Always a Stand-In

Sophie's POV

The bedroom was dimly lit, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting a golden hue over the silk sheets. Rain drummed lightly against the window, the scent of earth and damp pavement seeping into the room. The air was warm, intimate.

Daniel's fingers traced absent patterns along my bare shoulder, his touch gentle yet distant. I rested my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, steady yet unreadable. Tonight, he felt present-physically, at least.

I wanted to believe that this moment was real. That for once, I wasn't just a replacement for someone else.

"You seem lost in thought," I murmured, my fingers lightly skimming over his jawline.

Daniel exhaled softly, his lips curving into a small smile. "Do I?"

I nodded. "Like your mind is somewhere else."

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached up, tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear before pulling me into a slow, lingering kiss. His lips were warm, insistent, as if he was trying to erase my doubts without words.

For a moment, I let myself melt into him.

We made love that night-slowly, deeply, as if we were both trying to convince ourselves that this was enough. That I was enough.

His hands roamed my body with familiarity, his lips whispering my name like a silent promise. But beneath the passion, something felt different.

Like a goodbye.

A chill ran through me at the thought, but I pushed it away, focusing on the man in my arms.

I wasn't ready to face the truth just yet.

The room was quiet in the aftermath, our bodies tangled together beneath the sheets. Daniel lay beside me, his arm draped lazily over my waist. His fingers moved absently along my skin, but I could tell his mind was already slipping away.

I turned to him, my voice barely above a whisper. "Stay with me tonight."

He let out a low chuckle. "I always stay."

"No, I mean... don't go to work," I pressed, studying his expression.

Daniel sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "You know I can't do that, Sophie."

"But it's late."

"I have responsibilities," he said, his tone firm but gentle.

I swallowed down the frustration bubbling inside me. Of course, he had responsibilities. Daniel Sinclair was a powerful man, a CEO running an empire.

But tonight... tonight, something about the way he spoke felt off.

Just as I was about to question him further, his phone rang.

The sound shattered the quiet like a knife slicing through silk.

Daniel tensed beside me, reaching for the device on the nightstand. He glanced at the screen, his jaw tightening.

"Who is it?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"A work emergency," he muttered, too quickly.

I frowned. "At this hour?"

He slid out of bed, already reaching for his clothes. "It happens."

My heart clenched as I watched him dress. His movements were rushed, his fingers fumbling slightly with his shirt buttons.

And in that moment, I knew.

He was lying.

But instead of calling him out on it, I stayed silent, my nails digging into the sheets as I forced a smile. "Will you be back soon?"

Daniel hesitated-a split second of uncertainty-before plastering on a reassuring expression. "Yeah. Don't wait up."

He kissed my forehead, a brief, fleeting touch. Then he was gone, leaving behind the scent of his cologne and a sinking feeling in my chest.

For a long moment, I just sat there, staring at the closed door. My fingers curled around the sheets, my mind replaying every detail of the night.

Daniel had always been distant, but tonight was different.

Tonight, he was hiding something.

I reached for my phone, my hands trembling slightly. Before I could even think about checking Daniel's second phone-the one he used for business-my own phone buzzed loudly on the nightstand.

I jumped, my breath catching.

Unknown Number.

I hesitated before answering. "Hello?"

"Dr. Carter?" a familiar voice asked-it was one of the night-shift nurses from the hospital.

"Yes, speaking," I answered, my stomach twisting.

"I'm sorry to call so late, but we have a patient in labor-severe contractions, possible complications. Can you come in?"

An emergency.

I let out a slow breath, nodding even though she couldn't see me.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," I said firmly, already sliding out of bed.

As I dressed, my thoughts kept drifting back to Daniel.

Two emergencies at the same time.

What were the odds?

And why did I have the horrible feeling that his emergency had nothing to do with work at all?

The city lights blurred as I drove through the near-empty streets. The rain had stopped, leaving behind a cold mist that clung to the pavement. The silence in the car should have been calming, but my thoughts were anything but still.

Daniel's departure still lingered in my mind.

A work emergency at this hour? It didn't sit right with me.

Not when his expression had been so guarded. Not when his hands had trembled slightly as he buttoned his shirt. I had spent years studying people, reading emotions-it was part of my job as a doctor. But when it came to Daniel, I had ignored the signs for too long.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, forcing myself to focus on what was ahead.

The hospital. My duty.

No matter how much my personal life was unraveling, I had a patient to attend to.

The emergency ward was a controlled chaos of beeping monitors, rushing nurses, and hushed conversations.

A nurse, Kelly, rushed toward me as soon as I stepped inside. "Dr. Carter, thank God you're here! The patient is in Room 304-severe contractions, but the baby is breech."

Breech. Not good.

"How far along is she?" I asked, quickly pulling on a fresh pair of gloves.

"Thirty-six weeks. She came in an hour ago, and her pain is getting worse."

I nodded, pushing all my personal thoughts aside. Right now, my job came first.

I entered the room, finding a woman gripping the hospital bed rails, her face pale with pain. Her husband hovered nearby, worry written all over his face.

"Mrs. Williams," I greeted, offering her a reassuring smile. "I'm Dr. Carter. I'll be taking care of you tonight."

She nodded weakly. "Please, just-help me. It hurts so much."

"We're going to take care of you," I assured her, reaching for the ultrasound machine. "Let's take a quick look at your baby and decide the best course of action."

The next hour was intense-monitoring contractions, checking fetal distress, explaining procedures. In the end, we had no choice but to go for an emergency C-section.

The delivery room was filled with bright lights and focused minds. My hands moved with precision, each incision bringing us closer to safely delivering the baby.

"Almost there," I murmured, carefully guiding the tiny infant into the world. A moment later, a shrill cry echoed through the room.

Relief washed over me.

"Congratulations," I said to the exhausted mother. "You have a healthy baby boy."

Tears of happiness streamed down her face as her husband kissed her forehead. It was moments like this that reminded me why I loved my job.

But as I stepped out of the delivery room, peeling off my gloves, reality came crashing back.

Daniel.

Where was he now? What was he doing?

And more importantly-who was he with?

Daniel's POV

The dimly lit penthouse suite smelled of expensive perfume. The floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the city skyline, glittering in the night.

I stood near the minibar, swirling a glass of whiskey in my hand. Across the room, she watched me-Lena.

She was as stunning as ever, her dark hair cascading over one shoulder, her red dress hugging every curve perfectly.

"You look tense," she said, taking a step closer.

I exhaled sharply. "I shouldn't be here."

She smirked, tilting her head. "But you are."

I drained the rest of my drink, the burn doing nothing to ease the tension in my chest.

Sophie.

Her face flashed in my mind-the way she had held me tonight, the way she had whispered for me to stay.

And yet, I had left.

Because when Lena called, I always came running.

"You've been avoiding me," Lena murmured, reaching up to adjust my collar.

I caught her wrist gently. "Because I'm married now."

She laughed softly, her lips curving in amusement. "Married? To a woman you don't love?"

I stiffened.

"Face it, Daniel," she continued, her voice softer now. "You married her because she was safe. She was nothing like me. And yet, here you are."

Silence stretched between us.

Lena always knew which buttons to push.

"Tell me," she whispered, trailing a finger down my chest. "When you're with her, do you ever think of me?"

My jaw clenched. Because the truth was dangerous.

Because some nights, when the guilt wasn't suffocating me, I did.

Sophie's POV

By the time I got home, it was nearly 3 a.m.

The house was dark and quiet as I stepped inside. My heels clicked softly against the marble floor as I made my way to the bedroom.

Empty.

I exhaled shakily, sitting on the edge of the bed. My fingers traced the sheets where Daniel had laid just hours ago.

Something was wrong.

The way he had left so quickly. The tension in his voice.

I reached for my phone, hesitating only for a moment before dialing his number.

It rang once. Twice. Then straight to voicemail.

My stomach twisted.

Daniel never turned off his phone.

I tried again. Still nothing.

Where was he?

And why did I have the horrible feeling that he wasn't where he said he would be?