Chapter 9: IN HIS OFFICE AGAIN      

The doors to Cross Industries’ penthouse-level offices slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the same sleek, modern space Sophia remembered from years ago—floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Central Park, polished concrete floors, walls lined with awards and prototypes of every design she’d ever dreamed of creating. But now, it felt foreign. Cold.

Alexander stood by his desk, his back to her, staring out at the city skyline. He didn’t turn when he spoke. “You came.”

“I didn’t have a choice,” Sophia said, stepping into the room. The scent of sandalwood and cedar—his signature cologne—hit her like a punch to the gut. “You know what you’re asking of me.”

He turned then, and his eyes locked on hers—on the way her belly had rounded out, on the strength in her shoulders that hadn’t been there before. “I know,” he said quietly. “I’ve known everything since the day you left. The babies… they’re mine, aren’t they?”

The question hung in the air, heavy as the silence between them. Sophia’s hands clenched at her sides. “They’re my babies,” she said, her voice sharp. “You gave up all right to them when you signed those papers.”

Alexander stepped closer, his gaze softening. “I did what I had to do to keep you safe. The syndicate that took over Cross Industries after my father died—they weren’t just laundering money. They were trafficking people. Women. Girls who looked like you. I couldn’t let you get caught up in that.”

Sophia felt the anger rise in her throat, hot and sharp. “So you stole my designs? Told me my work belonged to you? Tried to erase me entirely?”

“I was trying to protect you,” he said, reaching out as if to touch her face, then pulling his hand back. “When I found out what they’d done—what they were planning for you—I had to act fast. The cease-and-desist, the threats… it was all a smokescreen to keep them from looking too close.”

“Keep me from looking too close?” she shot back. “You almost destroyed everything I built. Chen Couture is thriving because of me—because of the work I did on my own.”

He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. “I know. And that’s why I’m not asking you to come back to me. I’m asking you to let me help you keep what’s yours. The board is voting on a takeover of Chen Couture in forty-eight hours. If they succeed, they’ll absorb your brand, your designs—everything you’ve built.”

Sophia’s blood ran cold. “You said you’d protect me.”

“I will,” he said firmly. “But to do that, we need to be on the same side. The contract I’m offering isn’t just about business—it’s about creating a shield. If you sign on as Head Designer for Cross Couture, under your own name, they can’t touch you. The syndicate’s legal team will back you. Your work will be recognized as yours.”

She stared at him, at the man she’d once loved with every fiber of her being. The man who’d broken her heart, then tried to stitch it back together from afar. “What about the lawsuit? The cease-and-desist?”

“Gone,” he said. “I’ll make sure of it. But you have to trust me. Just this once.”

The room spun around her—memories of their wedding day, of late nights sketching together, of the way he’d held her hand through every storm. She looked down at her belly, at the life growing inside her, then back at him.

“I need time,” she said quietly. “To think. To prepare.”

Alexander nodded, his expression serious. “You have twenty-four hours. After that… the board won’t wait.”

When he stepped back, giving her space, Sophia felt the weight of everything crash down around her. She’d built a life from nothing, fought for every stitch and every design. Now, she was being asked to give it all up—or risk losing it to people who’d never understand what it meant to create with your whole heart.

But as she looked at the sketches pinned to her board—Northern Lights, Ocean Depths, Unbreakable—she knew she couldn’t let that happen. She’d built this. She’d earned it.

“I’ll sign,” she said finally, her voice clear and steady. “But on my terms. My designs stay mine. My name stays mine. And if anyone tries to take that from me… they’ll regret it.”

Alexander’s eyes softened, and for a moment, she saw the man she’d fallen in love with all those years ago. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

As she turned to leave, her hand brushed against the silver button he’d given her—still tucked in her pocket, still shining like a tiny star. She paused at the door, then looked back at him. “Why now?” she asked quietly. “Why reach out after all this time?”

He walked to the window, his voice low. “Because they’re getting closer. The syndicate that took over Cross Industries—they know about you. About the babies. They’re planning something. Something big.”

Sophia’s blood ran cold. “What do you mean?”

“They’re targeting independent designers,” he said, his voice tight. “Buying them out, silencing them… or worse. They saw your work at Camila’s gala. They know you’re a threat. To their profits. To their control.”

She stared at him, at the truth finally dawning in his eyes. “You knew,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “You knew all along.”

He nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on the skyline. “I’ve been watching over you. Protecting you from afar. But now… now they’re coming for you. And I need you to be safe. To have a shield.”

Sophia stepped closer, her hand resting on her

belly. “Then let’s build one,” she said firmly. “Together.”