Sophia’s POV“We were so worried about you, Sophia!” Kayla exclaimed. “How are you feeling now?”“I’m good,” I answered with a little smile, taking my eyes off Elijah. “I was fortunate enough to have been found by good people.” I quickly explained how Adrian brought me to the hospital for a checkup and how he and his sister Amanda had taken care of me while I recuperated. Kayla smiled at them. But then, I moved forward and clutched her hand. “But what happened to Reese? I’ve been desperate to find out, to get out of here and resume my search for her…”The fear for my daughter surged through me like a tidal wave, overpowering the pain.Elijah stepped forward then, his face serious but calm. “Reese is safe. We found that same day when you disappeared. She doesn’t seem to remember much about what happened, which is a good thing. She's not traumatized at all because she isn’t aware that a kidnapping happened.”“She’s been asking about you, though,” Kayla said. Now that I looked at her c
Sophia’s POV“Oh, we’re really sorry, Adrian,” Kayla suddenly said. “But I remember your sister Amanda mentioning your talent!” Adrian’s expression changed. Kayla had hit the mark, and disrupted the growing tension between Adrian and Elijah. Well done! But I can’t believe I’d forgotten about that. “Isn’t that the main reason she asked me to come here?” Kayla continued. “She spoke highly of your talent. So do you still want to audition to become a new talent at our company?”Adrian looked taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise. “Audition? At Raven Media?” he repeated. He suddenly began looking uncertain and nervous.I felt like I needed to jump in at that moment. “Oh, that’s right, Kayla! I’ve already heard him sing and play the guitar, and he’s really good. You should hear him too.”“Well, we’re always on the lookout for fresh talent,” Kayla said with a kind smile. “I can have your audition scheduled immediately.”Elijah, standing nearby, grunted softly, his disapproval palpable
Sophia’s POVI could feel the color getting drained from my face. “Why is she calling you that?” I hissed. Kayla’s eyes widened as she took the phone from me and began chatting with Reese to distract her. Elijah glanced at me as he continued to drive. He was quiet for a while. “Sophia, I…” He was hesitant for a while, making my heart race even more. “I’ve already told Reese that I’m her father.”My mouth dropped open. “You what?” I whispered, barely hearing my own voice. I remembered that I hadn’t even divulged it directly to him yet. “How did you… I mean, why…” I paused, taking a few deep breaths. For a while, I considered denying it again. “Sophia, I’m her father, am I not?” Elijah said with emphasis. “It’s the truth, and I’ve always felt it in my heart ever since I met her.”I gulped, feeling tears rising up in my eyes. My heart was swept up in a storm of emotions. But I reminded myself that this wasn’t about me. It’s my daughter and her feelings that count the most. It’s the r
Sophia’s POVIt felt good to finally be back in my office and to be working on a new design project. The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of my computer. I loved this part of the process, where creativity flowed freely, and the outside world faded away.As I was sketching out ideas, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see Julia standing there with a look of concern on her face.“Hey, Sophia,” Julia began, stepping into the room. “I heard from Elijah about what happened. Are you okay?”I forced a smile, though my heart tightened at the mention of Elijah. “I'm fine, Julia. Really. Just trying to get this project done.”Julia nodded, but I could tell that she didn’t plan on going away soon. She glanced at my sketches, then back at me. “I know you're busy, but I was wondering if I could study with you. I know I'm not as good a designer as you, which is why Chris chose you for this project. I really want to learn more from you so I can improve faster.”Her sin
Sophia’s POVI froze, my heart pounding in my chest, as Daniel's words sank in. “I've liked you since high school,” he confessed, his voice filled with sincerity. “Back then, I thought you were too focused on your studies to pay attention to me. And I guess I was too… afraid to approach you.”High school felt like a lifetime ago. I had been so engrossed in my academic pursuits that I hadn't paid much attention to anything else. Certainly not to Daniel, who had apparently been quietly looking out for me all along. I did vaguely remember some encounters we had then, but we never even became close friends during that time. “Even in college, though I was studying abroad, I still kept checking your social media,” he admitted. “And asking some people about you.”“Oh,” was all I could say at the moment. This was indeed a revelation. “I was sad when I found out you were married,” Daniel continued, his eyes searching mine. “But it was even harder to learn that you were unhappy. I was very ha
Elijah’s POVI walked into the police station, the familiar scent of disinfectant hitting me as I approached the front desk. Serena had asked to see me urgently, something about having important information. I found her in a small interrogation room that they used for visiting prisoners, looking nothing like her usual self. Her hair was disheveled, dark circles marred her eyes, and she seemed to have aged overnight. Nevertheless, I didn’t feel an ounce of pity for her. “What's going on, Serena?” I asked as I sat down across from her, not wanting to beat around the bush. “Why did you want to talk to me?”She glanced up, her expression weary. “I need to tell you something, Elijah. Something important.”“What is it?” I asked straightaway, trying to gauge if she was telling the truth. “I'm not the one behind everything,” she said quietly. I frowned, taken aback. “What do you mean? You've done so many terrible things, Serena. Are you trying to pass the blame onto someone else now? And w
Sophia’s POV I opened the door to my apartment, and was surprised to see my ex-husband standing there. My heart unexpectedly skipped a beat, and I felt a flutter of excitement mixed with uncertainty. “Hey,” Elijah said, a small smile playing on his lips. “Hi,” I replied, trying to sound casual. “What are you doing here?” “Sorry to bother you… I just wanted to talk,” he said, his expression serious. “Can I come in?” I hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside to let him in. Daniel was just heading out at that time. I saw how Elijah's eyes narrowed when he saw him, especially when Daniel touched my hand briefly. “Sophia, think about what I said, okay?” Daniel said before moving past Elijah. “I’ll see you soon.” “Uh, okay,” was all I could reply. It was definitely an awkward moment, having both him and Elijah there, especially after Daniel had just confessed his feelings. As Daniel left, Elijah turned to me, his gaze searching. “What was that all about?” “It was nothing,” I sai
Sophia’s POV “Who was that?” Elijah asked. “Uh, just a friend,” I answered, not wanting to get into the details. I knew that he didn’t trust Adrian. I stood up and excused myself for a while. I went out to the balcony, feeling the cool evening breeze on my skin as I dialed Adrian's number. He picked up after a few rings, his voice filled with a sense of urgency. “Sophia, I’m so sorry to bother you at this time,” Adrian said, his tone cryptic. “I just didn’t know who else to contact… Uh, can you come to the grocery store near Raven Media? I need your help with something.” I furrowed my brow, wondering what could be so important at this hour. “Sure, Adrian. I'll be there soon,” I replied, already thinking about how to get there quickly. Turning back inside, I found Elijah playing with Reese on the floor. “I need to go out for a bit, Elijah. Can you watch Reese for me?” I asked, trying to keep my tone casual. Elijah looked up, concern evident in his eyes. “Where are you going? Is
Elijah’s POVThe house felt like it was holding its breath. Morgana’s sobs broke the silence occasionally, raw and gut-wrenching, as Lila and Adrian hovered near her, offering words of comfort that felt paper-thin in the face of her grief. Morgana sat slumped on the couch, her face buried in her hands, while Lila rubbed soothing circles on her back and Adrian paced, his expression dark with worry.In the corner of the room, Kayla and Sophia sat close together, their heads bowed in hushed conversation. Whatever they were saying, it seemed to offer Sophia a sliver of solace, though her eyes darted toward me every now and then, filled with the same lingering apprehension I felt. She looked pale, her shoulders drawn tight as if she were holding herself together by sheer willpower.An hour had crawled by since the explosion. An hour of unanswered questions and unanswered calls. Connor and I had tried every line, every contact, but no one from Joe’s side had picked up. Each failed attempt f
Sophia’s POVThe air thrummed with a tension so thick it felt alive, no matter how hard we all tried to mask it. Morgana’s living room was warm and inviting, as always, but even the crackling fireplace couldn’t chase away the chill of unease that had settled over us. I sat on the edge of the plush sofa, my hands gripping a mug of tea that had long since gone cold.Across from me, Elijah leaned forward in his chair, elbows on his knees, his gaze fixed on the carpet as though it held the answers we were all waiting for. Lila and Adrian were perched on the loveseat, talking in low voices, though their words seemed more like an effort to fill the silence than an actual conversation. Connor stood by the window, staring out into the sprawling garden, while Kayla hovered near the kitchen, pretending to busy herself with the cheese platter she'd brought.Morgana herself sat quietly. As always, her eyes were red and puffy, her face haggard, and she had grown noticeably thinner.I took a deep b
Elijah’s POVIt was one of those days when the weight of the world seemed to rest on my shoulders. My office at Sinclair Realty was awash with sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, but the brightness did little to alleviate the turmoil brewing in my thoughts. Connor, my ever-efficient assistant, sat across from me, tablet in hand, as we combed through the final details of the new condo project. "The eco-friendly features are going to be the highlight," Connor was saying. "Solar panels, water recycling—it's all here. If we market it right, we'll tap into that green investor demographic."Just as Connor began discussing potential investors, my phone buzzed on the desk. Joe’s name lit up the screen. Joe rarely called—and never during office hours unless it was urgent."Give me a minute," I told Connor, picking up the phone. "Joe, what is it?""Elijah, turn on the news. Now."There was an urgency in his voice that made my stomach tighten. "What’s going on?""Just do it
Sophia’s POVI leaned over my desk, the soft glow of the desk lamp spilling over my sketches. The lines were clean, precise, but my mind wasn’t. I’d been at this all day, refining designs for Lucas’s ski resort renovations. Thankfully, it had been days since I’d last heard from him. That alone brought a sense of relief. I wasn’t sure if it was because of our last encounter or he’s just been busy. As I worked on shading the next section of my blueprint, my phone buzzed against the desk. I glanced at it, surprised to see Elijah’s name flashing on the screen. A small smile tugged at my lips as I answered.“Hi,” I said, cradling the phone between my ear and shoulder as I continued sketching.“Hey,” Elijah’s warm voice greeted me. “I just wanted to ask… what time are you coming home?”I paused, setting my pencil down. “In a bit. Just wrapping up a few things.”“Good,” he said, a faint smile audible in his tone. “I miss you.”The words caught me off guard. A rush of warmth spread through m
Elijah’s POVThe morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows of my office, but it did little to lift the cloud hanging over me. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the reports spread across my desk, though my mind wasn’t focused on them. Victoria’s sudden disappearance had thrown me off balance.A part of me wanted to breathe a sigh of relief. If she was gone, it meant she couldn’t interfere with my family anymore—or so I hoped. I don’t know her too well. But I know Julia, and won’t just give up. If using Victoria didn’t work, she’ll find another way soon. The phone on my desk buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. My assistant’s voice came through the intercom. “Mr. Sinclair, Joe is here to see you.”“Send him in,” I said, sitting up straighter.Moments later, Joe stepped into the room, carrying a folder and his usual air of quiet efficiency. He placed the folder on my desk and sat across from me, his expression grim.“I’ve got updates,” he began, pulling a few papers fro
Sophia’s POVWe always tried to set aside our concerns whenever we got together for meals at home with the kids. Tonight’s dinner turned out to be lively, especially because we’d invited Phoebe to join. Jared was animated, recounting his favorite parts of the school performance to Phoebe, who listened with rapt attention. It was sweet to see the bond forming between them—Jared had taken to her so naturally, as though some invisible thread tied them together.“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the show,” Phoebe said, her tone genuinely regretful. She reached over to ruffle Jared’s hair. “Work’s been hectic, and I just couldn’t leave my new job.”Jared shrugged, smiling at her. “It’s okay, Aunt Phoebe. There’ll be more performances. You can come next time.”“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Phoebe promised, her eyes softening.Roxy, who had been unusually quiet throughout dinner, suddenly spoke up. “Royce wasn’t in school today.”I paused mid-bite, glancing at Elijah. He stilled too, h
Elijah’s POVDespite Morgana’s absence, Bella Sera was bustling with activity when I arrived. The place seemed to be running like a well-oiled machine. Clara, Morgana’s assistant, was standing by the counter, speaking animatedly with one of the chefs.I made my way to her, and she noticed me immediately. “Elijah,” she said with a smile. “Good to see you. Morgana mentioned you might stop by.”“How’s everything going?” I asked, leaning against the counter.Clara handed me a clipboard with the latest reports. “Sales have been steady. We’ve introduced a few new menu items, and they’re doing really well. Customers seem to love the seasonal specials. Morgana’s been signing off on everything remotely, but honestly, she’s been distant. Understandably so.”I nodded, flipping through the reports. The numbers looked solid. “You’re doing great, Clara. Morgana will appreciate this.”Clara gave me a grateful smile, but before she could respond, I felt a hand on my arm—a touch too familiar. I turne
Sophia’s POVLila opened the door slowly, and for a brief moment, the porch light framed a familiar figure. Relief flooded through me when I realized who it was.“Adrian!” I exclaimed, a smile breaking across my face.He stood there with his signature easy grin, dressed in a dark jacket with his hands shoved into the pockets. His eyes met mine briefly before shifting to Lila, softening with concern.“Hey, Sophia,” he greeted warmly. “Glad to know you’re here.”Before I could respond, Lila let out a soft cry and threw her arms around him. Adrian caught her effortlessly, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Her shoulders shook as she buried her face into his chest, and he murmured something soothing into her hair.“It’s good you showed up,” I said gently, stepping back to give them space. “You’re just what she needs right now.”Adrian led Lila inside, still holding her close. She clung to him as though he were a lifeline, her earlier composure crumbling into quiet sobs. It was clear that th
Sophia’s POV“We should’ve gone to see Morgana sooner,” I said softly as Elijah and I drove to his stepmother’s house. “Lila says she’s not herself. Refusing to leave the house? That’s really not like her.”“She’s probably overwhelmed,” Elijah replied. “Lennon’s disappearance, the uncertainty… it’s a lot. But we’ll get through to her.”I nodded, staring out at the rain-speckled window. “She’s always been so strong. A fighter, you know? It’s hard to imagine her like this.”“She’s human,” Elijah said with understanding and concern. “Even the strongest people have their breaking points.”For a moment, we were quiet again. Then my mind drifted back to the preschool show we had recently attended, to the moment Victoria had dropped that prison visitor’s log.“Elijah,” I began, my tone tentative.“Hmm?” he murmured, glancing at me briefly before focusing back on the road.“I didn’t tell you everything about what happened at the preschool.”His eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Go on.”“Victoria d