The late autumn air was crisp as Andrew stood on the terrace of the Remington estate, sipping his morning coffee. Below him, the manicured gardens were bathed in golden light, the leaves a patchwork of amber and crimson. Normally, he would find peace in the familiar rhythms of his family home, but today, unease gnawed at him.
Sophia was sitting by the fountain in the distance, her posture tense, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. She hadn't noticed him watching her, but Andrew had been doing so for several minutes. She had been out there for over an hour, pacing at times, sitting at others, always with the same distant, troubled look on her face.
"Morning," Richard's voice broke Andrew's thoughts as he stepped onto the terrace. "You're up early."
Andrew nodded, his gaze still fixed on Sophia. "Yeah. Couldn't sleep."
Richard followed his brother's line of sight and frowned. "She looks… distracted."
"She's been like that a lot lately," Andrew admitted. "I thought maybe it was just the wedding planning, but—" He trailed off, shaking his head.
"But what?" Richard pressed, his tone cautious.
Andrew hesitated. He didn't like voicing doubts about Sophia, not even to Richard. "She disappears sometimes. Says she's running errands or meeting friends, but… I don't know. It feels like she's hiding something."
Richard raised an eyebrow. "Have you asked her about it?"
Andrew sighed. "Of course. She always has a reasonable explanation, but it doesn't feel right."
Richard leaned against the railing, crossing his arms. "Look, Andrew, you know I've had my reservations about Sophia from the start. But if you're already noticing cracks, maybe you need to take a closer look before you're in too deep."
Andrew's jaw tightened, a flicker of defensiveness rising in him. "She's not hiding anything. She's just adjusting to all of this—our family, the attention, the pressure."
Richard held up his hands. "Alright, alright. But keep your eyes open. Just… don't let love blind you to the obvious."
Later that afternoon, Andrew found Sophia in the library, her back to him as she browsed the shelves. She seemed startled when he approached, quickly slipping her phone into her pocket.
"Hey," he said, his tone light but probing. "You've been quiet today."
Sophia turned, her smile forced but still convincing. "Just caught up in wedding details. It's exhausting."
Andrew studied her, his instincts nagging at him. "You've been spending a lot of time alone lately. Is everything okay?"
She hesitated, just for a fraction of a second, but it was enough for Andrew to notice. "Of course. I just needed some space to think."
"About what?" he pressed gently.
Sophia's gaze flickered to the window. "Everything. The wedding, moving forward… us."
Andrew frowned. "Us?"
She quickly shook her head. "Not in a bad way. It's just… a lot. Marrying into your family, being part of this world. I want to make sure I don't disappoint you."
He reached for her hand, his touch soft and reassuring. "You could never disappoint me, Sophia. But if something's bothering you, I want to help."
Her smile returned, more genuine this time. "You already do."
But as they embraced, Andrew couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't telling him the whole truth.
That evening, during a dinner with the family, Evelyn noticed Andrew's distraction. He was quieter than usual, picking at his food and barely engaging in the conversation.
"Andrew," Evelyn said, her tone gentle but probing, "you've been awfully quiet tonight. Everything alright?"
Andrew glanced at Sophia, who was deep in conversation with Elizabeth about wedding flowers. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about work."
Evelyn didn't look convinced, but she let it go for now. Instead, she turned her attention to Sophia, her tone casual but her questions pointed.
"Sophia, have you decided whether you'll take Andrew's name after the wedding?"
Sophia hesitated, clearly caught off guard. "I… hadn't really thought about it. I suppose I could. What do you think, Andrew?"
Andrew smiled faintly. "It's up to you. I want you to feel comfortable."
Evelyn's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's just that the Remington name carries a lot of weight. It's something to consider, especially with how visible you'll be after the wedding."
Sophia nodded, her smile tight. "Of course. I'll think about it."
Andrew noticed the tension in Sophia's shoulders, the way she avoided making direct eye contact with his mother. It was subtle, but it was there.
After dinner, Andrew and Sophia walked through the gardens, the cool night air brushing against their skin.
"Evelyn can be intense, can't she?" Sophia said with a light laugh, though Andrew could hear the edge in her voice.
"She means well," Andrew replied. "She just wants to make sure everything is perfect."
Sophia stopped, turning to face him. "Does she think I'm not good enough for you?"
Andrew frowned, taken aback. "What? No, of course not."
"She watches me like she's waiting for me to mess up," Sophia said, her voice wavering.
"She's protective," Andrew said, his tone reassuring. "But she'll come around. She just needs to get to know you better."
Sophia nodded, but her expression remained troubled.
Over the next few days, Andrew's suspicions grew. He began to notice small things—Sophia's phone constantly buzzing with messages she never shared, her sudden errands that always seemed to come at inconvenient times, the way she deflected certain questions about her past.
One evening, as she was getting ready for a dinner party, Andrew saw her slip something into her clutch—an envelope, thick with papers.
"What's that?" he asked casually, his tone light but curious.
Sophia paused, her smile practiced. "Just some notes for the wedding planner. I didn't want to forget them."
Andrew nodded, though he wasn't entirely convinced.
That night, as Sophia mingled effortlessly with the guests, Andrew found himself watching her closely. She moved through the crowd with grace, her laughter soft and genuine, her charm disarming. But there was an edge to her performance, a sense that she was always on guard.
At one point, he saw her step aside to take a phone call. She spoke in hushed tones, her expression tight, her free hand gesturing as if she were trying to make a point. When she returned, she brushed it off as "wedding details," but Andrew couldn't ignore the growing knot in his stomach.
He loved Sophia, but for the first time, he wondered if he truly knew her.