Con

CHAPTER 62

Sophia’s POV

I stared at the bathroom door, my heart thumping in my chest. I held my breath as I waited for it to open, bracing myself for his presence.

But then, the sound of the shower came again, and I realized he was still in there, oblivious to the world outside, including Reese’s tiny voice over the phone.

I turned my attention back to the screen where Reese’s face filled the frame. Her big, expressive eyes stared back at me with confusion and disappointment. “Mommy, why can’t you come home and sleep beside me?” she asked, her lower lip quivering.

for I sighed softly, my heart aching at the sight. “Sweetheart, I have some work to do, and I’ll be away a few days. But don’t worry, your Aunt Kayla and your nanny will be with you the whole time. They’ll take good care of you.”

Reese’s small brow furrowed, and she didn’t nod. Her eyes, so much like Elijah’s, mirrored the same stubbornness I often saw in him. “But I want you, Mommy.”

“I know, baby,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. “I promise I’ll bring you a present, okay? Something special, just for you.”

Her face brightened a bit at the mention of a present, but there was still a shadow of disappointment/ in her eyes. She nodded reluctantly. “Okay, Mommy. I love you.”

“I love you too, Reese. So much.”

I hung up the call. Just then, the bathroom door creaked open, and Elijah stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist. Water droplets clung to his hair and skin, and the sight of his stunning looks and muscular physique, so familiar yet so distant, sent a shiver down my spine.

Our eyes locked, and for a moment, the world around us seemed to blur. His gaze held a hint of curiosity and something else–something deeper that I couldn’t quite place. I couldn’t help but think of Reese, her little face on the screen just moments ago. She had his eyes, his nose. The resemblance

was unmistakable.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, his expression questioning. “Was that Kayla?”

“Uh… Yes.“.

I stretched out on the couch and took out a book to read. But from the corner of my eye, I saw Elijah. rummaging through his bag for some clothes. When he began to get dressed, I turned to the wall on purpose. I kept reading the same text over and over, but not understanding anything.

The knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts. The room service waiter entered with a tray, laden with Elijah’s dinner order. The smell of roasted chicken and vegetables filled the room.

“Thank you,” Elijah said, tipping the waiter before closing the door.

He set the tray on the small round table by the window and looked at me. “Hungry?”

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I nodded, trying to muster a smile. “Famished, actually,” I admitted. “It’s way past dinner time.”

“I know. Sorry, I didn’t get to ask you what you wanted. I ordered while you were in the shower.”

“Oh, that’s okay. These look delicious.”

It was definitely nerve–racking to be trapped inside this small hotel room with him, all alone. I couldn’t help wondering what had happened at the Baker’s Estate. The whole picture still wasn’t complete in my mind, but I didn’t want to ask him.

What’s important is that I didn’t sleep with him, I told myself silently. And that’s never going to happen

in the future. Ever.

Now we were stuck with each other again. Fate was playing a dirty trick on me!

After a while, Elijah looked up at me, his gaze intense. “Sophia,” he began, his voice soft but steady.” do you ever regret divorcing me?”

His question hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. I felt my heart skip a beat, and for a moment, I couldn’t find my voice. Finally, I shook my head, knowing it was the truth. “No, I don’t.”

A flicker of disappointment crossed his face, his eyes clouding over. He stared down at his plate, pushing his food around with his fork.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Do you?” I asked bravely.

Elijah looked up, his eyes meeting mine. “Yes,” he said simply, but the word carried the weight of a thousand regrets. “Every day. That’s why it took me a long time to accept the truth, to sign those divorce papers and let you go.”

I was quiet, remembering how he’d mentioned a long time ago that he didn’t file the divorce after I left for Paris. I’d always been worried about that because I didn’t hear back from my lawyer either. But after graduation, I had another lawyer check it in the US. Elijah had finally done it. It was truly over.

Elijah continued to gaze into my eyes intensely. “Sophia, I regret every day that I let you leave and didn’t fight for you harder. I regret not treating you right when we were together.”

His words cut through me, sharp and painful. I looked down at my plate. The truth of his confession hung in the air, a bitter reminder of all the ways we had failed each other.

We finished eating in silence while the rain continued to pour heavily outside. The splattering sound on the windows seemed to echo in the room. When we were done, I brushed my teeth and went to read my book on the couch. I saw Elijah with his laptop open on the table, working on something. Minutes passed. It was getting late. I could feel a yawn coming. That was when I noticed that Elijah had kept his laptop and was spreading a blanket on the floor beside the bed.

“Elijah, you can’t sleep there,” I protested, shaking my head. “It’s raining heavily outside, and if you sleep on the floor, you’ll definitely catch a cold. We still have a lot to accomplish at the project site.

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with stubborn determination. “I’ll be fine, Sophia. You take the bed.”

There’s enough space.” “No,” I said firmly, crossing my arms. “It’s a big!

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Elijah hesitated, then sighed, conceding with a nod. He climbed into the bed on one side while I took the other. We lay back to back, each careful not to disturb the other. The sound of the storm outside was a constant reminder of the tumultuous weather, but inside, it was quiet, save for our steady breaths.

I must have been so exhausted because I immediately fell asleep despite the awkward situation.

Sometime in the middle of the night, the storm grew worse. Thunder cracked violently, shaking the walls. The noise jolted me awake, my heart racing. It was then I realized I was no longer lying alone on my side of the bed. My arms were wrapped around Elijah, my body nestled close to his.

I held my breath. I could feel his steady heartbeat against my arm that was draped over his body.

But before I could pull away, he stirred. He opened his eyes and turned to look at me. Our eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Another clap of thunder roared, and instinctively, I moved closer into Elijah’s arms, seeking comfort. He didn’t pull away. Instead, he cupped my face with his hand, his touch gentle but firm.

“Sophia,” he murmured, making my heart thump like crazy.

His eyes searched mine, and in that moment, all the tension between us seemed to melt away. He leaned in, his lips brushing mine in a tender, unexpected kiss. I found myself kissing him back, my eyes closing.

The

world outside disappeared, leaving only the two of us in that intimate, electrifying moment.

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