The black envelope arrived on a Tuesday morning, delivered with the rest of Alexander's business correspondence. Sophia was serving breakfast to the twins when Mrs. Chen brought in the mail, and she couldn't help but notice the elegant script on the heavy cardstock.
"What's that, Daddy?" Emma asked, noticing her father's frown as he read the invitation.
"The Children's Hospital charity gala," Alexander replied absently. "It's this Saturday."
Sophia's heart clenched. It had been five days since their fight in his study, five days of living in the same house while maintaining arctic politeness. Alexander had thrown himself back into work with a vengeance, leaving early and returning late, avoiding family dinners and barely acknowledging her existence beyond necessary household communications.
"Can we come?" Ethan asked hopefully.
"It's an adult event," Alexander said, not looking up from the invitation. "You'll stay home with Sophia."
The casual dismissal stung. Once upon a time, he might have asked if she wanted to attend with him. Now she was just the babysitter again, relegated to staying home with the children while he attended high-society events alone.
"Actually," Sophia said carefully, "I have plans for Saturday evening."
It was a lie. She had no plans beyond wallowing in her heartbreak and working on job applications. But something in her refused to make it easy for him to dismiss her.
Alexander looked up sharply. "Plans?"
"A friend invited me out," she said smoothly, meeting his gaze with false confidence. "I'll need to arrange for backup childcare."
She saw his jaw tick, saw the flash of something that looked suspiciously like jealousy in his dark eyes before his expression went blank again.
"That won't be necessary," he said coldly. "Cancel your plans. The children are your responsibility."
"Not anymore," Sophia replied quietly. "I gave you my resignation, remember? I'm simply fulfilling my two weeks' notice."
The twins looked between them with confused, worried faces, sensing the tension they didn't understand.
"Fine," Alexander said through gritted teeth. "Mrs. Chen can watch them."
That afternoon, while the children were at school, Sophia was surprised by a knock at the front door. She opened it to find a courier holding a large white box with a ribbon.
"Delivery for Miss Martinez," he said with a professional smile.
Sophia signed for the package, confused. She hadn't ordered anything. Inside the box, nestled in tissue paper, was the most beautiful dress she'd ever seen, a deep emerald silk gown that would complement her dark hair and olive skin perfectly. The designer label made her gasp; it probably cost more than she made in three months.
At the bottom of the box was a small card in Alexander's distinctive handwriting: "You're coming with me tonight. The car arrives at seven. -A"
Sophia stared at the card, her emotions warring between anger and confusion. After five days of cold shoulder treatment, he was suddenly demanding her presence at the gala? Without even asking?
Part of her wanted to pack the dress back up and send it back to him with a scathing note. But another part, the part that still loved him despite everything was curious about his motivation.
At 6:45 that evening, Sophia stood before her bedroom mirror, barely recognizing herself. The emerald dress fit like it had been made for her, hugging her curves in all the right places before flowing into an elegant train. She'd swept her hair into a sophisticated updo and applied makeup with more care than usual, the result both glamorous and understated.
She looked like she belonged in Alexander's world, and maybe that was exactly the problem.
The car- Alexander's sleek black Bentley was waiting when she came downstairs. He was already seated in the back, looking devastatingly handsome in his black tuxedo, his dark hair perfectly styled and his strong jaw clean-shaven.
"You look beautiful," he said quietly as she slid into the seat beside him, maintaining careful distance.
"Thank you for the dress," Sophia replied formally. "Though a conversation about tonight would have been appreciated before the demand."
Alexander's mouth tightened. "I need a date for the gala. It would look strange if I attended alone."
The blunt explanation hit her like ice water. "So I'm arm candy for the evening. How flattering."
"That's not what I meant…"
"Isn't it?" Sophia turned to look at him fully. "What exactly is my role tonight, Alexander? What am I supposed to be to you in front of all your important friends?"
Alexander was quiet for a long moment, staring out the window at the city lights flashing past. "You're my companion for the evening. Nothing more, nothing less."
Sophia's heart sank. Even now, even after everything they'd shared, he couldn't bring himself to claim her publicly. She was good enough to warm his bed in secret but not good enough to stand beside him as an equal.
The Pierre hotel ballroom was a glittering spectacle of Manhattan's elite. Crystal chandeliers cast dancing light over women in designer gowns and men in perfectly tailored tuxedos, while waiters circulated with champagne and canapés. Sophia had never been in such rarefied company, and despite her elegant appearance, she felt like an imposter.
Alexander placed a possessive hand on her lower back as they entered, guiding her through the crowd with practiced ease. Several people approached them immediately, business associates, socialites, charity board members all eager to speak with the powerful Alexander Steele.
"Alexander! So good to see you," gushed a woman in her fifties wearing enough diamonds to fund a small country. "And who is this lovely creature?"
Sophia held her breath, waiting for Alexander's introduction. This was the moment that would define the entire evening, possibly their entire relationship.
"This is Sophia," Alexander said smoothly. "She's the children's nanny."
The words hit Sophia like a physical slap. Not "my girlfriend." Not "someone special." Not even just "Sophia." The nanny. Like that was all she was, all she would ever be.
The woman's smile became slightly condescending. "How wonderful that you brought the help along. So modern of you, Alexander."
Sophia's cheeks burned with humiliation, but she forced a polite smile. "It's lovely to meet you," she managed.
The pattern continued throughout the evening. Every introduction was the same: "This is Sophia, the children's nanny." Each time, Sophia felt herself shrinking smaller, felt the curious and sometimes pitying looks from people who clearly wondered why Alexander Steele had brought his domestic staff to such an exclusive event.
During dinner, seated at Alexander's table with Manhattan's most influential families, Sophia found herself largely ignored. The conversation flowed around her, business deals, vacation homes in the Hamptons, children at exclusive private schools. She was a tourist in their world, and everyone knew it.
"So, Sophia," said the woman seated across from her, Margaret something-or-other with a last name that graced hospital wings and museum galleries. "How long have you been working for the Steeles?"
"About eight months," Sophia replied quietly.
"How refreshing," Margaret said with false sweetness. "Alexander's had such trouble keeping nannies. The children can be quite... challenging, I'm told."
Sophia bristled at the implied criticism of Emma and Ethan, but before she could defend them, Alexander cut in.
"The children are fine," he said curtly. "Sophia has been very... adequate in her duties."
Adequate. The word might as well have been a knife between her ribs. After everything, the nights in his arms, the whispered confessions of love, the way he'd worshipped her body like she was something precious, she was adequate.
"Well," Margaret continued with obvious relish, "I'm sure it's quite an experience for someone from your... background to see how the other half lives."
The barely concealed classism in the woman's tone made Sophia's jaw clench, but she refused to give her the satisfaction of a reaction.
"It's been educational," Sophia said evenly.
When the dancing began, Alexander led her onto the floor with the same detached politeness he'd shown all evening. Other couples swayed around them, lost in intimate conversation and loving gazes, while Sophia felt like she was dancing with a stranger.
"You're upset," Alexander said quietly as he spun her expertly around the floor.
"I'm exactly what you introduced me as," Sophia replied, her voice carefully neutral. "The nanny. Nothing more, nothing less."
Alexander's jaw tightened. "What did you expect me to say?"
"The truth." Sophia looked up at him, her heart breaking all over again. "But I forgot, you don't deal in truth anymore. Only convenient lies."
"Sophia…"
"No." She pulled back slightly, though she continued dancing to avoid a scene. "You made your position perfectly clear. I'm the hired help you occasionally sleep with, not someone worth claiming publicly."
"That's not fair…"
"Isn't it?" Sophia's eyes blazed with hurt and anger. "You brought me here in this dress, looking like I belong in your world, only to spend the entire evening making sure everyone knows I don't. Do you have any idea how humiliating that is?"
Alexander's face went pale, but before he could respond, the song ended and Margaret appeared at his elbow.
"Alexander, darling, you simply must meet the Weatherbys. They're interested in your tech acquisition in Singapore."
Without a backward glance at Sophia, Alexander allowed himself to be led away for more networking, leaving her standing alone on the edge of the dance floor in her beautiful dress, feeling like the biggest fool in Manhattan.
She made it through another hour, smiling politely when spoken to, deflecting condescending questions about her "work," watching Alexander charm everyone in the room while treating her like invisible furniture. When she finally couldn't take another moment, she slipped out of the ballroom and onto the hotel's outdoor terrace, breathing deeply of the cool night air.
"There you are."
Sophia turned to find Alexander approaching, his expression unreadable.
"I was networking," she said flatly. "Isn't that why you brought me? To look good on your arm while you remind everyone that I know my place?"
"That's not why I brought you."
"Then why?" Sophia demanded, her composure finally cracking. "Why dress me up like I belong here only to spend the entire evening making sure everyone knows I don't?"
Alexander ran a hand through his hair, messing up his perfect styling. "Because I wanted you here. Because the thought of attending without you was unbearable. Because even when I'm trying to protect us both, I can't seem to stay away from you."
"Protect us?" Sophia laughed bitterly. "From what? Happiness? Love? The possibility of actually building something real together?"
"From this!" Alexander gestured toward the ballroom. "From the judgment, the whispers, the way people like Margaret tear apart anyone who doesn't fit their narrow definition of acceptable. You saw how they looked at you tonight."
"I saw how you looked at me tonight," Sophia said quietly. "Like I was an embarrassment. Like you were ashamed of me."
Alexander's face crumpled. "Never. I could never be ashamed of you. You're the most remarkable woman I've ever known."
"Then why?" Tears finally spilled over, ruining her carefully applied makeup. "Why do you keep pushing me away? Why do you keep pretending I don't matter when we both know I do?"
Alexander stared at her for a long moment, his own eyes suspiciously bright. "Because you deserve better than this world, Sophia. Better than the cruel whispers and social climbing and constant judgment. You deserve better than me."
"That's not your choice to make," Sophia said fiercely. "And it's certainly not your choice to humiliate me publicly while you decide what I deserve."
She turned to leave, but Alexander caught her arm.
"Don't go. Please."
"Why should I stay? So you can introduce me as the nanny a few more times? So Margaret and her friends can make more comments about my background?" Sophia pulled free of his grip. "I'm done, Alexander. I'm done being your dirty little secret and your public embarrassment."
"Sophia, please…"
"Find another date for your next social event," she said, walking toward the terrace exit. "I resign. Effective immediately."
As she walked away, leaving Alexander standing alone on the terrace in his perfect tuxedo, Sophia felt something die inside her chest. Whatever they'd had- the stolen kisses, the whispered promises, the nights wrapped in each other's arms, it was over.
Alexander had made his choice, and it wasn't her.