Two Lovers Entwined

9. Promises.

Sophia lay in bed at the hotel, staring at the ceiling. Noah was sound asleep next to her, his breathing steady, but her mind was racing. The weight of his questions earlier that day still clung to her, and the guilt gnawed at her insides. She tried to close her eyes, to let sleep take her, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Liam. The message he’d sent earlier still lingered in her mind, tugging at her, pulling her in.

Liam: "My new piece will be at the gallery tonight. It’d be nice to see you."

She knew it was wrong, but the temptation was too strong. The quiet hum of excitement she felt around Liam was a stark contrast to the heaviness that had started to settle in her relationship with Noah. She slipped out of bed as quietly as she could, glancing back at Noah to make sure he was still asleep. His brow furrowed slightly in his sleep, but he didn’t wake.

Sophia grabbed her phone and jacket, her heart racing as she tiptoed to the door. Every step felt like a betrayal, every breath a reminder of what she was risking. But she couldn’t stop herself. The gallery wasn’t far, just a short cab ride away, and as she slipped out of the hotel and into the night, she tried to silence the voice in her head screaming that this was a mistake.

The gallery was dimly lit, a stark contrast to the chaos of her thoughts. As soon as she stepped inside, she spotted Liam across the room, surrounded by people admiring his work. He glanced up, catching her eye, and smiled. It wasn’t the seductive, intense smile she had grown used to—it was softer, almost inviting her to come closer without any expectations.

Sophia moved through the crowd, her pulse quickening as she approached him. The closer she got, the more her nerves bubbled to the surface. She could feel the weight of her decision pressing down on her, but the pull toward Liam was too strong to resist.

"Hey," Liam greeted her, his voice low and smooth. He looked genuinely happy to see her, his eyes lighting up as they locked onto hers. "I didn’t think you’d come."

Sophia smiled weakly, avoiding his gaze for a moment. "Neither did I."

They stood in silence for a few moments, the noise of the gallery buzzing around them. Sophia felt the tension in the air, but it wasn’t the kind that came with danger—it was the kind that made her feel alive.

Liam turned to face her fully, concern flickering across his face. "Are you sure about this?" he asked quietly, his voice gentle. He wasn’t pushing, wasn’t trying to seduce her. He was giving her an out, one that she wasn’t sure she wanted to take.

Sophia swallowed hard, looking down at her shoes. She should’ve left right then and there. She should’ve gone back to the hotel, back to Noah. But instead, she stayed.

"I don’t know," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Liam nodded slowly, understanding in his eyes. "We don’t have to do anything. Just… talk."

And they did. The hours drifted by as they talked about art, life, everything except the elephant in the room—Noah, the mess they were both creating. They sipped on wine, moved through the gallery, and for a little while, Sophia let herself forget. She laughed at Liam’s jokes, admired the way he spoke so passionately about his work, and felt that familiar spark she had been craving.

The next morning, Sophia awoke with a pounding headache, the light streaming through the unfamiliar curtains hitting her like a sledgehammer. She groaned, rolling over in bed, but instead of Noah’s familiar form next to her, she found an empty space. Her heart stopped for a moment as she realized where she was—this wasn’t her hotel room. Panic set in as the events of the previous night came flooding back. She had left Noah, gone to Liam’s gallery, and stayed far too long.

Sophia sat up quickly, clutching her head as a wave of nausea hit her. She glanced around the room, realizing she was still fully dressed in last night’s outfit. Nothing had happened, not physically at least, but she knew she had crossed a line. Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, and she reached for it, her heart sinking when she saw the missed calls from Noah—six of them.

With shaky hands, she dialed his number, dread pooling in her stomach as it rang. It felt like an eternity before Noah finally answered, his voice cold and distant on the other end.

"Sophia."

"Hey," she croaked, trying to keep her voice steady. "Where are you?"

There was a pause, the silence heavy and suffocating. "I’m on my way back to New York," Noah said, his tone flat.

Sophia’s heart dropped. "Wait, what? Noah, I—"

"I know where you were last night," he interrupted, his voice sharp and accusing. "I called the hotel, and when you weren’t there… I figured it out."

Tears welled up in Sophia’s eyes as she tried to explain, but the words wouldn’t come. "Noah, it’s not what you think—"

"It’s exactly what I think," Noah snapped. "You left me, Sophia. You left to be with him."

Sophia bit her lip, the guilt crashing over her in waves. "I didn’t mean to. I just—"

"It doesn’t matter," Noah cut her off, his voice tight with anger and hurt. "It’s over, Sophia. I’m done."

Her breath hitched, the finality of his words hitting her like a punch to the gut. "Noah, please—"

"I can’t do this anymore," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "I thought we had something real, but you’ve made your choice."

Sophia’s hands shook as she clutched the phone, tears streaming down her face. "Noah, please don’t do this. It was a mistake. I’m so sorry."

But it was too late. Noah had made up his mind. "Goodbye, Sophia."

And just like that, the line went dead.

Sophia sat there, the phone slipping from her hand as she stared at the floor, her chest heaving with sobs. It was all over. Noah was gone, and it was her fault.

Blaming Liam for everything felt easier than facing the truth. She had been the one to leave, the one who had made the decision to sneak off. But in that moment, she needed someone to be angry at. And Liam had been there, drawing her in, pulling her away from everything she thought she wanted.

Her phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Liam.

Liam: "You okay?"

Sophia’s hands shook as she typed out a reply, her anger simmering just below the surface.

Sophia: "This is your fault. Noah’s gone, and it’s all because of you."

She hit send before she could think twice, the blame a sharp, bitter taste on her tongue. She didn’t want to acknowledge that Liam had given her an out last night, had asked if she was sure. In her heart, she knew it wasn’t his fault, but it was easier to make him the villain than to face what she had done.

Liam didn’t respond immediately, and she threw her phone onto the bed, burying her face in her hands. The pain was unbearable, the regret suffocating. She wanted to scream, to undo everything, but it was too late.

Hours later, with her head still pounding and her heart in pieces, Sophia packed her things. She needed to get out of Los Angeles, away from everything that had gone wrong.

She left the hotel, her sunglasses hiding the tears that threatened to fall again, and caught a cab to the airport. Noah was gone. Everything she had built with him was shattered, and there was no going back.

But as she boarded the plane alone, her mind still racing with everything that had happened, she couldn’t help but wonder if Liam had been right all along—maybe Noah wasn’t the man for her. Maybe she had been lying to herself this entire time.

As the plane took off, Sophia closed her eyes, trying to shut out the world. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t escape the consequences of her choices.