Con

CHAPTER 82

Sophia’s POV

“Oh, we’re really sorry, Adrian,” Kayla suddenly said. “But I remember your sister Amanda mentioning your talent!”

Adrian’s expression changed. Kayla had hit the mark, and disrupted the growing tension between Adrian and Elijah. Well done! But I can’t believe I’d forgotten about that.

“Isn’t that the main reason she asked me to come here?” Kayla continued. “She spoke highly of your talent. So do you still want to audition to become a new talent at our company?”

Adrian looked taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise. “Audition? At Raven Media?” he repeated. He suddenly began looking uncertain and nervous.

I felt like I needed to jump in at that moment. “Oh, that’s right, Kayla! I’ve already heard him sing and play the guitar, and he’s really good. You should hear him too.”

“Well, we’re always on the lookout for fresh talent,” Kayla said with a kind smile. “I can have your audition scheduled immediately.”

Elijah, standing nearby, grunted softly, his disapproval palpable. I shot him a quick glare, hoping he wouldn’t say anything to derail the conversation.

Kayla continued, undeterred by Elijah’s reaction, “I’ve recently been in charge of a new project at Raven Media, and I’ll be there a lot. It would be great to see you come in for an audition. Who knows? We might even work together in the future.”

Adrian hesitated, his brow furrowing in contemplation. “I don’t know… I’ve never really considered it seriously. Someone just gave me that card, honestly, telling me to call and give it a shot. But I… I’m not used to playing in front of an audience.”

“There’s no harm in giving it a try,” I encouraged him. “You never know what might come of it.”

Suddenly, Amanda came out and joined us. She seemed to have been in the shower, which was the reason she didn’t hear Kayla and Elijah arrive. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here, Miss Kayla Davis. Really, my brother is an amazing musician. He can be your new star!”

Kayla smiled. “I’m pretty sure he’s got great potential. And I’d be more than happy to help you through the process… So just think about it, okay?”

“Uh, sure. Alright.” Adrian still didn’t seem that sure, but at least he wasn’t angry anymore.

We eventually said goodbye and piled into Elijah’s car. I slid into the passenger seat while Kayla settled in the back. Elijah took his place behind the wheel, and soon, we were cruising down the tree–lined streets toward home.

I turned to look at Kayla, curiosity piqued. “So, what project have you taken on at Raven Media?” I asked, eager to catch up with her.

Kayla smiled, adjusting her sunglasses. “Oh, it’s nothing too crazy. Just helping my parents with styling the image of some new talents. You know, the usual.”

“Nice! What about any new design projects?”

CHAPTER 82

+25 BONUS

Kayla’s smile widened. “Actually, yes. I’ve got a new design project with Sinclair Realty.”

Elijah’s eyes lit up. “Yes, we’ve hired her again for another project. I’m excited to see what she comes up

with.”

“I think it would be awesome if you and I can finally work together, Sophia!” Kayla suddenly exclaimed.

I hesitated, knowing my workload was already overwhelming. “Kayla, I’d love to, but I have too many projects on my plate right now. And I probably have backlogs already… Maybe you could collaborate with some other designers from Urban Next for the project?”

Before Kayla could respond, Elijah cleared his throat. “Actually, there’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you, Sophia.”

I turned to face him, intrigued. “What’s that?”

“I want you to take over as head of the design department for the time being,” Elijah said, his tone serious. “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time now, and I’ve also discussed it with Trevis.”

The shock hit me like a wave. “But… Serena is the one in charge of that, right?”

Elijah’s expression darkened instantly, his grip on the steering wheel tightening until his knuckles turned white. I felt a chill run down my spine.

“Serena?” His voice was cold, clipped. “She’s the reason Reese went missing.”

I turned to him, shock washing over me. “What do you mean?”

Elijah’s eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, but I could see the storm brewing in them. “It was Serena who took Reese. She orchestrated everything. But don’t worry, Sophia, she won’t get away with it. I’m suing her, and I have all the evidence I need. It won’t be long before she’s behind bars.”

I struggled to process his words. “So it was really her all along? I can’t believe she hates me that much…” whispered as my hands began to shake. My heart pounded wildly.

“I can’t believe she’s that evil!” Kayla added, beginning to sound furious.

Elijah’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I had my suspicions. I hired a private investigator. Turns out, she had everything to do with it. I have recordings, documents… everything.”

Before I could respond, Kayla leaned forward, her face serious. “Reese knows we found you, Sophia. Daniel just sent a message now that she’s already awake and would like to see you

Just then, as Kayla checked her phone, the screen lit up, showing an incoming video call. She quickly handed it to me. My heart pounded as I swiped to answer.

“Mommy! I miss you!” Reese’s little face appeared on the screen, her eyes bright with excitement.

Tears welled up in my eyes. “Reese, sweetheart, I miss you too! I’m so, so glad you’re okay!”

As I held the phone, adjusting it to get a better view, I accidentally angled it toward Elijah. Reese’s eyes widened with joy.

“Daddy!”

Elijah’s head snapped around, his eyes meeting mine in a moment of sheer surprise. I froze, my mind

CHAPTER 82

racing.

Reese’s voice echoed through the car. “Daddy!”