Sophia’s POV“Uncle Daniel!” Reese exclaimed. I turned, relief flooding through me as I saw Daniel's kind smile instead of Elijah's piercing gaze. Reese ran up to him, her tiny arms wrapping around his legs. I took a deep breath, beginning to relax. “Daniel,” I said, my voice steadying. “Thank goodness it's you.”He bent down to Reese's level, ruffling her hair before straightening up to face me. “Sophia, what happened?”I glanced around, ensuring no one was eavesdropping, then told him everything. The words tumbled out in a rush. “Reese and I were shopping with Kayla when I heard Elijah and Julia talking… I’m not sure if Elijah saw me and my daughter, but he could have, you know? He turned around and I tried to hide! Then we immediately left the store!” I could hear the tension and anxiety in my voice. My ex-husband could find out the truth about Reese, and it wasn’t something I was prepared for yet. “I’m just so scared that he might try to check the security cameras just to make
Elijah’s POV“No, everything’s fine,” I replied, my eyes locked on Sophia's. “I’ll be out in a while.”At that moment, she stomped on my foot, her eyes flashing with anger. But instead of reacting with pain, I simply grinned at her. The look of astonishment on her face was almost comical, and she glared at me, her fury evident.The cramped dressing room was suffocating, the walls pressing in on us as Sophia and I stood mere inches apart. I had dragged her in here, desperate for a private moment. And now that I found myself facing her closely, our breaths blending with one another, I could feel my heart jumping to my throat. Julia's voice faded as she moved away, leaving us in silence. My eyes didn’t leave Sophia’s. “What are you doing here?” I asked her. “Shopping with Daniel,” she said, her voice calm but defiant. “He had to leave earlier, so I came in here to buy a shirt for him.” Her words felt like a sharp blow to my stomach. Something in my chest ached. Daniel. This man's nam
Sophia’s POVKayla and I arrived at the Baker's estate, the grand house already buzzing with activity. The party was in full swing, and I felt a pang of nervousness as we walked up the driveway. Kayla must have noticed the look on my face. “Hey, relax,” she whispered with a smile. “You look amazing.”With my best friend by my side, I managed to smile and feel more confident. “Well, you did do my makeup,” I joked. “And you did pick out this dress for me.”Kayla laughed. “Yes, you’re so lucky to have me as a friend!”We both giggled. “But really, Sophia, you look fabulous!”I squeezed her hand gratefully. “Thank you. I do feel fabulous tonight.”Inside, the house was a swirl of colors, laughter, and music. Chris Baker and his parents had spared no expense for Julia's party. I spotted Julia across the room, looking radiant as ever, surrounded by a group of admirers including her brother and parents. For a moment, I felt a twinge of insecurity, but it quickly dissipated. Today, I was d
Elijah’s POVI’m supposed to be celebrating Sabrina’s return, I thought. But to be honest, I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate because I still had doubts about Julia.My mind was elsewhere, tethered to the woman in the blue dress.Sophia looks so beautiful tonight. Her laughter was genuine, but there was a tension in her shoulders that only I seemed to notice.Just then, a tall, well-built man was introduced by Kayla to Sophia. That definitely got my attention, especially when the two of them were left alone to talk. Andrew, a family friend of the Bakers. We’d met a few times and exchanged polite nods. I watched as he engaged Sophia in conversation, his body language all too familiar, all too close. It made me frown and clench my fists.Sophia’s smile was tight, and the way she glanced around the room, as if searching for an escape, told me she didn’t really want to be talking to him.I began weaving my way through the crowd, my pulse quickening with each step. Just as I got close eno
Sophia’s POVWhen I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the unfamiliar ceiling. The second thing was the scent of lavender and cedarwood that filled the room. Confusion gripped me as I struggled to piece together where I was. I pushed myself up on the soft mattress, my eyes scanning the elegant, well-decorated bedroom. Panic bubbled within me.“Where am I?”Then, like a floodgate bursting open, the memories of last night came rushing back. Julia's party at the Bakers’ estate. The laughter, the music, the sparkling chandeliers, and the endless glasses of champagne. I remembered chatting with friends, mingling with strangers, and...and then… oh, my god!My eyes widened in horror as I remembered lying down beside Elijah on this very bed. Oh, shit! No, no, no!I sat up in bed and suddenly felt a headache coming on. I pressed my temples hard, thinking about the images in my head. Are they from a dream or are they real?I couldn’t even recall everything. Most of the images were hazy, and
Sophia’s POVI had been dreading this business trip. I didn’t even have much time to prepare myself emotionally!The thought of being confined in a car with Elijah for hours filled me with anxiety and resentment. But as I stood in the driveway, watching Connor load our bags into the trunk, I reminded myself that this was just another professional obligation. I can handle this. “Ready to go, Sophia?” Connor called, his usual cheerful demeanor on full display. He glanced at Trevis, who was already settling into the passenger seat with a stack of papers on his lap.“Ready,” I replied, plastering a smile on my face as I approached the car. My heart sank when I realized I’d be sitting in the back with Elijah. No avoiding him today.As I slid into the back seat, Elijah gave me a brief nod. “Sophia.”“Elijah,” I responded, keeping my tone neutral. The tension I expected wasn’t there, though. Instead, there was a strange calmness between us, as if we both silently agreed to keep things prof
Sophia’s POVThe elevator ride to our hotel room was suffocatingly silent. I could hear every tick of the numbers as we ascended. When we finally reached our floor, I breathed a small sigh of relief.We walked to our room with no one speaking, the soft carpet muting our steps. Elijah unlocked the door and gestured for me to enter first. I stepped inside, feeling the dampness of my clothes clings to my skin even more uncomfortably in the cool air of the room.I can’t believe I’m going to have to sleep in the same room with him!“Give me a second,” Elijah said, breaking the silence as he rummaged through the closet. I watched him pull out a hair dryer.“Here,” he said, holding it out to me. “Let's get you dried off a bit.”“Thanks,” I replied, taking the hair dryer from him. My fingers brushed against his for a brief moment, and I pulled back as if I'd touched a hot stove. I plugged in the dryer and began to work on my dripping clothes.For a moment, I felt as if we were husband and wif
Sophia’s POVI stared at the bathroom door, my heart thumping in my chest. I held my breath as I waited for it to open, bracing myself for his presence. But then, the sound of the shower came again, and I realized he was still in there, oblivious to the world outside, including Reese's tiny voice over the phone.I turned my attention back to the screen where Reese's face filled the frame. Her big, expressive eyes stared back at me with confusion and disappointment. “Mommy, why can't you come home and sleep beside me?” she asked, her lower lip quivering.I sighed softly, my heart aching at the sight. “Sweetheart, I have some work to do, and I'll be away for a few days. But don't worry, your Aunt Kayla and your nanny will be with you the whole time. They'll take good care of you.”Reese's small brow furrowed, and she didn't nod. Her eyes, so much like Elijah's, mirrored the same stubbornness I often saw in him. “But I want you, Mommy.”“I know, baby,” I whispered, trying to keep my voi