Sophia stood at the door to her mother's hospital room, taking a last look at her resting figure. Ethan had left a few minutes ago, promising to check in later, but she lingered a moment longer, watching her mother's chest rise and fall with every breath. Relief washed over her, knowing the worst of the surgery was behind them."Goodbye, Mom," she whispered, as though the words could reach her. She glanced back one last time and then quietly stepped out, her heart still heavy from the news she hadn't yet shared. The divorce was a chapter she'd managed to keep quiet, not out of shame, but out of the desire to protect her mother from more worry than she could bear. Sophia had lost so much, but now, in her mother's recovery, she felt a small piece of herself begin to mend.Outside the hospital, the air was warm with a gentle breeze, and for the first time in a while, she felt like she could breathe. As she walked down the busy street, her mind wandered to Alexander. Their arrangement was
Alexander nodded, his gaze fixed on his plate. "It changes you. It hardens you, in ways you don't realize until it's too late." They fell into a comfortable silence after that, each lost in their own memories, their own thoughts. The meal went on in silence as Alexander was enjoying his meal and Sophia didn't know what to say. She ate quietly watching him from the side. When they were done, Alexander stood up glancing at her, his usual guarded expression softened. "Thank you… for the dinner." She looked up, surprised, "It's nothing." She watched as he turned around heading to his study. A soft smile formed on her lips as she cleaned up the table. Back at the Hawthorne estate, Marcus pulled up to the family mansion, an imposing structure with high stone walls and ivy snaking along its aging facade. Though grand, its muted elegance couldn't rival the timeless opulence of Alexander's Valmere. It was a place rooted in tradition, every corner laden with Hawthorne pride and a rigid
Raphael's face hardened into a mask of unreadable emotion. "You're not meant to understand," he replied curtly. "Just know that Sophia's place in this family was deliberate. And now, you've jeopardized everything with your selfishness." Marcus's fists clenched at his sides, shame and resentment burning in his veins. He wanted to argue, to protest, but he felt like a child, chastised and powerless under Raphael's gaze. "You will fix this," Raphael said, his tone as cold as steel. "Find a way to get Sophia back. Do whatever it takes." A mixture of defiance and fear simmered within Marcus. He had always been his grandfather's puppet, forced to dance to his whims, but this command stung deeper than the others. Yet part of him couldn't deny the appeal of having Sophia back, reclaiming her as something that belonged to him. "Yes, Grandpa," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "I'll bring her back." "Good," Raphael replied, a faint flicker of approval crossing his face. "Do not fa
Sophia's face blushed as she explained, “Well, we both needed each other's help so we made a deal.” She saw the worry etched on her friend's face and quickly explained what happened before adding. “Don't worry, Alexander might be cold but he has been nothing but nice to me. He is a good man.” Amelia's face softened again; she grinned at her, “Hey girl, why are you so lucky? He must be a big shot the way you described him and his house.” She added winking at her, “Tell me, is he handsome? The way I see your face, you must have already fallen for him.” Sophia's face blushed deeper and she couldn't believe her friend. She defended herself, “I'm not, and stop it, Amelia. I'm not telling you more, you better give up.” Amelia mock-sighed, crossing her arms. “Fine. Keep your secrets. But you know I’m dying over here, right?” Sophia chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee just as the entrance bell chimed. Her gaze flicked up casually and immediately froze. Entering the cafe, with the haug
Sophia's face blushed as she explained, “Well, we both needed each other's help so we made a deal.” She saw the worry etched on her friend's face and quickly explained what happened before adding. “Don't worry, Alexander might be cold but he has been nothing but nice to me. He is a good man.” Amelia's face softened again; she grinned at her, “Hey girl, why are you so lucky? He must be a big shot the way you described him and his house.” She added winking at her, “Tell me, is he handsome? The way I see your face, you must have already fallen for him.” Sophia's face blushed deeper and she couldn't believe her friend. She defended herself, “I'm not, and stop it, Amelia. I'm not telling you more, you better give up.” Amelia mock-sighed, crossing her arms. “Fine. Keep your secrets. But you know I’m dying over here, right?” Sophia chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee just as the entrance bell chimed. Her gaze flicked up casually and immediately froze. Entering the cafe, with the haug
But before they could flood him with more questions, Marcus turned back to his car, cursing. He shut the door with a slam and sped away, his face tense and brooding. Inside the Rolls Royce, Sophia turned to her rescuer, her voice soft and tentative. “Thank you… Mr. Evans,” she said, unsure of how to address him. “Alexander,” he corrected her coolly, his gaze fixed ahead. “Just Alexander.” She nodded, her cheeks warming under the intensity of his presence. She’d known he was a powerful man, but sitting here beside him, she could feel the weight of that power in the air. There was an edge to his silence, a sense of control that made her feel both safe and unsettled. Then, his voice cut through the quiet, startling her. “Who am I to you, Sophia?” She blinked, caught off guard. “Um… my husband,” she replied, the words awkward on her lips. “Then why didn’t you call me when you needed help?” His tone was calm, but there was an undercurrent of reprimand that made her shrink slight
One comment after another showed a wave of public support for Sophia. People sympathized with her and were appalled by the Hawthornes’ behavior. The Hawthorne company’s stock plummeted as investors and the public alike turned their backs on the scandal-ridden siblings. *** In his study, Raphael Hawthorne was nearly shaking with rage as he read through the flood of articles and comments. “What a disgrace!” he growled, slamming his fist on the table. His calloused knuckles turned white with tension. “I won’t have the Hawthorne name dragged through the mud like this.” He turned, barking orders at his assistant. “Get Marcus and Lauren here. Now.” As if remembering something, he asked, “Has Pablo arrived from his trip?” “Mr Hawthorne will be arriving soon Sir.” The butler replied. “Let him see me immediately. I want him to take care of his children's mess.” He commanded. *** Meanwhile, back at Valmere, Sophia was scrolling through her phone, her heart racing as she saw th
The male doctor smirked, his expression uncaring. “This is the best hospital in the city for surgeries. Your mother has overstayed her welcome.” Sophia’s blood boiled at the callousness in their voices. She stepped forward, her eyes blazing. “What’s going on here?” she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady. “Why are you chasing my mom out?” The nurse scoffed. “Your mother has been here long enough. She needs to leave.” “This is a hospital where patients should stay as long as they pay their bills. As far as I know, we've been paying our bills as required. What right do you have to chase us out?” Sophia challenged. The nurse was momentarily stunned, unsure of how to retort. The male doctor chimed in, “Look, miss, we have rules here, and as the best hospital for surgeries in the city, we can't allow patients to stay over a month. What will happen to other patients lining up for surgeries too?” He sounded so righteous and Sophia couldn't believe it. “It is also stipulated by
The receptionists exchanged confused glances. Yes, they could tell the man before them wasn't an average Joe just from the aura he gave them. But they couldn't go against the company's policy.They were right, not many people knew who Alexander was except a few business associates. He wasn't in the mood to wait so he pulled out his phone and called Michael.“I’m at the reception,” he said, his voice flat when the call was answered.Michael, who was busy with his work, frowned after answering the call. Alexander has never visited his company before. Did something serious come up? Without hesitation, he rushed downstairs.The moment he spotted Alexander, who was waiting at the reception despite his impatient nature, he got furious.“What are you all doing? Don't you know who he is? The next time you make him wait, you can all forget about working here. He berated the receptionists.He then turned to Alexander and gave him a fr
The sight of Larry made Alexander’s blood boil with rage when his mind flashed back to the "woodie guy" he had been investigating. His eyes narrowed as realization struck him. It was him! He was the same person who had visited Gerald in prison, the one who had likely orchestrated his escape. And him approaching Sophia now? This was not a coincidence. He had his team investigate him and nothing crucial came up. He even sent a half-photo of this man to Michael, his trusted friend, to dig up information. And before he got any feedback, here the man was, sitting across from his wife. Alexander wanted nothing but to walk right before the guy and kill him with his bare hands. The aura around him shifted drastically but before many people could notice it, he took a slow breath, pushing down the anger that was about to consume him. By the time he started walking inside, he had already composed himself and with deliberate strides, he approached the
Back in the chairman's office, Drake Egerton leaned back in his chair and said in admiration, “But I must admit, your wife is something else. Totally different from most women out there. Most care about material things and status, but look at her, she doesn't even want people to know she’s connected to you. And worse? She refused the company. Allure Fashion is the top fashion house in the country, yet she couldn't care less.” Alexander nodded a proud smile on his face. He knew exactly the kind of woman Sophia was and that was why he couldn't resist falling in love with her. Drake smirked. “Man, you've got a gem. If I could win her, I swear I’d take her to my grandpa tomorrow and marry her the next day. I would even make her...” He suddenly stopped, sensing the shift in the air. The deadly glare from his friend sent a chill down his spine. If looks could kill, Drake would be dead by now. He shifted uncomfortably in his chai
Alexander nodded, stepping closer, trying to sound more sincere, his eyes pleading for her to believe him. “Yes, he knows. Drake isn't just an employee; he's a good friend, and I trust him. Just like Michael and Jake. Besides, we studied abroad together, so we're more like brothers. But I promise, he didn’t know anything about you until after I called him. He couldn’t have interfered with your promotion because he wasn’t involved until I made that call.” Sophia relaxed slightly, knowing they could trust Drake with their secret. Still, that didn't mean she had forgiven him; she was still angry. “You made me look like a fool there. I shared my experiences and struggles at work, and you didn't say a word. How can I trust you?” she asked quietly, still wondering what else he was hiding from her. Alexander’s shoulders slumped. He crossed the room, closing the gap between them. “I know, sweetheart. I should’ve told you sooner. I’m sorry. I will never hide a
Sophia felt her heart beat faster as every head in the meeting room turned to her. Some faces held admiration, others curiosity. Almost all the women in the room gave her an envious look. The men seemed intrigued, their eyes glancing at her with curiosity. What's it about her that had caught the chairman’s attention? And then there was Nina. Her green eyes narrowed slightly and she couldn't conceal her jealousy. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists under the table. She had worked tirelessly in this company, but no matter how much effort she put in, she couldn't outshine Sophia even though she had joined long before her. And what made it even worse was that Sophia was not only hardworking and talented but also kind. It made it impossible to hate without looking petty. Her friend Emily, on the other hand, beamed with excitement. She nudged her with an elbow, lowering her voice. “Oh my God, Soph! What did you do to catch his at
“Well, what do you expect?” Emily grinned. “A mysterious, wealthy, young, and handsome chairman? Of course, everyone can't wait to see him. But the big question is: Is he single? I know many people are ready to try their luck.” Sophia rolled her eyes but smiled. “You included, right?” Emily waved her hand dismissively. “Please, I’m just here for fun. But who wouldn't like such a charming man?” She added, widening her eyes. “Hey don't tell me you're not interested?” Sophia shrugged her shoulders, disinterested, “No, I'll pass, but all the best. I hope you can impress him.” She was amused by how these women were behaving like school girls mesmerized by a man they hadn't even seen. Emily laughed out loud before lowering her voice, “I think someone needs luck more.” “Who?” She asked surprised. Emily motioned her head and Sophia followed. Sure enough, she saw Nina, who was checking herself out in a mirror, adju
Curious, she made her way to the front of the office, only to spot Larry standing at the reception desk, flashing her that same charming smile. Sophia blinked, surprised to see him. “What? Larry? What are you doing here?” Larry gave her a friendly smile. “I bet you're surprised. I was, too, when I heard you work here.” Sophia just looked at him quizzically as if saying that's not enough explanation. Larry added, “Well I came here to have my suite designed. I heard Allure Fashion is one of the best fashion houses in Eldridge and Kyla. Who knew you were one of their best designers.” Sophia tried to hide her surprise. “Yeah, that’s a coincidence.” Larry shrugged, unfazed. “Since you work here, I was hoping you could help me pick out something for an event I’ve got coming up.” Sophia hesitated for a moment, then nodded. It wasn’t every day a client showed up at her workplace, and besides, he had been kind t
“How long have you been in Eldridge?” Sophia asked, looking at him suspiciously. How come he knows people who are around me? Is it a coincidence? Who else will he mention next?Larry saw her suspicion and guarded expression and realized he had talked too much.He leaned back, giving her a friendly smile, taking a casual sip of his coffee.“Not so long but I have attended several events here. It's not hard to get to know famous people like Jessica Jason who's rumored as the most beautiful woman in Eldridge. Besides, even people outside of Eldridge know her.”She thought about it and figured it was indeed possible for him to know Jessica and Alexander since they were famous people in the business circle.“That makes sense. Well, do you know her personally? I just got to know her recently.”He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Of course not, I just saw her a few times, but just between us,” he said, leaning closer, “she's not as beautifu
Alexander went to his room to get some rest. He freshened up and climbed in his bed but the room and bed were so empty. He had been used to sleeping together with his wife, but now, he felt like an abandoned child, and he cursed Jessica several times. After lying down for a while, he realized he couldn't sleep. He left his room for the balcony, where he smoked several cigarettes and the blowing wind and cold night cooled him. Sophia, too, couldn't sleep; she turned around on the bed several times, but still, her mind was fogged with everything that had happened today. She knew she was at fault too. She shouldn't have overreacted and taken it out all on her husband. She got out of bed and went out of her room, descending the stairs on the way to the kitchen. She went to the fridge and took some milk. She drank slowly on the kitchen counter hoping that it would help her get some sleep. She then left the kitchen