Playing Mrs. Beckett

Chapter 11

By the time she arrived at home, the sun had already set. Sophie sighed, soaking herself in a warm bath. She needed to clean everything—everything Adrian touched, every memory that had been tainted. With the last rinse, the look in her eyes shifted. Gone was the meek, agreeable, and modest Mrs. Beckett. From now on, she was just Sophie.

She whisked up a quick meal—some pasta with ready-made sauce—and made herself a pot of tea. Then, she locked herself in her study, reading. She no longer cared how long the time went by.

The front door opened with a loud bang. Sophie didn’t bother lifting her head from her book—she already knew what would happen. Adrian would walk with hurried footsteps, scrambling to look for Sophie. Then he would start his speech, about how she misunderstood, or was dramatic, or making things into something they weren't. Sophie reached for her tea, making a bet with herself—of which scenario it would be.

Sophie still stuck her nose deep in her books even when the door to her study flew open. From the corner of her eyes she saw Adrian, standing and panting. Whatever expression he wore, she didn't look up to see it. Frankly she didn’t care. Angry, sad, pleading. It didn’t matter anymore.

“Sophie…”

Adrian walked over. When Sophie gave no response, he knelt by her chair, his hands rested on her knees. “Sophie, can we talk?”

Sophie just hummed, acknowledging his presence without ever putting her book down. Adrian saw all of this, and while this was not the optimal outcome he had hoped for, at least Sophie was still listening to him. In his mind, it was enough. Sophie was still acknowledging him. That was a good sign. Meant that at least she still cared.

“I’m sorry, okay? I was wrong.”

Sophie turned a page. “What are you wrong about?”

Adrian swallowed. “About Julia Hall.”

Oh? Sophie’s eyebrows were raised, but Sophie’s eyes still never left her book. “And how are you wrong?”

“I gave her a necklace and fingerprint access,” Adrian said, followed by a big sigh. Before Sophie even said anything, Adrian continued, “But I swear there’s a reason, okay? It’s not what you think.”

It took everything in her power to stop herself from scoffing. Look at this man. This self-made CEO knelt and humbled himself, but it turned out his ego still didn’t allow him to cleanly confess his sins.

“And what do you think I think?”

Adrian hesitated for a while. “That Julia and I had an improper relationship.”

“So you’re saying you don’t?”

“Yes,” Adrian said, an answer that came too quickly, too exasperated. “Yes, we don’t! That’s what I’m trying to explain to you right now!”

“Okay,” Sophie finally put her book down. She straightened her posture, looking straight at Adrian. Her eyes never let Adrian go—she wanted to see if he was capable of lying even in this case. “Let’s hear the explanation then.”

Adrian was stunned. He had hoped that Sophie would listen, yes. That Sophie would look into his eyes again. But now that she did, the look in her eyes was … different. It was not what Adrian was used to. This look, like a calm water without ripple, made him falter for a split second. But that was that—just a split second.

“The necklace was a reward,” he said. “You know that we faced some emergencies in Wyoming. Julia Hall helped settle that. It was just a token of appreciation, nothing more! I was there to pick your present. It was just something I picked up along the way.”

Sophie nodded. “How thoughtful,” she said. “You just happen to pick up her birthstone.”

“Look, I didn’t know, okay? I told her to choose. She chose that. I bought it for her. That’s it.”

A pause, then, “and what about the fingerprint?”

“It was also because of work,” Adrian answered readily. “It was just a temporary access. For ease. For the sake of projects we are handling. But the moment the project was finalized, her access, too, will be gone.”

“Huh,” Sophie hummed, nodding lightly. “So what you have with Julia Hall is just a professional relationship?”

“Yes.”

“And there’s nothing more?”

“Yes!”

“Aw, you’re such a good boss, my dear,” Sophie said, her voice sweet. Yet somehow, Adrian didn’t feel the sweetness. For some reason, that voice felt … condescending. But he quickly waved that thought away. No way. This was Sophie.

“You appreciate your subordinate properly,” Sophie said, patting Adrian’s head. This caring gesture still didn’t make Adrian feel assured. “You even made sure that you’re the first to wish her a happy birthday!”

And just like that, all the color was drained from Adrian’s face.

Sophie’s smile dropped, and she pulled her patting hand. She looked at Adrian, who was just kneeling wordlessly. His eyes were directed at Sophie, but she could tell that nothing was reflected there. Sensing that the charade was over, Sophie stood up.

“Adrian Beckett,” she said, her voice gentle but firm. “Don’t you ever get tired?”