#112 “Wait, You’re Leaving?”
Sophia breezed into the villa, and the butler hurried over to snatch her coat. As she handed it to him, a sudden gasp escaped his lips. Sophia shot him an incredulous look, and he hurriedly averted his eyes, fixating on the floor.
“Whoops, my bad for the outburst. But seriously, your dress is stunning,” he mumbled before briskly walking away.
Sophia grinned. It’s her go-to dress, a sleek black cocktail number, but the seamstress sprinkled a bit of magic on it. The dress hugged her curves just right, flaunting her sculpted figure.
Megan and Alexander trailed in behind her. The moment Megan’s eyes locked onto Sophia, a frown creased on her forehead. Alexander didn’t react, but he lingered a tad longer with a contemplative gaze.
Ignoring the brewing drama, Sophia pivoted to Caroline, who was there to greet them. Caroline pulled her into a warm hug.
“Hey, sweetie! You look absolutely gorgeous,” Caroline chirped. “Come on in and make yourself at home.”
“I’m glad to see you,” Sophia said, her tone warm as she greeted Caroline. Caroline shifted her attention from Sophia to Alexander and Megan, and immediately, her smile faltered.
“I didn’t expect you two to come,” Caroline said, her gaze accusing as she looked at Alexander.
“It was a surprise,” Alexander explained, offering an apologetic smile to his mother.
“And what kind of surprise is this?” she scoffed, skepticism evident in her voice.
Caroline hugged her son but conspicuously avoided any contact with Megan. Just as she was about to turn back to Sophia, Megan interjected.
“I’m so glad to meet you,” Megan began, attempting to break the ice.
Caroline responded with a wry smile and a nod.
“Let’s not go overboard. I do not accept your marriage. I want this to be clear. Now let’s have dinner,” Caroline announced with a decisive tone.
“Mother,” scolded Alexander, a hint of frustration in his voice. Caroline turned her back on them, instantly grabbing Sophia’s arm. Megan glanced at Alexander, but he deliberately avoided her gaze.
The air in the room felt tense as Megan tried to shake off the lingering discomfort from Caroline’s blatant disapproval. While everyone else prepared for dinner, Megan couldn’t help but stew in a cocktail of resentment and frustration.
Her eyes locked onto Sophia, betraying a sense of injustice. To Megan, it seemed like she was being unfairly measured against an invisible yardstick. She had always been confident in her ability to navigate social dynamics, but the cold reception from Caroline hit a nerve.
“What’s so special about her, anyway?”
Megan muttered under her breath, more to herself than anyone else. The question lingered, unanswered, as she begrudgingly followed the others to the dining area.
Seated at the table, Megan couldn’t help but replay the events that led to this awkward dinner. She and Alexander had a history.
“If only Sophia hadn’t barged in,” Megan mused silently, the bitterness evident in her thoughts. In her version of the narrative, if Sophia hadn’t been a constant presence, their relationship might have evolved to a point where marriage was the next logical step. The “what-ifs” danced in Megan’s mind, fueling her resentment.
The aroma of dinner filled the air as everyone gathered around the table. The dining room, usually a place of warmth and shared laughter, felt oddly strained tonight. Sophia couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Megan, ever the provocateur, held onto Alexander’s hand like a prized possession. She babbled on incessantly about wedding plans, her excitement palpable in every word. Sophia couldn’t help but feel a twinge of discomfort at the display of affection. She glanced at Alexander, who sat there like an unwilling participant, responding to Megan’s chatter with a distant politeness.
As the dishes were passed around, the clinking of silverware against plates created a discordant melody. Sophia tried to focus on her food, but Megan’s animated descriptions of floral arrangements and venue choices infiltrated her thoughts.
“So, Alexander, I was thinking we could have a destination wedding,” Megan gushed, her eyes fixed on him as if awaiting his approval.
Alexander, seemingly indifferent, nodded casually. “Sure, whatever you want.”
Sophia couldn’t help but notice the lack of enthusiasm in his response. It was as if he was going through the motions, detached from the wedding planning whirlwind that Megan was so enthusiastically creating.
The more Megan rambled on about color schemes and guest lists, the more Sophia felt like an intruder in this surreal tableau. She stole glances at Alexander, hoping for some sign of discomfort, but his poker face remained intact.
As the evening wore on, Sophia found herself caught in a silent dance of awkward glances with Alexander. Each time their eyes met, an unspoken tension lingered in the air.
Caroline, tired of Megan’s constant chatter, decided to redirect the conversation. “Sophia, dear, what happened to you in London must have been terrible,” Caroline began sympathetically.
Sophia, appreciating the shift in topic, nodded. “Yes, but the important thing is that it’s over,” she replied with a smile.
Caroline continued, “And all this stress, I really admire you for handling it.”
Sophia shrugged off the compliment modestly. “Thanks. It’s all in the past now.”
Seizing the opportunity to lighten the atmosphere, Caroline turned to Sophia with an eager proposal. “Why don’t we go on a vacation together, just the two of us? It would be a great way to unwind, don’t you think?”
Sophia caught off guard, hesitated for a moment. She appreciated Caroline’s warmth and the genuine offer, but a knot of uncertainty tightened in her stomach. “Caroline, that sounds amazing, truly. But I might not be able to accept the invitation,” she said, trying to find the right words.
Caroline’s smile faltered for a brief moment before she pressed on, “Why not, dear? A little break could do wonders for both of us.””
Sophia sighed, feeling the weight of her upcoming decisions. “I’m actually headed to Boston. Benjamin has this new business venture, and he wants me to help set up a new office there. It’s a big project, and it could take anywhere from one month to half a year.”
Caroline’s expression shifted to understanding, though a tinge of disappointment lingered. “Boston, huh? Well, business calls. But remember, the offer stands whenever you’re ready.”
Sophia nodded appreciatively. “Thank you, Caroline. I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
As the conversation unfolded, Alexander overheard the mention of Sophia’s impending departure. His surprise was palpable, evident in the way his eyes widened and his brows furrowed.
“Wait, you’re leaving?” Alexander interjected. Sophia met his gaze. “Yes, Alexander. I have a lot of work to do, and I’ve got a lot on my plate in Boston.”
His reaction was a mix of surprise and something deeper, an emotion he couldn’t quite put into words. “Boston? That’s sudden. I thought…” he trailed off, his words hanging in the air.
Sophia, sensing the unfinished sentence, filled in the blanks. “You thought what, Alexander?”
