Game Of Love

"How do you know that, Vicky? What are you hiding from me?" Asked Sofia, dreading her answer. Victoria looked uncomfortable. She didn't wish to tell her but now it seems she had no choice. 

"Colton came to meet me. He wanted you to go back to Reno tonight before Davion returned tomorrow, " said Victoria. Sofia looked at her with disbelief. 

"I hope you realize that I'll never go back to Davion? He's welcome to play around with other women. He's lost me forever, " said Sofia with finality in her tone. 

The door opened and their mom walked inside. "Dinner's served," she announced with a smile. They all went to the dinner table. After dinner Sofia announced that she wanted to talk to her parents. So they gathered together in the living room and Sofia told them the reality. Obviously, she didn't give much details. 

"I want to file a petition for divorce, dad," said Sofia. Their dad shook his head.

"I would suggest that you talk to Davion first, Sofi," said her dad. 

"Yes, talk to him, dear, " agreed her mom. 

"No, there's nothing to talk about. If you both don't help me, I'll file a petition with any divorce attorney and serve Davion the divorce papers," said Sofia. "I don't want anything from him, so it should be an easy process."

Their parents looked at one another. "Okay, I'll help you with it. I don't want you to go to any other attorney," said her dad. "I know a good divorce lawyer. We can visit his office tomorrow, " said their dad. Sofia nodded.

"Thanks, dad," she said, getting up to go to her room. 

"Sofi, I think you need to talk to Davion, first," suggested her mom with a sigh. 

Sofia gave her an incredulous look. "Why should I talk to him, mom? I don't have time for his lies. What he has done is unforgivable, " said Sofia, whirling around and walking off to her room. Her mom heaved a sigh and looked at Victoria. 

"Can you put some sense in her head?" She asked her. Victoria shook her head.

"It's an impossible task, mom," said Victoria with a sigh. She switched off her mobile as Colton's words rang in her ears. He would punish her if she didn't convince Sofia and took her back to Reno. What punishment would he give her?

The next morning, Victoria kept hidden in her room not wanting to face Colton. As long as her parents were around she knew that Colton wouldn't arrive at their house to punish her. Later when her dad and Sofia went to the lawyer, she too accompanied them just to avoid staying at home all alone. 

The lawyer was very efficient and promptly took up their case. He informed them that he would serve Davion the divorce papers the next day. Satisfied, they returned home. Thankfully Victoria had been able to successfully avoid Colton the whole day. 

Sofia stared blankly out of her window. As per Victoria's statement, Davion might have returned to Reno. Did he look for her? Did he realize that she had left him forever? Was he relieved that she had released him? Maybe he went back to Nicola Drayton now that he was a free man. She stroked her stomach absent-mindedly thinking about the life her baby would be having. It would never know its father! "I'm sorry, my baby. I'll try to give you everything that I can but I can't give you a dad," she said with sadness in her eyes. Tears fell from her eyes thinking about the lonely life ahead of her. "I wish you'd really loved me and our baby, Davion. I wish you had really meant those happily ever after promises that you made to me, " she said  releasing a staggering breath. The whole day went by doing nothing. Her mind was in a turmoil and she couldn't even attend her classes or concentrate on her studies. 

At night, she went to sleep but tossed and turned in bed. Deep within, she had expected Davion at her doorstep. She had hoped that he would tell her that everything she saw was false. She had hoped that he would miss her and take her home again. She had waited the whole day but Davion hadn't come. The next morning, he would be receiving the divorce papers and she didn't know how he would react. 

It was 9 o'clock in the morning and Davion at last boarded the flight home. He was supposed to return the day before but at the last minute, he got held up as one of his managers at his main Casino in New York was caught stealing. Tired and haggard, Davion closed his eyes and lay his head on the headrest, deep in thought. A month of sleeplessness had started taking its toll on him. 

A month ago when he received a distress call from Nicola Drayton, the daughter of his old business partner, hotelier Peter Drayton, he hadn't expected it to stretch so long. He owned two casinos in the Drayton's, Fort Drayton Group of Hotels in New York. As such, when Peter Drayton, who exclusively looked after the business had a heart attack and was hospitalised, Nicola gave him a distress call to help her with the takeover. 

Davion had been too upset with Sofia and her alleged boyfriend and rushed over to New York to quickly complete the job and return home. He wanted to talk to Sofia about the guy he'd seen her with but everything went downhill when one after another problems cropped up and he had to solve them. His casinos were also involved and he just couldn't ignore the problems and return home. Nicola was the most inefficient woman on earth and he had to struggle to teach her the tricks of the trade. He had to launch another casino at the Drayton's main hotel as Nicola wanted him to help manage it along with her. With Peter Drayton at the hospital Davion was forced to attend the inauguration party of the casino instead. 

The flight reached Reno and Davion excitedly loaded his luggage into his car. A grave looking Francis drove him home. "How's everything at home, Francis?" Davion asked him casually. Being angry with Sofia, he hadn't called her even once. But now that he returned home, the wish to see her was utmost on his mind. He regretted not having spoken to her even once. Did she miss him or did she entertain that boyfriend of hers from college in his absence? 

"You can talk to Greta about it when you reach home, Mr Torres, " said Francis, dreading his wrath. He and Greta knew everything and had joined duty only yesterday as there was nothing for them to do with Sofia already gone. 

Davion frowned. "Why? Any problem?" Asked Davion, looking a little taken aback by Francis's answer. "Did you see that guy with Sofia again?" Asked Davion furiously. He started dreading the worst thing possible. Did she run away with him?

"No, no. I haven't seen anyone, Mr Torres. Ma'am hasn't gone to college since you left," said a frightened Francis. Davion was all the more confused. "Please sir. It's not my position to say anything more. Greta will tell you everything," said Francis as if he would break down if he had to say anything further. Davion left him alone and he drove quietly home. 

Davion dreaded what Greta had to tell him. He had been busy when Greta had called him and later when he had called, Greta hadn't answered his call. Assuming it to be something unimportant, he hadn't thought it necessary to call her again. Now after listening to Francis, he started having second thoughts. Was everything alright? Was Sofia okay? He felt guilty for not taking any update about her for a month. What if she was really ill? What if she wasn't up to any drama as he had concluded?

With his breath stuck in his throat and his heart beating faster and faster, he stared out of the window as the car sped through the familiar streets all the way to his home. Come to think of it, he had felt a strange hesitation in Colton recently everytime they had talked. It was as if he wanted to tell him something but couldn't find the courage to do so. 

He knew that he had neglected his wife, he knew that he was too blind with jealousy and anger to even consider calling Sofia. It was just like his past had caught up with him. He experienced what his dad had experienced when his mom had betrayed him. Davion was so blinded by his distrust in women that he hardly saw the possibility that he might be wrong in his assumptions about Sofia. All his life his mom's betrayal had stuck in his mind and had made him biased. He could hardly comprehend that not all women were the same. Just because his mom betrayed his dad, it wasn't necessary that Sofia too had betrayed him. 

His one track mind hardly realized that talking to a guy doesn't mean that Sofia had betrayed him. He failed to understand that Sofia was talking to Caleb, her best friend Tessa's boyfriend, asking him for notes. 

At last he reached home and climbing out of the car in a haste, he stormed into his house to get all his answers.