Chapter 3: Motives

Sophia's father's laughter boomed across the room, filling every corner with its deep, resonant sound. He was seated comfortably at the bed post, a green apple in his left hand and a knife in his right, dicing with practiced ease. 

"How on earth did you manage to put out the fire?" he asked, his amusement evident in his voice.

"It wasn’t me," Sophia replied, crossing her arms as she made herself more comfortable at the other end of the bed and leaning against the bed post. "One of the housemaids helped douse the flames. I begged her not to tell anyone, but the next day, it was the talk of the house. All the staff could talk about was how their boss’s new wife couldn’t even boil water without nearly burning the kitchen down."

Her father burst into another fit of laughter, slapping his knee for emphasis. "That’s priceless! What did Ethan say?" His eyes, already glistening with tears from laughing too hard, were now fully watering.

Sophia's irritation surfaced as the memory replayed in her mind. "He was furious," she said with a sigh. "He banned me from the kitchen for a month. We lived on takeout because he refused to rehire the cooks, insisting that cooking is a skill I must learn, and his kitchen was the classroom." She huffed, her annoyance evident. "He didn’t even ask if I was okay! He seemed more worried about the kitchen than whether I got burned."

Her father chuckled again, shaking his head. "Typical Ethan."

"And he had the audacity to say, ‘The apron’s too big? Don’t worry, you’ll grow into it.’ The only thing that grew into it were the flames that licked at the hem!" 

Before her father could respond, a soft but firm voice interrupted. "That’s enough talk about fires," Vivian said, entering the room with a bowl of freshly washed berries. She placed the bowl on the table and settled beside her husband, her gaze sharp as it landed on Sophia. "Tell me about Ethan. Have you two grown closer?" 

Sophia hesitated, her fingers tracing the edge of her dress. "I don’t know," she admitted. "He still feels distant, and honestly, I’m not trying that hard. I just—"

"—That’s not what I mean," Vivian cut in, her tone sharper now. The sudden change in her demeanor caused Sophia’s father to pause mid-chew, a berry frozen halfway to his mouth. "Have you started doing what’s necessary to make a baby?"

The question hit Sophia like a slap. She choked on the berry she had just popped into her mouth, coughing violently. Her father was at her side in an instant, patting her back as she struggled to breathe. When she finally regained her composure, her face was red, her eyes watery. 

"Mother!" she croaked. 

"What?" Vivian said, feigning innocence. "Do you think your father and I are getting any younger? Ethan is a wealthy, handsome man. Do you honestly think other women won’t try to win him over? A baby would solidify your place in his life and his assets."

"I am not discussing my sex life with you," Sophia declared, grabbing her bag and heading for the door.

Vivian rose, her voice escalating. "Why not? Because I’m not your real mother? Because I’m your stepmother?" 

Sophia froze at the doorway, her hand hovering over the handle. The tension in the room thickened.

"Vivian," her father interjected, his tone pleading. "Let’s not—"

"No!" Vivian snapped, cutting him off. "Every time I offer advice or try to plan for this family’s future, you two act like I have some hidden agenda. I’m trying to help!"

"Stop pretending you don’t," Sophia retorted, spinning around to face her stepmother. Her voice was low but filled with venom. 

Vivian’s face flushed with rage as she took a step toward her. "You ungrateful—"

"Sophie, I’m here with Delan!" A voice called out from downstairs, cutting through the argument like a knife. It was Abdul. Without another word, Sophia stormed out of the room, heading downstairs. 

"Thank God," she muttered under her breath as she spotted Abdul and Delan standing at the center of the living room. The sight of them brought a wave of relief. 

"Sophia! It’s so good to see you again," Delan said with a grin, pulling her into a quick hug. 

"You too," she replied, smiling faintly. 

"You were wrong, Abdul," Delan said, stepping back to examine her. "She hasn’t just gotten prettier; she’s gotten... fleshy too." 

"Hey! That’s my sister, you idiot," Abdul said, delivering a playful punch to Delan’s chest. 

Delan laughed, clutching his chest dramatically. "I was joking! No need to knock the air out of me."

Their antics drew a small laugh from Sophia, easing the lingering tension in her chest.

"So, what’s this phone you need fixing?" Delan asked, recovering his composure. 

Sophia opened her bag and pulled out the cracked device. "An iPhone 15 Pro," she said, handing it to him. 

Delan whistled low, turning the phone over in his hands. "This is a serious piece of tech. What happened to it?"

"It slipped out of my hand," Sophia admitted sheepishly. "How bad is it?"

"Lucky for you, I just restocked screens for this model. I should have it fixed in no time," Delan said, powering it on to assess the damage further.

"How long is ‘no time’?" Sophia asked, hopeful.

"About three hours," he replied. 

Sophia sighed. "Fine. How much?"

"$2,000," Delan said casually, as if it were pocket change.

"What?" Abdul interjected, his voice rising. "Are you building a house with it?"

Delan smirked. "Relax, kid. Big phones come with bigpp repair costs. Plus, I’m prioritizing this job over others. Besides, Sophia can afford it." He threw her a knowing glance. 

Sophia knew he was overcharging but didn’t have the energy to argue. She needed her phone back as soon as possible. "Fine," she said. "But only if it’s done in two hours."

"Deal," Delan said, saluting her with two fingers before dashing out the door.

"That was way too much," Abdul muttered, crossing his arms. 

"I know," Sophia replied, "but I need the phone urgently."

Abdul’s pout melted into a grin. "How about we get ice cream while we wait?"

Sophia couldn’t help but smile at his suggestion. "Sounds like a plan," she said, grabbing her coat. 

As they stepped out into the cool afternoon air, Sophia felt a sense of peace wash over her. For now, the growing tension with her mother was down, and she could enjoy a simple moment with her brother. But in the back of her mind, it lingered.