Sophia stood outside Raymond's room, her heart pounding wildly. Today, she was to accompany him to the office, but the mere thought of being alone with him for that long sent a nervous shiver down her spine.
The door swung open, and Raymond stepped out, his gaze locking onto her. There was something raw in his expression, something that made her breath hitch.
"How have you been, Sophia?" His voice was thick with emotion as if he had been longing to see her.
She averted her gaze, gripping the suitcase beside him. Without a second glance, she yanked it from his grasp. "I'll help you drop this in the car, sir." And before he could respond, she turned on her heel and rushed down the stairs.
Raymond clenched his fists. His heart ached at her avoidance, and he quickened his pace to catch up with her.
Minutes later, as she drove, silence settled between them, thick with unspoken words. He watched her closely, taking in the way her fingers gripped the steering wheel just a little too tightly.
"Why are you avoiding me?" His voice was steady, yet there was an edge of frustration.
"I'm not avoiding you, sir," she stuttered, reaching for the stereo to drown out whatever he was about to say next.
His next words made her freeze.
"I couldn't sleep all night because of you, Sophia."
She sucked in a sharp breath, her hands tightening around the gear. "I really don't care, Raymond. All I care about is your wedding coming up in a few weeks." She twisted the volume knob higher, blocking him out.
But even over the music, she could still feel his eyes on her.
***
Anthony parked outside a modest flat, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. He had spoken to Raina on the phone, and she had given him the address.
When he knocked, the door swung open, revealing Raina holding a spatula, her apron slightly stained with flour.
A bright smile stretched across her lips. "You found it." She stepped forward, pulling him into a hug before kissing him lightly.
His eyes flickered past her, scanning the room. "Where's the child?"
She seemed to read his mind. "His dad picked him up this morning. We take turns."
Anthony nodded thoughtfully, but before he could say anything, she spoke again.
"Anthony, I'd like us to have a conversation. About us."
His brows furrowed. "Us?"
She smiled shyly, stepping closer. "Have you forgotten how much we liked each other?" She placed a hand on his chest, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Should we make this morning a little more… beautiful?"
He took a step back, his expression unreadable. "I didn't come here for that, Raina."
A deep sigh left her lips.
Before either of them could say another word, a knock came at the door.
Anthony's body tensed. "Are you expecting someone?"
Raina hesitated for a fraction of a second before turning to the door. When she opened it, a cold shiver ran down his spine.
It was Isla.
His blood turned to ice.
As the two women exchanged devilish grins and turned towards him, he finally had his confirmation.
Raina and Isla were sisters.
His jaw tightened. "Can you give me a second?" His voice was calm, controlled. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a file before tossing it at them.
Raina caught it. Her fingers trembled as she opened it. The colour drained from her face.
"This… this is a DNA test." Her voice cracked.
Anthony let out a dark chuckle. "An unmatched one."
Raina's hands shook as she stared at the document, realization dawning on her.
"We were five steps ahead of you."
***
After he gave Raina money and got back to the car....
Anthony slipped back into Sophia's car, his mind already running through scenarios.
"I can't believe you're falling for this again," Sophia snapped as she drove, her frustration boiling over.
Anthony smirked. "Not as foolish as you think."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out two strands of hair, placing them in her palm. "These are from Raina and the baby. If they match, she's telling a partial truth, and we'll need to dig deeper. But if they don't…"
Sophia's eyes darkened as realization hit. "It means the baby isn't hers, and this is all a setup."
Anthony nodded grimly. "Exactly."
Now, standing in front of Raina and Isla, the test results in their hands, he watched the fear bleed into their eyes.
Raina's voice wavered. "You… you didn't come alone?"
Anthony smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
In a flash, he leapt into the air, twisting his body with expert precision before delivering a swift kick. Isla stumbled back, shock registering on her face.
"You could fight all this time?" Raina gasped.
"I learned from Sophia. Just in case I needed it." He struck again, sending Isla crashing into the table.
The door burst open.
The police stormed in.
Panic flashed across Isla's face. In one swift move, she dashed toward the window, launching herself outside before anyone could stop her.
Meanwhile, Raina stood frozen, her hands shaking as the officers closed in. The cold metal of handcuffs clicked around her wrists.
Anthony leaned in close, his voice a low whisper. "You fooled me once. Did you really think I'd be a fool again?"
As she was dragged away, he turned on his heel and walked out, never sparing her another glance.
***
Sophia sat on the edge of her bed, drying her damp hair, her mind replaying the way Raymond had stolen glances at her all day.
He had looked so… pitiful.
A part of her wished she could have just hugged him, reassured him. But what good would that do? He was getting married soon.
A faint sound broke her thoughts.
Footsteps.
She turned.
Her blood ran cold.
Thomas stood in the middle of her room, his expression unreadable.
Before she could react, he lunged, grabbing her waist and pushing her towards the bed.
But Sophia was faster.
With a swift movement, she somersaulted, landing gracefully on her feet despite still wearing her sleeping robe.
Her eyes flashed with anger. "How dare you, Thomas?"
He licked his lips, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Relax." He pulled two pictures from his pocket and flung them onto the bed.
Sophia's breath hitched as she recognized the images.
They were photos of her and Raymond.
Kissing.
At the warehouse.
Her heart pounded violently against her ribcage. "How did you—"
"I have my ways." Thomas smirked, stepping closer. "You have three weeks. Give me an answer." His voice lowered, a sinister edge creeping in. "Be my girlfriend, or I'll let the world know that you kissed Raymond."
His smirk widened.
"You'd lose your job, Sophia."
Then, just like that, he turned and walked out, leaving her frozen in place, the incriminating photos burning a hole into her soul.