The old Sophia Reed would never have acted like this. The new Sophia, however, seemed every bit the polite, graceful woman she had once pretended to be—the perfect wife.
Nathan Torres tightened his grip on the phone in his hand, his tone cool and distant. “No need.”
Sophia’s smile faltered slightly. She was about to politely offer him a seat when he suddenly added, in a low voice, “Thanks.”
The next second, he reached out to take the glass of water from her hand. His fingers brushed hers—accidentally, but unmistakably.
His hand froze for a moment before he snatched the glass and drank deeply.
Sophia looked up at him in surprise.
“I suddenly felt thirsty,” Nathan said, his eyes sliding away, his tone flat. “I’ll be leaving now.”
She watched his back as he walked away, dazed. There was something about him—his aura was dark, self-contained, and cold.
He was such a strange man, she thought. His moods shifted like the tide—now warm, now distant.
Mr. Reed chuckled gently, his words full of implication. “That young man isn’t bad, is he?”
Sophia lowered her gaze, her voice soft. “I’m not thinking about things like that anymore.”
Once you’ve been wrecked by love, how can you ever believe in it again?
Seeing her sadness, Ethan Reed quickly said, “Since our little sister’s back, we should throw a welcome dinner. Invite everyone from the business and political circles—give her a proper celebration.”
Mr. Reed nodded approvingly. “Good idea. But let’s wait until Sophia’s settled in first. Ask her what she wants. Daniel’s busy with his research, and Liam’s still on set. They won’t make it back right away.”
The Reeds could barely contain their excitement at having Sophia home again, but they kept it beneath the surface, treating her with comforting normalcy.
It was that natural warmth that allowed her to finally relax.
Outside, Nathan lingered at the door for a long moment, watching the family through the open window. His expression softened.
The image of Sophia in that living room lingered in his mind, stirring something unfamiliar.
A long-buried memory resurfaced—the face of a much younger girl, bright and fiery.
Back then, she hadn’t been gentle or quiet at all. She was bold, stubborn, quick to anger.
Whenever her parents scolded or punished her, she’d argue right back, her chin lifted defiantly.
It was one autumn years ago. Nathan’s parents had taken him to a small town outside New York to visit a hot spring resort while surveying a new development project.
That day, he tasted the sweetest fruit he’d ever had—given to him by a little girl in a pink sweater.
They’d quickly become friends. When he asked her name, she’d told him it was Sophia Reed.
He never knew that wasn’t her real name—that even her parents didn’t know she used it. Afterward, no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find her again.
By the time he finally heard news of her, she was already married. And she hadn’t recognized him—not even as an acquaintance.
The realization had left him bitter for years. He’d spent all this time regretting not finding her sooner, not telling her who he was—leaving Alexander Kane the chance to take her first.
Tonight, he had come back to the Reed Estate. He didn’t want to regret it for the rest of his life.
Later that night, a drowsy Sophia murmured, “Did we know each other before? You seem…familiar to me.”
Her smile pulled him straight back into those sunlit afternoons of their youth—and reminded him of how powerless he’d been back then.
Nathan opened his mouth but said nothing.
Finding the silence dull, Sophia finished the last sip of her water and stood. “If you’re not going to talk, I’m going to bed. Oh—my dad asked you to see him in the study. He said he’s got something for you.”
Watching her leave, Nathan cursed his own cowardice. Just as he turned toward the study, a startled cry broke out—he looked up just in time to see Sophia miss a step and tumble down the stairs.
For a heart-stopping moment, everything froze. Then Nathan lunged forward, catching her before she hit the ground.
Even as he held her safely in his arms, the suffocating fear refused to fade.
Before Sophia could even thank him, Mr. Reed emerged from the study, smiling at the sight of the two of them tangled together.
“What are you two up to now?” he said with a laugh. “I heard quite the commotion from my study.”
