CHAPTER XV
~~~
THE SUNRAYS SHONE brightly on Sophia’s face as it peeked through the curtains, and her eyes opened slowly because of the heat it was providing. Her head was pounding and she could feel her eyes swollen
She didn’t understand or remember how she had slept off while bawling her eyes out to her pillow after having a very long painful shower. With a small whimper when she felt the headache kicking in, she sat up slowly and looked round the room.
She froze when a knock came on the door. When the knocking didn’t stop, she placed one of her palms on her racing heart and closed her eyes. “I hope it isn’t him, “She wasn’t ready to meet Chase after whatever happened between them the previous night.Original from NôvelDrama.Org.
Slowly opening her eyes, Sophia got down from the bed, her small feet touching the cold tiles as she unlocked the door and opened it. She breathed out in relief when she saw Valerie standing there with a wide grin on her face.
“Hey”, Valerie passed her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry if I woke you up,”
“Uhh-“, Sophia shook her head. “No. You didn’t wake me up. I was already awake before you knocked,” Sophia gave her space to walk in. “I’m sorry, come in,”
“Ahh!” Valerie smiled. “It’s okay. I just came to call you downstairs for breakfast,”
Sophia retorted immediately. “No! “Didn’t she say she didn’t want to face Chase? She wanted to work on that. “I-I prefer to have my meal here as usual. I feel more comfortable here,”
Valerie gave her a small smile and shook her head. “I’m sorry about that, Soph. Don has ordered that you come for breakfast downstairs,”
Sophia blanched. “Why?”
“I don’t know,” Valerie replied truthfully.
“I-, “Sophia trailed off. “O-Okay then. I’ll be downstairs for breakfast,”
“Great!” Valerie clapped her hands authentically. “Wear something nice. I should get going now, hmm?” She then pinched Sophia’s nose and walked away with a big smile on her face.
A small smile graced Sophia’s lips, and she leaned on the wall. She didn’t know why, but she could see a future with Valerie as friends with her. She was the only one who cared enough about her.
~~~
Only the sounds of cutleries clanking against the glass plates could be heard in the dining room. Chase sat on the chair at the head of the table with his fiancee, Saige-who had visited by his right side and Lucas on his left side. Beside Saige was Valerie and opposite her was Luciano. Sophia was nowhere in sight.
Soon, the light sound of footsteps resounded through the room, and Saige perked up, stealing glances toward where the sound was coming from until Sophia came into view.
Chase ran his gaze over her. She was simply dressed in a black jumpsuit while she pulled her hair into a ponytail. She didn’t need to try to look good because she already did and Chase found himself getting a hard-on. He immediately reverted his gaze to his meal to look like he wasn’t bothered at all.
“Ahh Soph!” Valerie called out to Sophia, who stood there, staring at everybody. Anything not to look at Chase and he knew that. “I thought you wouldn’t come,”
Lucas only snorted out loud.
“Who is she?” The question flew out of Saige’s lips before she could even stop it.
“She’s a witness,” Lucas replied immediately. “One that should have been killed,”
Saige looked over at Chase to find any reaction on his face, but as usual, his face was blank, and he was concentrated on his meal.
Valerie ignored them and walked towards Sophia. “That’s Saige, Don’s uhh-,” She turned to face Chase, who wasn’t even looking at them. She turned back to Sophia. “She’s his-,”
“Why the fuck is you walking on eggshells around her?” Lucas scoffed out. “Tell her already that she’s his fiancee,”
“Lucas,” Chase growled and glared at his cousin. Dammit.
Lucas mumbled a quick egotistical apology-something he should never do to his boss yet he still did and continued eating.
Valerie gave Sophia a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. “I’m sorry about that. Come and sit with us,”
Sophia tried so hard not to look towards Chase’s direction and so far, she was succeeding in it. “Thanks,” She mumbled and followed after Valerie.
“Here,” Valerie pulled out the chair next to hers’ for Sophia. “You can sit here,”
Sophia muttered a ‘thanks’ again before making her way to sit. Her butt didn’t make it to the chair as Chase didn’t allow her to.
“Stop,”
Lucas, Luciano, and Saige dropped their cutleries on their plate as a thick heavy silence settled in the room.
“You’ll be sitting on Lucas’ seat from now on. Beside me,”
Luciano tried not to choke on the food that was in his mouth but eventually, he did and Sophia was quick to grab a glass of water.
She rushed beside him and handed him the glass of water shyly. “Have it,”
“Thanks, “Luciano choked out and collected the glass from her, then took it to his lips and gulped down the water.
However, the light brushing of their fingers didn’t go unnoticed by Chase and he angrily slammed his fist on the table, making Sophia flinch. He stood up and without saying a word, he walked out of the dining room, leaving everyone confused at the sudden change of his mood.
Saige used the napkin beside her plate and dabbed her lips. “Excuse me,” She mumbled and stood up before sashaying out of the dining room.
“What happened to him all of a sudden?” Valerie asked no one in particular.
Lucas sneered, staring right back at Sophia. “Why don’t you ask daddy’s little doll? She has been the reason for a lot of things recently,”
“Lucas, what’s your problem with her?” Valerie walked closer to his already standing figure. “Soph hasn’t done anything wrong to deserve such treatment from you,”
His next reply was like a blow to all their faces. “She hasn’t done anything wrong but has only been unlucky enough to be birthed by that bastard, Agosti”
Agosti. Sophia stared at Lucas bewildered. That was her father’s name. He had no right to talk about her father like that and she wouldn’t tolerate it.
She then walked up to him. “look, I understand your problem is with me but I’ll appreciate it if you don’t bring my papa into this. He has nothing to-,”
“He has every fucking thing to do with all this,” Lucas cut her in. “He’s the fucked up reason why you’re here standing like a nuisance to all of us. If not for that fucker, we all wouldn’t be here. You should have just been killed like your fucking parents so we would live in peace. Move,” He growled, shoved her aside harshly, and walked away.
She could feel the tear that had fallen down her cheek and she didn’t attempt to wipe it. She just stood there, rooted to the spot, staring into space while Lucas’ words drilled their way to the back of her mind.
Valerie put her hand on Sophia’s shoulder. “Soph, he-,”
Valerie’s voice seemed to pull her out of her thoughts and Sophia sprinted off towards her room, totally ignoring her.