Chapter 57

“I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that Sophia is a Prescott,” Nathan mutters as we step into our parents’ house.

The news had hit me like a freight train. None of it felt real. Like my mind refused to process the bombshell that had just been dropped on us.

“Tell me about it,” I scoff.

I thought I had the upper hand against her. Discovering she was adopted had been the highlight of my year. But then Daniel had to go and ruin it by revealing her biological parents were filthy rich. I wanted her to come from nothing—some trashy family with no connections. That would’ve given me the satisfaction of knowing I was still better than her, no matter how much money she had now.

In our world, old money always trumps new money. It’s not just about wealth—it’s about legacy, influence, roots. I wanted Sophia to be the charity case, the girl who clawed her way up from nothing. Instead, she’s a Prescott. The Prescotts might not live here, but their name carries weight. Just like the Blackwoods, they’re part of the elite who pull the strings in this country.

If they publicly claim her? Her status will skyrocket. She’ll surpass me in every way. Worse—she’ll be on Ethan Blackwood’s level.

“What’s our move now? How do we even begin to fix this?” Nathan asks, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts.

I glare at him. Is he serious right now? Why the hell would I want her forgiveness? She’s the one who should be groveling at my feet, begging for mercy after what she did to me.

“Forgiveness?” I spit the word like it’s poison. “Have you forgotten what she took from me?”

“I remember,” he says carefully. “But her parents said it’s in the past. She’s paid for her mistake. And let’s not ignore the fact that she was drunk—”

I cut him off with a sharp laugh. Drunk? Please. Sophia had been obsessed with Ethan for years. There’s no way that night was just some accident. Drunk or not, she knew exactly what she was doing.

“I will never forgive her, Nathan,” I seethe. “Never.”

This wasn’t a new decision. The bitterness had festered inside me for years, rotting everything it touched.

“Isabella, she’s our sister. You have to let go of this. Holding onto all this anger—it’s destroying you,” he says softly, stepping closer.

“How many times do I have to say it? I. Don’t. Care.” My voice rises to a shout. “Honestly, I wish that hitman Daniel hired had finished the job before he showed up to play hero.”

Without waiting for a response, I storm upstairs, slamming my bedroom door so hard the walls shake. Why couldn’t they understand? This wasn’t just some petty grudge. It was a wound that never healed, a constant ache in my chest.

Every damn day, it was there. In every breath, every thought. The betrayal had woven itself into my bones, and I didn’t know how to live without it.

I knew it was toxic. I knew it was eating me alive. But letting go meant admitting defeat. Letting her win.

Sophia stole everything from me. Ethan was all I ever wanted, and she took him. I built my entire future around him, certain we’d end up together. She ripped that away from me.

And now? Just when I thought things were finally turning in my favor, she waltzed back in and ruined it again. Ethan barely glances my way anymore. Not since that dinner. Not since he realized who she really was.

His attention is all on her now. And that? That makes me hate her even more.

Because I see it. The way he looks at her. He might not realize it yet, but it’s there. Something between them. My worst fear? That he’s in love with her.

The thought alone feels like a knife twisting in my chest.

I grab my phone and dial the only person who might understand.

“Hey, babe,” Evelyn answers on the first ring.

I collapse onto my bed, fighting back tears. “It’s all falling apart, Ev. I don’t know what to do.”

I’m exhausted. Drained. Carrying this weight for years has worn me down to nothing.

“Start from the beginning,” she says gently. “Then we’ll figure it out.”

So I tell her everything. Every painful detail since we last spoke. Reliving it all sends fresh agony through me. I can’t imagine a life where Ethan chooses her over me. We were supposed to be endgame.

“Listen, Isabella… I hate to say this, but I agree with Sophia,” Evelyn says carefully.

I freeze. “Excuse me?”

“Hear me out. I’m not Team Sophia, but threatening her son? That was low. And all those lies you fed Ethan? That’s not you. Those tactics won’t work—they’ll just push him further away.”

I open my mouth to argue, but she plows on.

“Second, none of this is Sophia’s fault. If anything, she’s backed off. I would too if the man I married was still hung up on my sister. The problem isn’t her—it’s Ethan. He’s either confused or in denial about his feelings.”

The words hit like a physical blow. The idea of Ethan having feelings for Sophia? Unbearable.

“Third, you need to heal. As long as you’re fixated on Ethan, Sophia will always be in the picture because of Liam. You two constantly at each other’s throats? That’s not sustainable. If it starts affecting Liam, Ethan will walk away for good.”

I hear her, but the words don’t sink in. Peace with Sophia? Impossible. Every time I look at her, all I see is the night Ethan told me he slept with her.

We never even had sex. I was waiting for the perfect moment. And she just… took that from me.

“Last thing,” Evelyn says, pulling me back. “You need to come clean.”

My blood runs cold. “Why would I do that?”

“Because it’s time, Isabella. Deep down, you know you’re not being fair to him. Think about it.”

She’s been saying this for years. But I’m not ready. I’ll hold onto my secret a little longer. I can’t face the fallout yet.