CHAPTER THREE
1168 Words
Sophie knew something was wrong the moment she walked into the house and saw her mother smiling.
Nadia never smiled like that unless there was money involved.
“Sit down,” her mother said, her voice unusually bright, almost excited. “I have something to tell you.”
Sophie dropped her bag on the chair and crossed her arms. “What is it this time?”
Nadia stood up, smoothing her dress like she was about to deliver good news, but Sophie already felt the irritation building inside her chest.
“I’m getting married,” Nadia said.
The words hung in the air, but Sophie did not react immediately. It was not shocking. Her mother had always had men in her life. This was just another one, or so she thought.
“Okay,” Sophie said flatly. “And?”
Nadia’s smile widened. “He’s rich, Sophie. Very rich. You should see the kind of life he lives. We won’t have to struggle anymore.”
That was when Sophie felt the exhaustion.
“So that’s what this is about,” she said quietly.
Nadia frowned. “Don’t start with me.”
“I’m not starting anything,” Sophie replied. “I just don’t care.”
“You should care,” Nadia snapped, her tone changing instantly. “We’re going on a trip to his private island, and he wants to meet you.”
Sophie laughed softly, but there was no humor in it. “I’m not going.”
“You don’t have a choice,” Nadia said firmly. “Start packing. A car will be here tomorrow.”
Sophie shook her head, already walking away. “Do whatever you want. I’m not playing family with another one of your men.”
But she knew how this would end. Her mother always got what she wanted.
The next day, a sleek black car was waiting outside their house. Nadia was already dressed and excited, acting like her life had changed overnight. Sophie walked out slowly with a blank expression on her face, her mind already distant.
The ride to the private airport was silent.
Sophie stared out the window the entire time, feeling that familiar discomfort settle in her chest. She hated pretending and forced connections, she never liked the fake happiness.
When they boarded the private jet, it only made things worse.
Everything was too perfect, Sophie did not belong in places like this. She tried to distract herself with the thoughts of the stranger she had met two nights ago. Never in her entire existence did she think she would have a wild one-night stand with someone, especially not a man who had broken her track record too.
Hours later, the plane landed on an island that looked like something out of a dream. The waters were extremely clear and clean, you could see the white sand. There was a massive mansion standing tall in the distance.
Nadia was already impressed, her eyes shining with excitement, but Sophie felt nothing.
As they stepped into the mansion, a man walked toward them with open arms. He was older, well-dressed, and carried himself with the kind of authority that came from power.
“Sophie,” Nadia said quickly, “this is Modric.”
Sophie gave a small nod. “Nice to meet you.”
Modric smiled warmly. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Sophie doubted that, she was about to look away when she noticed someone standing beside him, and everything inside her went still.
It was Louis, standing there like he had been part of this world all along, calm, composed, and completely out of place in Sophie’s reality.
Their eyes met, and for a brief second, neither of them moved.
The memory of that night came rushing back instantly, hitting Sophie harder than she expected.
Her one-night mistake was standing in front of her… as part of her future family.
“Sophie,” Modric continued, unaware of the storm building between them, “this is my son, Louis.”
The word hit harder than anything else.
Sophie felt her throat tighten, but her face remained calm. She had learned that much over the years that no matter what she felt, she never showed it.
“Nice to meet you,” Louis said.
His voice was steady, but his eyes said something else entirely.
Sophie forced a small nod. “Me too.”
No one else noticed anything strange.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Nadia kept talking, clearly trying to impress Modric, while Sophie stayed mostly silent, observing everything while avoiding Louis.
But it was impossible to ignore him completely.
Every time she turned, he was there. Not close enough to speak, but close enough for her to feel him. Their eyes met more times than she could count, and each time, the tension between them only grew stronger.
Later that evening when Sophie felt the mansion suffocating her and it seemed like the walls were closing in on her, she stepped outside to take in air.
“Why are you avoiding me?” a voice said from behind.
She did not need to turn to know it was him.
“I’m not,” she said.
Louis stepped beside her. “You’re not very good at lying.”
Sophie let out a small breath. “Neither are you.”
For a moment, they just stood there, looking out at the water.
“This is complicated,” Louis said finally.
Sophie let out a quiet laugh. “That’s one way to put it.”
Neither of them mentioned that night, but it was there, between them, in every word they did not say.
Sophie glanced at him briefly. “So this is your life.”
Louis followed her gaze toward the mansion. “Something like that.”
“You fit in,” she said. It was not a compliment.
Louis looked at her, studying her expression. “And you don’t.”
“I’m not trying to,” Sophie replied.
She paused for a minute.
Then Louis spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “You’re starting your residency soon, right?”
Sophie stiffened slightly, she had not told him that.
“How do you know that?” she asked, her brows creasing in surprise.
Louis did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned to face her fully.
“There’s something you should know,” he said.
Sophie frowned as a strange feeling crept into her chest.
“I’m not just his son,” he said.
Sophie said nothing, waiting for him to say the next words.
“I own the hospital you’ll be working in.”
The words hit her harder than she expected. Everything went silent immediately.
Sophie took a small step back, her control slipping for the first time since she arrived.
Of all the places in the world…
Of all the people… It had to be him, this was no longer just complicated, it was a trap she never saw coming.
- Writer
