Chapter 20
883 Words
Chapter 20
The tension in the car was palpable as I pulled up to Sophia's apartment building. My knuckles were white on the steering wheel, jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth. This dinner was the last thing I wanted to deal with today, especially after the clusterfuck of a day we'd had at work.
Sophia emerged from her building, a vision in deep blue that momentarily stopped my breath. But the scowl on her face quickly brought me back to reality. Great. She was in as foul a mood as I was.
"Hawthorne," she greeted curtly as she slid into the passenger seat.
"Chen," I returned, equally brusque. "Ready for the lions' den?"
She snorted, a decidedly unladylike sound that shouldn't have been as endearing as it was. "As I'll ever be. Let's get this over with."
The drive to the Hawthorne estate was silent, both of us stewing in our own thoughts. As we pulled up to the imposing mansion, I saw Sophia's eyes widen slightly before she schooled her features back into practiced indifference.
"Last chance to back out," I offered, part of me hoping she'd take it.
Sophia's chin lifted defiantly. "Not a chance, Hawthorne. I didn't get where I am by running from a fight."
I couldn't help the smirk that tugged at my lips. "Your funeral, Chen."
The moment we stepped through the door, my mother descended upon us like a perfectly coiffed vulture. "Derek, darling," she cooed, air-kissing my cheek before turning her razor-sharp gaze on Sophia. "And Ms. Chen. How... lovely to have you join us."
Sophia plastered on a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Mrs. Hawthorne. Thank you for having me."
"Yes, well," my mother sniffed, "one must keep up appearances, mustn't one?"
I felt Sophia stiffen beside me and had to resist the urge to place a protective hand on her back. Instead, I grit out, "Mother, perhaps we could move this to the dining room?"
Dinner was, as expected, a minefield of thinly veiled insults and backhanded compliments. My mother was in rare form, each comment designed to cut Sophia down to size.
"So, Ms. Chen," she began sweetly, "tell me, how does a girl from... where was it again? Flushing? End up at one of New York's top law firms?"
Sophia's smile never wavered. "Hard work and determination, Mrs. Hawthorne. The same way anyone achieves success in this field, I imagine."
"Of course," my mother replied, her tone dripping with condescension. "Though I'm sure having the right... connections doesn't hurt. Especially when those connections lead to such fortuitous circumstances."
The implication hung heavy in the air. I felt my temper rising, but Sophia's hand on my arm stopped me from lashing out.
"If you're implying that I orchestrated this pregnancy to trap your son, Mrs. Hawthorne," Sophia said calmly, "I can assure you that's not the case. This situation was... unexpected, to say the least."
My mother leaned forward, eyes glittering. "Unexpected? Come now, Ms. Chen. Surely a woman of your... ambition wouldn't leave such things to chance."
That was it. I'd had enough. "That's enough, Mother," I snapped, my voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Sophia is the mother of your grandchild. You will treat her with respect."
A shocked silence fell over the table. James, bless him, tried to lighten the mood. "So, uh, how about that weather we've been having?"
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of tense small talk and pointed looks. By the time we made our excuses to leave, I was seething with barely contained rage.
As we climbed back into the car, I turned to Sophia, apologies already forming on my lips. But the look in her eyes stopped me short. There was surprise there, yes, but also something else. Something that looked suspiciously like... admiration?
"You didn't have to do that," she said softly. "Stand up for me, I mean. I can fight my own battles."
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration evident in every line of my body. "I know you can, Chen. But you shouldn't have to. Not with my family. Not when you're carrying my child."
Sophia was quiet for a long moment, studying me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Derek. For having my back in there."
The use of my first name, so rare from her lips, sent a jolt through me. I met her gaze, suddenly very aware of how close we were in the confines of the car. "Always," I murmured, the word escaping before I could stop it.
For a breathless moment, the air between us crackled with possibility. But then Sophia blinked, breaking the spell. She cleared her throat, looking away. "We should get going. It's been a long day."
I nodded, starting the car and pulling away from the estate. As we drove back to the city in silence, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us tonight. We weren't quite friends, not quite enemies, but something in between. Something with the potential to be so much more.
And despite my best efforts to deny it, I found myself looking forward to discovering exactly what that something might be.
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