, a future that makes me happy.”
“That’s great,” Tyler said, though he looked confused. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a future together too. I’ve changed, Sophia. I’m ready for commitment now, ready for marriage and everything that comes with it.”
Sophia took a deep breath. “Tyler, I’m already married.”
The words hit Tyler like a physical blow. He actually stepped backward, his face going pale. “What?”
“I got married three months ago,” Sophia said gently but firmly.
“To who?” Tyler’s voice was barely a whisper.
“To a man who was there for me when I needed someone most,” Sophia said. “A man who has never given me reason to doubt his commitment or his love.”
Tyler stared at her in shock. “But… but we were supposed to get married. You and I, we were supposed to spend our lives together.”
“We were supposed to do a lot of things,” Sophia agreed. “But you chose to walk away from all of that.”
“I made a mistake,” Tyler’s voice rose with desperation. “People make mistakes, Sophia. That doesn’t mean our entire relationship meant nothing.”
“You’re right,” Sophia said. “Our relationship did mean something. It taught me what I don’t want in a partner. It taught me the difference between someone who says they love you and someone who actually shows it every day.”
Tyler’s eyes filled with tears. “Please, Sophia, don’t do this. Don’t throw away everything we had because I got scared one day.”
“I’m not throwing anything away,” Sophia said firmly. “I’m choosing something better. I’m choosing someone who would never, ever leave me standing alone when I needed them most.”
“Who is he?” Tyler asked, his voice broken. “This man you married?”
“His name is James Crawford, and he’s everything you never were,” Sophia said. “He’s reliable, supportive, and kind. He makes me feel valued and appreciated every single day. He would never abandon me, Tyler. Never.”
Tyler stared at her for a long moment, and Sophia could see the exact moment when he realized he had truly lost her.
“Do you love him?” he asked.
“With all my heart,” Sophia answered without hesitation.
The certainty in her voice seemed to break something in Tyler. He sat down heavily on the hood of a nearby car, his head in his hands. “I’ve lost you forever, haven’t I?”
“You lost me the day you walked away from our wedding,” Sophia said, not unkindly. “I’m sorry, Tyler. I really am. But you can’t undo the choice you made.”
“What if I hadn’t run?” Tyler asked desperately. “What if I had married you that day? Would we have been happy?”
Sophia considered the question seriously. “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “Maybe for a while. But, Tyler, the man who could walk away from someone he claimed to love on their wedding day? That’s not the kind of man I want to spend my life with. James would never do that to me.”
Tyler looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes. “I suppose there’s nothing I can say to change your mind?”
“Nothing,” Sophia confirmed. “I’m happy, Tyler. Truly happy in a way I’m not sure I ever was with you. Please don’t try to take that away from me.”
Tyler stood up slowly, looking defeated. “I suppose I should say I’m happy for you, but I can’t. I’m miserable without you, Sophia. I think I always will be.”
“I hope that’s not true,” Sophia said sincerely. “I hope you find someone who makes you happy, someone you’ll never want to run away from.”
“There’s no one like you,” Tyler said sadly.
“You’re right,” Sophia agreed. “And there’s no one like James either. That’s why we’re perfect for each other.”
Tyler nodded slowly, finally seeming to accept that he had truly lost her. “I guess this is goodbye then.”
“I guess it is,” Sophia said. “Take care of yourself, Tyler. Get the help you need.”
Tyler walked away without looking back, and Sophia watched him go with a sense of closure she hadn’t expected to feel. When she got in her car and started driving home to James, she realized that seeing Tyler again had only confirmed what she already knew: she had made the right choice. James was her future, her real love, her true husband. Tyler was just a painful memory from a life she no longer wanted.
That evening, Sophia sat in her car in the driveway of James’s house—she corrected herself—their house, trying to decide whether to tell James about Tyler’s unexpected appearance. Part of her wanted to keep it to herself, to not bring the shadows of her past into the bright happiness of her present. But she and James had built their relationship on honesty, and she wasn’t about to compromise that now.
She found James in his study, working on his laptop, but he looked up with a smile the moment she appeared in the doorway.
“You’re late,” he said, closing the laptop and standing to greet her with a kiss. “I was starting to worry.”
“I’m sorry,” Sophia said, accepting his embrace gratefully. “Something unexpected happened after work.”
James immediately picked up on the tension in her voice. “What kind of unexpected?”
“Tyler showed up,” Sophia said simply.
James went very still. “Tyler. Your ex-fiancé, Tyler.”
“Yes.” Sophia stepped back so she could see James’s face. “He was waiting by my car when I left the office.”
“What did he want?” James’s voice was carefully controlled, but Sophia could see the tightness around his eyes.
“To apologize. To try to win me back.” Sophia took James’s hands in hers. “He says he’s been in therapy, that he’s worked through his commitment issues and is ready to marry me now.”
James was quiet for a long moment, studying their joined hands. When he looked up, his expression was carefully neutral. “And what did you tell him?”
“I told him I was already married to someone I love,” Sophia said firmly. “I told him it was too late.”
Some of the tension left James’s shoulders, but not all of it. “How do you feel about seeing him again?”
It was such a James question—thoughtful, caring about her feelings rather than just his own fears. “Sad, I think,” Sophia said honestly. “Sad about the time we wasted, sad about the pain we caused each other. But also… relieved.”
“Relieved?”
“Relieved that I felt nothing when I saw him,” Sophia explained. “No longing, no regret, no wish that things had been different. Just… nothing. It confirmed that I’ve completely moved on.”
James nodded slowly. “I have to ask… did any part of you consider his offer?”
Sophia could hear the vulnerability in his voice, despite his attempt to sound casual. “James, look at me.”
He met her eyes, and she could see the fear there, carefully hidden but unmistakable.
“Tyler had three years to prove he was ready for commitment,” she said firmly. “Three years to show me he could be trusted with my heart. Instead, he abandoned me on what should have been the happiest day of my life. You’ve had four months, and in that time, you’ve shown me more love, more support, more genuine care than he ever did.”
“But you loved him once,” James said quietly. “You were planning to spend your life with him.”
“I thought I loved him,” Sophia corrected. “But I was wrong about what love really looks like. Love doesn’t run away when things get scary. Love doesn’t leave you standing alone when you need it most. Love is what you do, James. Every day, in a thousand small ways.”
James searched her face. “Are you sure? Really sure? Because if there’s any part of you that thinks you might be happier with him…”
“Stop,” Sophia interrupted, cupping his face in her hands. “James Crawford, you are the love of my life. Not because we have a convenient arrangement, not because you rescued me from a bad situation, but because you are the kindest, most honorable, most wonderful man I have ever known. I choose you. I will always choose you.”
James closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. “I was terrified,” he admitted. “When you said he wanted you back, I was terrified that I was going to lose you.”
“You’re never going to lose me,” Sophia said softly. “I promise you that.”
“What if he comes back? What if he keeps trying to convince you?”
“Then I’ll keep telling him the same thing: I’m married to the man I love, and nothing is going to change that.” Sophia kissed him gently. “You have my whole heart, James. Tyler can’t take that away because it was never his to begin with.”
James held her close, and Sophia could feel some of the last tension leaving his body. “I love you so much,” he murmured against her hair.
“I love you too,” she replied. “More than I ever thought possible.”
They stood there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, holding each other and enjoying the simple pleasure of being together.
“There’s something else,” Sophia said eventually.
“What?”
“Seeing Tyler today made me realize something important.” She pulled back to look at James again. “Our arrangement, our marriage of convenience—it was never really about convenience, was it?”
James looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“I mean we both could have found other solutions to our problems,” Sophia said. “You could have hired an actress to play your wife at business functions. I could have stayed with friends or family while I figured out my next steps. But we didn’t want those solutions. We wanted each other.”
“We wanted each other,” James said slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes.
“From that first night in the church garden, we were both looking for something real. We just weren’t ready to admit it yet.”
James smiled, the first real smile she had seen from him since she mentioned Tyler’s visit. “So you’re saying our marriage of convenience was actually fate?”