chapter 52

Irene —

When we arrived home, I set Sofia down and sat her at the kitchen table with some coloring books and crayons. She busied herself with her artwork, while I retrieved my phone and dialed Benjamin's number once again.

To my surprise, this time he picked up after a few rings.

"Irene, what is it?" he asked, his voice tinged with annoyance.

I took a deep breath, trying to hold back my own frustration. "Benjamin, we need to talk. It's about Sofia and her involvement in the magazine photoshoot."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. I could almost hear the gears turning in his mind as he processed my words.

"What's the problem, Irene?" he finally replied, his tone defensive.

"The problem, Benjamin, is that Sofia is just a little girl. She's still learning about the world, and she needs time to grow, to experience life without the pressures of fame and exposure," I explained, my voice filled with earnestness.

Silence settled between us once again, and I braced mys