登入double update!!
Sophia barely had time to turn before a tiny figure came running toward her at full speed. Her entire face softened instantly as she bent down just in time to catch the little girl who threw herself into her arms.A genuine smile spread across her lips for the first time that night. “There’s my baby,” she laughed softly, hugging the little girl tightly while stacking her with kisses on her cheek. “I missed you so much.”“I missed you more!” Aria declared dramatically, wrapping her tiny arms around Sophia’s neck and laughing uncontrollably.Sophia laughed again and kissed her daughter’s forehead repeatedly. Just moments ago, anger had consumed her completely, but now nothing else mattered except the little girl in her arms.A younger woman walked in behind Aria and smiled warmly at the sight before her. “She’s been waiting by the door for almost thirty minutes,” Leah, Aria's nanny said with amusement. "I had to use tricks to get her in but as soon as she heard the door open, she ran ri
After spending nearly two hours on the road thanks to the horrible nighttime traffic in the city, Sophia finally arrived at her hotel. She stepped into the hotel suite and shut the door behind her with a quiet sigh. The moment the lock clicked, the confident smile she had worn all evening slowly disappeared from her face. Her shoulders slumped from exhaustion as she kicked off her heels and walked further into the luxurious living area.The gala had drained her far more than she expected. She didn't even spend up to two hours in there!She dropped her purse on the couch before sinking into the cushions, finally allowing herself to breathe properly. For a few seconds, she simply sat there in silence with her eyes closed, trying to calm the storm in her chest.She was sure she had put on a good poker face because not a single person could look down on her the same way they did five years ago. However, despite how much time had gone by, she couldn't help but admit that seeing them again
Across the hall, Julian had watched everything.His eyes followed Sophia the moment she walked away from Edward. He had been distracted the entire evening, barely hearing half the conversations directed at him because his attention kept drifting back toward her. Every movement she made pulled him in without effort.“Mr. Vale?”Julian blinked slowly and realized one of the investors was still speaking to him.“My apologies,” he muttered distractedly and one of them smirked knowingly.The moment he noticed Sophia leaving the ballroom area entirely, he immediately stood up. “Excuse me for a moment,” he added before walking away before anyone could stop him.He followed her trail through the hallway quietly.The farther he walked from the ballroom, the quieter things became. The loud music faded behind him until only soft instrumental echoes remained.Up ahead, he noticed Sophia disappearing around the corner and so, quickened his pace slightly.At first, he assumed she was heading toward
Edward took long, confident strides towards the VVIP section. As he neared where Sophia was seated, he went over how he was going to scold her multiple times. When he finally arrived, he stood behind her, his irritation growing as he watched her mingle with the others at the table, people even he couldn't sit with.Meanwhile, Sophia sat calmly in her seat, her attention fixed on the stage where a violin performance was taking place. The soft golden lights reflected against her black dress beautifully, making her look completely untouchable.Edward cleared his throat loudly. “Sophie,” he called. She didn’t react.At first, he thought she hadn’t heard him because of the music. He frowned slightly and stepped closer. “Sophie,” he called again, this time louder.Still nothing.His irritation deepened immediately as he realized that she was ignoring him on purpose. He glanced around briefly and noticed a few people beginning to watch them from nearby tables.“Sophie!” he snapped a third t
There was an eerie silence in the space as soon as the words 'LuminaTech' left Dan's mind. Serena stared at him like he had lost his mind, Jada looked like she wanted to laugh while Julian looked purely confused. Nothing about what Dan had just said made sense. But, Dan didn't look like he was joking. He didn't even bother repeating himself, which only increased their confusion. Jada was the first to recover. "That's not possible." She snapped immediately, taking a step forward as if the distance could correct what she had just heard. "You must have it all wrong. Go and confirm again. I'm sure there's been a mistake."Dan didn't flinch. He only gave a respectable nod and held up his tablet more firmly. He had been around the Monroes for a few years, so he knew they weren't going to let him be until they had confirmed things themselves.“I understand your concern, ma’am,” he replied calmly, his voice steady despite the tension pressing in from all sides. “But there is no mistake.”He
They blocked Sophie’s path just as she approached one of the reserved VIP tables. Despite the orchestra beginning to play louder music in the background, nearly everyone in the ballroom continued watching openly.The tension surrounding the three women was impossible to ignore. People could already smell drama coming.Serena folded her arms tightly as she stared Sophie up and down. The jealousy in her eyes was impossible to hide no matter how hard she tried.She hated this.She hated how beautiful Sophie looked. She hated the confidence in her posture, the calmness in her expression, and the attention she was drawing without even trying.Most of all, Serena hated that Sophie looked happier and more successful than she had imagined.She had expected Sophie to return broken and miserable.Not like this.So, to make herself feel better, she concluded that it was all a farce, something Sophie had done to gain attention. 'Five years is too little for anyone to become successful, especiall
The microphone slipped from Julian's hand and crashed against the podium with a loud thud, the sharp sound echoing across the ballroom. However, Julian barely heard it over the sharp pounding of his heart. His entire body had gone still as he stared at the entrance of the hall. For a moment, he th
Julian looked at her for a long second before pulling his arm away gently.The driver stepped out quickly and opened the door for them. The moment Julian stepped outside, bright camera flashes exploded around them from every direction.“Mr. Vale!”“Over here!”“Sir, look this way!”Reporters crowde
Julian stood in front of the bathroom mirror, both hands resting on the sink. His reflection stared back at him like a stranger, exhausted and hollow, with dark circles sitting beneath his eyes.For a few seconds, he simply looked at himself in silence. He looked like he had not slept in years. He
Julian's eyes widened instantly as the commotion pulled him back to reality. He quickly looked ahead and his heart nearly stopped when he saw that a small child had appeared directly in front of his car.He slammed hard against the brakes immediately, the sharp screech echoing loudly against the st







