novelnext Chapter 20: Keep Your Distance
Chapter 20: Keep Your Distance
Lucas Harrison tightened his grip on her hand and whispered in her ear, "Don't be afraid. He won't recognize you."
Sophia Williams adjusted the brim of her hat, finally reassured.
Ethan Foster was far thinner than before, a deep scar etched across his forehead, a remnant of his fall. His eyes were cold, his demeanor more like a hollow shell going through the motions than a man attending a gala.
As the two men faced each other, Ethan's gaze flickered to the woman hiding behind Lucas.
Something about her felt inexplicably familiar.
Lucas stepped forward, blocking his view entirely.
"Mr. Foster, after you."
Ethan frowned. "I never heard that Mr. Harrison returned from abroad with a woman in tow."
Lucas had always been known for his indifference toward women, so much so that many had questioned his preferences.
Lucas replied coolly, "I simply hadn't met the right person before. I suppose I should thank those who made it possible."
"Made it possible?"
Ethan lifted his gaze, his throat tightening. Since when did the eldest son of the Harrison family need anyone's help to get what he wanted?
He wanted to ask, but the words stuck in his throat. His eyes lingered on the woman's sleeve before he turned and strode into the ballroom.
The vast hall felt emptier than ever. Ethan accepted a glass of red wine and drained it in one go.
Yet, unbidden, the image of the woman's half-hidden face beneath her hat flashed through his mind.
His long-dead heart stirred faintly, as if waking from a deep slumber.
Ethan frowned, unsettled by his own reaction. Why was he fixating on a woman whose face he hadn't even seen?
Was it simply because she carried the same aura as Sophia?
His grip on the glass tightened.
All these months, he had searched for traces of Sophia in other women. But Sophia was Sophia, irreplaceable, incomparable.
Even the woman behind Lucas was no exception.
Lost in thought, Ethan didn't realize how much time had passed until he noticed Lucas re-entering the ballroom, alone.
The woman was gone.
Compelled by something he couldn't name, Ethan approached. "Mr. Harrison, where's your girlfriend?"
A shadow crossed Lucas's expression as he accepted a drink from a server.
"Why do you ask, Mr. Foster? Could it be you've taken an interest in another man's woman?"
"Impossible," Ethan said stiffly. "There's only one woman in my heart. I was just… making conversation."
"Only Sophia?" Lucas couldn't hide the mockery in his eyes. "If that's true, how did you manage to drive the woman you loved most to her death?"
The barbed words struck deep. Even Ethan felt the sting of their intent.
He excused himself but found himself drinking more, the alcohol dulling the pain just enough to keep breathing.
His head throbbed.
Then, a dog outside the ballroom caught his attention.
At the sight of it, Ethan froze.
Memories of Sophia cradling that very dog flooded his mind.
"Noah?"
As if in a trance, he followed the dog's path toward the garden.
The next moment, a pair of arms reached down and scooped the dog into an embrace.
A woman knelt there, her features delicate yet striking, her expression tender as she stroked the dog's fur. "Where did you run off to this time?"
Ethan stood rooted to the spot, his entire world tilting on its axis.
His heart pounded so violently he thought it might shatter. He stared, desperate to sear her face into his memory.
"Sophia?"
She stiffened, slowly lifting her gaze.
The moment their eyes met, Ethan's vision blurred with tears.
A torrent of emotions surged through him, clogging his chest, stealing his breath. It took everything he had to force out the words.
"Sophia… is it really you? You've come back. You've finally come back."
This nightmare had haunted him for months. Day and night, he'd drowned himself in work and liquor just to survive.
He'd never imagined life without her could hurt this much.
"Sophia… come home with me?"
He stepped forward, reaching for her, only for her to retreat.
Her movement was deliberate, evading his touch.
"Mr. Foster," she said coolly, "keep your distance."
Keep your distance?
Ethan's lips trembled, his face draining of color.