BREAKFAST WITH THE DONOVANS
1250 Words
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The sun wasn't bright yet when a black wrangler pulled up outside Sophie’s building, she informed her parents about her departure and she left the apartment. She stood outside in a simple navy dress, the one she used to wear to church when things were better. Now it felt like armor.
The driver opened the door silently. “Miss Lane.”
She nodded and slid in, heart beating faster with every turn of the wheel.
The Donovan Estate wasn’t just a house,it was a definition of wealth. Sculpted hedges lined the driveway,the mansion itself was a blend of old money elegance and intimidating grandeur.
She stepped out, trying calm and control herself to breathe normally.
Myers was waiting by the entrance, his posture as sharp as his tailored suit.
“You're on time,” he said, eyes scanning her. “Good dress choice.”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Didn’t know I was getting graded.”
His lips twitched. “You’ll be fine. Just speak when necessary, and remember—my mother notices everything.”
“And your father?”
“Judges everything.”
Before she could respond, the front doors opened.
“Ah, Myers,” a soft, clipped voice called. “And this must be your... companion?”
Lady Eleanor Donovan was poised perfection in a pale silk robe, her silver hair pinned tightly. She looked at Sophie like she was studying a new exhibit at a gallery.
Sophie extended her hand. “Sophie Lane. It’s nice to meet you.”
Lady Eleanor blinked, then accepted the handshake briefly. “Likewise.”
"Shall we"?, Lady Eleanor said while gesturing her hand towards the dining hall.
"Yeah sure", Myers said while extending his arms to Sophie so they could walk together to the dining area to make them look like lovey dovies.
As they sat, Lord Henry Donovan stepped in, a towering man with hawk-like eyes. “Didn’t expect this visit. Myers, since when do you bring company to breakfast?”
“Since I got engaged,” Myers said smoothly.
The silence that followed was thunderous.
Eleanor’s fingers clenched around her teacup. “Engaged?”
“Yes. Sophie and I will be married by the end of the month. It’s all very sudden.”
“It certainly is.”
Sophie kept her smile neutral. “It wasn’t planned, but we... connected quickly.”
Henry gave a skeptical snort. “What do your parents think of this arrangement, Miss Lane?”
She hesitated just a second too long. “They are in support and they trust my decisions.”
“Trust is a dangerous currency,” Eleanor murmured.
Another long pause.
Myers placed a hand on Sophie’s back. “We didn’t come for an interrogation. We came to introduce the woman I love, the woman I want marry and live forever with and to ask for your blessing.”
The word love and live forever nearly made Sophie choke, but she kept her expression composed.
Eleanor sipped her tea. “You’ve always done what you want, Myers. I assume this will be no different.”
“It won’t.”
They had breakfast in a silence full of passive and aggressive conversation and fake tight smiles. Myers kept his hand lightly on Sophie’s shoulder the entire time—part performance, part reassurance.
After the strained meal, they strolled through the garden paths in the house.
“They don’t like me,” Sophie muttered.
“They don’t like anyone,” Myers replied. “Don’t take it personally.”
“I’m not sure I like you right now either.”
He stopped and turned. “But you’re being paid too much to care.”
"I'll care if I want to"
"Well, maybe for only public purpose", he replied
Myers pulled out his phone, checked it, still looking at his phone he said, “The full amount has been wired. One million, you will also receive fifty thousand every month until the contract ends.”
Sophie blinked. “Fifty thousand?”
“You didn’t read the footnotes?”
“I skimmed.”
“Typical.”
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Later that evening, Sophie was shown to her new quarters in Myers’ penthouse. It was a private wing, elegant and neutral, with too much silence. Everything gleamed—like it had never really been lived in.
She unpacked slowly, feeling like a guest in a museum.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
Myers leaned casually on the frame. “Settling in?”
“It’s huge. And sterile.”
“It’s quiet. You’ll get used to it.”
She crossed her arms. “So what’s the real reason for dragging me to breakfast?”
“My parents needed to see you. Believe in you.”
“Did they?”
“Enough to stop asking questions for now.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Are we attending more events?”
He stepped inside. “There’s a charity gala tomorrow, It’ll be your official public debut.”
“Wonderful.”
“You’ll wear something elegant. I’ll handle that.”
She groaned. “What am I? A mannequin?”
Myers looked at her for a moment. “You’re a partner, It’s performance. If we both commit, we’ll both benefit.”
“And if one of us slips?”
He paused. “Then we both lose.”
Sophie stared at him, taking in the calm confidence he wore like a second skin. “You really think we can pull this off?”
“I’ve never failed at anything I planned.”
“First time for everything.”
A rare smile tugged at his lips. “We’ll see.”
That night, Sophie sat by the large window in her suite, watching the city glow beneath her. Lights flickered like fireflies. Her phone buzzed, and she ignored it. She wasn’t ready to hear her mother ask for updates or hear her father ask for transfers. She wasn't ready to answer questions she didn’t want to lie about.
She stood up and wandered through the penthouse. It was too quiet.
While observing and walking past the sitting room she found a grand piano. Polished. Untouched.
She sat, her fingers slowly grazing the keys. Then, slowly, she played a tune she barely remembered,a lullaby her mother used to hum before life got too hard.
She didn’t hear Myers come in.
“I didn’t know you played,” he said softly.
She jumped, hitting a wrong note. “Barely. Just memories.”
He stood behind her, arms crossed. “Keep playing.”
She didn’t.
“Why bring me here, really?” she asked, turning to face him.
He met her gaze without flinching. “Because I needed someone who wouldn’t fall in love with me.”
The silence stretched.
“And I needed someone who wouldn’t ask too many questions,” she replied.
Their eyes locked for a moment too long.
Then he handed her a box. “This is for tomorrow's dress fitting.”
“For the gala?”
“Yes. You’ll be meeting people and one in particular who won’t be pleased to see you in my arm.”
“Should I be scared?” she asked.
“No,” Myers said calmly. “She should be.”
When he walked away, Sophie remained at the piano.
The last note she played still lingered in the room like a warning.
She wasn’t just stepping into luxury, she was stepping into a world built on secrets.
And now, she had one too.
To be continued...
- Writer
