جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 179

He hesitated, clearly torn between his duty and command. “ Ma'am, please—”“ I'll be fine,” she interrupted gently but firmly. “ No one follows me.”The guard clenched his jaw, clearly uncomfortable with the idea, but reluctantly nodded. “ Be careful,” he muttered, watching as she slipped through the gate and disappeared into the early morning haze.The air outside was crisp, almost biting, but Sophia barely felt it. She pulled the hoodie over her head, tucking her head Inside as she walked briskly down the street. Every stepped echoed in her ears, mingling with the rapid best of her heart.Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she quickly pulled it out. A message flashed across her screen.I knew you'd come around . Meet me behind the cafe, down to the stream.Sophia scoffed slightly, shaking her head.She glanced at the time 5:20 AM . Time ws slipping fast. Without thinking too much, she opened her messages and quickly typed to Ethan.Meet me behind the cafe, down to the stream.Her

Sarian's eyes blazed with long blured resentment, her voice dripping with venom. “ Do you know why I've always hated you?” She asked, her tone low but vibrating with raw emotion.Sophia didn't flinch, her gaze steady, “ Of course,” she replied coldly. “ You said it yourself, it's always about Ethan.”Sarian's lips curled into a bitter snarl. “ Not just that,” she spat, her voice trembling with anger. “ You took everything away from me. You stole my future. You and that bitch, Suzy.”Sophia's eyes narrowed at the mention of Suzy. A cold wave of realisation passed through her, but she stayed silent, letting Sarian unravel.Sarian continued, her voice rising with each word. “ Do you remember the full ride scholarship to the fashion school Mr. Cole offered you back then? That scholarship was supposed to be mine!” Her fists clenched, her nails digging into her palm. “ I worked for it. I earned it. But then you showed up, some nobody from the gutter and took it from me!”Sophia felt her hea

A sharp cry.Not Sophia and Ethan moved closer just in time to see Sarian thrashing against the officers restraining her. But something was different now. Gone was the cold, calculating woman who had threatened Sophia moments ago. In her place was someone frantic, unhinged someone unraveling before their eyes.“ No! No, Sophia is the real culprit!” Sarian shrieked, her voice rising in hysteria. “ You should arrest her! She took everything from me!”Sophia's breath caught in her throat as she watched Sarian's wild eyes dart between her and Ethan. It was as if something inside Sarian had finally cracked, something that had been holding her together just long enough to get to this point.Ethan tensed beside her, his jaw locking as Sarian's attention snapped to him “ Ethan—” she pleaded, her voice turning desperate. “ Ethan, tell them! Don't let Sophia take everything from me! You know you still love me! I know you do! She came between us! She ruined everything! She—”Her words choked of

The psychiatric wind of the prison was cold, clinical. The walls were painted a dull gray, the air thick with the sterile scent of disinfectant. Every step down the hallway felt heavier than the last, as if some invisible forces was pushing her back, telling her to turn around.But she didn't.A guard led her into a separate observation room, where a thick pane of bulletproof glass separated her from Sarian Martin.The woman sitting in the padded cell was a ghost of who she had been.Gone was the polished, confident Sarian who once walked into a room owning it.This Sarian was frail. Her once flawless hair hung in uneven stands, her nails bitten down to nothing. She sat on the floor, rocking back and forth, her knees pulled to her chest.And her lips…..They never stopped moving.Sophia knew what she was saying before she even heard it.“ Sophia…. Sophia…. Sophia.”A chill ran through her spine.Sarian hadn't even noticed her yet. She was lost in her own world, whispering Sophia's nam

Sophia sighed as she pulled into the driveway, rubbing her temples. Work had been brutal today back-to-back meetings, endless reports, and malfunctioning coffee machine that had nearly driven her over the edge. All she wanted was to kick off her heels, change into sweatpants and curl up on the couch with Raven. But the moment she opened the door, she froze. The entire house was bathed in warm golden candlelight. The air was thick with the scent of fresh roses, and read, pink, white petals created a soft, delicate path across the floor. Tiny fairly lights twinkled around the living room, casting a magical glow. Sophia's heart pounded. What was going on? She stepped inside cautiously, her eyes scanning the room. The familiar space now looked like something out of a fairly take. Then— “ Mommy, Mommy!” Raven came running full speed toward her,hi face glowing with excitement. Sophia barely had time to brace herself before her little boy wrapped his arms around her leg, squeezing t