Chapter 12
824 Words
Sophia looked at the woman standing beside Ethan.
Victoria Harrington.
She was beautiful, elegant and carried herself with confidence. Her long blonde hair rested neatly over her shoulders, and her expensive red gown caught the attention of almost everyone in the ballroom.
Victoria smiled politely.
"So, you're Sophia Clark."
Sophia nodded.
"And you're Victoria Harrington."
Victoria extended her hand.
"It's nice to finally meet you."
Sophia shook it.
"You too."
Neither of them missed the slight tension between them.
Victoria turned to Ethan.
"I've been looking for you everywhere."
"I was talking."
"I can see that."
Her eyes briefly returned to Sophia before she smiled again.
"Mind if I borrow him for a moment?"
Sophia shrugged.
"He isn't mine to keep."
Ethan glanced at Sophia before following Victoria.
As they walked away, Sophia quietly released the breath she had been holding.
"What a strange woman."
---
Victoria led Ethan toward the balcony outside the ballroom.
The cool evening breeze brushed against them.
She folded her arms.
"You didn't tell me Sophia Clark would be here."
"I didn't know she would."
Victoria looked at him carefully.
"I've been hearing rumors."
Ethan already knew where the conversation was heading.
"They're true."
Victoria's smile disappeared.
"So your parents really arranged a marriage for you?"
"Yes."
"And you're just going to accept it?"
"I never said that."
Victoria looked relieved.
"I knew you wouldn't."
Ethan remained silent.
Victoria had known him for years.
Their families attended the same business events.
She had always made her feelings obvious.
Unfortunately for her...
Ethan had never felt the same way.
"You know how I feel about you."
Victoria said quietly.
"I've always known."
"Then don't marry her."
Ethan looked at the city lights.
"I don't plan to."
Victoria smiled.
"Good."
She believed she had nothing to worry about.
She couldn't have been more wrong.
---
Inside the ballroom...
Sophia stood beside Lily, who had just arrived with her parents.
Lily immediately noticed Sophia's expression.
"What happened?"
Sophia took a sip of juice.
"Nothing."
"You have that face."
"What face?"
"The one you make when you're pretending nothing happened."
Sophia sighed.
"I met Victoria Harrington."
Lily's eyes widened.
"The Victoria Harrington?"
"You know her?"
Lily nodded.
"Almost everyone in London's business circle knows her."
"Why?"
"She's beautiful, rich and..."
Lily lowered her voice.
"...she's been chasing Ethan since university."
Sophia almost choked on her drink.
"Seriously?"
"Everyone knows."
Sophia laughed softly.
"Poor girl."
Lily blinked.
"Poor girl?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"If Ethan treats everyone the way he treated people at university, I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
Lily burst into laughter.
"You really haven't changed."
"I told you."
---
Across the room...
Victoria noticed Sophia and Lily laughing together.
She frowned slightly.
Something about Sophia bothered her.
Not because Sophia had done anything wrong.
But because...
She was the woman chosen by the Lockwood family.
And Victoria hated that.
She had spent years believing Ethan would eventually notice her.
Now, someone else had appeared.
Someone she considered an obstacle.
Victoria smiled to herself.
This isn't over.
---
As the evening continued, guests gathered for dinner.
By pure coincidence...
Sophia and Ethan ended up sitting opposite each other at the same table.
Sophia looked at the seating arrangement.
"You've got to be kidding."
Ethan looked equally unimpressed.
"I was thinking the same thing."
Richard smiled from the head of the table.
"What a wonderful coincidence."
Sophia quietly muttered,
"It doesn't feel wonderful."
Ethan heard her.
"So did I."
She looked up.
"Then we're finally agreeing on something."
Dinner began.
Most of the conversation was between the adults.
Business.
Investments.
Upcoming charity projects.
Sophia focused on her food.
She hoped the evening would end peacefully.
Unfortunately...
Victoria had other plans.
She smiled sweetly.
"Ethan."
"Yes?"
"I was thinking we could have dinner together next weekend."
Before Ethan could answer, Victoria looked at Sophia.
"I hope you don't mind."
Sophia looked genuinely confused.
"Why would I mind?"
Victoria's smile stiffened.
"I just thought..."
Sophia interrupted politely.
"Ethan can have dinner with whoever he wants."
The table became quiet.
Victoria had expected jealousy.
Instead...
She got complete indifference.
Even Ethan looked slightly surprised.
Sophia wasn't pretending.
She truly didn't care.
At least...
That's what she believed.
Richard cleared his throat to change the subject.
The conversation continued.
---
Later that night...
The gala finally came to an end.
Guests began leaving one after another.
Outside the hotel, Sophia stood beside her parents waiting for their car.
As she looked across the parking area, she noticed Ethan standing alone near his car.
For a brief moment...
Their eyes met again.
Neither waved.
Neither smiled.
Then both turned away and entered their separate cars.
As the vehicles drove off into the London night...
Neither Sophia nor Ethan realized that this would be the last peaceful evening they would have for a long time.
Because very soon...
Their parents would stop asking.
And start making wedding preparations.
To be continued…
- Writer
