It became clear over the next few weeks that we weren't going to get anywhere without meeting with Colin. I didn't once force Leah into the decision; if anything, I refrained from even bringing it up as an option. Eventually, she suggested that it might do more good than harm, and that's how I found myself walking into a prison meeting room that day.

They had him handcuffed to the desk, the same way they kept most vicious criminals when legal members came to speak with them. He was bigger now, clearly taking advantage of the prison gym to make sure he came off as intimidating to his inmates.

"Sophie Kelly... needing my help!"

His smug attitude was off-putting, he had a sense of superiority and arrogance, standing up and assuming I would willingly shake his hand. I knew what he would be thinking; finally, after all these years, I needed him. Little did he know that, no matter how much I truly needed him, I would never reveal my vulnerability.

"Sit down, you arrogant prick."
"That's not very friendly, is it?"
"Yes, because you're known for being friendly, Colin."
"You put me in here."
"You put yourself in here."
"And now you need my help."
"Nope."
"You don't?" He chuckled smugly.
"No. I just want to know why."

He looked at me with confusion, his eyebrows raised in an attempt to understand why I was there. I knew he would probably presume I needed assistance of an illegal nature, but I would never seek the assistance of someone like Colin Coyle. Well, that's what I thought.

"Why what?"
"Kyra."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, come off it."
"I don't know anyone called Kyra, Kelly."

Although he had a notorious reputation for dishonesty, I couldn't help but entertain the idea that he truly had no prior knowledge of or connection to Kyra. However, the only logical explanation for her sudden name change and hatred towards me was if there was some kind of association between her and him. I decided to stick with my assumption that she was his daughter, even though I was starting to doubt it.

"She's your daughter, Colin. She's trying to ruin my life."
"My daughter? Oh, fuck sake, so Glenda's baby was mine?"
"Who is Glenda?"

I could feel the tension and a sense of unwanted familiarity in his demeanour and face when the name Glenda came up. Although I knew he would try to deny it, it was clear that he knew her well.

"I don't have to tell you that."
"You should."
"Nah. I'm good."
"Ten years."
"What?"
"That's how many years I could have added to your sentence if I told them about your little business in here."

His frustration reached its peak as he forcefully slammed his hands on the desk, and his eyes burned with a threat aimed solely at me.

"You know fuck all." He spat.
"What if I wanted to buy some coke in here? Would I know enough to know you can get it in for me?"
"Fuck up!"
"Maybe I should ask them to search your cell while we're sitting here."
"Fuck up!" He gritted his teeth.
"You're shackled to a chair, Colin; you don't scare me."
"I could ruin your life myself!"
"I could ruin yours too. Let's be honest, you haven't got ten years left in you, and your greys show that."

As the conversation continued, his voice grew increasingly frustrated. It was evident that my cocky demeanour was pushing him as far as he could go without exploding.

"What do you want to know?"
"Who's Glenda? How has Kyra managed to get witness protection? And what does she want from me?"

As I watched him, I could see him experience an inner conflict between not wanting to help me by telling the truth and the temptation to lie and simply hope I wouldn't actually report him.

"Glenda was a runner."
"She sold drugs for you or just ran them from place to place?"
"Second."
"Right."
"That's it."
"She got pregnant with your baby by touching your drugs, aye?"
"You're irritating."
"I know."
"We—you know—once or twice."
"Was she blind?"
"Fuck off."
"I was just asking for my research." I smirked.
"She kept telling me she was pregnant, and it was mine. She slept around; I never thought there was any chance it actually was mine."
"So how does she get witness protection, Colin?"
"I dunno."
"You do."
"I don't."
"Ten years."

My reminder of what he faced seemed to jolt his memory.

"Glenda asked me to sort it."
"For Kyra?"
"For Glenda and her family. I didn't ask who it was."
"And they just got it with a click of your fingers? I don't buy that."
"Yep."
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not."
"I could say you threatened me. I'm sure the prison officer you brought in on your plan would back me up if I threatened him too."
"I told her some things she could go to the police with."
"Names?"
"Yeah. Places, things like that."
"And in return for her testimony, they gave her witness pro?"
"Must've done."
"Do you think there's a chance Kyra isn't even yours?"
"No clue. We don't exactly -"
"Yeah. I'm bored talking to you now. Bye, Colin."

I didn't wait for his response, I quickly got up and headed towards the exit. Just as I reached for the handle, his voice echoed through the room.

"Sophie?" He shouted.
"Yeah?"
"When I get out of here -"
"You'll do fuck all because the minute you come near me or my family, I'll tell them all about you and your little prison business. Have a great day, Colin; enjoy confinement, those tracksuits really bring out the evil in your eyes."

Untangling the numerous layers of security that witness protection had provided to Glenda and Kyra became a time-consuming and exhausting task after my encounter with Colin. After nearly two months of searching, Rhys finally managed to find out the history of Kyra and her mother. He was able to tell me that Kyra's birth name was Coleen Rowland, and it didn't take a genius to work out that her mum had called her after her dad.

I was unsure about how to proceed with the situation. Now that I had more information, it felt like I had pinned so much hope on getting to this point that I had forgotten this wasn't the end. I wasn't the kind of person who could carry the guilt of having blood on my hands if I were to place that information in the hands of the types of people who would want it in a desperate bid to remove Kyra from my life. I thought about the option of confronting her about her past, but that seemed too risky. It could potentially backfire and give her more ammunition to use in the media.

On top of everything, Lorraine, who had been constantly reminding me about the firm's drop-off, asked for a meeting without giving any indication of its reason. I anticipated that she would probably give me a disappointed look and lecture me about how the media narratives were affecting our performance. Although had I known the outcome of the meeting before it began, I might not have let myself feel so defeated.

"Hi, Lorraine." I smiled as she entered my office.
"Not a great visit today, I'm afraid." She sighed, taking a seat in front of me and studying my face.
"Okay."
"All this bad press has really taken a toll on things, Sophie. I understand that it's out of your control, so to speak, but your reluctance to put business needs above your own reputation is really disappointing."
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
"My advisor has suggested I withdraw my funding."
"What? That'll sink us! You know that. Without your funding right now, we would literally be bankrupt."
"And what happens when we dip further? Soon, there will be no clients left, Sophie. Soon, I won't have a return on investment left to get."
"I'm sorting it. Just give me a few weeks; I've already taken a huge hit from returning Amanda's money."

I could sense tears forming in my eyes, but I fought hard to hold them back and remain calm, fully aware of the importance of displaying strength during meetings with an investor.

"I'm sorry for you, Sophie. I truly am sorry. I am your friend, and I am here to help you in whatever way I can, but I'm a businesswoman too."

Involving another person in this situation came with huge risks; it had the potential to compromise everything I had worked towards so far. I knew Lorraine, though. I knew her well enough to know that her advisors were savages, and if she told them to begin the process of withdrawing her investment, they would have the paperwork on my desk almost as soon as she left the office. In the end, my voice made the decision for me before my brain had time to argue with it.

"I know who is behind the articles." I blurted out.
"What?"
"They're not true, Lorraine. I've always denied them, and now I'm inches away from exposing them as total bullshit. Please just trust me to make sure this business become the one you chose to invest in again because I know I can."
"Who is it?"
"She thinks she's the daughter of Colin."
"Colin Coyle?" Her eyes widened.
"Yes."
"Tell me everything, Sophie. Slowly and from the beginning."
"I don't want to involve you. It might be dangerous."
"Did you hear what I just said about being a friend?"
"Yeah."
"Then tell me everything."

Lorraine immediately offered her support, never once considering her own well-being and prioritising our friendship above all else. She promised me that she would take care of adding more evidence to our case, further promising me that she had a network of connections that she could use to get concrete proof that Kyra was the source of the leaks.

I was anxious about telling Leah about my decision to involve Lorraine, but she had trust in my judgement and gave me nothing but support. It took just a few days for Lorraine to call with an update that was somewhere between positive and negative.

"My contact in the press has confirmed the tips came from Kyra."
"Is he willing to go public?" I had so much hope.
"No."
"Fuck sake." I groaned.
"She doesn't have to know that."
"She won't be afraid of a maybe. She knows the press game too well."
"Then it's time to play dirty. Tell me, do you remember that man who was desperate for you to work with him? Criminal. You said no. I can't remember his name."
"Leonard Myrtle?" I chuckled.
"Yes! Ask him for a meeting."
"Leonard?"
"Yes. Who else?"
"I'm not following."
"You will be. Find out when he can meet with us and let me know. I'll make sure to be there."

Leah and I had to carefully consider this decision together without rushing into it. Leonard had quite the criminal background, filled with a history of violence. I found myself reluctant to depend on someone of his nature, especially with something as significant as this. Leah reminded me that Lorraine wasn't a criminal and that she would always have the best interests of me and my family at heart. So instead of putting our trust in our own judgement, we put our trust in hers.

Lorraine and I met with Leonard the following week. Lorraine took charge of the meeting, explaining that we would offer our representation to him without charge in situations where he was being used as a scapegoat for unsolved crimes but not for crimes he had actually committed. He declined, initially causing me to fear that our plan was falling apart. However, he soon started reminiscing about the night I had helped him in Manchester before expressing his admiration for the way I had stuck to my morals when he had offered me insane money to represent him. Leonard wasn't refusing to help; he wanted to help me for free.

Leonard and Lorraine devised a clever plan to influence Kyra into revealing the truth. None of it was illegal, and instead it was simply a tactic to frighten her into talking to Lorraine's contact in the media and, in turn, clear my name. Their plan would essentially ruin her credibility and make sure she could never publish another story about my family.

Even as the plan was finalised, and after everything Kyra had put us through, I couldn't help but feel guilty. It felt as though I was tearing apart her reputation to mend my own. Leah showered me with constant support throughout the build-up to the showdown, assuring me that I wasn't alone in any of this. She made it clear that she played an equal role in every decision, and any guilt I felt came from my disbelief that someone could be as cunning as Kyra. She made her bed, let her lie in it, Leah repeatedly told me.

It all started that evening when Leah asked for Kyra's help in collecting some paperwork she had asked me for and told her I asked that it be picked up from my office because I was working late. Kyra eagerly agreed, probably with the hope of stumbling across something she could leak to the press. She arrived shortly after 7pm, and as she entered, Leonard quickly positioned himself in front of the door to prevent her from leaving. This all felt so wrong to me, but I had to just go with it.

"Kyra, is it?" Leonard asked.
"Who are you?" She scoffed, looking between the three of us.
"Leonard Myrtle, a fourteen-time convicted criminal."
"Really? You've resorted to getting someone to beat me up?" Kyra squinted her eyes at me.
"I don't hit women." Leonard announced proudly, like he was a hero for that.
"So, what're you doing here?"

This was my chance to display unshaken confidence, even if deep down I was crumbling. This situation was completely unfamiliar to me, and even though I was trying to protect my family, I couldn't help but wish that Kyra had someone to support her in that moment. However, as quickly as my guilt took over, a painful memory resurfaced: the night in the kitchen when Amanda and Leah ripped into me for something I hadn't done, and it was Kyra who had created the entire ordeal.

"Leonard helped us get you and your mum a new life far away from here; you shouldn't be so rude to him. You'll be thankful for him when your own reputation is on the floor." I spoke confidently.
"The papers will love this." She chuckled smugly.
"You know what else they would love?"
"What?"
"To find out that your mum is Glenda Rowland and you're Coleen Rowland. Born and raised in Belfast until your mum grassed on your dad's mates and you got witness protection."
"They - they'd never print that!" She shook her head anxiously.
"Fuck! You're right. It's a breach of the law!" I sighed smugly.

Lorraine was next up for her part in this plan. She had meticulously planned everything, knowing full well that Kyra wouldn't fall for the false threat of the media publishing something they would never actually publish. She had Leonard ready to lie, pretending he was involved in something he had absolutely no part in.

"I have an idea! Leonard, who supplies the drugs to those gangs in Belfast?" Lorraine's voice was so condescending.
"I do."
"So they're your mates she grassed on?"
"They are." Leonard nodded.
"And now you know what she looks like?"
"Sophie, don't do this." Kyra pleaded.

I was able to ignore the fearful tone of her voice because I knew deep down I could never actually put her life at risk, even if that's what we were making her believe right now. Instead, I found some inner strength to be able to let her know just how angry I was.

"Why shouldn't I? You ruined my life—well, you tried to."
"You sent my dad to prison!"
"For murdering someone, Kyra." I rolled my eyes.
"It doesn't matter."

For some reason, I gave her one last chance to get the idea that Colin was anything but a waste of space out of her head. From her reaction to her dad going to prison, I genuinely believed she was upset that he had gone there with no idea she existed, and I got the feeling that she had no idea he existed until his high-profile case.

"Kyra, I initially got your dad off; do you know that?"
"Yeah."
"Right, but I got him off because he lied to me. You know that?"
"Yeah."
"So that family—the ones who suffered a tragic loss—had their lives on hold waiting for the police to find someone else when I knew the murderer had just gotten away with it. All I did was refuse to represent him again."
"I heard you and your brother framed dad."
"My brother?"
"Yeah. Rhys."

Fuck. This isn't good.

"My brother can barely tie his own laces, let alone frame the most dangerous man in Ireland for a murder he didn't commit."
"Well, maybe you did it then."
"On my own? Why would I risk that? My life was turned upside down when your dad was found guilty the second time. When it came out in the papers when I was with Leah, it almost ruined it again. Why would I want that?"

I thought I was getting through to her, but it didn't take long to realise that someone like her wasn't willing to see anything beyond the end of her own nose.

"I thought if I could take you down and show you to be dishonest, people would know he's innocent."
"But he isn't."
"He is!"
"Why do you want a dad like that anyway? He's a waste of space, Kyra; surely you can see that?"
"You think I want a dad like him?"
"Well, you seem pretty upset about him being inside." I raised an eyebrow.
"He was worth millions before you had him put inside! All I had to do was prove he was my dad, and the minute he died, I became a millionaire. You ruined that."

Finally, this all made sense. In that moment, I finally didn't feel guilty for being a part of this plan because she wasn't just a person who desperately wanted a father; she was someone who would stop at no lengths to get money, even if that money was made by a man who killed people for a living.

"So are you and your mum going now or not?" Lorraine asked, growing impatient.
"No. Fuck you."
"Sophie, just ring the police." Lorraine nodded.
"I haven't broken any laws." Kyra chuckled.
"Oh, honey, do you know how long I've been in this profession? Long enough to know how to put anyone behind bars. My ex-husband for one." Lorraine smiled.

Realising she was completely cornered by three people who knew the law better than she thought she did, Kyra silently thought through her options.

"So I have two choices: have my identity outed or go to prison for something I've been framed for?"
"You have three. The third is to leave... tonight." I answered.
"This place, if we go there, we'll be safe?"
"Yes." I nodded.
"So I'm meant to believe that you'll just drop all of this, and obviously you've paid for passports and flights for me and my mum just to keep me away from Leah and the media?"
"No." I chuckled in disbelief at her stupidity.
"What then?"
"Lorraine has a contact in the press. He's waiting to interview you about the lies you've told. Once you've done the interview, Leonard will drive you to get your mum and you two can be gone by tonight so you don't have to face the wrath of the media like I did."
"What about money?"
"That's sorted. I'll explain on the way." Leonard spoke.

She thought for a little longer, urged to hurry up her decision by the sound of Lorraine's nails tapping on the desk.

"I'll do it. I'll tell the press I lied. I can't tell them why, though, Sophie. They could come looking for us. They might find us one day."
"I know. Just say you hate me. That's enough for me. I'm not a bad person, Kyra. I don't want you to come to any harm, but don't for one second think I wouldn't let it happen if you were a risk to my family."
"I understand."

Lorraine stayed at the office while Leonard drove me and Cara to Lorraine's office and told her we would be waiting for her when she came out. Once she went inside, I thanked Leonard for his help and got out of the car to wait for Kyra to return. I could tell she had put on the waterworks for the interviewer when she came outside. She looked around for a second, noticing the absence of Leonard's car, before setting eyes on me.

"Where's Leonard?" She asked frantically.
"No idea." I shrugged.
"I thought you said he was taking me to the airport."
"No, I didn't."
"What? You did!"
"I didn't."
"You played me! I've just exposed myself as a liar, and now I have to stay here. Everyone will think I'm crazy."
"Yeah. Just like you played Leah and made her think she was crazy. She sends her condolences, by the way."
"About what?"
"The termination of your contract by her management team. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a family to get back to."

She was speechless as she stood on the footpath, expecting that she would now go through the exact same thing that I had gone through with the media. I couldn't let that happen, though. I'd made it very clear to Lorraine that the only way I would allow this plan to go ahead was if Lorraine's press contact promised not to name Kyra in the article.

"Sophie!" She screamed after me as Lorraine pulled up beside us.
"They won't name you, Kyra. You stay away from my family, and I'll make sure you can never be named by the press."
"Someday someone will out you for sending an innocent man to prison, even if it can't be me!"
"They won't."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Solicitors always fucking win." I smirked, closing the car door behind me.

Lorraine drove me home from her office, laughing about me using Kyra's words back on her and how much she would love to see me in a courtroom. When we pulled into the driveway, I could see Leah curtain twitching, trying not to be obvious but failing miserably.

"Did you really frame your ex-husband?" I asked.
"I wouldn't even know where to start to frame someone, but she believed it, so I went with it." Lorraine chuckled.
"I believed it!" I gasped.
"Yes. Just like you believed that I was ever going to pull my investment."
"Huh?"
"I knew there was more to this story, Sophie. I wanted to help, but you're so independent. I knew if you thought you would lose the business you want to leave to your children, you would tell me."
"I don't know whether I'm offended or impressed."
"You can be both. Go spend time with your family; come Monday, we'll get to work on bringing back your client list."
"Thank -"
"I really will pull my investment if you say thank you once more."
"Fuck you, then, I guess." I smirked.

She let out a light laugh and casually dismissed me with a wave of her hand, taking a sip from her coffee cup before she drove away. Leah was waiting on the other side of the door when I entered, pretending she was just rearranging the shoes in the hallway.

"Alright, inspector gadget?"
"I was just—okay, yeah, I was spying." She blushed.
"I know. I saw you curtain twitching in the living room too."
"What happened?"
"We're Kyra free. Tomorrow morning, the papers will print the truth." I smiled.

She lifted me into her arms and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. For the first time since long before we separated, I could see genuine happiness and hope for the future in her eyes. I hoped she could see the same in mine.

"You never cease to amaze me, Soph." She spoke lovingly.
"Oh, yeah?" I smirked.
"Nope."
"Maybe I should try to amaze you upstairs."
"For real?"
"Stop talking, Leah. This offer expires in thirty seconds." I shrugged.

Somehow she managed to quietly get me upstairs in record time. Two hours later, I found myself wrapped up in her arms, my face nestled against her chest, taking in the feeling of her fingers gently stroking my hair.

"Soph?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I stay tonight?"
"Where else would you go?" I chuckled.
"Well, I wasn't sure if -"
"I'm still going to make you pay for sharing those fan posts." I grinned up at her.
"That's fine with me; I really am so -"
"But I suppose you could move back in, so it's easier for me to make you pay."

We finally fell asleep after sharing a few more lazy kisses and discussing our plans for all the date nights we were going to have. The next morning, the tabloids were filled with an admission that changed our lives for the better for once.

She's innocent: Sophie Williamson, the almost ex-wife of Leah Williamson, had her life destroyed by a malicious staff member who claimed she had been unfaithful.

Sophie Williamson, once known as a notorious cheat in the WAG world, has finally been vindicated.

A former member of Leah Williamson's management team admitted to fabricating the untrue story, citing personal animosity towards Sophie as the motive.

The public's response has been filled with remorse, as numerous individuals have resorted to reaching out to Sophie directly online to offer heartfelt apologies and send their love her way.

What impact will this have on the highly publicised celebrity divorce? According to early media reports, Leah's car was seen parked outside the family home overnight, sparking speculation among fans about a potential reunion.

For further details, click here.