Julia’s POVI stood by Grandma Evelyn's bedside, the sight of her frail body lying motionless tugging at a mix of emotions within me. The door creaked open, and I turned to see Henry enter. His face showed curiosity, a slight smirk playing on his lips.“Hey, Jules,” he said softly, crossing the room to embrace me. I held onto him tightly, drawing comfort from his presence, though my eyes remained cold as they fixed on the frail old woman. “Henry,” I murmured, pulling back to look at him. “This is the only time I can talk to you alone. I'm staying at the Bakers' house these days. But tonight, I’ll be with Grandma Evelyn.”“Didn’t know you cared much about her…”I let out a short, bitter laugh. “No, I don’t. It’s just for show.”He glanced at Grandma Evelyn, his brow furrowing. “She's the one you can't stand, right? So what, you want us to pull the plug on her life support, finish this once and for all?”“No, that's not it,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I have a different plan, a new
Sophia’s POVI woke up with a dull ache in my arm and the sterile scent of the hospital surrounding me. As I glanced at the cast encasing my arm, memories of the accident flashed through my mind.At least I don’t have to stay another night, I thought. I was eager to see Reese again. She must be so worried about me, even though Kayla said they hadn’t really specified what had happened to me. When I was finally discharged, I was surprised to see Daniel waiting for me. His face lit up with worry and relief as he approached.“Sophia! How are you feeling?” he asked, his eyes scanning me for any sign of pain.“I'm okay,” I assured him with a small smile. “It's just a broken arm. It'll heal fast.”“Sorry I only came now,” he apologized. “I wanted to visit you yesterday when I heard the news, but I couldn’t get a flight back from San Francisco where I had a few meetings.”“It’s fine, Daniel. Don’t worry about it.”“Kayla wanted to come, but she's staying with Reese,” he explained. “She thoug
Sophia’s POVI looked up to see Morgana standing there with her usual cold expression, her eyes narrowing as they locked onto mine. The sea breeze seemed to carry her disdain closer, amplifying the tension between us.“What a surprise,” I muttered, more to myself than to her, trying to compose myself despite the rising unease.Morgana didn’t waste any time. “Sophia, you really have a knack for causing misfortune to everyone you get close to. Just like what happened to Evelyn,” she sneered, her voice dripping with accusation. My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Evelyn. I stood up, brushing the sand off my hands. “You have no right to talk to me that way, Morgana. You weren’t there. You don’t know what happened.” I tried to control the tide of emotions threatening to wash over me. She scoffed, crossing her arms. “Oh, I know enough. Bad luck seems to follow you wherever you go. You never do anything right, Sophia! You’re a walking disaster!”Anger flared within me. I had to fight
Elijah’s POVI hit the road, the sun already dipping low on the horizon. Sophia's message flashed in my mind—I was supposed to meet them at her apartment, but plans changed. “She’s at the beach with Kayla and Reese,” I mused aloud, a smile tugging at my lips. “Can't wait to see them!”Whistling a tune, I turned onto the winding coastal road, excitement coursing through me. The ocean breeze teased through the window, a welcome change from the city's stifling heat. My mind wandered to Reese's laughter and Sophia's smile, both etched vividly in my memory.I’m so glad Sophia is well enough to play with our daughter at the beach. Then, I noticed it—a dark sedan, its windows ominously tinted, tailgating me. Suddenly, I remembered the same kind of car that had followed Sophia and later on appeared at the office. Can this be her brother Troy again, causing trouble?!My heartbeat quickened. What's going on? I tried to shake it off, focusing on the road ahead. But the car persisted, swerving
Elijah’s POVThe emergency room lights were too bright. I felt the throbbing in my head, the sting of scratches on my arms, but the doctor assured me nothing was broken. I strained to listen amid the bustle, and then I heard her voice—Sophia.“Hey, Sophia,” I called out weakly, trying to sit up despite the ache.Suddenly, to my surprise, she was there rushing to me, one arm in a cast, tears streaming down her face as she enveloped me in a tight hug. Her relief was evident, overwhelming. “I thought…” she began to say, sobbing. “I thought that you…” “Hey, it's okay,” I murmured, holding her close. “I'm okay.”“I thought it was you on that stretcher over there,” she finally managed to say, not able to contain her sobs. Then she couldn’t speak anymore, just burying her face into my shoulder. Behind her, I saw Kayla and little Reese hurrying over. Reese reached me first, her eyes wide with worry. “Daddy, you're alive!”Sophia managed a smile through her tears as she composed herself. I
Sophia’s POVAs I left Elijah's hospital room, my heart felt heavy with worry. Seeing him and Julia lying there, bandaged and bruised, was almost too much to bear. I’ll visit them tomorrow again, I promised myself. For now, Reese has to rest. It wasn’t good for her to be exposed to such a messy situation, and to have that encounter at the beach with her stepmother!Kayla walked ahead of me, carrying Reese who was already very sleepy. The cool evening air hit me as we stepped outside the hospital. I tried to focus on the rhythmic sound of Kayla’s footsteps, but my thoughts were scattered. Elijah had been hurrying to the beach to meet us when the accident happened. And Julia, who was just passing by, had gotten caught up in the chaos, ending up with a severely injured hand.I wonder who did this to them, I suddenly thought, thinking about the dark sedan that had chased Elijah off the road and almost hit Julia too. Could it be my brother Troy? Is he trying to scare us so that he can ge
Sophia’s POVThe hospital walls were adorned with generic paintings meant to be calming but did little to ease my nerves. I should just visit Grandma Evelyn, see how she’s doing. I was well aware that she was still in a coma, but she has never left my mind. Everyday, I continued to pray for her recovery. I wished she could wake up already. It was a huge burden to think that her life was now at risk because of me. To add to that, I couldn’t help blaming myself too for what happened to Elijah and Julia. It was all too much to bear, really. Relax, Sophia. Just take a deep breath. I tried to calm myself down as I made my way toward Evelyn’s hospital room. When I got there, I hesitated briefly, taking a deep breath before pushing the door open.The room was quiet except for the sound of the medical equipment. Two maids were present, one adjusting Evelyn’s blanket while the other arranged flowers on a nearby table. Evelyn lay still, her frail form barely making an impression on the bed
Sophia’s POVTwo years of marriage, and I'd never set foot in my husband Elijah's office until now.After all this time, why was I suddenly entrusted to deliver these important documents? Could it be possible that they’re finally learning to accept me?Taking a deep breath, I gently placed my hand on my stomach. The emptiness from losing my baby lingered, even though it had been a long time since that accident. I still felt lost and fragile, wishing for solace that never came.I missed my husband's presence, longing for a comforting word or touch. But he and his family remained distant and uninvolved, leaving me to recover on my own.Now, I was about to step into Elijah’s world — his beloved company.My heart skipped a beat as I entered Elijah's large, elegant office. The room was tastefully decorated, with rich mahogany furniture and a large sign that said Sinclair Realty Group. But what made me stop in my tracks was the sight of my husband huddled with an attractive blonde over som