LOGINSophie came out of Lawrence and Associates office with light steps. She spotted the red Lambo—totally not a hard thing to do, opening the passenger side of the door and sitting wordlessly. Oliver, who was on the phone just a moment ago, immediately assumed a straight posture, hands ready at the steering wheel.
“Where should we go now, ma’am?” he said playfully.
“I don’t
Sophie came out of Lawrence and Associates office with light steps. She spotted the red Lambo—totally not a hard thing to do, opening the passenger side of the door and sitting wordlessly. Oliver, who was on the phone just a moment ago, immediately assumed a straight posture, hands ready at the steering wheel.“Where should we go now, ma’am?” he said playfully.“I don’t know. I’m in a good mood. Where should we go?” she asked, putting the seatbelt on.“Well, you’re the New Yorker! You pick.”Sophie went silent for a moment, thinking. “Are you hungry? It’s time for lunch, right?”“I actually am,” Oliver nodded. “So, lunch?”“Lunch,” Sophie nodded back. “I’ll set the destination,” s
Sophie blinked. “You’re the driver?”Oliver nodded, tipping his non-existent hat. “At your service, ma’am.”She was stunned for a moment. It had been a while since she last saw Oliver Blackwood. They had been inseparable as kids, but they naturally drifted apart as they grew older.Sophie and Oliver used to be grouped together as fellow gifted kids. Then Oliver enrolled in a boarding school abroad when they were twelve. As a kid, he was smart, sharp, showing boundless potential. But when Oliver came back again on the eve of Sophie’s high school graduation, he was … different.Not less intelligent, no. If anything, Sophie could swear that he was sharper than before. But the seriou
For the first time in a while, Sophie woke up to see the sun already high in the sky. She walked over to a full body mirror and saw her own reflection, laughing at the sight. She was all over the place. Her eyes red and puffy, bed hair nestled on her head. Mrs. Beckett would have been horrified.But not Sophie—she was free.After a long, hot shower, she walked to the kitchen. Edmund said he stocked up after she first contacted him, asking for a lawyer. Now in the pantry were some oatmeal and canned things, in the fridge some juices, frozen fruit, vegetables, and meat.She whipped up an easy salad—just some microwaved frozen veggies—and topped it with canned tuna, adding a dollop of thousand island dressings. Along with a big glass of cranberry juice, she enjoyed her hearty, very late breakfast.
The next morning came. Adrian woke up with a headache. By habit his hand stretched to the bedside table, trying to grab a glass of warm water. But his hand touched nothing.He lifted his head, eyebrows raised. There should be a glass there.Well. no matter. He called the housekeeper, instructed her to prepare warm water and breakfast to go. Then he stepped to the bathroom to groom himself.When he came out, he checked his phone. Still no contact from Sophie. He debated—should he call her? Or was it too soon and she needed more time still?He dialed anyway. A waste, because Sophie didn't bother to answer. A surge of irritation rose, but he quickly composed himself. If Sophie still needed space, he would gladly grant it. She would be back. Of course she would.
Gone. She was gone. Adrian's breath grew heavy as he stared at the empty parking space. Her Volvo was gone. She rarely drove it. Wherever she went, she went with him.“It’s only right if I’m with you,” she had said. Yet now, she left. So decisively at that. No turning backs, not even giving him a chance to speak.Where did he go wrong? He had been careful. The penthouse and the office were two separate worlds. Sophie never involved herself in company matters. Julia understood discretion better than anyone. Everything had been under control. Should be. What the heck made it fall apart?Sophie loved him. All her words, her smiles, the late-night greetings she offered spoke of complete trust. So why was she talking about divorce?Adrian reached for his phone to call S
Silence stretched. Sophie waited, and waited, and waited, but Adrian remained. The shock was too great. He thought he had the perfect defense. He had never expected Sophie to hold the most damning information of all.“Sophie, I—”“I can’t do this, Adrian. Not anymore,” Sophie cut him off, walking towards her desk’s drawer. “I gave you chances. I thought you’d confess. And what do we have here?” Sophie scoffed. “Reward? Temporary access?”Sophie took out a brown envelope, then threw it before the kneeling Adrian. “Did you take her to the amusement park as a reward, too? Taking her to the cinema? Embracing by the lake? Are those rewards too?”With trembling hands, Adrian took the content of







