Alone. Completely alone on the cold sidewalk. The golden glow from The Zenith hotel mocked her as it spilled onto the ground.
Her evening bag felt so light it was almost useless. Inside, just a lipstick, a small mirror, and her credit cards. No phone. Her phone was still charging upstairs. In *his* suite.
Panic gripped her chest tight. How could she even ask for help?
She looked around the street. Taxis zoomed by, their lights mixing with her tears. Then she spotted it, hidden near an old newsstand that looked odd among the new buildings. A payphone. A forgotten thing.
Did they still work? Could they take cards?
A tiny hope sparked. She rushed to it, her heels tapping unevenly on the hard ground. The receiver was dirty, but she didn't care. There was a slot for a credit card.
Her hands trembled as she swiped her card, hoping it would work. A dial tone sounded. Relief hit her so hard she almost fell.
She dialed the number she knew by heart. Sophia. Her best friend. Her strength.
The phone rang once, twice, three times.
"Chloe? What's wrong? It's late." Sophia's voice, usually quick and sharp, was soft with sleep.
"Soph..." Chloe's voice broke, a sob slipping out. "Soph, it's... it's Richard."
"Chloe? What happened? Are you okay? Where are you?" Sleep was gone, replaced by worry.
"He... Isabella... they... he threw me out, Soph. From the hotel. In front of everyone." Words spilled out with shaky breaths. "My key doesn't work. Security... they forced me out. I have nothing."
A quiet moment on the line, then a quick gasp. "That awful man! And your *sister*? Oh, Chloe. Stay there. Don't move. What's the address?"
Chloe told her the hotel address, her voice shaking.
"Okay. I'm sending a car. Black Mercedes, license plate noted. It'll be there in ten minutes, maybe less. Driver's name is Alex. Just get in. I'll be waiting." Sophia's tone was hard now. Lawyer mode on. "Hold on, Chloe. I'm here for you."
The call ended. Chloe pressed her forehead against the cold metal of the payphone booth, tears falling. Ten minutes.
It felt like forever, standing there hurt and open. But soon, less than ten minutes later, a smooth black Mercedes stopped at the curb.
A driver in uniform, Alex, stepped out. "Ms. Beaumont?" he asked quietly.
Chloe nodded, feeling empty.
He opened the back door for her. She slid onto the soft leather seat, the fancy car smell so different from the dirt she felt on her.
The driver shut the door softly, hiding her from the world. As the car left The Zenith, Chloe didn't look back.
The ride through the city lights passed in a haze. She stared out the window, the night's events playing like a bad dream. Richard's icy look. Isabella's cruel smile. The sad eyes in the lobby.
Sophia lived in a tall building downtown, all glass and hard lines. The driver took her up in a private elevator, passing her to Sophia at the apartment door.
Sophia Chen was a storm of power. Small but full of strength, her sharp lawyer mind clear even in silk pajamas. She pulled Chloe into a tight hug as soon as the door shut.
"Oh, honey. Look at you." Sophia stepped back, her eyes burning with anger. "Come in, come in."
Sophia's place was simple and stylish, with a view of the shining city. She led Chloe to a soft velvet sofa, draped a warm throw over her shoulders, and gave her a glass of water. Then she sat close, waiting.
And Chloe finally let go. The whole story came out, the conference, the award Richard didn't earn, finding him with Isabella, the slap, the useless key card, the shame, the prenup.
Sophia listened, her face growing harder with every word. She cursed loudly and with fire, blaming Richard and Isabella with a lawyer's skill and a friend's rage.
"He blocked your key with the prenup? That snake," Sophia walked back and forth. "He planned this. The timing, the public place... he wanted to break you fully."
"The prenup..." Chloe whispered. "I hardly read it. Dad had just died..."
"I know, honey. It's not your fault." Sophia stopped and grabbed her tablet. Her fingers moved fast on the screen. "Let's see what that man really did."
She pulled up a digital copy safely stored. Her eyes read the hard legal words.
"Okay... normal money protection rules... here it is. 'End of Spousal Support and Asset Claims.' Reasons include... cheating by either side." Sophia looked up, her eyes dark. "Instant loss of access to certain places, end of job at Sterling Hotels, and a one-time payment."
"How much?" Chloe feared the answer.
"Fifty thousand dollars."
Chloe felt ill. Four years of her life, her career built from nothing, turned into almost nothing.
"But *he* cheated!" Chloe shouted.
"Exactly," Sophia said, her voice cutting. "But you slapped him in public. He'll say you started it, maybe even attacked him. He'll twist it. The rule says cheating by *either* side. He'll try to make *you* look like the one who broke the marriage with bad behavior or a fake affair, hiding his own cheating."
The cold planning was shocking.
"Don't let him," Sophia grabbed Chloe's shoulder, her look fierce. "You are Chloe Beaumont. You made Sterling Hotels a huge success while he did nothing. You are smart, strong, and you earned that. He knows it. That's why he wants to ruin you."
Sophia stood tall, determined. "Tonight, you rest. Tomorrow, we fight. First, we get you the best divorce lawyer in this city. Second, we make Richard Sterling wish he never messed with you."
Chloe looked at her friend, seeing true loyalty and power. Maybe... maybe she wasn't all alone after all.
