CHAPTER ONE: THE PAST CATCHES UP

“Mum! Please help me!”  Theo screamed. Sophia turned in to find out why her son had shouted.

“Theo! What's wrong?” Sophia asked, bending and rubbing his back.

Theo pointed to his legs. Sophia checked and found out that he had stepped on a piece of a broken bottle, which stuck to his feet.

“I'm sorry son, it's a bottle.” She gradually removed the bottle and cleaned up the blood with a tissue..

All this happened on their way to the grand party, where she would sign the contract with Calloway Enterprise. They finally got to the venue for the party.

"Mummy, please can I have some juice?".

Sophia looked down on her son, Theo, his small hand clutching the edge of her dress. Her heart squeezed. Looking at Theo and seeing how he is the spitting image of his father- jet black hair, striking cat-like eyes, and a smile that melted hearts. She had always known this day might come, but not tonight.

"Of course, my sweetheart," she replied. You can have it and more. Just stay close to me so that I don't look for you, alright?"

As they made their way toward the bar, Sophia started feeling this unmistakable sensation that someone was watching her. She has not felt this way for a long time. As she glanced across the room, she froze.

Adrian Calloway stood by the stage, dressed in a sleek black tuxedo that commanded presence. His piercing gaze locked onto her, and for a moment,time seemed to stop.

Five years!!!!.. Five long years since she had walked away from him and their suffocating marriage. Sophia thought that leaving her marriage meant she had escaped his shadow, but seeing him again brought up a rush of emotions that she wasn't prepared for.  

"Mummy, look!"Theo tugged on her hand and pointed towards Adrian. How would a four-year-old boy act like a mature man or as one he was sent? Sophia thought. Before she could react, her son darted towards the man she had hoped to avoid with everything in her.

"Theo, come here. Where are you going?

She was trying to hide Theo from Adrian but it was already too late. Theo ran towards Adrian and he caught him effortlessly as he stumbled forward. He smiled, his usually guarded expression softening.

"Hey, dear little boy. What's your name?"

"My name is Theo!".The boy chirped, beaming. “I like you. My mummy says I'll wear suits like yours when I grow up".

Sophia was dumbfounded, this night was meant to be a night of celebration not for what is happening right now."If I had known, I wouldn't have brought Theo to this event," Sophia pondered aloud.

Adrian's smile faltered as he took a closer look at the boy. His features hardened, confused and realization can be seen all over his face. He slowly looked up and his eyes met Sophia's.

Sophia felt that the world was blurring around her as she approached Adrian and her son. Her heels clicked against the marble floor.

"Sophia", Adrian said, his voice very low but firm and dangerous."We need to talk, now”..

Sophia's throat tightened but she decided and forced herself to remain calm.

"Adrian this is not the place or time to talk about this ".

Adrian's eyes darkened. "Sophia, five years, five good years, and you thought you would keep hiding this and that I wouldn't find out?"

"Mummy, do you know him?" Theo asked, looking at her with wide eyes.  

Sophia pretended that she did not hear what his son said.

"Come on, Theo, "Sophia said, reaching out for his hand. "It's time to go".  

As they were about to leave, Adrian stepped in front of her, his towering presence blocking her path."Sophia, you're not walking away this time," he said quietly, laced with menace.

Sophia's heart raced. The room around them buzzed with murmurs as curious onlookers began to take notice of the scene unfolding because Adrian was already creating a scene. She had to get out of there as fast as possible.

"Adrian, please," she whispered urgently."We will talk but not here".

"Fine," he said, stepping aside. But our conversation is not over".

Adria quickly dragged her to a secluded area to talk to her.

A few minutes later, they were at the back of the venue of the party, which was very quiet and calm.

Adrian stood akimbo, his face filled with fury." You owe me an explanation, Sophia," he said, holding Theo's hand as though he wanted to run away with him

Sophia panted for some seconds and could not say a word to him. Adria asked the question, this time louder and in a rude manner.

" Adrian, I don't owe you anything".

"What do you mean?" "You’ve kept my son from me, he said, his voice rising. Sophia for good five years. How could you?".

What?  Her eyes flashed with anger. " I did what I had to do to protect him - from you, from your world. Do you even realize the kind of damage you caused me?".

Adrian flinched but quickly recovered. "Sophia, you don't have to play the victim here. I deserved to know I had a child. Yes, I deserve to know.

"You deserved nothing" she snapped. Not at all. "You were controlling, manipulative and so consumed by your empire that there was no room for anyone else. Not me. Not a child. Adrian took a step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I'm a man. You don't get to decide what's best for me, Sophia. He's my son and I'll be in his life whether you like it or not ".

Sophia took a deep breath."What are you saying?".

"What I'm saying is that I'll fight for custody if I have to," he said coldly. "You can't keep him from me any longer". Sophia's heart plummeted. The thought of losing Theo to Adrian's world of power and control was unbearable.

"You wouldn't dare," she said, her voice shaking. "Watch me. If you don't do the needful, whatever happens to you is your business. I must take back what belonged to me" he replied.

There was this silence and the weight of his words hung heavy in the air.

Without saying another word, he turned and walked out on her, leaving her alone with the crushing realization that her past had finally caught up with her, and there's no running from it this time.

Sophia experienced a traumatic event in her childhood, which was abuse, and this has left her with emotional scars, which made her build walls around herself and her fierce protectiveness of Theo and her distrust of Adrian.

Sophia leaned against the closed door, her hands trembling: How far was Adrian willing to go?