Con

CHAPTER 69

Sophia’s POV

My heart swelled at the sight of my little girl entering the apartment. But I held back, unsure if she was still upset with me for being away on business the past few days. Instead of rushing to her, I took a moment to collect myself and observe.

She didn’t run to me. That was the first sign something was wrong. Reese was usually so excited to see me, her little legs carrying her as fast as they could into my arms.

But this time, she sat on the sofa with her eyes downcast. As I got closer, I noticed the telltale shimmer of tears clinging to her lashes.

“Reese?” I said gently, touching her arm.

She looked up at me, and my heart broke at the sight of her red–rimmed eyes. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?”

Her bottom lip quivered. But before she could answer, her nanny stepped in. “Ms. Sophia, I should explain,” she said, her tone apologetic. “There was a bit of an incident today.”

My eyes widened with concern. “What happened?”

“It was that man again from the park. Elijah.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What about him?”

“He saw us outside the building, and Reese recognized him and wanted to go visit his office. But while she was inside there, I heard her suddenly crying. I panicked and came in to get her!”

I knelt down in front of Reese, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Why were you crying, honey? Was it because of Uncle Elijah?”

“No.” Reese sniffled, her little hands twisting together. “Blonde l–lady…” was all she was able to say.

The nanny nodded in confirmation. “Yes, there was a blonde woman leaving Mr. Elijah’s office. She looked upset.

“Scary lady!” Reese told me. “Mean! She’s… mean aunt.”

I could feel the anger rising within me, but of course held it in. I had a strong feeling who it was.

“I heard that the lady’s name was Serena,” the nanny added.

I scoffed. I should have known.

“Did she shout at you or hurt you in any way?” I asked, trying to control my emotions.

Reese shook her head, and I felt relieved. I figured any little kid would probably get frightened by how Serena spoke and acted. She was certainly not pleasant, especially with children.

Uncle Elijah talked to her,” Reese said, her little brow furrowing in confusion and hurt.

I took a deep breath, knowing this conversation needed careful navigation. “Maybe they were talking about important work stuff, just like when I talked with your Uncle Daniel about our work.”

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-15 BONUS

She shook her head vigorously. “No. Uncle Elijah… kicked her out.”

I almost laughed at that. “Really?”

“Because she is mean.”

“Oh, I see.” I would have loved to see the look on Serena’s face when Elijah reprimanded her for making my daughter cry. That’s probably why she was so upset when she left the room.

It wasn’t long after when Reese began yawning. Crying had exhausted her. And besides, she’d had a full day at the mall before going to Elijah’s office.

After I tucked Reese into bed, I gently closed her door, careful not to make any noise that might wake her. Her little face looked so peaceful in sleep, her curls fanned out on the pillow.

I walked down the hall to the kitchen where Reese’s nanny was tidying up. “Can you tell me how Reese was with Elijah today?” I asked her curiously.

“Oh, it seemed they had a great time,” she answered. “Reese was really excited to see him earlier. He

was very

kind to her, and he explained a lot of things about his office and work when we got to their building.”

“Really?” I couldn’t hide my surprise, though it was how Elijah had been when I’d observed him with

her before.

The nanny went on. “They were like two peas in a pod. He has such a natural way with her. Honestly/ Ms. Sophia, it’s like he’s her father.”

Her words hit me like a freight train, and I had to steady myself on the counter. “Like her father,” I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes, they seem to have a strong bond. It’s really quite fascinating to watch.”

As she left the kitchen, I stood there, my mind racing. Elijah had always been great with Reese, but hearing it from someone else made it all too real. Maybe it’s time. Maybe Elijah deserves to know the truth. But how can I tell him after all this time?

I shook my head, trying to dispel the doubts. I needed to sleep on it, gather my thoughts. Tomorrow would bring clarity, I hoped.

Heading to my bedroom, I checked my phone out of habit. There was a new message, blinking with Serena’s name. “Hah, talk about the devil.” I opened it, my breath catching in my throat as I read the

words:

Damn it, Sophia! You had Elijah’s baby, didn’t you?