Single Mother: Struggling With The Dangerous CEO

"Do you think I'm that kind of person?"
Patrick suddenly blurted out, interrupting Sophia's thoughts.His well-defined hands maneuvered the steering wheel
deftly.Patrick's question bothered her in so many ways.
"I just said those things to tease Lilith, Mr.Evans.You don't have to take it seriously" Sophia explained.
She then lowered her head after she said those words.
There was a moment when Sophia felt like she was about to show her true feelings, so she immediately hid it.
Just like what she just told Lilith, even if Sophia knew that it was true, she would still deny the truth.
Sophia was used to hiding and ignoring the truth.It became her habit and a sort of shield, among others.
Even if the person sitting next to her was Patrick, she couldn't have great expectations.
"Oh, is that it?"
The car abruptly stopped when Patrick suddenly stepped on the brake that almost made Sophia hit her head on the dash.
"Get out, '' Patrick ordered without any emotion visible on his face.Sophia kept her head down so she could keep her face hidden
from Patrick.
Before her tears fell, she quickly opened the door and got out.She had no sense of direction and had no idea where she was, but
she walked in the opposite direction of Patrick's car unconsciously.
As Sophia walked away from his car, Patrick still looked at her in his rearview mirror.He had no idea where his sudden outburst
came from.
However, he had to admit that he had lost control of his emotions tonight.The gloomy sky darkened even more.
As the rain began to fall, thunder erupted, and lightning flashed in all directions.
The city's neon lights looked blurry, and the cold weather started to get heavier.
Sophia slowly raised her head and looked directly at the sky.She liked the feeling of the raindrops as they touched her face.

Somehow, she felt refreshed and satisfied with just standing in the rain.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have any other options to let go of her frustrations, and it would just be bottled up inside of her, which
could eventually make her crazy.
As she was enjoying the rain, another car slowly pulled over and stopped at where she was standing.
Was this the same car that had been following them earlier? Sophia couldn't see anything on the inside because the car's
windows were tinted.
Suddenly, the car door opened and out came a man who opened an umbrella for her.
It took so long for her to recognize the man, but she realized that it was Brandon.He immediately pulled her into his arms.
"Sophia, what are you doing? Is this your way of letting out your sadness and problems?" Brandon carefully asked.
Sophia felt so lonely.
How come it was so easy for Brandon to understand her? Her stubbornness, sadness, worries, moods, and even her heart?
While the other person who she cared for the most was the exact opposite of what Brandon was.
Patrick couldn't understand her at all.
"We are not together anymore.What happened in the past stays in the past.But it still hurt me so much even if I pretended that it
didn't bother me anymore” Sophia desperately said.
Sophia pulled herself away from Brandon with a sad smile on her face.She felt fresh tears start to fall down her cheeks.
Sophia swiftly wiped it with her hands.Sophia had already learned to be strong.She didn't need anyone to hold an umbrella for
her every time there was rain.She didn't need someone to take care of her when she was sick or helpless.
And most especially, she didn’t need anyone to comfort her when she was lonely.
All she needed to do was sleep it off.
For when she woke up the next day, all the pain she felt would be buried deep inside her heart.
That was how Sophia survived after all those years of suffering.

Sophia didn't refuse Brandon's offer to take her home, for she was so tired and cold.She didn't need to pretend about anything
when she was with Brandon.
He was always there for her, no matter what she was going through.
"You have to dry your hair, or you might catch a cold later,'' Brandon said.
He then offered her a clean towel which Sophia immediately pulled to wipe her hair and body.
"Sophia, the last time we met, you told me that you bought those kids’ supplies for your friend.Is it okay to ask which friend were
you talking about?" Brandon casually asked.
Sophia was baffled that Brandon had remembered that incident, so she simply answered, "It was for Fiona.I believe you know
her?"
Brandon looked at her meaningfully.
"Oh, really? The last time we met, she said that she didn't have a boyfriend" Sophia paused for a moment.
"Oh, what else did she say?" she asked warily.
Brandon laughed while asking, "Why are you so nervous? Could it be that you're hiding something from me?"
"What do you know, Brandon?" Sophia asked.
Sophia had not seen Brandon for weeks; was it because he discovered that she had a child? That was a possibility because
nowadays, some men were unwilling to accept the woman they liked because they had a child with someone else.
Sophia never had a steady and responsible lover after all these years because of having Emma.
On the other hand, she had no regrets about living this life.
It was an amazing feeling that she couldn't bear the thought of changing anything about it.
"Are you worried that I will be discouraged?"
Brandon wondered as he noticed her unusual stillness and realized that she was thinking about it.
"You won't see me hanging around with you if I'm easily discouraged, Sophia," Brandon said.

‘Why would I still be doing difficult things only to be with you if I could easily give up on you?’ Brandon only finished it in his head.
But Brandon knew that he didn't have the courage to say it out loud in front of her.
The moment Brandon heard that Sophia gave birth to a child in Frostford City, he spent most of his days drinking, for he couldn't
initially accept such fact.
But he realized something important when he finally became sober; his feelings towards her were sincere and real.
Brandon's feelings towards Sophia could not be easily swayed by any other reason.
Brandon drove faster, and in the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the darkness and wet streets.
In one night, anything could change, including people's hearts.
The following day, Sophia went to work with dark circles under her eyes, for she couldn't sleep last night.
Being drenched from the rain, she was a bit ill and did not feel well, and even lost her appetite.
When she arrived at the office, everyone greeted each other enthusiastically, as if they had forgotten anything that had happened
last night.
During their usual morning meeting, Giselle asked for an early leave since she wasn't feeling well due to hangover, same with
Lianna.
The meeting ended earlier than the usual schedule.The entire morning, it seemed that everyone was not in the mood to work.
This had something to do with their department head, Lianna, being sick.
So, most of the employees gathered to gossip secretly.
The gossip escalated when one of their colleagues who submitted a report in the CEO's office came back with an
announcement.
"The General Manager said that Mr.Evans was caught in the rain last night and had a cold and fever.He wasn't able to report
today" one of the staff said.

"Well, I saw Ms.Clifford early today, and Mr.Evans was not with her.They usually report to work every day" a younger employee
confirmed.
Sophia was napping on her table, but her attention was caught with what her colleague said, ‘Caught in the rain” Sophia was
confused.
Wasn't he the one who drove last night? Why did he have a cold and a fever? She immediately felt relieved after realizing that
she had nothing to do with it.
Besides, what was the point of thinking so much about it? Did it really matter? Patrick was still unable to report to work after
three days.
His phone had been shut off, and no one was permitted to visit him, which made the employees of Evans Enterprise anxious.
The executive meetings kept coming one after another, and no one knew why it was so difficult to reach a decision, leaving
everyone stumped.
Frankly speaking, Patrick had always been the backbone of Evans Enterprise.
They relied on him too much that his absence caused a major crippling effect in the company.
Not having Patrick in the company was unimaginable, resulting in a vague future.
The position as an Evaluation Consultant for the General Manager Office had always been vacant ever since Lilith was
transferred to Australia.
Lianna had already recommended two applicants to the management but was instantly rejected because they were not satisfied
with their qualifications.
It was unclear, but someone must have influenced them that Sophia was the best candidate for Lilith’s position.
Sophia being an obedient employee became her advantage because it was consistent with Mr.Evans' most basic requirement
when it came to hiring.
So with this as a general rule, people would not assume the worst if Sophia replaced Lilith.
Some of her colleagues even tried to tease her, "Ms.Hill, please promise that you won't forget about us if you get promoted,
okay?"

Sophia thought they were all a load of crap.How could a temporary employee be promoted to a position under the General
Manager's Office?