Sophia’s POVThe next two weeks were a whirlwind of creativity and productivity. I threw myself into refining my design, working day and night to bring my vision to life. The last time I devoted myself to a project like this was back in school, and I relished every moment of it.It’s tough, but quite thrilling. As I immersed myself in my work, I felt a renewed sense of passion and purpose. I realized that being a designer wasn't just a job for me—it was a calling. The thrill of bringing my ideas to life, of creating something truly unique and impactful, was exhilarating. I was in my element, and I loved every minute of it.The days blurred into nights as I poured myself into perfecting my design. I often found myself staying late in the office, most of the time the only company being Craig, my architect partner. He shared my dedication to the project, which I truly appreciated. He would linger, offering insights and ideas that helped me refine my work.One evening, as we worked side
Sophia’s POVI was about to answer Craig's question over the phone when Reese came over and tapped the end button. I looked at her in surprise, wondering why she had interrupted me. Her face was red, and she looked quite angry, even though her eyes were sleepy.“Now, sleep! No phone!” Reese declared, her voice firm despite her tiredness. I couldn't help but smile at her determination. I pinched her nose affectionately, thinking that I would just explain to Craig tomorrow.“Alright, alright, no phone,” I chuckled, lifting Reese up and placing her gently on her bed. She snuggled into my pillow, already half asleep. I grabbed a storybook that was lying on my bedside table and began reading it to her. Eventually her eyes closed and she was sound asleep. “I love you, Reese,” I whispered, giving her a kiss on the cheek and lying down next to her to sleep. Soon the big day came for Julia and I to present our refined proposal to the entire team. As I stepped into the meeting room, my heart
Sophia’s POVThe meeting ended, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't hide my disappointment. I managed to keep a smile on my face, but inside, I felt crushed. I ignored the sight of Julia basking in their victory, focusing only on the need to retreat to my small office and be alone.Elijah’s eyes shifted to me, and it seemed like his gaze meant to tell me something. I hurried away quickly, not caring to find out. As I entered my office, I hoped to find solace in solitude, but my wish was not granted. Serena followed me in, ignoring my request to leave. She locked the door behind her and sat down on the couch, looking at me expectantly.“What do you want, Serena?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.“Well, do you know why Elijah chose Julia’s design over yours?” she asked straightaway, her eyebrows furrowing. She seemed greatly bothered by this, and I silently wondered why she wasn’t celebrating with them instead. “I’m not interested to know why,” was all I answered as I turn
Elijah's POVKnowing that Sophia was working in the same building where I was, every single day, drove me crazy. I often found myself glancing around in the lobby, in the elevator, in the hallways… always searching for her, hoping to catch a glimpse. Today, Trevis and I had a meeting. Finally, I had good reason to go to Urban Next Design Studio. At first, I didn’t see Sophia anywhere. Then after the meeting, my heart went crazy when I saw that her office door was ajar. Taking a quick peek inside, my heart dropped. There she was, closely sitting together and poring over some designs, even whispering to each other. Sometimes she would giggle, oblivious to my presence.That architect even had the nerve to put his arm around her and rub her back!It was all I could do not to pull him away from her and punch him in the nose. I shook my head as I tried to control the anger that threatened to consume me. “What’s happening to me?” I asked myself as I went back to the top floor and closed th
Julia’s POVI’ve always told Chris no, that I didn’t want that DNA test. I’m not interested in finding out what life I had before I went missing as a child. And I don’t care about going back to the Bakers. This is my life now, and I’m happy and content where I am. I don’t want to complicate things. Every time Chris had visited me in the past, he would always mention new things about their family. He revealed their wealth, but that wasn’t enough to allure me back. My parents had the same kind of wealth, and they had always given me what I wanted ever since I’d been adopted. I’m lucky to have rich and good parents now. How can I be sure that the Bakers will treat me the same? It might not be good to open up the past again. But these were my sentiments before I’d met Elijah Sinclair and found out that he was deeply connected to Sabrina Baker. I remembered looking up into his eyes that first time at the restaurant and hearing his deep, velvety voice, feeling it roll across my skin an
Elijah’s POV“Sabrina…” I whispered as I sat in my large, mahogany-clad office, my gaze fixed on a very old photo I held in my hand. A wave of nostalgia washed over me. The photo captured a moment frozen in time, one of laughter and innocence, with Sabrina's bright smile lighting up the frame. A tinge of guilt spread throughout my chest as I thought about all the years I had failed her because I was never able to find her, even when I had all the money in the world. A series of knocks interrupted my thoughts, followed by the door swinging open to reveal two familiar faces—Chris and Trevis, my closest friends. “Morning, Elijah,” Chris greeted me, his eyes twinkling with excitement. “I've got some news for you.”I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What's up?”“I got the results of the DNA test,” Chris began, grinning widely. “And it turns out that Julia is actually Sabrina! Can you believe it? After all these years, we now have her back!”I wasn’t that shocked, but I couldn’t understand
Sophia’s POVI took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. My heels clicked sharply against the polished marble floor of the Urban Next office, echoing my determination. This is it. I have to do the right thing, no matter the consequences. As I approached Trevis's office, I squared my shoulders.“Ms. Bennett,” his assistant greeted me with a nod, recognizing the resolve in my eyes. She signaled for me to enter.“Trevis,” I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. The owner of Urban Next looked up from his desk, surprise flickering across his face at my abrupt entrance.“Sophia,” he replied, leaning back in his chair. “To what do I owe this unexpected visit?”“I need to talk to you about the new project assigned to Julia.”His brows knitted together in confusion. “I know you were disappointed that your proposal wasn’t chosen, but I also thought you'd be pleased for her. You've always had a good relationship with Julia.”“That's exactly the problem,” I said, my
Sophia’s POVI stormed out of Urban Next, greatly pissed off at Elijah. My mind raced, a tangle of frustration and disbelief. How could he be so blind?“Sophia, wait!” Elijah's voice rang out behind me, his footsteps pounding against the floor as he caught up with me in the hallway. I didn't slow down.“Sophia,” he repeated, more urgent now, grabbing my arm gently. “Please, just listen. Julia—or Sabrina—she's been my friend since we were kids. I know her well enough to know she wouldn't do something like this.”I turned sharply, yanking my arm free. “Of course, you do. Because Julia's Sabrina, right? And you're always right about everything.” My voice dripped with sarcasm. “But let me tell you something, Elijah. You're being quite unfair. These people that you choose to trust may have no credibility at all.”He looked genuinely baffled and taken aback. “What do you mean?”I scoffed, crossing my arms. “You also studied design, didn't you? Surely you can see the similarities in our work
Elijah’s POV“Sophia…”Her name was the only thing in my mind as I stormed through the decaying hallway, boots slamming against rotting wood, gun drawn. My pulse thundered in my ears. The floor creaked beneath every step, but I didn’t slow down. I couldn’t.Joe and his men fanned out behind me, covering corners, checking every room.We were running out of time.Then—A scream.My heart nearly stopped. It was her.I charged forward, slamming my shoulder into the door at the end of the hall. It burst open—and I saw red.Morgana was on the ground, gasping for air as Hugo’s hand squeezed her throat, and across the room, Sophia was trying to drag herself toward them, her face pale and streaked with tears.“NO!” I shouted, and without hesitation, I raised my gun.Hugo turned just as I fired.The bullet tore through his shoulder. He howled, stumbling back and releasing Morgana, who crumpled to the floor, coughing violently.I crossed the room in three strides and tackled Hugo before he could
Sophia’s POVThe first thing I felt was cold.A biting chill that wrapped around my arms and legs like a second set of restraints. Then came the pressure—tight, scratchy ropes cutting into my wrists. My head pounded like a drum, fog thick behind my eyes. Everything smelled like mildew and dust.My eyes struggled to make sense of the shadows.The room was dim, lit only by a weak bulb overhead that flickered like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to stay on. I was on a metal chair, hands tied behind my back, ankles secured to the legs. The air tasted stale and old, like the walls had been sealed off from the world for decades.Panic bloomed in my chest.My brother Chris. What had become of him?I jerked forward, straining against the ropes. “Chris!” I called, my voice hoarse and raw. “Where is he?!”I noticed some movement in the darkness. A shadow stirred in the corner of the room. I froze as a figure stepped out into the light. Tall. Gray-streaked beard. Sunken eyes like old coals. A d
Sophia’s POV“This is insane,” Elijah muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. “We’re relying on Antoine to lead us to Hugo. Does no one else see how crazy that is?”Joe, who had been checking messages on his phone, barely looked up. “We don’t have another choice.”I watched Elijah pace the room, his frustration clear. He wasn’t wrong, but I knew that if there was even the smallest chance of finding Grandpa George, we had to take it.Joe sighed and turned to Antoine. “You sure you can make him bite?”Antoine shrugged. “I know Hugo. He’s a cockroach—he won’t go down without a fight. But if he thinks his last hiding spot is compromised, he’ll make a move. That’s when we strike.”Elijah muttered something under his breath, but I didn’t catch it. Joe’s phone buzzed. As he studied the screen, he said, “We got something. Two possible locations.”Elijah straightened. “Then let’s move.”They all hurried out, and I had the sudden, overwhelming urge to call Elijah back—to make sure he’d pick up
Sophia’s POVMy mother sat on the couch, clutching Grandma Evelyn’s hands, trying to calm her down. My father stood near the window, staring out into the darkness, his face pale and unreadable.Chris and Connor were huddled over a laptop at the dining table, analyzing security footage.Joe was already there, speaking into his phone, barking orders to his contacts.But no one had any answers yet.And Grandpa George was still missing.I turned to my grandmother, kneeling in front of her. “Grandma—did you see anything? Anyone suspicious? A car, a stranger?”Her red-rimmed eyes filled with fresh tears as she shook her head. “No… nothing. I don’t know how this happened.” Her voice broke. “George was just in his study… and then he was gone.”Elijah placed a hand on my shoulder, grounding me, but I could feel the rage simmering beneath his calm exterior. He wasn’t just worried—he was furiousJust then, Chris snapped his fingers at the screen. “We’ve got something.”Connor turned the laptop t
Sophia’s POVWe had been trying to track down both Antoine and Hugo, but they had vanished like ghosts.No leads. No sightings. Nothing.Lucas had called me earlier, still searching, still digging. Even Elijah and his contacts have been working doubly hard. But so far, they’d come up empty too. It was frustrating—knowing the danger was out there, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.But tonight…Tonight, we weren’t going to think about it.Tonight, we were here to celebrate.After all, Lila and Adrian’s joint concert was finally happening. This was their moment, their dream unfolding before them.And for the first time in what felt like forever, we were all together, enjoying something good.Kayla was everywhere at once, her headset on, clipboard in hand, barking last-minute instructions into her earpiece. She was stressed, frantic… but glowing. Even though there could have been other people to take care of all this from her company, she wanted to be in charge, to personal
Emily’s POV“Walk away, Hugo,” Antoine said sharply, stepping in front of us as if to shield us from the strange man.The name triggered a memory.Chris had mentioned it just yesterday—Hugo Tournier. Suddenly, I remembered. It’s the name Sophia and Elijah had been trying to track down. The man who had supposedly changed Sophia’s life forever.And now he’s here. Why?!My hands instinctively balled up as my heart slammed against my ribs. Could this really be the same man?Hugo’s expression darkened with satisfaction as he took another step, exuding an air of quiet arrogance.“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice smooth but laced with something sinister. “You’re not as fun outside of prison, Antoine.”Phoebe’s grip on my wrist tightened. “Emily, let’s go,” she muttered under her breath.I wanted to. Every instinct screamed at me to turn and leave. But I couldn’t—not yet.Hugo came forward, his eyes staring straight at me. He gave a low chuckle, mocking. “It’s interesting to meet Sabrina Ba
Emily’s POVI refused to flinch. Even as Antoine stood in front of me, blocking my way, I forced my body to stay still, to stay firm.I squared my shoulders, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. “Move.”Antoine didn’t budge. His gaze shifted between me and Phoebe, like he wasn’t sure if I’d actually listen or turn and run.“I’m not here to fight,” he said, his voice calm. “I just want to talk.”Phoebe’s grip on my arm tightened, and her anger was immediate, sharp.“Oh, hell no,” she snapped. “What are you even doing here? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”I inhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm. I wasn’t going to let him see me feeling nervous or affected by him. Antoine exhaled, his face unreadable. “I just wanted to talk.”Phoebe laughed coldly. “Talk? You took Jared, Antoine. Without permission. Do you have any idea what you put us through?”“I know,” he admitted. “I made a mistake.”Phoebe scoffed. “A mistake?”I stepped forward, my gaze hardening. “Please, Antoine.
Emily’s POV“You look like you’re waiting for someone to burst through that door and drag you back into hiding.”Phoebe’s voice was light, teasing, but I still flinched. We were sitting in a cafe near Emily’s house, trying to relax and simply enjoy our time together. But it was still challenging for me. I forced a smile, stirring my coffee even though I wasn’t planning to drink it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”Phoebe snorted, popping another bite of pastry into her mouth. “Em, I’ve known you since birth. That’s your I’m on edge but pretending I’m fine face.”I sighed, rubbing my temple. “I just… I don’t know. It feels too good to be true. Jared is finally warming up to me. I have you here. I should be happy. I am happy.”“But?” Phoebe pressed.“But I keep waiting for something to go wrong.”She gave me a knowing look. “Because that’s all you’ve known for years.”I nodded, staring down at the swirl of foam in my untouched coffee. “I don’t know how to turn it off.”Before
Emily’s POVI barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Jared’s voice again—calling for Sophia instead of me. It shouldn’t have hurt this much. But it did.I stared at the ceiling, exhaustion weighing on me, but my mind refused to rest. It kept replaying the moment at the park—Jared’s hesitation, his little hands reaching for Sophia instead of me. I told myself I understood. He didn’t know me. But understanding it didn’t make it hurt any less.A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Before I could answer, my sister Phoebe peeked in, holding two steaming mugs of coffee.“Morning,” she said gently, stepping inside and handing me a cup.I pushed myself up against the headboard, taking the mug with shaky hands. “Thanks.”She sat beside me, studying my face. “You didn’t sleep, did you?”I shook my head, staring into the dark liquid. “Not really.”Phoebe sighed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t go with you yesterday. Work was crazy, and I couldn’t get out of it.”I looked at her