Chapter 130

The morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the bedroom floor. Sophia stretched lazily, her fingers brushing against the empty space beside her. The sheets were cold.

She sighed.

Ethan had left early again.

Downstairs, the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Liam sat at the kitchen island, his small hands wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate. He looked up when she entered, his eyes bright.

"Morning, Mom."

"Morning, sweetheart." She ruffled his hair before pouring herself a cup of coffee. The bitterness grounded her, sharpening her thoughts.

The doorbell rang.

Sophia frowned. It was too early for visitors.

She opened the door to find Daniel standing there, his expression unreadable. His dark eyes flickered with something she couldn’t place—urgency, maybe. Or dread.

"We need to talk," he said, voice low.

Her grip tightened on the doorknob. "About what?"

He glanced past her, toward Liam, then back. "Not here."

A chill ran down her spine.

She stepped outside, closing the door behind her. The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew.

Daniel exhaled sharply. "It’s about Ethan."

Her pulse spiked. "What about him?"

"He’s in trouble."

The words landed like a blow.

Sophia’s mind raced. Ethan had been distant lately, secretive. She’d assumed it was work—his company always demanded too much. But this?

"What kind of trouble?" she demanded.

Daniel hesitated, then pulled out his phone. He swiped through a few screens before turning it toward her.

Her breath caught.

A surveillance photo. Ethan, standing in a dimly lit alley, talking to a man she recognized instantly.

Damien Slade.

The Reaper.

Her stomach twisted.

"Why?" The word came out strangled.

Daniel’s jaw tightened. "That’s what I’m trying to figure out."

A car door slammed nearby, making her jump. She turned to see Ethan stepping out of his sleek black sedan, his expression darkening when he spotted them.

His gaze locked onto Daniel. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Daniel didn’t flinch. "We need to talk."

Ethan’s eyes flicked to Sophia, then back. "Not now."

She stepped forward. "Yes, now."

The tension between them crackled like live wires.

Ethan’s jaw clenched. "Inside."

They followed him into the study, the door clicking shut behind them. The room felt suffocating suddenly, the air thick with unspoken accusations.

Sophia crossed her arms. "Explain."

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "It’s not what it looks like."

Daniel scoffed. "Then what is it?"

Ethan’s eyes flashed. "None of your damn business."

Sophia’s patience snapped. "It is my business! You’re meeting with a known criminal, Ethan. What the hell is going on?"

Silence stretched between them, heavy and tense.

Finally, Ethan sighed. "I had no choice."

Her blood ran cold.

"What does that mean?"

He met her gaze, his expression grim. "It means I’m in too deep."

The words hung in the air, ominous.

And then the phone rang.

Sophia jumped.

Ethan grabbed it, his face paling as he listened.

When he hung up, his voice was hollow.

"They have Liam."

The world tilted.

Sophia’s knees buckled.

Daniel caught her before she could fall.

Ethan was already moving, grabbing his coat. "Stay here."

She grabbed his arm. "Like hell I will!"

His eyes burned into hers. "Sophia, trust me."

Her grip tightened. "Then tell me the truth."

A beat.

Then—

"It’s about your father."

The revelation hit like a punch.

Alexander Prescott.

Her biological father.

The man she’d never known.

Her vision blurred.

Ethan pulled away. "I’ll bring him back. I promise."

And then he was gone.

The door slammed behind him, the sound echoing through the house.

Sophia stood frozen, her heart pounding.

Daniel’s voice was quiet beside her. "We’ll find him."

She turned to him, her eyes burning.

"We have to."

Because if they didn’t—

She couldn’t even finish the thought.

Outside, the sky darkened, as if sensing the storm brewing.

And Sophia knew one thing for certain.

This was far from over.

The rich chocolate cake melted on my tongue as I savored every bite. With Liam spending the night at Ethan Blackwood’s place, I had the rare luxury of a quiet evening to myself.

For some inexplicable reason, I felt lighter tonight. Maybe it was the absence of responsibilities, or perhaps the lingering adrenaline from my earlier visit. Either way, I’d decided to indulge in comfort food—hence the decadent dessert currently disappearing bite by bite.

My trip to the prison had been… unexpected. I’d braced myself for Daniel Carter to reject the baby, to confirm every fear I’d harbored. Instead, he’d blindsided me with a confession I hadn’t seen coming.

Love.

The word left a hollow ache in my chest. He had to understand—it was too late for that now. After everything he’d done, after the betrayal, the violence, how could he possibly think there was any future between us? I wasn’t foolish enough to fall for empty words. Not again.

Still, I wasn’t heartless. I wouldn’t deny him his rights as a father, even if the thought of facing him made my skin crawl. Maybe Natalie could act as a mediator, taking the baby for visits. That was the extent of my compromise. Anything more would be self-destruction.

Men? Done with them. Love had brought me nothing but shattered expectations and scars. First Ethan, then Daniel—both had left me broken in different ways. No more. If love didn’t want me, fine. I’d focus on what mattered: being the best version of myself. The best mother.

I forked another piece of cake, closing my eyes as the sweetness exploded across my tongue. Heavenly.

“Shouldn’t you be worried about your waistline? Oh wait—too late for that.”

The shrill voice snapped me back to reality. My eyes flew open to find Cassandra smirking at me, flanked by her snickering coworkers.

I barely stifled a groan.

Cassandra—one of Ethan’s financial advisors and, as evidenced by her sneer, a proud passenger on the Hate Sophia train. Her and Olivia had always been relentless, though I’d never understood why. Sure, I’d been married to Ethan, but anyone with half a brain could see he despised me.

“I’m talking to you, you pathetic cow,” she snapped when I didn’t immediately react.

I took a slow sip of juice before answering. “Talk all you want. Doesn’t mean I have to listen.”

There was a time I would’ve shrunk under her insults, desperate to keep the peace for Ethan’s sake. Back then, I’d let his employees walk all over me, too afraid to push back. Part of me had wanted to believe he didn’t know how they treated me.

But I wasn’t that woman anymore.

“Oh, look who’s suddenly got a backbone,” she sneered. “What, did you finally figure out how to spread your legs for money?”

I actually laughed. It was almost impressive how predictable she was—so insecure that she assumed every woman climbed the ladder the same way she would.

“I’m not you, Cassandra,” I said, my voice dripping with amusement.

Her face twisted. “You bitch!” She lunged forward, but I stood in one fluid motion, meeting her glare with one of my own.

Enough.

“Try it,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “Take one step closer, and I swear you’ll regret it. You think I’ll just sit here and take your crap? Push me, and I’ll push back harder. And trust me—you won’t like what happens next.”

Her eyes flickered to her friends, then back to me. She’d brought them here expecting an easy victory, a chance to humiliate me.

Joke’s on her.

“Are you threatening me?” She stepped closer, trying to intimidate me.

I didn’t flinch.