Sophia’s POVI stood frozen, unable to mask the shock that must have been written all over my face. Morgana’s words echoed in my mind: Elijah and Julia getting married. It felt like someone had just dropped a bucket of ice water over me.Elijah told me he’s going to talk to Julia about this, I thought, remembering what he’d told me before. He intends to fix this because he doesn’t want to marry her at all. But how can he do that when Julia isn’t even in her right mind right now?Aloud I said, “Elijah cares a lot about Julia, but I don’t believe he’s going to marry her. He feels guilty for what happened, and he feels sorry for her. But that shouldn’t be a reason to marry someone.”Morgana raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smirk that made my skin crawl. “Well, suit yourself. Keep fooling yourself all you want, Sophia, but it’s not going to make the wedding go away. It will happen soon, just wait and see.”I felt a surge of alarm but forced myself to remain composed. “It doesn’t
Sophia’s POVThe following day, Henry arrived at our Urban Next office right on time, his tall frame silhouetted against the glass doors. I stood up from my desk as he entered, offering him a polite smile.“It's good to see you again, Sophia,” he said, his voice smooth but with an edge that made me uneasy.“Same here, Henry,” I replied, trying to match his cordial tone. Inside, I couldn't shake the suspicion that something about him didn't quite feel right. There was an air of secrecy about him that set my instincts on edge.Henry settled into the chair opposite mine, placing a thick folder on my desk. “I've got an exciting project to discuss with you, as I’m sure Trevis has already mentioned,” he began, opening the folder to reveal a series of detailed blueprints and some rough concept sketches. “My company is developing an upscale residential and commercial hub. It will feature high-end residential units, state-of-the-art office spaces, upscale retail outlets, and recreational faci
Sophia’s POVI walked into the cozy little restaurant, my heels clicking on the wooden floor, and scanned the room for Daniel. I spotted him at a corner table, waving enthusiastically. His bright smile and relaxed demeanor instantly put me at ease.“Sophia! Over here!” he called out, standing up to greet me.I made my way over, smiling back. “Hey, Daniel! Thanks for inviting me.”“Of course,” he said, pulling out a chair for me. “How was your day?”“Busy, as usual. But I’m glad to be here. This place is charming,” I replied, glancing around at the warm lighting and rustic decor.“Yeah, it’s one of my favorites. They have great food, too,” he said, sitting down across from me. “So, what’s new with you?”“Well, I have a bit of news,” I started, leaning in slightly. “I met with Henry Standord today. He’s Julia’s brother from her adoptive family... Anyway, we talked about his project, and I wanted to know if your project with Urban Next is still pushing through.”Daniel’s eyes lit up with
Elijah’s POVI walked alongside Julia as we entered the hospital to visit her doctor and physical therapist. She seemed tense, her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her purse. Her injury from the accident was healing, but the emotional toll lingered.“How are you feeling?” I asked, trying to ease the tension.Julia gave a weak smile. “I'll be okay. Just anxious about these tests.”I was glad that she seemed to be in a better mood today. Even throughout the tests and therapy sessions, she appeared to be normal. Maybe she was on her way to fully recovering. “We should visit Grandma Evelyn,” she even said afterwards. “Are you sure you don’t want to go home yet and rest?” I asked her. She shook her head. “No, I want to check on Grandma Evelyn. She ought to wake up soon from her coma.” She began to look distressed, which also worried me. It’s been a long time that Evelyn hasn’t woken up since her accident at the construction site. We made our way to the familiar hallway where Evelyn
Elijah’s POVMrs. Baker looked shocked at my answer. Then her expression turned to disappointment. It tore at my insides, knowing that she was just doing this too for the sake of her daughter. But I can’t lie to her, to Julia, or to myself. Julia’s face crumpled as if my refusal had physically struck her. “I don’t have to marry anyone!” she cried out, her voice trembling. “I can’t do anything right now anyway. I’m no use to anyone, and I’ll just be a disgrace!”“Julia, that’s not what —” I began to say. But she wouldn’t listen to me. “No!” she cried out. “You’re right in refusing because I won’t make a good wife. I’m helpless and useless now.” She began to sob, her shoulders racking uncontrollably. Mrs. Baker reached out to console her, but Julia shook her off and hastily walked away, her tears glistening under the harsh fluorescent lights.“Julia, wait!” I called after her, quickly mumbling an apology to Mrs. Baker before rushing to catch up. “Julia, please, let me explain.”She
Sophia’s POVI couldn’t help but gasp. The sound seemed to echo in my head, louder than it really was. Morgana’s eyes locked onto mine. Her initial surprise mirrored my own, but before either of us could react, the man spoke.“Darling, I think we can order something like this for our daughter’s 19th birthday. She’ll love this. Or we can have the party in this restaurant. What do you think?”The words made my heart thump harder and faster. Elijah’s stepmother is having an affair, and she has a daughter with this man!I saw Morgana’s eyes narrow, her expression shifting rapidly from shock to guilt, then to something more sinister. Anger flickered across her face, a menacing glint in her eyes. I felt rooted to the spot, unable to move or speak.Morgana stood up slowly, her movements deliberate, and faced me. The room seemed to close in around us, the chatter of other diners fading into a distant hum. I could feel my pulse quicken, my mind racing to process what I had just witnessed.“Sop
Sophia’s POVI sat at my desk, the blueprints of the latest project spread out before me. The lines and measurements blurred together, refusing to form a coherent design in my mind. I sighed, tapping my pen against the paper in frustration. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't focus. My thoughts kept drifting back to Elijah and Julia's upcoming wedding. The news had been a punch to the gut, and I couldn't shake the image of them together. Does it mean that Elijah had changed his mind? Perhaps because Julia has been staying at his house, he has developed real romantic feelings for her already“Focus, Sophia,” I muttered to myself, but it was no use.I glanced at the sketches for Daniel's project. Daniel was a good friend, and his enthusiasm for the project had been contagious. I wanted to do my best for him, but my mind was elsewhere. And then there was Henry, Julia's brother, who had also insisted that I be the head designer for his project. Working for Henry felt like a cruel tw
Sophia’s POVThe article was full of pictures of Adrian and Kayla together at various events, looking every bit the glamorous couple. They were both smiling, radiating happiness.It seemed they were officially in a relationship, and the news had taken the media by storm.I stared at the screen, a mix of emotions churning inside me. Kayla had always been there for me, a constant support through all the ups and downs.Seeing her with Adrian, who’d recently been pestering me to start a relationship with him and even to marry him, felt strange. Is this even real? I thought, knowing very well that celebrity news was usually exaggerated. Kayla hadn’t even mentioned anything to me. Or maybe she’s hesitant to share about it because Adrian had recently declared his love for me publicly? Well, she knows for certain that he’s just a friend to me. There was also a video interview embedded in the article. I hesitated for a moment before pressing play.The screen showed Adrian, looking dapper in