CHAPTER 51SOPHIAI slumped in the cafeteria seat, absentmindedly pushing my food around the plate. Jannette, ever perceptive, raised an eyebrow at my distracted state."Sophia, spill it. What's going on in that head of yours?" she asked, her tone a blend of curiosity and concern.I sighed, debating whether to dive into the intricacies of my tangled mess with Henry. But Jannette was my confidante, my partner in navigating the stormy seas of high school drama, so I decided to let her in."You know Henry, right?" I began, my eyes fixed on the lunch tray.Jannette nodded. "Yeah, the older guy you've been seeing. The silver fox."I managed a half-smile at her choice of words. "Yeah, that's him. Henry. He's... well, complicated.""Complicated how?" Jannette leaned in, genuinely intrigued.I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "He's almost twenty years older than me, for starters. And that brings its own set of challenges."Jannette raised an eyebrow. "Twenty years? Seriousl

CHAPTER 53HENRYLynda stormed into my office, her expression a mix of concern and disapproval. "Henry, what on earth was that back there? A brawl in the office? Are we in a schoolyard?"I scrubbed my face with my hands, still feeling the heat of anger. "Lynda, it wasn't just some random fight. Jake was harassing Sophia."She folded her arms, skepticism etched across her features. "Harassing? Or did you let your temper get the best of you?"I shot her a sharp look. "I don't just throw punches for no reason. Sophia was upset, and I couldn't stand by while she dealt with that creep."Lynda sighed, shaking her head. "This is exactly why I was against Sophia working here. Mixing personal relationships with the professional environment is a recipe for disaster."I leaned back in my chair, frustration evident in my voice. "Lynda, I can't control every aspect of what happens in this office. I won't stand by while someone makes Sophia uncomfortable. She's my responsibility."She raised an eye

CHAPTER 55SOPHIAKylie's voice echoed through the phone as I dialed her number, seeking solace in the midst of the chaos that had become my day. "Hey, Soph, what's up?" she chirped.I sighed, the exhaustion evident in my voice. "Kylie, it's been a day. A terrible, no-good, absolutely dreadful day."Her concern kicked in instantly. "Uh-oh. Spill the tea, girl. What happened?"Taking a deep breath, I began recounting the harrowing encounter with Jake, the harasser extraordinaire. "So, picture this: a typical office day, and out of nowhere, Jake decides it's prime time to be a total creep. He cornered me, Kylie. Literally. Tried to lay one on me, right there in the office."Kylie's gasp reverberated through the phone. "No way! That's insane. What did you do?""I slapped him, Kylie. Slapped him like they do in the old movies. And that's not even the worst part," I groaned."Wait, there's more?" Kylie's incredulous tone pushed me to spill the entire saga."Yeah, brace yourself. Henry, my

CHAPTER 57HENRY’S POVWe were putting on our clothes and I felt like taking her right there again, Sophia is all I want at this moment andI didn’t care if we were in the office or being watched by a thousand multitudes. I wanted all of her and she looked at me with that same longing.I pulled Sophia into a sweet, lingering kiss, savoring the moment. Just as we were about to part, I felt a strange shift in the atmosphere. Sophia's curious eyes turned towards the door, and my gaze followed hers.There stood a woman, looking bewildered and catching us in the act. My heart sank as I recognized her – Catherine, my ex-wife. The timing couldn't have been worse.Sophia asked the inevitable question, "Who is she?"I sighed, reluctantly releasing Sophia. "Catherine. My ex-wife."Catherine's surprise quickly turned into a smirk, and my blood started to boil. Sophia, sensing the tension, stepped back, giving us some space.I turned to Catherine, my tone sharp, "What are you doing here?"She play

SOPHIAI grabbed my phone, anxiety churning in my stomach like a turbulent sea. The weight of the situation had settled heavily on my shoulders, and I needed a lifeline. Kylie, my confidante in all things chaotic, would be the perfect sounding board.I dialed her number, the phone ringing a series of ominous tones before she finally picked up."Hey, Sophia! What's up?" Kylie's voice, usually bubbly and full of energy, now carried a hint of concern."Kylie, you won't believe what happened," I began, my words tumbling out in a rush. "Henry's ex-wife, Catherine, showed up out of nowhere, and she's trying to blackmail us.""Wait, what?" Kylie's response crackled through the phone. "Blackmail? Are you serious?"I let out a heavy sigh. "Dead serious. She knows about us, about Henry and me, and she wants money to keep it quiet. If we don't pay up, she's threatening to spill the beans to her dad."There was a moment of silence on the other end, and I could almost sense Kylie processing the in