LOGINPatrick didn’t push her that evening.He watched her.Carefully.“Get dressed,” he said earlier, more relaxed than she’d seen him.Sophia raised an eyebrow.“For what?”“Dinner.”She didn’t argue.Didn’t have the energy to.The restaurant was quiet.Upscale.Nothing like the chaos she’d left behind.Patrick let her talk—or not talk.Let her drink.One glass turned into two.Then more.He followed her pace.Not ahead.Not behind.Just… with her.After dinner, he didn’t take her home.He drove.“Where are we going?” she asked.“You’ll see.”The bowling alley lights came into view.Sophia laughed for the first time in days.“Seriously?”Patrick smirked.“Yeah.”They bowled. Patrick just watched her like a hawk.. While she bowledBadly.Laughed.Drank.More than they should have.More than she realized.And for a little while—Sophia didn’t think about Dominic.Didn’t think about anything.The house was quiet when they got back.Too quiet.Sophia changed into a loose t-shirt and boxers.C
Patrick set the glass of wine in front of her.Not as a distraction.Not as a solution.Just… something to steady the moment.“So what’s your plan,” he asked, watching her carefully,“if he does this again?”Sophia didn’t hesitate.“Don’t worry about it.”Patrick didn’t like that answer.“I am worried about it.”She took a sip.Set the glass down.Then looked at him—steady, controlled.“He won’t know what hit him if it happens again.”Patrick’s brow tightened.“That’s not a plan, Soph.”Her voice sharpened.“Yes, it is.”“I’m done being walked over,” she added.“And I’m definitely done being scared in my own house.”Patrick held her gaze.“That’s not what I’m worried about.”“I’m worried about you being in a situation where you have to prove that.”That landed.But Sophia didn’t back down.“I won’t let it get there.”Patrick leaned back.“You already did once.”Silence.Sophia looked away.Out the window.The plane began its descent.Mountains stretching across the horizon.Wide open
The runway shimmered in the heat as Sophia pulled up.Her father’s plane sat waiting—engines quiet, door open.She took a breath.This was supposed to be a break.Just a few days to reset.Clear her head.Figure things out.Sophia climbed the steps.Dropped her bag beside the seat.Then stopped.Patrick.Sitting there.Watching her.Her brows pulled together immediately.“Why aren’t you with my children, Patrick?”Her tone wasn’t soft.It wasn’t angry either.Just… sharp.Confused.Patrick didn’t look away.His eyes were heavy.Tired.Serious.“Because you’re the one I need to be with.”That landed.Harder than she expected.“And besides,” he added, leaning back slightly, “your parents took the girls to Disney.”Sophia blinked.“What?”“They wanted time with them,” he said. “They’re fine. More than fine.”A beat.“So… it’s just us for a couple days.”Sophia sat down slowly.Her mind catching up.“You planned this?”Patrick shook his head.“No.”But his tone said—He wasn’t upset about
Nothing magically changed after that.No hug.No forgiveness speech.No “we’re okay now.”Just… space.They lived in the same house—But not the same way.Sophia stayed upstairs.Dominic stayed downstairs.Meals were quiet.Conversations were short.Everything… intentional.The next morning, Dominic didn’t wait.He poured the bottles out.Every single one.Down the sink.No speech.No announcement.Just action.Sophia watched from the stairs.Said nothing.But she saw it.He made calls.Appointments.Not just saying he needed help—Actually getting it.Therapy.Support.Structure.She didn’t praise him.Didn’t reward him.But she noticed.Because this wasn’t about grand gestures anymore.It was about consistency.A few days later, they sat down.Not forced.Not planned.It just… happened.Dominic stayed quiet for a moment.Then said—“I hate who I was that night.”Sophia looked at him.“You should.”No softness.Just truth.“I don’t remember everything,” he admitted.“But I remember e
The house stayed quiet.Not peaceful.Just… quiet.Like both of them were waiting for something to breakSophia didn’t rush back down.She unpacked slowly.Not everything.Just enough.Clothes in the dresser.A few things on the nightstand.Making the space hers—Without pretending it was permanent.Her phone buzzed again.Patrick“I’m not liking this. I can be there in a few hours.”Sophia stared at it.Then typed back:“No. Not yet.”A pause.Then—“I need to handle this.”Dominic hadn’t moved much.Still on the couch.Still quiet.But not calm.Eventually—Sophia walked back down.Not rushed.Not nervous.Just ready.Dominic looked up immediately.“There you are.”She didn’t sit.Didn’t soften.“I’m not doing this if you’re going to act like nothing happened.”Dominic rubbed his face.“I was drunk.”Sophia shook her head.“That doesn’t excuse any of it.”Dominic exhaled.“You know I didn’t mean it.”Sophia’s voice stayed steady.“You said it.”She stepped closer.“You threw somethi
Morning light filled the house.Too normal.Too quiet.Like nothing had happened.Sophia moved slowly down the steps.Every muscle sore.Her eyes swollen.Heavy.She hadn’t slept.Not really.Dominic was on the couch.Phone in his hand.Texting.Like it was just another morning.He looked up when he saw her.“Morning.”Sophia didn’t respond.Didn’t look at him.Didn’t even pause.She walked straight past him.In the kitchen, she grabbed a glassFilled it with water.Her hands steadier now.Not because she felt okay—But because something inside her had shifted.She turned.Walked toward the bedroom.Still not a word.Behind her—His tone changed.“Sophia.”She kept walking.“Hey.”Nothing.Then sharper—“Stop.She didn’t.Didn’t slow.Didn’t turn.She just kept walking.Dominic stood up.Fast.“What are you doing?” he snapped.Sophia opened the bedroom door.Started grabbing her things.Calm.Focused.“I said stop.”His voice louder now.Closer.She didn’t answer.Didn’t even look at
Sophia didn’t tell them because she needed comfort.She told them because she needed calibration.Laura’s kitchen was quiet except for the hum of the refrigerator. Lilly sat at the island. Kathy leaned against the counter, arms crossed. No one interrupted when Sophia finished speaking.She didn’t d
Sophia let out a slow breath.“You’re both painting him like a monster,” she said quietly. “He wasn’t. Not to me.”Jacob and Lily stayed still.“I was a daddy’s girl,” she continued. “From the beginning.”Her voice softened in a way it hadn’t all night.“He took me everywhere. Business dinners. Tri
Sophia stared at the floor for a long moment before speaking again.“There’s something else,” she said quietly.Jacob and Lily exchanged a look but stayed silent.“I wasn’t supposed to marry at all,” she continued. “Not officially. Not publicly.”Lily frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”“My fathe
Sophia didn’t answer Dominic again that night.Instead, she texted one person.Jacob.Are you in town?Three dots appeared almost instantly.For you? Always.She almost smiled.Jacob had been in her life longer than Dominic. College. First apartment. First real job. He had watched her build herself







