Sophie fell silent.
A long pause stretched between us before she finally spoke, her voice quiet but firm.
"Lucas... I regret it. I really do."
I turned to her, surprised by the weight in her tone.
"I liked you—so much. But back then, you were so in love with Amanda. I couldn't stand it, so I left. I thought going abroad would make me forget." She let out a breath, as if exhaling years of pent-up emotions. "Then, when I came back, I found out you were already married. I thought that was it. We'd never cross paths again. But one day, my dad mentioned you."
She looked up at me, eyes dark with something unreadable.
"I realized you weren't happy, Lucas. You were stuck. Your whole life was being suffocated, and you couldn't even focus on your own future."
She hesitated, then admitted, "I was the one who asked my dad to transfer you here."
My mind blanked.
"You have no idea," she continued, her voice suddenly thick with emotion, "how happy I was when I heard you were getting a divorce. And yet... I felt awful too."
There was pain on her face—a mix of guilt and vulnerability.
I stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. It was as if my brain had short-circuited.
"Sophie, y-you—are you running a fever?"
Instinctively, I reached out, pressing a hand against her forehead.
"Ugh, stop it!"
She pouted, swatting my hand away.
"I'm not sick, and I'm definitely not drunk. I like you, Lucas. I've always liked you."
She had already missed her chance once.
This time, she wasn't going to let it slip away.
Especially not with Amanda still hovering around, refusing to let go.
The way Amanda kept showing up, clinging onto Lucas like a parasite, made Sophie nervous.
She knew how deeply Lucas had loved Amanda once.
And she didn't trust that love to be completely dead.
Would he go back to her? Would he cave under Amanda's relentless persistence?
Sophie wasn't going to take that risk.
That was why she insisted on this business trip. Why she pulled him away from Amanda's orbit.
Men could be logical about everything—except when it came to love.
Lucas had spent years being emotionally manipulated by Amanda. If she kept wearing him down, who's to say he wouldn't break?
That selfish part of her... wanted to make sure that didn't happen.
She took a deep breath and stepped closer, looking me straight in the eyes.
"Lucas, I really like you. Please—give me a chance."