Chapter Three: Unfinished Thoughts
1110 Words
Caleb Pov
Three days later, I still couldn't get her out of my head. It was ridiculous. I didn't know her. I didn't know where she lived, what she liked, or whether she was even single.
The only thing I knew was her name. Sofia. And somehow that was enough to make her linger in my thoughts like an unfinished conversation.
I stared at the city skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office while pretending to listen to another discussion about campaign strategy.
"...public approval ratings are improving among younger voters."
I nodded automatically. Across the conference table, my father continued speaking. "The engagement announcement performed exactly as expected." Of course it had.
Everything always performed exactly as expected in his world. Every interview. Every public appearance. Every headline.
Every carefully planned step toward the future he had chosen for me. A future that felt less like an opportunity and more like a prison sentence.
"Caleb."
My father's voice snapped me back to reality.
Everyone at the table was looking at me. Wonderful.
"Sorry," I said.
"What are your thoughts?"
The truth?
I hadn't heard a single word. The lie came naturally.
"I agree."
Several people nodded. The meeting continued. I hated how easy that had become. Pretending. Smiling. Agreeing. Living a life that wasn't mine.
By the time the meeting ended, a headache had settled behind my eyes.
My father followed me into my office. The moment the door closed, the atmosphere changed. The public charm disappeared.
"What was that?" he asked.
I loosened my tie. "What was what?"
"You weren't paying attention."
I laughed softly. "Apparently I was convincing enough."
His jaw tightened. "This isn't a joke." Nothing ever was with him. "The election cycle is approaching." He folded his arms. "People are watching everything you do."
"Good thing I'm behaving then."
"Caleb."
There was a warning in his voice. The same warning I'd heard since childhood. The same reminder that disappointment wasn't an option. I met his gaze.
"What do you want from me?"
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Then he answered. "Everything we've worked for is within reach."
There it was. Not what you want. Nor are you happy. Not how you are feeling. Only ambition. Only expectations. Only the family legacy.
When he finally left, I sank into my chair and rubbed a hand across my face. The office suddenly felt suffocating.
My phone buzzed. A text from Olivia. Dinner tonight?
I stared at the message. A month ago I would have replied immediately. Now I found myself hesitating. The hesitation alone told me everything I needed to know.
Eventually I typed back. Can't. Work. Another lie.
The response came seconds later. Of course. Take care.
Guilt settled heavily in my chest. Olivia deserved honesty. Instead, I kept giving her excuses. Because the truth was worse. The truth was that every day I felt myself drifting further away from the life everyone expected me to want.
By six o'clock, I couldn't stay inside for another second. Ignoring several unanswered emails, I left the building and started walking. No security. No driver. No destination. Just movement.
The city was alive around me. People rushed between restaurants and office buildings. Street vendors called out to passing customers. Traffic crawled through crowded intersections.
For once, nobody recognized me. Nobody expected anything from me. I turned a corner and nearly collided with someone.
"Sorry."
The apology left my mouth automatically. Then I looked up. And froze. Dark hair. Sharp eyes. Navy blazer. Sofia.
For a second neither of us moved. Recognition flashed across her face. Not because she knew me. Because she remembered me. The man standing across the street that night. The one who had been watching.
I wasn't imagining it. She remembered.
Her expression quickly became guarded. "Do I know you?"
The question shouldn't have surprised me. But somehow it did. Of course she didn't know me. Why would she? I was just another stranger.
"No."
Her eyebrow lifted. "Then why are you staring at me?"
A laugh escaped before I could stop it. Direct. Very direct. I liked that.
"I think we've seen each other before."
She studied me for a moment. Then understanding appeared.
"The courthouse."
I nodded. "The courthouse."
For reasons I couldn't explain, neither of us immediately walked away. Most conversations between strangers lasted seconds. This one stretched longer.
"I'm guessing you weren't there because you needed legal aid."
Her gaze swept over my suit. I smiled.
"That obvious?"
"Painfully." Something about her confidence made me relax. That rarely happens around new people.
"What were you doing there?" she asked.
I considered lying. Instead, I surprised myself.
"Walking." One corner of her mouth lifted.
"You just randomly walk around downtown in a suit that costs more than most people's monthly rent?"
Fair point.
"I needed air."
The answer was honest. Her expression softened slightly. Not much. Just enough.
Before either of us could continue, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen and immediately frowned. Something changed in her face. Concern. Worry. Fear.
"Everything okay?" I asked.
She hesitated. Then nodded. Too quickly.
"No." The honesty caught me off guard. "I need to go."
I watched her shove the phone into her bag. The confident woman from the courthouse suddenly looked exhausted. Like she was carrying something heavy. Something invisible.
She started walking away. For reasons I couldn't explain, I called after her.
"Sofia."
She stopped. Slowly turning back toward me. The fact that I knew her name clearly surprised her. I wasn't sure why I said it. Maybe because I didn't want the moment to end. Maybe because I knew I'd regret it if I let her disappear again.
"Can I buy you coffee sometime?"
The question hung between us. Simple. Harmless. Yet it felt strangely important.
Sofia stared at me. Then she laughed. Actually laughed. Not cruelly. Not mockingly. Like I'd genuinely amused her.
"You don't even know me."
"Then I should probably fix that."
For a second, something flickered in her eyes. Curiosity. Then it vanished. Just as quickly as it had appeared.
"I'm not interested."
The words should have ended the conversation. Instead, she smiled. A real smile this time. Warm. Beautiful. Dangerous.
Because now I knew exactly what I'd been missing. And I wasn't sure I could forget it. She turned and walked away.
I watched her disappear into the crowd. Rejected. Politely. Completely. Yet somehow I found myself smiling. For the first
time in weeks.
Because Sofia Bennett might be the first person I'd met in years who genuinely didn't care who I was. And that made me want to know her even more.
- Writer
