Sophia slid her lipstick back into her purse with ease, then looked up to see puzzlement in Ellinor's eyes. She laughed. "Ms. Mendoza, you don't believe what I'm saying?"
Ellinor crumpled up the used tissue and tossed it gently into the trash can. "Sophia, do you really think I'd take your word for it? No wife wants to see her husband tangled up with another woman, right?"
Sophia shrugged nonchalantly and then nodded. "To be honest, it does bug me a bit. But I'm more focused on the long haul. Ms. Mendoza, if you're out of the picture for good, Theo will always have a place for you in his heart, and there's nothing I can do to make him forget you. But if you two were to reunite, you might be together for a while and then get sick of each other. I won't have to lift a finger, and Theo won't fancy you anymore. He'll come back to me, and we'll stay together."
"So that's your game plan." Ellinor looked at Sophia with a hint of admiration in her eyes. Sophia's tactics were more sophisticated than Patricia Howard's, and she was upfront about it.
Sophia smiled. "I'm not wrong, am I? I don't care about how many women Theo has been with; all I care about is who's gonna stick with him in the long run. I believe I'm the one who'll go the distance with Theo, and you're just passing through."
Ellinor returned the smile. "Well, of course, it's you who's willing to go the distance with Theo. Even if it's not you, it's not gonna be me. I'm no longer interested in that man."
Sophia blocked Ellinor's way. "But you're carrying his child."
With that, she gently stroked Ellinor's belly.
Ellinor backed off defensively. "The child is mine; it has nothing to do with Theo."
Sophia smiled. "Ms. Mendoza, you've got it all wrong. I didn't mean anything by it. I just love kids, and I'm looking forward to the safe delivery of your child."
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