Sofia couldn't help but feel a little bit uneasy as she remembered the last time they were alone. Specifically the moment when Chad pressed her lips against hers
The worst part about it, was the fact that whether she openly admitted it or not, she liked it. And the reality of it was betraying her love for Alex.
Whether she was Elena Grayson or Sofia Green, she will always love Alex, and being with Chad didn't make things any easier.
The only thing stopping her from running back to her old life was the fact that she was assassinated, and unless she found the mastermind behind everything, there will always be a target on her back.
Sofia spent most of her free time in contact with her private investigators, hoping to get leads on the whereabouts of her killer.
But today wasn't about her investigation. Today was about trying to survive the chaotic crowd that was going to shroud her today. Most of Sofia's acquaintances, friends and families will be present, and she needed to act natural no matter what.
Breathing slowly, trying to calm her nerves, even though it didn't stop her pulse from reacting like she ran a marathon, she came out of her bedroom, ready to head out.
Jenny," she called, her voice steadier than she felt. "Take care of things while I'm gone."
Jenny bowed slightly, her loyal eyes brimming with quiet concern. "Yes, Miss Sofia. Everything will be in order."
With that, Sofia left her bedroom and entered the elevator. Each floor's descent hummed like a countdown, with her reflection in the mirrored panel staring back at her. It displayed her perfect posture, and flawless smile, but eyes that betrayed the storm inside.
The ground floor opened into a blur of motion. Her parents, Robert and Marie, were already there, radiant and commanding in their evening attire. Between them stood Chad, with a cheerful laughter on his lips as he exchanged animated conversation with them.
Sofia proceeded to the elevator and headed to the ground floor where she saw her parents and Chad laughing and talking.
As usual, when she started heading towards them, she was met with various people greeting her with desperation, hoping that she might notice them. Sofia had grown used to this, and didn't mind at all. She was the face of the Green corporations after all.
She smiled, the way she had trained herself to do,with a warm, graceful, and unreachable demeanor.
Marie, seeing Sofia, quickly waved her over with a vibrant smile.
"Sofia, darling, there you are! Come, come." She extended her hand toward her daughter with a vibrant smile that could have lit the entire lobby.
Sofia approached, hugging her mother lightly, then nodding at her father before turning to Chad.
He looked her over slowly, admiration glinting in his eyes. "You look… stunning," he said, his voice low but purposeful, as though the compliment was meant only for her.
Her lips curved in a polite smile, but it never reached her eyes. "You don't look bad yourself," she replied, her tone carefully neutral.
Robert clapped his hands lightly. "Shall we? We don't want to be late. The press is already gathered."
They moved toward the entrance, but Sofia's instinct was to slip toward Berry, her driver, who was already waiting by the sleek black car.
But then Chad's voice cut through the air.
"Sofia," he called softly, his tone wrapped in insistence, "aren't you coming with me? In my car?"
Her entire body stiffened, though her smile never faltered. Inside, her thoughts spat curses. Outwardly, she laughed lightly. "Oh… yeah, for sure."
Her demeanor stayed perfectly composed, but behind her teeth, her jaw tightened.
Chad opened the door for her himself, his gentlemanly act deliberate and showy. She slid into the passenger seat with the grace of someone long accustomed to an audience, while he circled to the driver's side and started the engine.
The city blurred past as they drove, as neon lights streaked against the windows. Chad glanced at her, with his eyes searching. "You've seemed… different lately. Like you're carrying something heavy. Is everything okay?"
The question made her pulse skip. He was closer to the truth than he realized.
But Sofia laughed it off, masking her panic with casual ease. "I'm fine. Just… stressed. Too many things to manage at once."
He chuckled softly, his gaze fixed on the road. "You don't have to pretend with me, you know. I've always got your back."
His words should have grated on her nerves, but instead, they made her lips twitch into an unwilling smile.
"I know, Chad.thanks." the tension in her chest loosened just enough for her to breathe a little easier.
And then, before she knew it, they were pulling up to the venue.
Her relief shattered the moment she looked out the windshield.
The crowd was far larger than she had accounted for. A sea of faces, cameras flashing, and voices rising in an indistinguishable chorus filled the venue. Reporters jostled for position, with securities trying to carve order into chaos, and high profile figures moved gracefully through the storm as though it were nothing.
But for Sofia, it was overwhelming. She didn't recognize most of them. Their names, their histories, their ties, they were all blank to her. And yet, every single one of them would expect her to know them, to remember past conversations, to play her role flawlessly.
Her hand tightened on the handle of the car door. Her reflection in the window showed a woman dressed like a queen but trembling like prey.
She inhaled once, deeply.
Showtime.
The car door opened, and Sofia stepped out, every inch the poised heiress the world expected her to be. But inside, her heart thundered with the knowledge that one wrong move could bring everything crashing down.
And as the crowd surged toward her, brighter, louder, and more suffocating than she'd prepared for, she braced herself for the storm.