Chapter 54

The sun was already high in the sky when I finally stirred awake. For a blissful second, I thought everything was normal—until reality crashed down on me like a tidal wave. It wasn’t a nightmare. Daniel had truly betrayed me.

Tears pricked at my eyes again. I had cried myself to exhaustion last night, my pillow soaked with grief. I had gone to bed praying for a miracle, wishing that dawn would rewrite the truth. But nothing had changed. The pain was still there, raw and unrelenting.

I dragged myself out of bed, my limbs heavy with exhaustion. I couldn’t stay buried under the covers forever, no matter how much I wanted to.

A long, scalding shower did nothing to wash away the ache. I doubted anything ever could.

Dressed in an oversized t-shirt and leggings, I shuffled to the kitchen, my stomach hollow. Just as I reached for the eggs, the doorbell rang. I sighed. The last thing I wanted was company.

"Hi," Amelia said softly when I opened the door.

She looked as worn out as I felt—though her exhaustion was physical, while mine was a soul-deep wreckage.

"Hey," I replied, lingering awkwardly in the doorway.

I didn’t want to be rude, but I wasn’t ready to face anyone. I needed time to process the bombshells from yesterday.

"I know you probably want to be alone," she said, her voice gentle, "but can I come in?"

It still amazed me how well she understood me. We had only known each other for months, yet it felt like a lifetime.

I exhaled. "Yeah, sure."

As she stepped inside, I noticed the takeout boxes in her hands.

"Food," she explained.

I nodded, grateful. Cooking was the last thing on my mind.

We settled on the couch, eating in silence, both lost in our thoughts.

"So," Amelia finally said, setting her fork down. "How are you holding up? I’m worried about you, Sophia. This can’t be easy."

For a second, I considered lying—telling her I was fine just to end the conversation. Pretending was easier than facing the truth.

But the words died before they left my lips. I was drowning. I needed to talk.

"It’s not," I admitted. "I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Daniel isn’t who I thought he was. And the people I believed were my family… they’re not even related to me."

Which betrayal hurt more? I wasn’t sure.

I kept wondering—would my life have been different if I’d been raised by my real parents? Maybe I would’ve never met Ethan. But then I would’ve never had Liam.

The thought of losing him made my chest tighten. I missed him desperately. He had always been my anchor.

"I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling," Amelia murmured, pulling me back to the present. "I don’t even know how to comfort you."

I gave her a small smile. She wasn’t great at comforting people, but I appreciated her honesty. It was better than empty platitudes.

"I know," I said. "I just… I was finally starting to move on, you know? I thought I’d found someone who could love me. And then—before it could even begin—it was ripped away."

I blinked back tears. I refused to cry over a man who had played me.

Who was worse? Ethan, who had used me while pining for Isabella? Or Daniel, who had seduced me while plotting my death?

Amelia sighed. "I don’t want to sound harsh, but I need to be honest. If I’d realized this was how you were thinking, I would’ve stopped it sooner."

"What do you mean?"

"You can’t keep searching for men to love you," she said bluntly. "You went into this relationship with Daniel hoping he’d fill the void Ethan and your family left. But no one can do that for you, Sophia. Only you can."

I opened my mouth to argue, but she kept going.

"You’ve built this fantasy where love fixes everything. But the only person who can heal your heart is you. You have to love yourself first—and I don’t think you ever have."

I glared at her, defensive. "That’s not true."

"Isn’t it?"

I wanted to snap back. Of course I loved myself.

But then a quiet voice inside me whispered: Then why did you beg for Ethan’s love? Why did you rush into another relationship after the divorce? Why does every thought of moving on involve finding someone to love you?

I shook my head, refusing to listen.

"Sophia?" Amelia called.

"What?" I snapped, irritated.

She studied me for a beat. "Someone’s at the door."

Only then did I hear the doorbell. I had been so lost in thought that I hadn’t noticed. Guilt pricked at me for lashing out.

Exhausted, I trudged to the door—and froze.

Daniel stood on my doorstep.

My first instinct was to slam the door in his face. I reached for the handle—

"Sophia, wait," he said, blocking it.

He was the last person I wanted to see.

"What do you want?" I gritted out, torn between slapping him and breaking down.

"I know you don’t want to see me," he said carefully, stepping aside. "But there are two people I’d like you to meet."

That’s when I noticed the couple behind him.

The woman was stunning—long black hair, piercing brown eyes, an elegance that took my breath away. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, with honey-brown waves and striking green eyes.

They looked… familiar.

"Sophia," Daniel said quietly, "this is Alexander and Eleanor Prescott. My adoptive parents." He took a deep breath. "Mom, Dad… this is Sophia Sharp. Your daughter."

Their names hit me like a lightning strike.

Not only were they supposedly my parents—they were the Prescotts.

One of the most powerful families in the country.

Rumored to be even more influential than the Blackwoods.