CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 71 I’M HIS EX-WIFE

Serena’s POV

The entire day, Ryan had been acting strange. Secretive glances, hushed phone calls, and an air of anticipation that made me wonder what he was planning.

When he disappeared for a "walk" along the beach at sunset, my curiosity finally got the better of me.

I followed his footprints in the sand, admiring how the fading sunlight painted everything in soft gold. Maybe he was arranging a surprise dinner? The thought made me smile.

These past few days had been magical between us—almost enough to make me forget our painful history.

As I rounded a curve of the shoreline, I froze.

There, in the distance, was Ryan. But he wasn’t alone. A woman with soaking wet clothes clung to him, her body pressed intimately against his chest.

My first instinct was to march over and pull this brazen stranger off my—well, off Ryan. We weren’t officially back together yet, but still.

I stepped closer, ready to make my presence known, when I heard his voice, soft with disbelief.

"Sophie? Is it really you?"

My blood turned to ice.

Sophie. The name hit me like a physical blow. Sophie Hart—Ryan’s precious first love, his white moonlight, the woman whose memory had haunted our entire marriage. The woman who was supposedly dead.

I watched, unable to move, as the woman struggled to stand from Ryan’s embrace. She made a show of wobbling on unsteady legs before conveniently collapsing back into his arms.

If I hadn’t been so shocked, I might have slow-clapped for her performance.

The Hart sisters certainly shared similar features—that much was true.

But where Ivy was obviously calculating, Sophie had mastered the art of appearing completely innocent while manipulating everyone around her. A true white lotus blossom, seemingly pure but ultimately toxic.

I stood there observing her tactics with cold eyes. She didn’t need to directly ask for anything—men like Ryan would trip over themselves to give her whatever she wanted.

This was what separated amateurs from professionals in the manipulation game.

Ryan finally helped her stand steadily, then turned and spotted me. The panic that flashed across his face told me everything I needed to know.

Before he could open his mouth, Sophie stepped forward, still leaning heavily on his arm.

"And who might this be?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"I’m his ex-wife," I replied with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. "Don’t let me interrupt your touching reunion. Please, continue."

Why deny them their moment? Wouldn’t that be unkind of me? The sarcasm burned bitter in my throat.

Sophie’s eyes widened slightly. "Oh! You misunderstand. I...I was just rescued by Ryan. We haven’t seen each other in years, so I got a bit emotional."

She glanced between us, her expression perfectly calibrated to show innocence.

"Ryan and I were just friends. Please don’t misinterpret."

"I’m not misinterpreting anything," I said coolly. "I’m just his ex-wife. Whether you’re his old flame or current mistress makes no difference to me."

"Serena," Ryan’s voice was urgent. "It’s not what you think. I just want to understand what happened back then."

Sophie’s eyes immediately welled with tears, right on cue. "Back then... I got caught in a mudslide. I thought I was going to die, but a man saved me."

She dabbed at her eyes delicately. "I lost my memory and spent years recovering. When I finally remembered everything about New York, I wanted to return, but then my husband—the man who saved me—passed away. I had to observe the mourning period for him."

I stared at her pitiful, heartbreaking performance.

If I could ignore the facts, I’d give her a standing ovation. She was mourning her late husband by... vacationing at a luxury beach resort? If her dead husband knew, he’d probably roll in his grave.

But I didn’t call her out. Instead, I waited in silence, watching Ryan’s reaction.

If he chose his "white moonlight" over me again, then this relationship wasn’t worth continuing. I’d made that decision the moment I saw them together.

"Ryan," Sophie said softly, "considering our past... our friendship, could you help me return to the States? Maybe find me a job? I’m all alone now, and it’s so difficult."

She turned to me again. "You haven’t misunderstood us, right? Ryan and I really are just friends."

Her repeated emphasis on "just friends" while playing the damsel in distress was textbook manipulation. And it was working—I could see Ryan’s guard lowering.

"You should change into dry clothes," he said to her. "The ocean breeze is chilly at night. As for returning to the States..."

He hesitated. Sophie’s eyes flickered with worry, though she hid it quickly.

"If it’s too much trouble, forget I asked," she said, lowering her head in practiced submission. "I don’t want to cause misunderstandings. I’ll go now."

The perfect martyr act. It was almost impressive how effectively it could trigger protective instincts.

Ryan sighed. "Come back with us tomorrow. I’ll make arrangements once we’re home."

Sophie nodded with perfectly calibrated gratitude. "Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow."

She walked away toward the opposite direction, maintaining her fragile, vulnerable demeanor until she was out of our sight.

As soon as Sophie disappeared, Ryan moved closer to me.

"Serena, you’re the only one in my heart now. Yes, she’s alive and suddenly back, and I have questions—you can understand that, right?"

I didn’t answer him. Instead, I turned and walked away, leaving him standing there on the beach.

I didn’t care about his questions. I cared about his actions. And his response to Sophie’s reappearance had failed my test spectacularly.

What hurt most was that our perfect vacation, those sweet moments of reconnection, had shattered in an instant. My chest felt tight with disappointment.

That night, I locked Ryan out of our room. I needed space to think, to process what had happened. Sleep came fitfully, my dreams haunted by Sophie’s calculated performance.

The next morning, I slept late, exhausted from a night of tossing and turning. When I finally opened the door, both Ryan and Sophie were waiting outside.

She had transformed overnight, dressed in a breezy island-style dress that looked both elegant and casual. Her long hair fell in gentle waves, and her entire demeanor radiated warmth and grace.

No wonder Ryan couldn’t forget her. She was beautiful in that effortless way that seemed designed to make other women feel inadequate.

"Good morning!" Sophie smiled brightly. "Did you sleep well? You look a little pale. Should we go downstairs for breakfast?"

The familiarity in her tone made it sound like we were longtime friends. At least she had enough restraint not to touch me, limiting herself to simple expressions of concern.

I acknowledged her with the barest nod, having no desire to engage with this white lotus act.

"Is it time to leave?" I asked instead.

Ryan nodded. "Don’t you want breakfast? I could have something sent to the room."

"I’ve had milk. That’s enough."

I pulled sunglasses from my bag and put them on, creating another barrier between myself and them.

Every second in Sophie’s presence felt like bad luck, and I couldn’t wait to leave this place behind.

Throughout the entire flight, I kept my eye mask on, feigning sleep to avoid conversation with Ryan.

I could sense his frustration, but that was the consequence he deserved.

When we finally landed in New York, Maya was waiting for me at the airport. I headed straight for her car without even a goodbye to Ryan, instructing the driver to leave immediately.

Maya hadn’t even gotten a good look at the woman beside Ryan before we were pulling away.

"What happened?" she demanded. "You two seemed fine when you left. Now you’re back with some random woman? Did Ryan have a fling?"

"Don’t even get me started," I groaned. "That woman is Sophie Hart."

Maya’s jaw dropped in shock. "You’re kidding me."

"I wish. The supposedly dead ’love of his life’ has miraculously returned from the grave."

"What’s Ryan’s attitude about all this?"

"He brought her back with us, didn’t he? What do you think?"

Maya made an indignant sound. "That bastard! I told you not to reconcile with him! You know, Julian is still waiting for you—that devoted puppy. Doesn’t that tempt you at all?"

I waved her suggestion away. "Please. I’m about to have a baby. I’m not going to lead poor Julian on."

I sighed heavily. "I’m so tired of all this. Can I stay at your place for a few days? I can’t face Ryan right now."

"Of course, but are you sure he won’t show up at the studio making a scene looking for you?"

I laughed bitterly. "He’s too busy settling his precious Sophie into her new life. Trust me, he won’t be looking for me."

Maya glanced at me, noticing my dejection. She quickly changed the subject.

"So, what goodies did you bring me from your tropical paradise? If you forgot my souvenirs, I’ll never forgive you!"

"As if I could forget you," I smiled despite myself. "I’ve got gifts for you and everyone at the studio. You can distribute them tomorrow."

"Look at you! Such a generous boss-lady," Maya grinned. "You’ve got that rich socialite energy now, and I’m here for it!"

As Maya continued her playful banter, I felt the tension in my shoulders begin to ease. The knot in my stomach remained, but at least I could breathe again.

No matter what happened with Ryan and his resurrected first love, I had my friends, my work, and the baby growing inside me. If I had to face the future alone, I would—just as I’d done before.