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
Sophia’s POVThe storm raged outside, the wind howling like a restless spirit, and the thunder clapped with such ferocity it felt like the world was splitting in two. I lay on the bed, rigid and tense, my heart racing as I realized that I had an arm draped over the man lying beside me. The room was dark, save for the occasional flashes of lightning that illuminated Elijah's profile. As the rain pounded against the window, I listened to the steady rhythm of Elijah's breathing. I began to pull away. But then, thunder boomed again, and I flinched involuntarily. In the darkness, I felt the mattress shift as Elijah turned toward me, opening his eyes and gazing at me with deep longing. “Sophia,” he murmured, touching my face and leaning in to kiss me. It was gentle at first, and I found myself closing my eyes and simply relishing the familiar taste of his lips on mine, only passively responding. I didn’t move away, even though every rational part of me screamed that I should. His kiss
Sophia’s POVI opened my eyes the next morning and gasped as I realized I was being held tightly in Elijah’s arms — wearing nothing!My heart raced as memories of last night flooded back. The craziness, getting carried away in the middle of the night—I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. Carefully, I slipped out of his arms, not wanting to wake him.The rain was still pouring outside, a steady rhythm against the window. I made my way to the bathroom, cleaned up, and got dressed. When I returned, I noticed Elijah was awake too. The words caught in my throat as we stared at each other for a while. “Hey, good morning,” he said a little awkwardly. Perhaps he too was unsure how to address what had happened between us. “Uh, good morning,” I replied, my voice squeaking out in a weird way. I tried to suppress the fluttering in my chest.Elijah sat on the bed, shirtless, already engrossed in answering emails. He didn’t say anything else but went back to what he was doing. I sat on the couc
Sophia’s POVThe morning light filtered through the curtains, illuminating the hotel room with a gentle warmth. I took a deep breath, savoring the freshness of the new day, a stark contrast to the storm that had confined us indoors the last few days. The memory of those days—and nights—lingered vividly in my mind, making my heart jump. A knock on the door made me sit up in bed. Elijah and I exchanged glances, realizing that we were wearing only our undergarments. “Elijah? Sophia?” I heard Trevis’s voice through the door. Elijah quickly got dressed and went to open the door, while I rushed to the bathroom to shower. “Hey, come on in…” I heard Elijah say. Then I heard footsteps coming in, and they all began chatting about the storm finally relenting. “Where’s Sophia?” Trevis asked. “I think she, uh, woke up early and took a shower,” Elijah fibbed. I turned on the water and couldn’t hear them anymore. After taking a quick shower and changing into a fresh set of clothes, I came out
Elijah’s POVLooking at Sophia's back as she fled into the apartment building, I couldn't help but feel the weight of the last few days pressing down on me. The wonderful, intimate, wild moments we'd shared seemed to replay in my mind, each memory a vivid flash that made my heart ache with longing. God, how I want to be with her again, to feel the warmth of her body and see that spark in her eyes! The thought of it made me chuckle and shake my head in disbelief. Of all the things that could happen, this unexpected reunion had to be the funniest and most unexpected twist life had thrown at me in a long time.Just as I was about to leave, I noticed a small figure near Sophia's apartment. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized the little girl—Reese. She held a stuffed toy in her hand, and was skipping along the sidewalk. What’s she doing here? My curiosity piqued, and a sense of protectiveness surged within me. I got out of the car and walked over to her. “Hey, Reese?” I called sof
Elijah’s POVI pinched Reese's tiny nose gently, causing her to giggle. “It's too late to take you without your family's permission,” I said, trying to sound serious, but her infectious laughter made it difficult.Reese's eyes widened with determination. “Mommy will say yes! Promise!” she declared, her voice high and full of confidence. Before I could react, she wriggled out of my arms, darted to the nanny's side, and snatched the phone from her hand.“Reese, wait—” the nanny started, but Reese was already trying to navigate the screen with her chubby fingers.“I'll call Mommy and ask!” Reese insisted, her face scrunched up in concentration. The nanny, looking slightly exasperated but quite a little shocked, gently took the phone back from Reese.“Sweetie, there's no need for that,” the nanny said softly. “Remember, I'm your mommy's sister.”I looked at her in surprise. “Yes, sir, I am,” she reiterated. “But still, her mother will worry if we go with a stranger.”“I want to go!” Rees
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