“And that’s an excuse to steal?!” I asked.
“He wasn’t trying to steal!” Sophie screamed.
“You weren’t here, Sophie,” I said. “I was. How can you defend him when I caught him red-handed?”
“He’s my father,” Sophie said. “I’ll always defend him.”
“Then you’re more naïve than I thought.”
Sophie looked like I’d slapped her in the face. She took a step back and shook her head, staring at me as if she’d never seen me before.
“I’m done,” she said firmly. “I’m leaving.”
“You still work for me, Sophie,” I said as she turned to leave. “That was the deal, remember?”
She didn’t care. She kept walking and yanked open my bedroom door. Before I could even think about something else to say, she was gone. The door slammed shut behind her, and I was left staring at the wood, completely alone.
Chapter 26
Sophie
I expected Andrew to follow me. When I slammed his bedroom door, I was certain it would fly open again within seconds. It didn’t. Instead, I made it all the way to my room without interference. Either Andrew was too shocked by my anger, or he simply didn’t care how upset I was.
The door to my bedroom fell closed with a soft thud. My energy was zapped. I couldn’t even bring myself to stomp around the room and vent my anger. All I could do was collapse onto the bed and stare at the ceiling, hot tears streaming down my cheeks and falling with soft plunks onto the comforter.
Andrew was wrong.
That was all I knew for sure. My father was not a thief. I’d known him my entire life. I knew him better than anyone, and what Andrew accused him of wasn’t possible. My father didn’t need to steal. He and my mother collected so many priceless antiques all on their own. It didn’t make sense for him to steal from the Hopper’s collection.
But then, why would Andrew lie?
I squeezed my eyes closed and tried to calm down. Crying over this horrendous situation was only going to make me feel worse. There wasn’t anything left to do except leave. I didn’t know the full truth, but I did know one thing, the Hopper mansion was the last place I wanted to be.
Before I could think better of it, I was on my feet and moving toward the closet. I threw open the doors and grabbed my suitcase off the floor. I’d only just unpacked after my trip with Andrew to Africa. There were still stray tank tops and panties floating around the bottom of the suitcase. I didn’t bother to pull them out before throwing all my belongings on top. I shoved the suitcase closed and yanked the zipper around, eager to get out of there as fast as possible.
It wasn’t until I reached the door that I realized the stupidity of my behavior. If I left, what would Andrew do to my dad?
I sighed and tossed my suitcase to the floor. My eyes moved between the door and the bed as I considered my options. I could leave now and never look back. Andrew would be furious and take his anger out on my father. He wouldn’t hesitate to have him arrested. Or I could stay. I could finish the work I set out to do and then leave guilt free.
Neither option seemed to work for me.
My entire body was begging me to flee. I was so angry with Andrew for his accusation that I couldn’t stand to be anywhere near him. Just knowing he was on the other side of the house was enough to make my blood boil. In that moment, I regretted everything that happened between us. I felt like an idiot. How could I have let myself believe he would change?
As I sat back down on the bed, a soft knock landed on the door. I jerked my head up, a glare already forming on my face. I jumped to my feet and marched across the room, ready to face off with Andrew one more time. When I opened the door, though, it wasn’t Andrew staring at me. It was Liam.
“Miss Sophie,” Liam said kindly. “I don’t mean to intrude. I heard yelling in Mr. Andrew’s room, and I thought I should check on you.”
“I’m fine, Liam.”
Liam blinked. My tone was much harsher than I intended. I sighed and shook my head, quickly getting ahold of myself. Liam wasn’t the enemy here. He simply worked for Andrew.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice softer now. “I’m just upset right now, Liam. It’s probably not the best time to talk to me.”
“I understand,” Liam said. “If you need anything at all…”
“I won’t hesitate to ask.” I tried to smile, but it felt forced. My lips were pulled tighter across my face than ever before.
Liam nodded and slowly turned around. He’d only taken a couple steps down the hall when I realized there was something I needed from him.
“Wait,” I called out. “I do have a question.”
“Yes?” Liam turned back around with a frown.
“What happened that night?” I asked. “From your perspective.”
Liam sighed and moved toward me. I knew I should invite him inside the bedroom to talk, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. I was too eager to hear his answer.
“It was all very confusing, Miss Sophie.” Liam shook his head. “Mr. Andrew caught your father in his office. The crates were open, and Mr. Rick was, well, he was digging through them.”
“For what?” I demanded.
“I wouldn’t know,” Liam said.
“Didn’t Andrew ask him?” I asked.
“No.” Liam shook his head. “He was too angry to think straight. I don’t think I’ve ever been more afraid than I was that night. Mr. Andrew was livid. He wasn’t himself.”
“Did he hurt my father?” I asked, panic coursing through my veins. I hated myself for even asking the question, but I felt like I didn’t know Andrew at all anymore.
“Not physically,” Liam said. “But I believe he hurt him to his core, Miss Sophie. You see, Mr. Rick has known Andrew for years. I think he hoped Andrew would be more understanding.”
“But instead, Andrew threatened him.”
Liam nodded. “It was all he knew to do at the time.”
“He was wrong,” I snapped. “My father wasn’t trying to steal anything, Liam. He must have been here for a different reason. He must have.”
I didn’t know what other reason my father would have for breaking into the Hopper mansion, but I knew he wasn’t a thief. I felt it in my bones. This entire thing was a misunderstanding, and it was all Andrew’s fault. If he’d only given my father the chance to explain, things would have been fine.
“Thank you, Liam,” I said. “I appreciate you telling me the truth.”
“I wish I could help you more,” Liam said.
“You’ve helped more than you know.”
Liam smiled sadly and left. I watched him until he reached the stairs. Then I pushed the door closed and made my way over to the bed.
I still didn’t know the full story, but I felt better. Anger no longer occupied my every emotion. I was calmer. My mind was no longer spinning, and yet, I still didn’t know what to do. As much as I wanted to leave, I didn’t feel like I could. Not without putting my father in danger.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pulled out my phone and dialed Kaddy’s number. The person I really wanted to talk to was my dad, but I knew that was a conversation I needed to have in person. If I called him now, he would insist I leave for my own safety. Then what? What would Andrew do to him if I suddenly disappeared?
“Hey,” Kaddy said when she answered. “It’s late. Are you okay?”
“No,” I said. “I’m really not.”
“What’s going on?” Kaddy asked nervously.
I quickly told her everything. I explained how much I’d grown to care about Andrew. I told her all about our conversation by the pond, how different he seemed now. Then, I explained what happened the night my father broke into the Hopper mansion. I told her everything Andrew said, then everything Liam said.
“It just doesn’t make sense.” I shook my head and fought back tears. “My father isn’t a thief, Kaddy. You know him. You know he would never do that.”
“I know,” Kaddy said qui
ckly. “It doesn’t make sense. This whole thing just feels wrong.”
“Because it is!” I said firmly. “Andrew is wrong, and he just won’t admit it. He screwed up, and now, he’s blaming my father for everything!”
“What do you think your dad was really doing there?” Kaddy asked.
“I don’t know.” I sighed. “That’s the worst part. I only have Andrew’s side of the story, and while I know he’s wrong, I can’t prove it.”
“You haven’t talked to your dad yet?” Kaddy asked.
“No.”
“Sophie, you have to call him,” Kaddy said. “You can’t just sit in that house and stew. You need to find out the truth.”
“This isn’t the type of conversation I can have over the phone,” I said. “I need to see my dad. I need to look in his eyes when he tells me.”
“Then go,” Kaddy said. “Leave now. Tonight. What reason is there to stay at this point?”
“Work,” I said simply. “My father made a deal with Andrew, remember? If I renege on that deal, who knows what Andrew will do?”
“What’s the worst that could happen?” Kaddy asked. “He’s not going to hurt Rick. Even Andrew Hopper wouldn’t stoop that low, would he?”
“No.” I shook my head. “No, I don’t think he would actually hurt him. But he would have him arrested. He would press charges, and my father would go to prison. All because of a horrible misunderstanding.”
Kaddy sighed. I could practically see her shaking her head on the other end of the line. My heart was pounding in my chest as I turned my head toward the bedroom door. I didn’t feel safe in this house anymore.
“Are you okay?” Kaddy asked. “I mean, do you think you can stay there without…”
“Without what?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Kaddy said nervously. “Without something happening?”
I closed my eyes and breathed slowly. Kaddy’s worries were well-founded. We’d just found out that Andrew was, in fact, the beast I once thought. He wasn’t the kind-hearted man I’d grown to care about. No matter what happened between us, I was wrong about him. But was he dangerous?
“He would never hurt me,” I said firmly. “I’m not sure of much anymore, but I do know that.”
“You’re positive?” Kaddy asked. “You’re absolutely certain that you’re safe? Because if not, Sophie, you need to get the hell out of there.”
“I know,” I said quickly. “I would leave right now if I thought he would do something, Kaddy, but he won’t. He hasn’t even tried to talk to me since the blowup.”
“He hasn’t?” Kaddy asked, clearly surprised. “What a dick.”
“Well, we know now that I was wrong about him.” I sighed. “I can’t believe I let myself fall for him.”
“It happens,” Kaddy said. “We all fall for the wrong guy at least once.”
“I hate this,” I said. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Work,” Kaddy said firmly. “Go to your office and work. You said you’re almost done, right?”
“Yeah,” I said. “There’s just one more problem I need to solve. I was close to figuring it out this afternoon, but Andrew begged me to take a break with him.”
“So, go finish,” Kaddy said. “Finish the work you promised you’d do. Then, run.”
“Okay.” I nodded and tried to work up the nerve to leave my room. “You’re right.”
“Call me if you need me,” Kaddy said. “I’ll stay on the phone with you all night if I have to.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said. “I promise.”
Kaddy and I said goodbye, and I quickly hurried down the hall to my office. I wanted to get inside before I could change my mind. If I let myself think too much, I’d never be able to focus on work. The last thing I wanted was to spend another day in Andrew’s house.
I closed my office door slowly. It didn’t make a sound, and soon, I was behind the desk and focused on the numbers before me. This was the last thing I had to do. Once I finished, I would be free. My father would be free.
As I worked, I forced myself not to think about Andrew. I worried that, despite everything, my feelings for him would cloud my judgement. Deep down, I hated the idea of leaving him. We’d grown so close, and yet, I knew where my loyalties were meant to be. I was there for my dad. Not Andrew.
Chapter 27
Andrew
Sleep was impossible. From the second Sophie stormed out, I knew I’d never be able to relax. I lay in bed all night, just staring at my ceiling and replaying our last conversation. Sophie’s angry face glared at me from my memory and denied me any peace. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t shake her out of my thoughts.
Part of me wanted to run after her. I knew she was just on the other side of the house. I’d listened intently for hours, just waiting to hear the front door open and close. If Sophie left, I was certain I would hear her. But as the night dragged on, I heard nothing but endless silence. It plagued my mind, keeping me wide awake and nauseous.
I couldn’t believe things had flown so far off course. Just hours earlier, Sophie and I were making love by the back pond. She was lying naked in my arms, her body shivering from my touch. Her green eyes were locked on my face, her brown hair spread out on the grass beneath her. Our bodies rocked together perfectly. We sank into each other so easily that I wasn’t sure where I ended and Sophie began.
We’d had amazing sex before, but that moment was by far the best. I felt so connected to Sophie that I never wanted to tear myself away from her. She was everything to me, and she didn’t even know it yet. I’d told her that she changed my life and that she finally made me see that there was more out there than work. Many people had tried to teach me that lesson, including my own mother, but Sophie was the reason it finally sank in.
If I could have laid on the grass forever, I would have. If I could have held her in my arms until the sun set and then rose again, I would have. It was torturous to pull myself away from her soft skin and perfect embrace.
Dinner was waiting for us, and so, we rode the horses back and went inside. Still, I wasn’t upset because I knew Sophie and I would be alone again soon. I knew she would accompany me to my bed, and I would have the opportunity to make love to her again. All night if that’s what we both wanted.
Then, everything was ruined. Liam brought up Rick, and from that point on, I knew our night wouldn’t go as planned. Still, I had hope. Hope that Sophie would still want me after knowing the truth. I’d been so afraid of wrecking her relationship with Rick that I never stopped to think how the truth would affect her relationship with me. It never even occurred to me that Sophie might think everything was my fault. After all, her father was the criminal here, not me.
When the sun was high in the sky, I couldn’t ignore the world any longer. I pushed myself out of bed and wrapped my robe around me. Liam would have breakfast on the table any minute, and hopefully, Sophie would already be downstairs.
She wasn’t. When I stepped into the dining room, it was empty except for a pot of coffee and a plate of blueberry muffins.
“Liam?” I called, craning my neck to peer inside the kitchen.
“Yes, Mr. Andrew?” Liam asked, hurrying around the corner.
“Has Sophie been down yet?” I asked.
“No.” Liam shook his head. “I haven’t seen her since last night.”
I nodded and sat down, pulling a muffin toward me. My appetite was all but nonexistent. I forced myself to pick at the muffin, knowing I needed something in my stomach to get me through the day.
“I’m sorry breakfast isn’t grand today,” Liam said. “I didn’t sleep well.”
“That makes two of us,” I said with a yawn. “Last night was brutal.”
“I know.” Liam sighed and shook his head. “Mr. Andrew, I should apologize for bringing up Mr. Rick. That was wrong of me. I truly thought Sophie knew the truth by now. I never imagined she didn’t.”
“It isn’t your fault, Liam,” I said kin
dly. “It was bound to come out sooner or later.”
Part of me was still angry with Liam, but I didn’t have the energy to fight with him. Not yet anyway. Besides, no matter what Liam said or did, this wasn’t his fault. Rick Newman was the one who broke in. He was the one who tried to steal from me. If the blame fell on anyone, it was him.
I leaned back in my chair and tried to eat, but my stomach grumbled so much that I finally gave up. Instead, I sipped on a cup of coffee and stared at the far wall of the dining room. A floral picture hung right in the middle. My mother had picked it out on one of her many trips to Italy. I’d seen it for years, but I’d never truly looked at it before.
It was beautiful. Bright and well-painted. Whoever the artist was, they clearly had talent. I let myself stare at the painting, taking in every detail to keep my mind busy until Sophie finally made her appearance. After a few minutes, though, I began to wonder if Sophie was ever going to make her way downstairs.
“Liam,” I said. “Will you please go get Sophie? I think she must have gone straight to her office this morning.”
“Are you sure that’s the best idea?” Liam asked nervously. “She was rather angry last night. Maybe she needs more time.”
“Now, Liam,” I said firmly. “Sophie and I need to talk. The longer we put it off, the worse it will be.”
“Yes, sir.”
Liam nodded and hurried out of the dining room. I listened until his footsteps disappeared. I knew it wouldn’t be long before he and Sophie returned, so I tried to gear myself up for yet another fight. Even if Sophie had managed to calm down, I knew she would still be upset. Whatever was going to happen between us this morning, it wouldn’t be pleasant.
Finally, I heard footsteps approaching from down the hall. I cleared my throat and straightened my posture. As I sat up in my chair, I prepared myself for the worst.
When Liam stepped inside the dining room, I spun around in my seat. I expected to see Sophie walking behind Liam. I pictured her green eyes narrowed in anger and disgust. I imagined her cheeks would be flushed pink. But when I turned around, I saw only Liam.
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