Con

CHAPTER 108

Sophia’s POV

I sat across from Trevis, trying to focus on his animated explanation about the day’s design conference.

The hotel’s fine restaurant was bustling with activity, the aroma of freshly baked pastries and brewed coffee filling the air. Trevis was in his element, enthusiastically detailing the key speakers and workshops we had to attend.

“…and then there’s the panel on sustainable design at ten,” Trevis said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “We can’t miss that one.”

I nodded absentmindedly, my thoughts far from sustainable design. I couldn’t shake off what I had overheard earlier: Trevis exclaiming that Julia had slept in Elijah’s room last night. Julia hadn’t returned to our shared hotel room, and now my mind was spinning with the implications.

“Are you even listening, Sophia?” Trevis asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, forcing a smile. “Just a bit distracted.”

Trevis leaned back in his chair, looking at me curiously. “Everything okay?”

Before I could answer, a shadow fell over our table. I looked up to see Julia and Elijah standing there. Julia’s face was glowing with happiness, while Elijah’s expression was a fusion of guilt and confusion. My heart sank.

“Good morning,” Julia said brightly, her eyes darting between me and Elijah.

“Morning, guys,” Trevis replied, pulling out a chair for Julia. Elijah sat next to her, his gaze briefly meeting mine before he looked away.

“How was your night?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. “What happened to you at the bar?”

“Oh, that’s all good now,” Julia said with a wave of her hand. “Elijah came to my rescue and let me sleep in his room because I was so scared.”

I forced a smile. “I, uh, I’m glad to hear you’re okay.”

She doesn’t appear the least bit frightened now, I couldn’t help thinking sarcastically.

I was glad when we all got up to fill our plates from the breakfast buffet spread. Elijah tried to approach me, but I made up an excuse and slipped away quickly. It was a good thing that Trevis kept talking about the conference the entire time we were eating together at the table.

Later on, the moment we arrived at the design conference, I felt great excitement enveloping me. The exhibit and booths were fantastic, showcasing the latest trends and innovations in the design world. For a brief moment, I forgot about Elijah and Julia.

Trevis and I found seats in the plenary hall, and soon Julia joined us. The anticipation was apparent in the air as the first speaker took the stage.

+15 BONUS

“Isn’t this amazing?” I whispered to Trevis, my eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

He nodded, equally captivated. “Absolutely. This is going to be so insightful.”

The talk was even better than I had hoped. I found myself engrossed in the presentation, scribbling notes furiously, soaking in every piece of information. The speaker’s passion was contagious, and I felt a renewed sense of purpose and creativity bubbling inside me.

During the break, I stretched and turned to Trevis. “That was fantastic. I can’t wait to implement some of these ideas.”

Julia, who had been quiet throughout the talk, finally spoke up. “I agree. This conference is just what we needed.”

As we made our way to the lobby, I spotted Elijah. My heart skipped a beat as he waved and started walking toward me.

“Sophia!” he called, a warm smile on his face.

Before he could say anything else, Julia intercepted him, linking her arm with his. “Elijah, you have to see this display of interior designs for residential areas. It’s absolutely marvelous,” she said, steering him away.

I shook my head in disbelief. She was doing it on purpose now. But it’s fine. I don’t care about Elijah anyway, do I?

“Let’s check out the next booth,” Trevis suggested, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Good idea,” I replied, determined to push Elijah and Julia out of my mind.

As we explored the exhibits, I found myself gradually getting back into the groove, my enthusiasm

returning.

That afternoon, Trevis and I split up because we wanted to attend different breakaway sessions. We

had no idea which one Julia went to.

When the day was done, Trevis and I couldn’t find Julia anywhere. “Let’s just go back to the hotel,

Sophia. I’ll send Julia a message.”

“Okay,” I agreed. But deep inside, I felt anxious. Where the heck is Julia? Is she with Elijah? Perhaps she went to that meeting of his and didn’t bother attending the afternoon sessions anymore!

Back at my hotel room, I let the water cascade down my body, a warm shield against the world outside. The steady stream of water drowned out the noise in my head, allowing me a moment of

peace.

But then, the click of the hotel room door broke through the soothing sound, signaling Julia’s return. I heard her before I saw her, whistling a happy tune that floated through the bathroom door.

Reluctantly, I turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping myself in a plush towel. I dressed quickly in a tank top dress that left my arms bare, then began the familiar ritual of drying my hair.

“Hey, Soph!” Julia’s voice called out from the other room. “What session did you go to?”

+15 BONUS

“Innovative design,” I replied, running the towel through my hair. “Trevis was the one who attended the sustainable design workshop. What about you?”

I stepped out of the bathroom to find Julia sprawled on the bed, her face lit up with excitement. She looked up as I entered and began to recount her afternoon in animated detail. I was glad to know that she had not gone with Elijah anywhere.

“…and then he said-” Julia’s voice cut off abruptly. I looked up to see her staring at me, her eyes wide with concern. “Sophia, what’s that on your shoulder?”

I glanced down at my shoulder, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

With wide eyes, she got up from the bed and walked over to me, inspecting something on my shoulder. She gasped, saying, “You’ve got a red mole!”

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