Stella's POV
Sophie regarded me with those distinctive emerald eyes—the same ones her children had inherited. Yet hers carried a maternal warmth that immediately put me at ease.
"I'm sure you've figured out that my ex-husband is absolute garbage, right?" Sophie began candidly.
I shook my head in disbelief. "Sophie, I don't understand how someone as wonderful as you endured being married to that monster for so long."
"Different era, different rules, my dear," she sighed. "My marriage to Patterson wasn't about love—it was business. As the only daughter of a wealthy but deeply traditional man, I was essentially handed over to my father's business partner's son." Her voice carried no bitterness, just matter-of-fact acceptance. "My father knew perfectly well about Patterson's affairs. His response? 'That's just how men behave.' He threatened that if I ever left the marriage, I'd lose everything—financial security, social standing, even my children. So I stayed and endured."
