Con

CHAPTER 103

Sophia’s POV

I made my way down the narrow aisle of the airplane, scanning the seat numbers until I found mine. The anticipation of attending the design conference in New York with Trevis filled me with excitement and

nervous energy.

Nevermind if Julia’s there. Hopefully she won’t be weird anymore.

Just as I was about to settle into my seat, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Hi, Sophia!”

དང་ ལྡན་ཙམ་ད།། །ལག་ན་

I turned, and there was Elijah, smiling at me. “Elijah? What are you doing here?”

He grinned, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Business trip to New York. I heard about the design conference and thought I’d drop by. So Trevis and I booked our tickets together.”

Before I could respond, Julia, who had been walking behind me, piped up. “Well, isn’t this a coincidence? How about we switch places, Trevis?” She didn’t wait for a response, immediately taking Trevis’s seat next to Elijah.

I glanced at Trevis, who shrugged and gave me a reassuring smile. “Guess it’s you and me, Sophia.”

As we settled into our seats, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of discomfort watching Julia and Elijah together. Julia seemed overly enthusiastic, laughing at something Elijah said, her hand casually resting on his arm. I tried to focus on the in–flight magazine, but my eyes kept drifting back to them.

Trevis caught my eye and leaned in. “Don’t worry, Sophia. Elijah just thinks of Julia as his sister.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m not bothered at all…” I lied. Then I added curiously, “You seem to know them pretty well.”

Trevis chuckled. “That’s because I’ve been their friend since we were kids. Elijah and Sabrina have always been close, and I think it’s only now that he’s really seeing Julia as Sabrina. They’re just beginning to revive that bond. Maybe because they haven’t seen each other for decades.”

I didn’t say anything. It did seem like Elijah was becoming more comfortable now with Julia.

Trevis’s face lit up. “I remember there was a time Elijah got stuck in a tree trying to rescue Sabrina’s cat. He was up there for hours until the fire department came.”

I laughed, picturing a young Elijah clinging to a tree, a determined look on his face. “Sounds like Elijah.”

Trevis continued, sharing tales of their childhood adventures. There was the time they all tried to build a -treehouse and ended up with a pile of wood and nails. Another story involved a summer camp prank war

that escalated to epic proportions.

I had to admit, the stories were quite entertaining. But at the same time, I felt a twinge of envy that Elijah and I weren’t able to create many of our own happy memories. I could count with one hand our best

memories together, and they weren’t even that happy.

It shouldn’t matter anymore, though. It doesn’t matter.

Eventually, Trevis and I talked about our different design projects, and I also shared with him the work I

+15 BONUS

was doing with Kayla at Raven Media. Hence, my attention was diverted and I found myself enjoying the rest of the flight.

It wasn’t long before we landed in New York. It was a blur of noise, lights, and activity as we stepped off the plane. I was still adjusting to the sudden change from the calm of the airplane to the hustle and bustle of JFK Airport. My mind was swirling with the upcoming project, the new environment, and, of course, the presence of Elijah.

“There’s a service waiting for us,” Trevis announced, leading the way through the throng of passengers.

I glanced over at Elijah, who was walking beside Julia, and my heart did a peculiar flip. This trip had taken an unexpected turn when I found out Elijah was staying in the same hotel. I silently reprimanded myself for the foolish flutter in my chest.

We followed Trevis through the terminal, where a chauffeur was holding a sign with our names on it. The drive to the hotel was filled with polite chatter, but I mostly kept to myself, gazing out the window and admiring the new scenery.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Elijah’s voice came softly from behind me, and I turned to find him looking at me with an amused expression.

“Yes, it really is,” I agreed, quickly turning back to the window. I needed to keep my mind focused on the project, not on the confusing feelings Elijah stirred in me.

The hotel was a towering structure of glass and steel, its lobby a symphony of modern luxury with marble floors, sleek furniture, and an impressive chandelier. This is all so wonderful, but I can’t wait to rest alone in a lovely, luxurious room.

But when we approached the front desk, unexpected news was waiting for us.

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“I’m sorry, there seems to be a problem with some of the rooms,” the hotel staff member said apologetically. “But we have upgraded you all to our executive suites. However, Ms. Sophia, you will need to share a room with Ms. Julia.“Oh, no, I thought anxiously. I glanced at her, and she seemed just as unenthused about the arrangement.

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