What is he doing here? She was aware of his eyes on her as they left the room and walked into the hallway. She turned to him as soon as they were alone.“So, Mr. Wolffe, do you want to invest in the hospital, or are you here to invest in me?”He laughed. She was watching him with her hands crossed in front of her. She was beautiful under the glare of the lights above them and her eyes held the same challenging glare they did last night. He had cancelled his reservation at the hotel last night and skipped dinner much to the disappointment of his housekeeper who had prepared a meal for him regardless of his instructions not to. When Lawrence reminded him that morning of the appointment he made with the hospital Director weeks ago he suddenly found that he was eager to see Sophia again. Since he messed up yesterday it was only fair that he was given another chance. He seldom got rejected so her rejection yesterday had come as a surprise. Still, he was determined to know Sophia Blanc, th
She read through the reports as she made her way to the doctor who was in charge of Freddie’s treatment. It was as she suspected. The series of tests suggested he had AML which affected the myeloid cells that produced red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Freddie’s cells were excessively producing premature red blood cells, suppressing the white blood cells which would explain the red spots she noticed on his chest and arms. Since he had acute leukemia treatments would need to begin as fast as possible. She met his doctor and they discussed the possibility of a bone marrow transplant to replace Freddie’s. After much deliberations on the best actions to take they decided it would be best to invite specialists from the other branches to decide what steps to take with Freddie’s condition. After a 2 hour conversation, she left the doctor’s office and made her way to the ward where Freddie was. His mom was there by his bedside like always talking and laughing with him. He held a
“Mr. Wolffe, Cheryl is here.”Matt looked up from the reports he was reading at his secretary. Lawrence, was a bright kid who had worked briefly under Simone Pierce while the old man was still in business but when Simone decided to retire he retired his staff too. But Matt liked Lawrence, he was smart and quick and he executed orders efficiently.When he needed the dirty bits to use against Ethan Lowe he sent Lawrence to Ricky and gave instructions that their business could not be done anywhere near his workspace and as far as he knew Lawrence delivered that message. He frowned.“What is she doing here?”“She wouldn’t tell me and she has refused to listen to me.” Lawrence was tall and handsome with a black fade cut. His brow was furrowed in frustration over his dark brown eyes.“Let her in.”He had barely finished talking when Cheryl walked in. She was extremely gorgeous, a quality that proved useful when she had to seduce her targets. Her blonde hair was wavy, her bust and hips full
She thought long and hard about calling him and even debated tearing up the card he gave her and throwing it away. But Stella and Rosa wouldn’t hear of it. They pleaded and cajoled her until she gave in. Friday afternoon during the lunch break she stayed back at her office, picked up her phone and dialed his number. “I wasn’t sure you would call,” he said over the phone. She cocked a brow. “That doesn’t sound like you, Mr. Wolffe. I would have thought you were expecting my call the moment you gave me your card.” He laughed. “I can’t trust my instincts where you are concerned can I, Sophia?” “I guess not.” “So, are you accepting my offer?” “Actually, I did say I was going to think about it on the condition that I pick the venue.” “Yes, you did. Anywhere I know? I’m free tomorrow.” “So am I. I’m actually free in the morning but by noon I’ll have to meet up with my friends for rehearsals and no, Mr. Wolffe it’s nowhere you know – at least I think not.” “Any hint?” She thought ab
True to her words the interior was brilliantly painted and well lit. The front room was large and though sparsely decorated there was a touch of artful taste in the furniture. The front room had a high desk that nearly concealed a short graying woman who stood to see who opened the door. Sophia left his side and went to the desk. “Hi, Laura.” From behind the desk, a tall man who was equally graying with a light gray sweater stood. He stood three inches taller than the woman. “Oh, George is here too. Good morning.” “Morning Sophia. You’re here a little late today.” “Yeah, sorry about that. I brought someone with me today, he’s going to help,” she replied as she gestured towards where Matt stood watching her with a quizzical expression on his face. “Help?” he echoed. She winked at him in reply and turned to Laura who was staring at Matt with a dazed look on her face. She glanced at Sophia for a moment then turned back to Matt as though trying to remember something. Then she grabbe
Sophia laughed at the near high-pitched tone of his voice. “It’s not a daycare, it’s a shelter for dogs.” She swung the metal door and the whines and barks became louder as furry bodies attached themselves to the thin metal bars that prevented them from slipping out of their kennels. Sophia left his side and started to fiddle with the keys that unlocked each kennel. Crouching low in front of the first one she slipped her hand in and rubbed the snout of a Golden retriever that was eagerly trying to lick her hand.“Hi, honey,” she crooned as she slipped a key into the keyhole and opened the door. The golden was quick to latch itself on her leg, trying to reach up to bump its nose against the hand that Sophia held out. As she struggled to pry the dog’s claws off her Laura breezed past him and took the keys from her, releasing the other dogs. There were about 8 in number and they all clustered around Sophia who was laughing hard as she tried to free herself from their eager paws. Laura le
After two grueling hours of pure torture, Matt was ready to shake Sophia until he wiped that smug smile from her face. He should be offended. In truth, his pride was hurt. He wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of discomfort but Sophia was now putting him in that situation. After the dogs were groomed and fed, she led them out into the open space again and played with them. She flitted around him, all smiles, as she told him he was doing great when she urged him to join her in the game ball game she played with the dogs. There was a vast difference in her demeanor as compared to when he invited her to the Emeralds Elite, she seemed more comfortable here than she did there. In fact, she barely spent twenty minutes with him before she left but here she seemed to be a lot at ease and laughed as he awkwardly tried to dodge tripping over furry bodies running around and between his legs.He should be angry. Usually, he was in charge, he set the dates, picked the place, pleased the wom
She slipped the shoe off his feet and set it aside. He watched her fingers as he worked on the lace of his other shoe and handed it to her. She had nice fingers and he imagined them wrapped around his cock. When she looked up at him his cock strained against his pants and he longed to pull her closer to sample her luscious lips. “I hope they don’t stink,” she said as she pushed the shoes aside. He had to force the image of her naked beneath him away from his mind and its place was the German shepherd that had tried to pee on him. “I can get rid of them if they do.” She raised her brow as she stood. “I’m sure you can,” there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “It’s not like they cost hundreds of…” “Thousands actually.” “Okay,” she drawled. “Expensive shoes. But Bobby doesn’t seem to care about that.” Laughing she bent to pick up the dog that was tugging at one of his shoes. Picking the shoes she took them away to what he guessed was the bathroom and in the time she was gone he to
Both women turned towards the voice, hearts pounding heavily in their chests. The muted sound of footsteps on the carpet drew closer until the figure in the shadows was standing in the circle of light coming from the slightly parted curtains. His wispy white hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail. His purple silk shirt was open at the neck to reveal parched red skin. He had a hand behind his back, his feet spread wide apart, the smile on his face friendly. Sophia tried to force herself to calm down. This was a friend, someone Matt knew. There was no reason to be scared of him…except that he wanted her dead. Matt’s mother took another step back, the terror on her face was apparent. “Simone. Pierce,” she breathed softly. Sophia stood where she was scrutinizing the man. The hand behind his back was slightly slumped at the shoulder which meant he was carrying something. A sudden chill ran through her as the shadow behind him showed exactly what he was carrying. A gun. She forced hers
Matt didn’t move when she came to stand in front of him. His shoulders sagged in defeat. This was a story he never heard before in all his life. He had sworn hatred for his mother not knowing her side of the story. And why shouldn’t he? All he knew was the side of a story his father fed him while he sent him off to business school. He knew he was an idiot to trust the scheming bastard but all he had was the words of a man desperate to see his son succeed him. If had gotten one call from his mother, just one to reassure him that everything he believed about her was not true…Unshed tears blurred his eyes and clogged his throat. His mother’s feather-light touch settled on his shoulder.“I am sorry, Matthew. I wish I had fought harder. I wish I had tried harder to save you. I wish I had sacrificed the last drop of my blood for you. I watched you grow from afar and feared you will turn into the very monster who tried to destroy us both and for a while, we were becoming like him, I’m just
Sophia sat dazed. She stared at the sheets but saw nothing, her mind raced with questions. Why was she targeted? Was Marie blackmailed to try to poison her? By who? Warm fingers came to rest beneath her chin. She looked up. Matt was bent close, the thin blanket the hospital supplied pooled on his waist. He looked into her eyes with clear blue eyes that had concern and love for her clear in them. “You are fine, that’s what matters,” he said reassuringly but his voice was hard as stone. “Why would Marie try to kill me?” she asked, her voice was low. “That’s what Will is going through find out.” He leaned closer. “I swear no one is going to hurt you as long as I am alive.” Her eyes shone with gratitude. She soon lowered her gaze again. “Who would do this?” He snorted. “I have many enemies, sweetie. In my line of work making rivals is inevitable. If I’m not looking over my shoulders constantly I would be dead.” “This is different. This feels so real…too close to home. Someone is out
Sophia sat beside Matt’s bed with her head bowed on the thin layers of sheets. The strong smell of disinfectant and antibiotics surrounded her. It was a smell she was used to after working in this hospital yet today she couldn’t endure the smell. It had nothing to do with the smell itself only the fact that she felt nauseous when the thought of Matt’s poisoning crossed her mind, which was often.She lifted her head to look at him for the thousandth time. His face was relaxed now, a healthy pallor had returned to his handsome face, yet his lips remained chapped and slightly discolored. However, his breathing was calmer now that the poison was purged out.Acetic acid.That was the poisonous trace found in the juice according to the lab reports.Praying in her heart that the doctors were right, that the poison hadn’t destroyed his organs, she touched his hand and held it in hers. Earlier, Lawrence had come to the hospital as soon as he heard the news. He waited and offered comfort while
Like the night before, Sophia and Matt spread out the available ingredients in the kitchen cabinets before deciding what to cook for me night. Matt put on some slow music. Between dancing in circles around each other, touching and feeling on each other, they finally got a meal prepared. They sat cross-legged in the living room with their plates and glasses of water.Sophia felt a warm glow in her chest as she watched Matt fork bites of food into his mouth. She could admit to herself that she had come a long way in terms of trusting and in just a short time too. She leaned her back against the sofa slowly twirling her fork in her hand. The music and Matt’s handsome face had her enchanted.“I love you.”Sophia paused. What?Matt stopped eating and looked up from his plate, his blue eyes were clear and honest. He was peering at her but with a new look in his eyes. There was honesty, then there was uncertainty.“I said I love you,” he repeated.Sophia’s mouth hung open as she watched Matt
“If you can have him over this morning that will be nice, thanks. Tell him it’s urgent.” Sophia sat on the couch munching on a plate of eggs and toast watching Matt talk into the phone. He was talking with Lawrence. She was finally able to get him to sleep an hour before Marie resumed her duties that morning. Now that he was awake and moving she knew he wouldn’t put off investigating his father’s death any longer. He paused for a while and frowned. Then he rolled his eyes skywards. “Yes, Lawrence it is I, Matt, speaking. What is wrong with you? Tell Will it’s urgent and if he can’t take the job find another private investigator please.” A second later he slid his phone into his pocket. “Can you believe Lawrence asked if it was really me talking on the phone?” he scoffed. “Probably because that’s the nicest you’ve ever spoken to him.” Marie came out of the kitchen with her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What do you need a private investigator for?” she queried. “You are not in any s
Sophia woke up to a dark room, the remnants of a dream shrouded her in the darkness. It wasn’t the same kind of dream she feared every night. This time she was holding a degree in her hands and Abigail was yelling praises on one side, she could hear Matt whispering sweet and encouraging words, Stella was somewhere in the haze of her strange dream cheering her up. Was she the only student graduating?Suddenly someone grabbed her from behind and when she turned to look it was Matt but his eyes were wide and haunted. That was what had woken her up. Now that her senses were returning to her she realized that someone was indeed holding her arms tightly. Her heart began to pound. She was laying on her side so both of her hands were held in tight grips, shivers ran down her spine as a warm breath touched her skin. Suddenly the hold on her hands loosened.“Sophia?”Matt!Reaching over she quickly turned on the bedside lamp. When she turned around again Matt was sitting up in the bed staring a
Both sisters sat in the back of Matt’s car. It has taken some time and a long story cut short to fill Alfie in on the important details of why Sophia was now with a lookalike who was heavily pregnant and why she would be going with her to Matt’s condominium. Abigail had insisted that she “meets this Matt Wolffe who has stolen my baby sister away from me.”Too excited to say no Sophia had agreed. While both sisters hugged and cried Stella and Ms. Hart had walked in innocently holding each other. Sophia raised a brow at Stella and she shrugged innocently. When Stella put her arms around Sophia though a warm feeling enveloped her. Of all the members of the Copy Cats, Stella was the one she wasn’t closest with but these few months with her brought them closer and in Stella, she saw a friend she could trust.Abigail’s phone beeped. She retrieved it from her purse and peered at the screen. With a sound that was a cross between a groan and a chuckle, she put her phone away. “My husband is wo
By afternoon that day, Sophia got into the car with Alfie who for the first time was talkative to her. He talked about the traffic and Marie and everything else he could think about. After realizing she didn’t even have to make inputs in the conversation she sat back and let him talk to his heart’s content.A long drive later and they were standing in front of her apartment. She got out and made the stair trip to her part of the apartment. Ms. Hart’s door was closed and so was hers. But when she reached for her doorknob she was surprised to find it locked even after turning the key in the lock. Frowning she knocked. The sound of laughter rose inside and the sound of footsteps followed. The door was open and Stella was standing there with a wide smile on her face and tears streaming down her face. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her nails were freshly painted.“Hey you, welcome back.”Relieved that it was just Stella Sophia stepped in. “I didn’t think you’ll come back afte