Sophia’s POVJust as I was about to open my mouth to speak to Elijah, I heard a familiar voice calling my name. “Hey, Sophia, it’s a good thing you came to work!” When I turned around to see who it was, I was surprised to find Trevis there, together with Chris. “Hey, man,” Trevis greeted Elijah. Chris also shook Elijah’s hand.“Uh, I’m sorry but I can’t stay long,” I announced, looking uncomfortable. I had been ready to divulge something important to Elijah, but it will have to wait. I guess it’s not yet meant to be. “But I thought we were supposed to talk about something important?” Elijah wondered. I gulped, and then forced myself to smile. “Oh, that. Uh, I just wanted to consult something regarding the project. But we can do it some other time. And I only came here to grab some files from my office, but I have to go now.”Trevis stepped forward. “Wait, don’t go yet, Sophia. Chris needs to talk to you.”I turned to Chris curiously. I don’t think we’ve ever been introduced forma
Sophia’s POVI stared at Elijah in shock, unable to believe what I had just heard. I’d always thought before that he favored Julia over me. Elijah stood firm, his jaw set in a way that brooked no argument. “No, Sophia,” he repeated, “I won’t agree to Chris using Julia’s name for your work.” Then he turned his gaze toward Chris disapprovingly. “What kind of request is that, anyway?”Before Chris could respond, though, Elijah went on, raising his voice just a little bit and showing his emotions. “Besides, Julia has hurt Sophia before because of that plagiarism issue. This is just unacceptable. I don’t want Sophia to deal with similar problems again. And also, it won’t be good for Urban Next if any of it comes out. Right, Trevis?”Trevis, standing off to the side, looked just as surprised as I felt. “Of course!” He immediately agreed with Elijah. Then he said, “Chris, are you serious? This is insulting to a designer, especially one of Sophia’s caliber.”Chris shifted uncomfortably, his
Elijah’s POV“Do you know Reese Davis?” I asked Sophia once more, intent on finding out the truth from her. Sophia’s eyes widened, the shock evident on her face. She seemed to brace herself against the counter, her knuckles whitening as she gripped the edge. “So you've found out already about Reese...” she said slowly, her voice almost a whisper. She didn’t even bother to deny it or to lie. Maybe she came here in the first place to really tell me about our daughter. I nodded. “I know she was born in France about three years ago. This was the time you would have given birth, if you hadn’t really… If you had not gone to the hospital and…” I swallowed hard, pushing through the lump in my throat as I remembered the pain of finding out she’d terminated the pregnancy. I couldn’t even make myself say it. I took a deep breath and continued, “And I know that Reese and your best friend Kayla share the last name Davis.”Sophia’s eyes darted away from mine, her face pale. She looked very guil
Julia’s POVToday is yet another day for me to prove my worth in this company, I thought as I stepped into the bustling lobby of Urban Next Design Studio. I had a huge smile on my face, excited to work on my current project and to show off my skills. I’ll prove to all of them that I’m really a lot better than Sophia, that I don’t have to copy her work just to be noticed. Just then, I caught sight of Chris and Trevis who were deep in conversation. I was about to say hi, but then I noticed them lowering their voices when I approached. I couldn't shake the feeling that they were discussing something they didn't want me to hear. I brushed off the paranoia, reminding myself that I was here for a purpose.“Hey, Julia,” Chris greeted me with a warm smile, giving me a quick hug. “How are you?”We had some small talk, but it was obvious that they didn’t want me around. Hence, I decided to just make a beeline for Elijah’s office upstairs. I needed to speak with him, to set things right betwe
Sophia’s POVI sat at Elijah's desk, the phone pressed against my ear, listening to Reese chatter excitedly about her day at play school. “Yes, Uncle Elijah wants to play with you this weekend,” I said, smiling at her enthusiasm. “He's going to take you to the amusement park. Won't that be fun?”Reese's excitement was palpable even through the phone. “Yay!” she squealed. “Can’t wait!”After saying our goodbyes, I hung up and turned to Elijah, who was leaning against the door frame, watching me with a soft smile. “So is she really looking forward to the weekend?”“Yeah,” I replied, smiling back. “She really enjoys your company, I think. Both of you will surely have a blast.”“Aren’t you coming with us?” he asked softly, his eyes locking with mine. My heart began to thump hard against my chest. “I’m not sure yet. I might be busy.” But I was lying. The truth was, I did want to be with him and Reese. But I wanted to take things slowly, and see how this setup would affect all of us. Lat
Sophia’s POVThat bitch, I thought angrily. She’s gone too far this time. I won’t take this sitting down. I arrived at Serena's house with Elijah, my heart racing. We needed answers about Reese, and I certainly had no plans of leaving until she told me where she'd taken my daughter. As we entered her living room, Serena greeted us with a warm smile. She was still wearing the suit that she probably had on at the office. I quickly scanned the room, but there was no sign of the black hooded jacket we had seen in the security footage. Was it even a woman? I thought with great doubt. Perhaps it had been a man. But then, Elijah was so sure it was Serena’s car. “Hey, come on in. What brings you guys here?” Serena asked cheerfully, gesturing for us to take a seat.“We're looking for Reese,” Elijah said, his voice urgent. “Do you know where she is?”Serena's smile faded, replaced by a look of confusion. "Who's Reese? Am I missing something here?"Elijah and I exchanged meaningful looks. I
Sophia’s POVElijah's voice droned in the background as he continued to speak with the police. I sat there, my heart pounding in my chest, trying to calm the storm inside me. I took several deep breaths, thinking about what to do with this message that I just received. It was a huge, serious threat and I didn’t want to take any risks. Hence, I waited for Elijah to finish talking to the officers before I whispered in his ear. “They’ve found Reese,” I said. Elijah's expression relaxed, relief washing over his features. But before he could speak, I quickly turned to the officers. “Thank you for your help, but I'm really tired. I’d like some privacy now. I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”The police nodded sympathetically and filed out of my apartment. The door clicked shut, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake. Elijah turned to me, his eyes filled with concern and a hint of suspicion.“Where is Reese? I need to see her,” he demanded.My stomach churned as I forced a tense s
Elijah’s POVI left Sophia’s apartment, feeling an emptiness that seemed to grow with each passing second. I thought we were making progress, but clearly, Daniel still held a place in her heart that I couldn’t touch.When I reached my car, I heard a ping from my phone. I quickly grabbed it, hoping it was Sophia. But it was a message from Julia:Is it true Serena has a child?My brows furrowed as I read the message. What was Julia talking about? I quickly typed back:What do you mean?Within seconds, another message came through. It was a photo of Serena on the street, holding hands with a little girl. Julia’s message followed.Is the girl in the photo Serena’s daughter?I stared at the picture, my heart racing. Serena was wearing a black hooded jacket, and in the background, I recognized the familiar sign of Bread Brothers Bakery. My heart skipped a beat as I remembered the conversation we had with Serena earlier, and the surveillance footage we’d seen at the school. Where did you s
Sophia’s POVElijah’s silence pressed down on me like a physical force, heavier than the comforter I was clutching. I lay on my side, my back turned to him, staring into the darkness. My heart felt raw, aching with the knowledge that I’d hurt the one person who meant everything to me.He wasn’t asleep—I knew him well enough to sense that. And knowing he was lying there, just as restless as I was, made the ache in my chest even worse.I couldn’t take it anymore.“Elijah,” I whispered. Turning slowly, I faced him, my eyes adjusting to the faint light filtering through the curtains. His back was still to me, but I reached out tentatively, my fingers brushing against his shoulder. “Please,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I can’t stand this distance between us.”For a moment, he didn’t move, and I thought he might ignore me. But then, he rolled over, his face etched with both exhaustion and pain. His eyes met mine, and the sight of his hurt broke me.“I’m sorry,” I said, tears pooling i
Sophia’s POVAs I stepped out of the bathroom, the cool silk of my nightgown brushing against my legs, I immediately noticed Elijah standing near the bed, his back to me. His posture was rigid, his head slightly tilted as he studied something in his hands. My breath caught when I realized what it was.The chocolate wrapper.My heart sank as I recognized it instantly. I’d completely forgotten about it after stashing it away. How had it ended up here?“Elijah?” I said hesitantly, my voice quieter than I intended.He turned, his face calm but his eyes sharp, like he was holding back a storm. He held up the wrapper. “Where did this come from?”I froze, my mind racing. “I—”“I found it in Reese’s bag,” he said evenly, cutting me off. His tone wasn’t accusatory, but there was an edge to it that made my stomach churn.For a split second, I considered lying, brushing it off as something our daughter must have gotten from a classmate or a friend. But the look in Elijah’s eyes stopped me. He d
Elijah’s POVI sank into the couch, remote still in hand, as the credits of some late-night documentary rolled across the screen. The faint hum of the television was lulling me into that in-between state of wakefulness and sleep when my phone buzzed on the coffee table. The name Camille lit up the screen.Frowning, I picked it up. “Hello?”“Elijah,” came her voice, slightly slurred, accompanied by background noise—music, chatter, the unmistakable din of a party still in full swing. “Hey... I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?”“No,” I said cautiously, sitting up straighter. “Are you okay? You sound... off.”She let out a soft laugh that sent warning bells ringing in my head. “Just had a little too much fun tonight, that’s all. I’m about to leave the party.”“You shouldn’t drive,” I said immediately. “Find someone sober to take you home or call a ride. Seriously.”“Oh, so protective,” she teased, her words laced with flirtation. “I’m so flattered you care.”“Camille,” I said firmly,
Sophia’s POVI sipped from my glass of champagne, the bubbles fizzing on my tongue and giving me a fleeting sense of lightness. Kayla’s concerned voice cut through the haze.“Are you okay? That’s your third glass already,” she said, a shadow of worry crossing her face as she moved closer.I waved her off with a forced smile. “I’m fine. Really. I’m just so... happy. The event was a huge success. We deserve this, don’t you think?”Kayla hesitated, her gaze scanning my face. “Yeah, but don’t go overboard. You’ve got a family waiting for you at home.”“Elijah went ahead,” I said quickly, my tone dismissive. “He’s tired.”Her eyes narrowed slightly, like she wanted to press further, but Connor appeared beside her, sliding an arm around her waist. The moment passed as she turned her attention to him, and I took the opportunity to slip away into the crowd.The bass thumped through the speakers, reverberating in my chest as I joined a group of familiar faces on the dance floor. The alcohol co
Sophia’s POVThe energy of the fashion show was electric. The applause was thunderous as the models made their final walk down the runway in Emily’s stunning tribute collection. Kayla and I stood near the stage, watching as the curtains closed on months of hard work.“We did it,” Kayla whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. She squeezed my hand tightly, her smile brighter than the spotlights above.I nodded, unable to suppress the overwhelming joy bubbling inside me. “We really did. It’s perfect, Kayla.”The after-party was in full swing now, a celebration of what we had pulled off. Everyone seemed to be riding the high of the evening. Elijah had surprised me earlier with a bouquet of my favorite flowers, a sweet and thoughtful gesture that made my heart swell. His warm kiss on my cheek and whispered, “I’m so proud of you,” had been the cherry on top of a perfect night.But now, as I moved through the crowd, my excitement dulled slightly. I couldn’t find him.“Elijah?” I called
Sophia’s POV"Kayla, can you double-check the lighting cues for the finale?" I asked, glancing at the stage where models were gliding down the runway, their movements rehearsed to perfection.Kayla, clipboard in hand, barely glanced up. "Already done. Now spill. How was the night with Lucas?"My heart jumped, the question catching me off guard. I kept my tone breezy as I adjusted a hemline on one of the dresses. "Oh, it was fine. We caught a movie and grabbed dinner. Nothing special."Kayla lowered the clipboard and arched a brow. "Uh-huh. And where was Luana during all of this?"I busied myself with the dress, my hands suddenly fidgety. "She... got caught up with something at home. A repair, I think. She couldn’t make it."Kayla’s lips parted in mock surprise as she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Wait. Are you telling me you and Lucas—alone—watched a movie and had dinner together? No Luana? Just the two of you?""Shh!" I hissed, glancing nervously around the backsta
Elijah’s POV“All the permits and licenses are in order,” Victoria began, her tone suddenly professional again as her eyes scanned the screen. I felt relieved. “But I’ll double-check the fire safety certifications and food handling records to make sure we’re fully covered.”“Good,” I replied, keeping my tone brisk. “I’ll work on connecting with a few experts to get additional certifications if necessary. It won’t hurt to go above and beyond for now.”She nodded, typing something into her device. “That’s a smart move. It’ll help to counter any claims before they gain traction.”As she spoke, she reached across the desk to grab her pen, her fingers brushing mine. I pulled my hand back instinctively, but she barely seemed to notice—or pretended not to.“Sorry,” she murmured with a faint smile, her eyes briefly flicking to mine before returning to her tablet.I shifted in my seat, brushing it off as an accident until, moments later, she reached up to unclip her hair. The cascading strands
Elijah’s POVI walked into Bella Sera, happy to see that it was packed with guests at this time in the afternoon. Fresh from closing a successful business deal, I was in a good mood, but there was a nagging concern for Morgana at the back of my mind. It was why I’d decided to stop by the cafe—to check in and see how she was holding up after she’d left me a series of frantic voicemails.Since I didn’t see her in the dining area, I went straight to her office. The door was ajar, and I could already feel the tension and anger leaking through it. I found Morgana pacing like a caged lioness, her hands gesturing wildly as she muttered to herself. The sight reminded me of the old Morgana— my stepmother who never minced her words or held back when someone crossed her.“I cannot believe this! The audacity, the gall!” she ranted, slamming a folder onto the desk. “This is a targeted attack, Elijah. It has to be. Who else would stoop this low?”“Morgana,” I greeted cautiously, stepping inside. “
Adrian’s POVThe Roosevelt mansion came into view as the car eased into the circular driveway, its stately facade bathed in the setting sun. Growing up here, I’d long since grown accustomed to its grandeur—the towering columns, the meticulously trimmed hedges, the way it seemed to command attention. Yet tonight, I barely noticed it. My thoughts were entirely on the woman sitting beside me, her fingers absently toying with her bracelet. “Relax,” I said, throwing her a reassuring smile. “My father’s not as intimidating as he looks. He’s actually… well, decent these days.”Lila gave me a skeptical glance. “Decent? I’ve read about your family, Adrian. You’re practically royalty in this country.”I laughed at her dramatic tone. “You’ll be fine. Trust me.”“Tell me again why you’re bringing me to see him?” she asked as we both stepped out of the car. Laughing, I simply answered, “You’ll find out soon enough.” One of the staff greeted us and led us inside. The interior was just as imposin