novelnext Chapter 19 Come Back With Me
Chapter 19 Come Back With Me
Sophia Williams had seen the news about Ethan Foster's fall down the stairs, his condition unknown, just before taking the dog out.
She scrolled past it like any other headline.
No ripple of emotion, not even satisfaction. In her mind, Ethan no longer existed.
"I'm here."
Lucas Harrison approached from next door, leash in hand. Sophia set her phone aside and took it from him.
The dog had grown rapidly over the past few months, its weight becoming a concern. To keep it healthy, she and Lucas had agreed on three daily walks until the extra pounds were gone.
At the park, Sophia unclipped the leash, and the dog bolted off in excitement. Lucas handed her a drink and sat beside her.
"Emily Johnson was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. She hasn't been right since losing the baby." He paused. "Ethan's surgery is over, but he hasn't woken up. It's like he doesn't want to."
Sophia twisted open her bottle and took a sip. After a long silence, she said, "Thank you. For the video."
She knew it was Lucas who had leaked the security footage from The Plaza Hotel. Its sudden appearance had kept her personal details from going public. Without it, she wouldn't have been able to step outside without a mask, even abroad.
"Don't mention it. It was nothing." He hesitated. "As long as you don't think I overstepped."
"Of course not." Sophia gazed at the sky.
Their punishments were deserved.
If anything, she owed Lucas her gratitude.
They stayed until afternoon before heading back with the dog. Lucas shrugged off his jacket, declaring he'd cook tonight.
"Don't expect much, but my pasta isn't half bad."
Sophia played with the dog while watching him move around the kitchen. Then his phone buzzed on the coffee table.
Her eyes flicked to the screen.
When are you coming back? You've been gone long enough.
What's keeping you overseas? Have you forgotten about your inheritance?
When Lucas brought out the pasta, Sophia was distracted. "Someone messaged you earlier."
He picked up his phone, his expression shifting as he read. He excused himself and stepped outside, the call stretching on.
Sophia twirled a strand of pasta for the dog, catching fragments of the conversation.
Lucas was leaving.
Over the past six months, she'd learned about his background.
The eldest son of the Harrison family in Northridge, embroiled in a battle for inheritance. When his father fell ill, the infighting intensified. Lucas had faked his death, not for freedom, like her, but as a calculated move.
Unlike her, he had to return someday.
By the time he came back, the pasta was cold. Sophia made him a bowl of noodles instead.
Lucas watched her from behind before stepping closer.
"Sophia, I have to go."
She steadied herself. "That's good. Sounds like you've secured your inheritance. Congratulations."
"Yeah." His gaze darkened, fixed on her as if searching for words.
A bark shattered the tension. Sophia smiled. "You'll take Noah with you, won't you? I'll miss him."
"What about me?"
She looked up, meeting his intense stare. "Will you miss me?"
Her throat tightened.
She hadn't been blind to his feelings. But she'd grown wary, afraid to reach out, to trust someone else with her future.
If even Ethan could betray her, how could she believe anyone else would love her unconditionally?
And she was tired. Too tired to navigate another relationship.
Yet Lucas had torn down that barrier between them.
Sophia said nothing.
The light in his eyes dimmed, but he understood her hesitation.
"I don't like the idea of leaving you alone in Switzerland. You could come with me, take care of Noah. As for the rest, I'll respect your boundaries. What do you think?"
The Foster family had been hit with scandal after scandal. Sophia's existence had become irrelevant. Even if she returned, few would pay her any attention.
The offer was tempting.
Noah whined at her feet. Sophia laughed softly.
"Alright. I'll go back with you."
At Northridge Airport, Lucas and Sophia slid into a waiting car.
She finally met the woman who had sent those messages, Lucas's mother.
Stylish and well-maintained, the woman took one look at Sophia beside her son and smirked.
"So this is what kept you away. A beauty."
Lucas shielded her, his voice cold. "Leave her alone."
His mother lit a cigarette. "I've got no interest in making trouble. But there's something familiar about her."
She frowned, unable to place it, then waved a hand. "There's a banquet tonight. Plenty of guests. Show up, let everyone know you're back."
When Sophia appeared in her couture gown, Lucas couldn't look away. He fastened a necklace around her throat, murmuring, "Stunning."
Her cheeks burned.
It had been so long since she'd attended such an event. She kept a hat tilted over half her face, staying close to Lucas as they greeted guests, until a luxury car pulled up.
The moment she saw the tall figure step out, her breath faltered.