#136 “Total Chaos.”
Ever since Sophia received the heart- wrenching news of Alexander being in a coma, she had become a constant presence in his hospital room. In the initial days, she bounced between moments of despair and persistent demands to the nurses and doctors, urging them to provide the best possible care.
Eventually, Sophia stopped giving orders and settled into a quiet routine of staying by Alexander’s bedside. Attempts by Evelyn or Sandro to persuade her away were met with temporary compliance, only for her to return after brief respites for showering or eating.
Days melted away as Sophia sat next to his bed, engaged in a one-sided conversation. Whether he could hear her or not was uncertain, but she couldn’t reconcile with the idea that all of this had unfolded because of her.
She shared stories from her childhood and recounted lessons with Maestro Paus. Sophia remembered the promise she made to tell him about her music career the last time they were on his private jet.
Now she was holding his hand and studying his face. Aside from the bruises from the blow, which were already starting to heal, she couldn’t help but admire how handsome he actually was.
He had razor-sharp cheekbones and eyelashes a woman would kill for, and his lips were the definition of perfection. Sophia had never before allowed herself to think about his appearance, but she could not deny that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
“You know, I was so angry with you for not coming to me even once when we were married,” Sophia confessed. The words seemed to spill out against her will.
“I was furious, Alexander, and failed to see you for the man you are. Then, in that apartment in London, you showed up, saw me with a gun in my hand, and didn’t doubt for a moment that I was innocent. I figured maybe I could trust you. And when I started to forgive you, you got engaged to Megan, and then I…
Sophia shook her head, attempting to gather her thoughts. A sigh escaped her, and she realized that if she didn’t express herself now, she might never.
“I didn’t even give you a chance to explain. I treated you terribly in my apartment, and then you left and announced your engagement. Now, more than anything, I want you to wake up and tell me your side of the story. And if you still want to, and you haven’t given up on me, I want us to give each other a chance.”
A tear traced its path down her cheek just as the door creaked open. Sophia swiftly wiped her face as a nurse entered.
“Oh, Mrs. Stone, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I’m just coming to check on his condition,” the nurse announced.
Sophia, refraining from correcting the nurse about her marital status, allowed the woman to attend to her duties. “I’ll let you do your work,” Sophia said, leaving the room.
Deciding to grab a coffee, she walked towards the reception area, where a familiar voice caught her attention.
“Which room is Mr. Alexander Stone in?
Sophia turned and saw Laura, Alexander’s assistant. Following her with a smile, Sophia spoke up.
“I can show you the room,” she said.
As soon as Laura laid eyes on her, her face lit up with recognition.
“Sophia, I’m so glad to see you.”
“Laura, I didn’t expect to see you here, “Sophia said with a smile as they strolled down the corridor.
“Honestly, Sophia, I came to figure out what’s going on with Alexander. Everyone’s bombarding me with questions about his whereabouts, and I can’t spin more lies to save my life. Speculations are running wild in the media, and…”
“Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that no one knows where Alexander is? “Sophia interrupted, incredulous, stopping abruptly in the corridor.
“Yeah, he specifically told me to keep his trip to Vegas on the down low. He was worried that if the news got out, it might mess things up for you,” Laura spilled.
“And what’s happening back at the company?” Sophia probed.
“Total chaos. Megan’s losing her mind, and I can’t pull the wool over her eyes anymore. I’m here to find out when Alexander will wake up and how to handle the mess,” Laura confessed.
“Megan doesn’t even know he’s here?” Sophia asked, wide-eyed. “Is that why she’s not at his bedside?”
“Nope, she’s clueless, and I can’t dodge her forever,” Laura nodded. “She’s been barging into his office uninvited, and I kept feeding her lies about him being out somewhere.”
“Why in the world doesn’t Megan know where her future husband is?”
“Alexander specifically asked me to keep it a secret.”
“I get that, but why?” Sophia pressed.
“Sophia, I can’t comment on the decisions my boss gets,” Laura deflected.
Laura started moving forward, but Sophia blocked her path.
“Spill it, Laura. I have a right to know. What’s going on?” Sophia demanded, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.
“I’m just doing my job, Sophia. You can ask him when he wakes up,” Laura suggested.
“So I’m onto something? There’s some secret he’s keeping from me.”
Laura sighed.
“He’s helping out with Megan’s company, not because he’s head over heels for her, but to get inside information to help you take her down.
“What?” Sophia’s voice rose. “Why?”
“Oh, cut it out, Sophia. Don’t act like he’s not crazy about you. He’s been stalling the collaboration for weeks to gather whatever information you need. He’s promised you, and he’s dead set on delivering,” Laura spilled.
“I can’t believe he agreed to this engagement just for…”
“Maybe it’s time you two put the swords down and actually talked like adults,” Laura suggested with sincerity.
Upon learning the truth, Sophia’s world seemed to shift on its axis. The revelation hit her like a tidal wave, leaving her speechless and deeply moved. She felt a torrent of conflicting emotions surging within her- surprise, gratitude, confusion, and a hint of vulnerability.
The hospital corridor became a silent witness to Sophia’s internal turmoil. She had to know more and understand the intricacies of Alexander’s actions. The realization that he had taken significant steps, even pledged to engage with Megan for the sake of aiding Sophia, left her both stunned and touched.
“Laura, I want to see Alexander. Will you excuse me?”
“I’ll talk to the doctors, see you later.”
Sophia did not wait for Laura to finish her sentence and rushed to Alexander’s room.
