Uncontrollable Temptation - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Adam Wilson

 

"I completely understand George and we are doing everything in our power to fix this." I tried to reassure the man on the phone but he was fuming.

 

"Remember, I gave you till Friday. You have one day left. If I don't have it by then, then you will be hearing from my lawyers." He said before ending the call abruptly.

 

"Oh fuck off!" I shouted in frustration as I threw my phone across the room and it shattered into pieces.

 

That wasn't smart because now I needed to call Craig. 

 

This was all his bloody fault in the first place! I'm going to have a record of conversation with him first thing tomorrow when I get into the office.

 

I was currently in the study of my apartment at 740 Park. Sophia and I spent our first night here. I was patiently waiting for her to arrive before I was disturbed with that phone call.

 

Using the telephone on my desk in front of me, I dialed the engineering department at work and transferred to Craig's office.

 

"Hello Adam."

 

"Don't Hello me! Have you figured something out already?!"

 

"Yes, I can assure you it would be ready tonight. I'm on top of it. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. I will also send a hardcopy over to Sytner's Michigan office tomorrow morning."

 

I sighed with relief.

 

"That's exactly what I want to hear. I am counting on you seriously. I wouldn't check up on you after this because I will be occupied with other important tasks this evening."

 

"Tasks? You mean Sophia?" He jested.

 

"Shut the fuck up!" 

 

"Wow. I can't believe you just called her a task."

 

"I'm hanging up."

 

"Wait!"

 

"What?!" I screamed.

 

"Have fun doing your task tonight." He said mischievously.

 

"You fucking animal." I seethed at his audacity.

 

I heard his faint laughter just before he ended the call.

 

What a prick!

 

I could smash the telephone on my desk as well... but I won't. I need to be alerted when Sophia arrives. 

 

I don't know why but his comment filled me with so much rage!

 

I swear to god I am sick and tired of everyone teasing me about Sophia! No one ever realizes how fucking serious I am about this girl!

 

I leaned back in my chair and took a deep breath, clearing my head from all the anger.

 

The only way to make all this nonsense stop is by coming out with her to the press. That way our relationship will be public knowledge and we won't need to sneak around anymore. No more secrets and everyone who knows about us can finally leave me the fuck alone.

 

But then, putting her in the spotlight may not be the best idea. In a few weeks, everyone would know about her pregnancy and I didn't want to put her in a situation where every magazine would talk about her and people would judge her just because we aren't married... yet.

 

I mean... I know for sure that I am going to marry her. That's a no brainer. 

 

I just needed the approval of her parents. I had to prove to them that my intentions with Sophia are real and I'm not marrying her for the sake of the pregnancy. I actually love this girl.

 

If she'd given me the chance to, I definitely would have proposed to her a long time ago. I would have made her mine right from the start... even before I touched her. I would have done everything right.

 

*Buzz

 

I picked up my telephone again. It was a call from reception.

 

"Yes."

 

"Sir, a lady by the name of Sophia Parker is here to see you."

 

Excellent.

 

"Let her up. No security checks. Also, put her on the approved list."

 

"Ok sir."

 

*

 

The moment Sophia walked through the front door, I wasted no time lifting her up into my arms.

 

"Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise but still wrapped her legs around me. She had a duffel bag which fell on the floor.

 

"Hey! Are you okay?" I asked.

 

"Yes." She smiled and planted a kiss on my lips. "I was trying to reach your phone but it didn't go through."

 

"Oh, I had it switched off." I lied harmlessly. I was not about to explain the mini-rage I had that lead me to smash my phone. I made a mental note to get a replacement tomorrow.

 

"Also, why did the lady downstairs take a picture of me?" She asked quizzically.

 

The look on her face was so cute that my heart did a little flip. At this point, I wasn't in a foul mood anymore

 

"Because I told her to put you on the list of people allowed to enter my apartment at any time."

 

"Oh really? And who else is on that list?" She asked playfully.

 

"Just you."

 

"Really?! I feel so special." She grinned.

 

"Really?! I feel so special." She grinned.

 

"You are special." I said, holding her tight as I kissed her passionately.

 

"Mmm... Adam wait, I have some good news." She said in between the kiss.

 

"You'll move in with me?" I asked straight away.

 

She nodded her head

 

"No way! Are you serious?!" 

 

"Yes Adam, I'm serious. I want to live with you. I can't wait to start a family with you and- Ahhh..."

 

I spun her around excitedly before she could finish. I couldn't contain my excitement. Somehow we both ended up falling on the sofa, laughing hysterically.

 

"I can't believe this is happening." I said in disbelief. 

 

Sophia and I were finally going to move in together! This was the first step of our journey together... one that would last forever.

 

"Wait, Adam there's more."

 

"I'm listening, my love."

 

"I spoke to my parents." She said and my mood changed drastically. "I told them everything and obviously they weren't pleased with the pregnancy. I don't know how but I managed to convince them to give you another chance. They want to meet you again."

 

"Really? I would love to meet them again."

 

"Well, they are willing to come to New York. They haven't been here in a long time so it should be fun for them. Just please don't screw anything up this time." She begged.

 

"I promise Sophia, I will be on my best behavior. I can arrange for my jet to go to Richmond and pick them up whenever they're ready."

 

"No, Adam." She shook her head. "That's too much. I'm sure they'll prefer to fly commercially."

 

She's right. Her parents were very modest. I didn't want it to seem like I was overdoing it. A normal flight would be fine. But they both had to be in first class.

 

"Okay my love, I'll get my secretary to arrange everything for them." I kissed her on the lips.

 

"Wait, is Alice doing my job now?" She asked.

 

"Unfortunatley, yes." I sighed. "I couldn't find anyone to replace you. I tried to but they were either not good enough, or good but annoying."

 

"Annoying?" 

 

"Yes. Especially the men."

 

"Oh my god." She laughed amusedly and buried her face in my chest. "Now I feel so terrible for leaving you."

 

"Nobody gets me like you Sophia. I wasn't kidding that time I asked you to come back. I had just fired an arrogant prick. Eventually, I had to delegate the duties to Alice and give her a 25% raise."

 

"Adam, that's amazing! 25% is a lot! Alice must be really happy but I feel bad for all those other people. I mean... I wasn't there but I'm sure you treated them like crap." She said to me.

 

"No, I didn't."

 

"Yes, you did."

 

"Well you weren't there, so how would you know?"

 

"Because you used to do it to me."

 

"I- Wait, what?" I asked surprisedly.

 

"Adam," She cupped my face in her palms and spoke softly. "When we worked together, sometimes you were very mean to me. Apart from being snappy and rude, you made me feel like a complete idiot anytime I made a mistake. And I admit, I used to cry every time."

 

"My love-"

 

"I went home and I shed tears." She continued. "The fact that I was in love with you made it even worse. I don't know how I managed to hide my emotions from you back then but I did. I had to anyway. You never saw me as a woman until the day I changed my appearance."

 

Her words struck me like a flying brick. I can't believe I made Sophia cry! She was absolutely right, I deliberately used to be harsh on her but it was only because I was trying to suppress the part of me that was starting to care about her. I didn't know it had sent her to tears at night.

 

"Sophia, I'm so sorry I ever made you cry. I was a complete fool for doing that." I apologised to her.

 

"It's okay Adam, I know you never meant to hurt me. I was just being overly-emotional." 

 

"No Sophia, I did it intentionally. I was scared that I cared about you more than I was supposed to so I covered it up with hostility. I didn't know that it affected you that badly, please forgive me." It was my turn to bury my face in her chest. 

 

"It's okay Adam, there's nothing to forgive. At least now I know that you didn't hate me back then."

 

"I have never hated you Sophia, the only thing I have and will ever feel for you is love."

 

"I love you too Adam." She held my face up and kissed me.

 

"I fucking love you, you don't even understand." I said, squeezing her tightly.

 

"Mmm... help me to understand. Take me to bed now, please." She begged and I diligently obeyed. 

 

I took her to bed and she understood.

 

***

 

Sophia Parker

 

"What are three things you can't live without?" I asked as I played with the tiny hairs on his chest. My head was perched on his arm as we both laid naked underneath his sheets, silk as always.

 

"Oh come on that's easy. You, money and my business."

 

"Really?" I laughed at his answers. 

 

"Yes. I can't live without you. I need money. I can't have money without my business." 

 

"Fair enough."

 

We were currently playing twenty questions but we'd asked ourselves more than a hundred questions. It was a good way for me to get to know Adam really well and understand more about the man I've chosen to live with.

 

"What about you?" He asked.

 

"Hm... I'm not sure actually. There's nothing I place so high to the point that I can't live without it."

 

"Are you serious?" He frowned at me which made me laugh again.

 

"Of course you know I can't live without you! Remember that time you abandoned me for a month, I almost went crazy!"

 

"I'm so sorry for that." He said.

 

"It's okay Adam, no need to apologise. I shouldn't have brought it up in the first place because its all in the past now."

 

"I love you." He linked our fingers together and kissed the back of my hand.

 

"I have another question." I said.

 

"Ask away."

 

"I've always wanted to ask about your family. You never talk about them. Why is that?" 

 

I never had a chance to ask him about this in the past but the question has always burned a hole in my head.

 

It was a bit dark so I couldn't see his facial expression but he went silent for a while.

 

"I'm sorry. You don't have to give me answer if you don't want to." I apologized.

 

"It's okay Sophia. I can talk about them." He caressed my arm lightly.

 

I kissed him and waited patiently for him to tell me.

 

"When I was 12, my father set up Wilson & Co. It was nothing back then. Merely just a startup. He had massive potential and his idea was liked by many. He managed to secure a few investors who pumped money into the business. Eventually he went on the stock market and everything blew up."

 

"Before this he worked a regular job as an engineer for a company. We were a typical normal family back then. Him, my mother, my sister, an me. We would do normal things that families do like go on vacation together, have Christmas dinner, visit the beach... he even taught Chloe and I how to ride our bicycles."

 

I assume Chloe is his sister.

 

"Once his business became successful, he drifted apart from us. Including my mother. We barely got to see him anymore. He began traveling extensively and spent most of his time away from home. At this point, I was about 16. As a teenager, at the time I didn't seem to care about the lack of his presence. I was occupied with other stupid things. However, it affected my mother and my sister."

 

"All of a sudden, he became cold. He would get into arguments with my mother about the amount of time he spent at work. Slowly they drifted apart and she started having an affair with one of his close friends. The moment he found out, he kicked her out."

 

"She moved in with him, so did Chloe. He was a rich guy with Spanish heritage. Very good looking as well. He took care of them, more than my father did." 

 

"What about you?" I asked.

 

"My father sent me to college to study engineering. He made me his protégé because he wanted me to take over his business. I honestly didn't mind. I saw how successful he was and I wanted that as well. My interest in his business drew me closer to him. We went on trips together and I shadowed him extensively. In the meantime, he and my mother got a divorce."

 

"Adam, I'm so sorry to hear that."

 

"It's okay Sophia. I was fine. I didn't let it affect me. Chloe took my mother's side but I sort of fell right in the middle. Sometimes I had to play the middle man but eventually, I stopped caring and went with my father."

 

"But why?" I asked.

 

"I know he stopped being there for us but at the end of the day, my mother had an affair. He shouldn't have kicked her out. They were both wrong. When it was time for me to decide who I wanted to live with, I chose my dad partly because I didn't want him to be alone. And that decision brought us closer together than ever."

 

"That's very selfless of you." It warmed my heart to hear how much he cared about his dad and didn't do the same thing he did to them.

 

"Wait until you hear this." He laughed. "The other part of my decision was for commercial reasons obviously. I knew my father was going to leave his legacy to me but life with the Spanish guy had nothing to offer."

 

"Wow. I take what I said back."

 

"I'm just being honest. Regardless of everything, I looked up to my father a lot. But everything changed when he passed away during my final year of college."

 

I sort of knew about this already. I read about the history of the company when I had my job interview.

 

"As predicted, he left everything to me. The company, his houses, his money... everything. The only thing he gave to my mother was a million dollars. He also made me a trustee of a 2 million dollar trust for Chloe upon reaching the age of 25 but she's only 18. She attempted to terminate the trust but I refused."

 

"Why?"

 

"If Chloe gets her hands on that money, she will dissipate it in a week. Instead, I invested it in one of these fashion company she adores. When she's 25, she'll have way much more than 2 million dollars."

 

"That's nice of you."

 

"No, that's my duty as a trustee. If it were up to me, I would strip her off it completely!"

 

"Oh my god, Adam! Do you not like your sister or something?" I tried not to laugh but I couldn't help it. He sounded really angry.

 

"She's a bit annoying."

 

"But Adam, She's your sister!"

 

"I know, I know, but she's a brat."

 

"I'm sure deep down you love her. Let me guess, you used to be the overprotective older brother."

 

He went silent which confirms that it was true. 

 

I laughed hysterically. The role actually fit him perfectly. Imagine if Chloe had a boyfriend right now and he found out. 

 

"Anyway, my father left the company to me. I didn't know the first thing about running a business so I went to LSE in London to get a Masters in business management. I came back after a year and started running the company and I've been doing so ever since. I'm sure you can attest that I've been doing a good job." 

 

"Yes, you have." I kissed him. "But what about Chloe and your mum? Where are they now?"

 

"They moved to Spain a few years ago."

 

"When was the last time you saw them?"

 

"I honestly can't remember, it's been years."

 

"Adam, I understand that you're following your father's footsteps but you can't abandon them. I think you need to reach out to them."

 

"I think the fuck not. They didn't even show up at his funeral."

 

"Oh wow."

 

"Exactly."

 

"I don't want to overstep my boundaries here but I honestly feel like you should give them a chance. I won't bring it up again but I'm glad you told me." I said and then I kissed him.

 

"Is there anything else you want to ask?" He slightly dismissed the topic. 

 

"No, not for now."

 

"Alright then. I think we should call it a day. I'm exhausted."

 

"Okay Adam.. Goodnight"

 

"Love you, goodnight." 

 

We kissed one last time before we both drifted off into sleep.

Chapter 50

Adam Wilson

 

"I'm very nervous! I need you to help me."

 

"There's only so much I can do Adam. I can't be there with you."

 

"At least you could prep me so I don't say the wrong things."

 

"I'm not sure I can do that... I don't know the personality of her parents so I can't adequately prepare you for an encounter with them."

 

"Then you're bloody useless!!!" I stood up and screamed at the shrink. "After today, your services will no longer be needed!"

 

I felt like I was wasting my money! I pay every hour for this man to advice me but all he does is tell me complete and utter nonsense. He's so incompetent! I'm going to get Mason to replace him.

 

"Adam? Before you lash out, take a deep breath. There are other ways to deal with this."

 

"No! There's no other way. I'm going to fuck this up and you're not willing to help."

 

"I am trying to help you but you're panicking."

 

He was right, I was panicking. I really didn't mean what I had just said to the shrink. Later this week, I'll be meeting with Sophia's parents and I was worried as hell.

 

"I'm going to fuck this up. I can just tell. It's too good to be true. Sophia and I can never be happy together." I paced around the room.

 

"Listen to me Adam, it's normal to have situational panic attacks, but you need to stay positive. You are in a very good place with Sophia right now, don't ruin it by overthinking."

 

"I know we're in a good position, but soon enough I'm going to mess things up. I can feel it." I ran my hands through my hair frustratedly.

 

"No, you're not. Here's a piece of advice from me. Always listen attentively to her parents. Respectfully reassure them that you are in love with Sophia. Tell them that you would like for them to be part of your journey with her. Show them that you deeply care about her and the baby, and everything will be okay."

 

That didn't sound so hard to do. But I didn't know if I could pull it off to her parents.

 

"I shouldn't have a problem doing all of those things but still, it wouldn't make a difference. It's my bad behaviour that always puts me in trouble. The last time I saw them, I had made a huge mistake. What I did was completely out of order and disrespectful. When I see them, the first thing her dad's going to do is attack me for the pregnancy. To them, I will always look like the bad guy. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a setup. There's no way they're pleased with me or want to give me a second chance..."

 

"If that's how they feel then I guess you need to change their mind about your intentions towards her. It sounds to me that they are reserved about whether you actually love her. It might take a while to make this change. Maybe a couple of weeks..." 

 

"I can't wait a couple of weeks! Sophia is having my baby and I need their blessing to marry her!" I snapped.

 

His eyes shot wide at my comment.

 

"I don't know Adam. All her parents want is a little more reassurance. I would strongly advise against rushing into marriage with Sophia. If anything, it will look less authentic to them."

 

"But how can I reassure them if I don't marry her?"

 

"If you propose to her now, then her parents will not think it's genuine. Trust me. Especially now that she's recently pregnant. Please don't jump the gun Adam, and take my advice. When the relationship gets better, marriage will happen in due course." He advised.

 

He was right. I sat back down on the couch, feeling slightly more relaxed. But no matter what he said, I was always going to be tense.

 

Deep down, I was seriously considering the marriage thing. I thought it might just be a temporary solution to her parent's wrath, but I guess not. 

 

Regardless, I genuinely would like to marry Sophia.

 

"I can see you thinking, Adam. I'll tell you again. If you propose to Sophia, there's a huge possibility that her parents are only going to think that you are only doing it because of the pregnancy. This might even upset them more. I strongly advise against doing this." The shrink warned with a dark tone.

 

I shrugged backed into the coach and folded my arms like a little kid being told that they couldn't have what they wanted.

 

But still, he had a fair point.

 

"Unfortunately we've run out of time now and I need to see another patient. But what I would say is go home and thoroughly think about things before you make any rash decisions. Also, learn from what happened in the past."

 

"Yeah yeah, whatever. This is my last session anyway. After this, I wouldn't need you any more." Every time I said that, I always ended up coming back.

 

"I will see you same time next week. However, if you need to schedule an emergency appointment about what I know you've already set your mind to do... then don't hesitate to give me a call and we can talk about it over the phone." He knew I was still thinking about the proposal.

 

I looked at him sceptically but I eventually shook his hand in agreement. I decided that there was a slight possibility that the marriage proposal may backfire, so I wouldn't do it.

 

Instead, I'll find other ways to prove myself to her parents.

 

****

 

Sophia Parker

 

"So what's going to happen to this place?" Lily asked.

 

"I don't know yet, but I'll really miss it. I'll also miss having you as my neighbour." I said to her.

 

This was my first apartment. My first home away from home. 

 

I am seriously going to miss it. 

 

I was currently packing up some bits and bobs to take to Adam's house. I had two suitcases which Lily and I had filled up with some clothes from my wardrobe and other essential items. You could say I was slowly moving out.

 

"I'll miss you too Sophia. Well... once you move out, can I have you apartment?"

 

"Oh? Really? But... what's wrong with yours?" I lowkey envied hers so much so I didn't understand why she wanted my rusty old girly apartment. Hers was new and luxurious, recently renovated before she moved in a couple of months ago.

 

"It's on the 3rd floor and it's way too stressful getting up there everyday. I prefer yours on the ground floor."

 

"But yours is so much prettier than mine!"

 

"I know, but not having to climb 6 flights of stairs every evening is kinda worth it." She grinned.

 

I shook my head at her.

 

"Okay... if I decide to let go of it, you'll be the first one to have it." I laughed.

 

"Yes!" She first pumped.

 

"Can you help me close that box please? I'll try to do this one." I said.

 

"Oh no, Sophia. Leave them both to me. Your pregnant remember? You shouldn't bend too much."

 

"Ugh Lily, I'm fine! I'm not even showing yet. But thanks anyway." I let out a huge breath. We were practically done packing now.

 

I put my hand on my 6-weeks belly bump and gave it a rub. It was so tiny, you couldn't even see it through my shirt. My pregnancy symptoms were much better now and I was able to get through tasks like every other normal person. I don't know what Lily was so worried about.

 

*buzz

 

"Oh, Phoebe's here!" I sang.

 

"Ugh!" Lily groaned.

 

"Be nice, please." I gave her a warning look.

 

"Not after she called me a manipulative bitch." She sneered.

 

Apparently, Phoebe and Lily are currently on very rocky terms. Phoebe thinks that Lily was a bad friend to me because she allowed me to make terrible decisions in relation to Adam. Obviously those were mistakes of my own and Lily had advised me against them. But Phoebe thinks she could could have done more.

 

Putting that all aside, a huge part of me was grateful to have two friends that genuinely cared about me.

 

I ignored Lily and quickly went to the front door to open the door.

 

I was met with a happy-looking Phoebe and... and...

 

Sean!

 

"Hey Sophia!" she beamed and hugged me.

 

"Hey..." I said and hugged her back but I was a bit shocked. I wasn't expecting Sean as well!

 

"I know this is unexpected but I decided to bring Sean along." She pointed at him enthusiastically.

 

"Hi Sean." I waved once, trying my best not to be awkward.

 

"Hi Sophia." He responded.

 

There was a slight pause and I could see Phoebe watching the both of us intently. I wasn't entirely sure why but I refused to prolong the awkwardness. 

 

"Um, come on in guys! Make yourselves comfortable." I moved aside and gestured them in.

 

Lily came out from the bedroom and as soon as she saw Sean, her eyes shot wide open. She looked at me quizzically and we had a brief telepathic conversation.

 

We both acknowledged how weird it was that Phoebe brought Sean to our girls' get together.

 

"Hello." Lily said to both of them.

 

"Lily, good to see you again." Sean said. 

 

"Likewise." The last time Lily saw Sean was when he had come to my apartment to pick me up for our first date. She had helped style my hair and make me look beautiful. I suppose that could be another reason why Phoebe was pissed of at Lily... She also hadn't done enough to convince me otherwise from dating Sean.

 

"I'm just going to get something from the bedroom, I'll be back out in a sec." I smiled at both of them before walking into my bedroom.

 

"Oh, I'll come with." Lily said.

 

We both went into my bedroom and closes the door behind us.

 

"What is going on right now?" I whispered to her.

 

"I know right! I just don't understand why Phoebe will bring Sean over to your apartment. Is she trying to prove something? Or do they do everything together now?" She whispered too.

 

"I don't know. This was supposed to be a girls get together. Now, I'm not so sure what it is anymore."

 

"Tell me about it! Not when you have your ex right there whose currently dating one of your closest friends!"

 

The door opened and Phoebe emerged from the other side.

 

"You guys weren't thinking of leaving me out, were you?" She said, closing the door behind her.

 

"Shouldn't you be with Sean right now?" Lily sneered.

 

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Phoebe retaliated.

 

"Alright!" I interveined. "I know both of you are not the best of friends right now, which is why I called for this get together in the first place. Can we please not have arguments and try to get along?"

 

"I'm happy to be cordial with her." Phoebe said. "But the main reason I'm here is for you Sophia." She smiled in a fake way... it was almost disturbing.

 

"Are you sure you're not just here to rub your new relationship with Sean in her face." Lily said.

 

"Lily!" I screamed. 

 

"What? Its the truth. Why else would she bring him here? Especially unannounced."

 

"Is everything okay?" Sean knocked from the other side of the door.

 

I hope to god that he hadn't heard what Lily said.

 

"Yes, yes, everything's fine." I opened the door and smiled at him. "Um, why don't we all go sit on the couch. I've got what I need."

 

I tried to pretend but I could bet that Sean felt the tension.

 

I sighed mentally becasue I knew that this was going to be the most awkward social gathering ever.

 

We all moved back to my massive living room couch shaped like an L, and I could already sense the wierdeness. Everything just felt so unnatural. Lily and I sat on one side while Phoebe and Sean sat on the other.

 

"Can I just throw something out there. Sophia is pregnant, and what she doesn't need is negative energy around her or the baby." Lily said, throwing shade at Phoebe.

 

"I couldn't agree more." Phoebe snapped back.

 

Sean just looked confused.

 

"Great, I guess that's settled then! So how are things at work Phoebe? I heard the office's new solar panels gave it a carbon-neutral status." I desperately tried to change the subject. At this point I could feel a full blown argument looming between them.

 

"Indeed, it has. Sean helped massively with the project, isn't that right baby?" She looked at him and cupped his face with her hand, slightly stroking his beard.

 

I watched unbelievably while Lily just shook her head.

 

Maybe she was right after all... It sure looked like Phoebe was trying to make me jealous. But why? Sean and I were done ages ago!

 

"Uh, yes that's right." Sean looked a bit confused by her overt display of affection. "But Sophia prepared the budget for it, which kicked of the project in the first place. Do you rememeber, Sophia?" He smiled at me.

 

"Yeah, I remember."

 

"Was this when you two were working together?" Phoebe asked him... more like interrogated him.

 

"Yes, it was."

 

"You didn't tell me about this." Her tone held a bit of disapproval.

 

"Ok, well now you know." He shrugged his shoulders like it wasn't a big deal. And he was right, it really wasn't.

 

"Really Sean? What else have you not told me about?!" She raised her voice at him. I cringed on the inside a bit.

 

"Oh get a grip of yourself!" Lily said. She couldn't stand Phoebe's attitude.

 

"Excuse me!" Phoebe exclaimed.

 

I sighed and stood up. 

 

"I'm really sorry but I can't do this. This was a huge mistake." I said to everyone before I walked out. 

 

All the tension and arguments were making me feel light-headed. And frankly, I wasn't here for it. 

 

"Sophia!" Sean called after me. He stood up, leaving Phoebe in order to follow me all the way into the kitchen.

 

"Sean, please go back to your girlfriend, this doesn't look good." I said to him.

 

"Sophia wait, I think I understand what's going on." He said, closing the kitchen door behind him. We could talk privately but not for long, I could hear Lily and Phoebe arguing in the next room

 

"Then why don't you talk some sense into your girlfriend! Better still, why did you agree to come here in the first place?"

 

"I didn't know she was going to act like this! Look, Phoebe and I had on argument over you once."

 

"What? Really?"

 

That was ridiculous. Why on earth would they fight over me?

 

"Yes, and I think she's testing me. I believe that's what she brought me here today.."

 

"Well, you've clearly failed the test by being here with me, and not by her side." I said.

 

"I don't care whatever game she's playing, she's clearly in the wrong. I'm here becasue I'm worried about you. Sophia, you shouldn't be in a situation as stressful as this right now. Phoebe and I will leave. I'll speak to her and get her to realise her mistake."

 

"I'm really sorry about all of this." I held my head with my hands and apologised. I was a bit overwhelmed.

 

"It's not your fault, Sophia. Don't apologise." He made his way towards me.

 

"You're right." I said.

 

"Come here." He said before he hugged me.

 

I hugged him too. Sean was such a good person and I really missed our friendship. Too bad we can't be friends anymore. Phoebe will certainly not allow it... and neither will Adam!

 

The kitchen door opened and it was none other than Phoebe.

 

"I knew it!" She said. 

 

"Phoebe, please stop." I said. 

 

"No! The only person who needs to be stopped is YOU! Everything always seems to be about you! I don't get it! What's so special in you anyway? What do guys see in you? All I see is an indecisive little bitch who wants all the attention to herself!!!"

 

We think you'll love these stories, too.

"That's it. We're leaving." Sean said. 

 

He walked over to her and grabbed her by the arm.

 

What's gotten into her???

 

"Don't you dare touch me!" She screamed. "I always knew you were still into her and this just proves it!"

 

"Phoebe... you're embarrassing yourself. Stop talking. We need to go, NOW!" He warned.

 

"No!"

 

Sean managed to get her out of my apartment, but not after she screamed and kicked and shouted the words "I hate you!" to me.

 

Lily and I were left in a complete state of shock. We never thought Phoebe could ever act like that. She said so many hurtful things to me, it was like she'd secretly hated me all this while.

 

"Well, that sure wasn't attractive." Lily said when they'd left. 

 

I couldn't help the tears that fell from my face and she noticed.

 

"Hey, hey, don't cry. None of this is your fault." Lily held me and wiped my face.

 

"I can't believe I just lost one of my best friends." I sniffed.

 

"It's okay Sophia. She was never a friend. You know what they say, Jealousy is a disease. And unfortunately, Phoebe caught it bad. Hopefully she gets better soon." 

 

"But she's right. Everything she said was true. I took everything for granted. What I did to both Sean and Adam was completely wrong. I've been such a bitch to both of them, especially Adam. How is he still able to love someone like me?" I cried.

 

"Sophia... Do not let Phoebe's words get into your head. She's crazy! You are an amazing person! You're not a bitch, you were only looking out for yourself." 

 

"I don't know about that, Lily. I don't deserve anything that I have." I cried some more.

 

"Oh for heaven's sake! Sophia, by saying that you're letting her win! She's getting to you! And you can't let that happen! Come, let's go get some rest okay? Adam will be coming later to pick you up and you need to be ready."

 

She tried to reassure me but I didn't believe her. I still felt like shit for what I did. I played with Adam countlessly. One day I liked him, the next day I pretended that I hated him. Over and over again. Everything was like a mad rollercoaster for him, I'm surprised how he didn't get sick. And Sean, I practically just used to keep me company when Adam left. My feelings for him were nowhere as strong as I had convinced myself that they were. I'm glad he caught on early and broke it off with me.

 

I was wrong to mess with both their emotions. That was a massive bitch-move, and I see Phoebe's point. I am a horrible person and I don't deserve Adam!

 

What I have with him right now is too good to be true. I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to dump me last minute or if he moved on to someone else. That's probably what I deserve.

 

I hope he doesn't lose interest in me someday.... I mean, that would be perfectly understandable but right now, I'm just going to go along with it and hope for the best.

 

I still love him and I would do anything to fight for him... 

 

For us!

 

I cradled my belly and gave it a warm reassuring rub.

Chapter 51

Adam Wilson

 

As I walked into Sophia's apartment building, I saw Alfred sitting behind his desk as usual. He and I have become aquatinted due to my frequent visits here. 

 

I remember the  first time I met him. I was in pursuit of Sophia, and he informed me that she had left for an early morning flight to Virginia... the first time.

 

I gave him my card to contact me if he heard from her. He eventually did but he was obviously too late. I had hunted her down myself.

 

I exchanged pleasantries with him before making my way to Sophia's.

 

"Hey m'love." I said to her as soon as she opened the door.

 

"Hi." She replied, with very little emotion.

 

Her mood seemed a bit flat. Wondering why, I took her in my arms and gave her a long sensual kiss, hoping I could cheer her up.

 

"How was your day?" I asked. Mine just got better. I was going to take Sophia home with me today. She was slowly moving her things into my house.

 

"Crazy." She sighed.

 

"Oh really? Do you want to tell me about it?" I asked, tracing my fingers across her beautiful pale cheek. Only then did I notice a glint of emotion. She looked rather... sad. 

 

What happened to her?

 

"Not really, its not important anyway..." She turned away from me. Reluctantly, I let her go.

 

I closed the door behind me and stepped fully into the apartment. 

 

What could have happened to her? Perhaps, it could just be the pregnancy symptoms playing out? 

 

"Are you ready?"

 

"Yes. I am." She pointed towards the corner of her living room. "I've only got two suitcases."

 

"Are you sure that's everything you need?" It didn't look like a lot to me. 

 

"That's all... for now at least."

 

"Okay. We'll get the rest of your stuff with a moving van." I kissed her on the forehead before I went over to test the heaviness of the suitcases. I picked them up swiftly and realized they weren't heavy at all. 

 

"Um, Adam... are you... are you sure about all this?" She asked nervously out of nowhere, playing with the hem of the cardigan she wore. 

 

Like I suspected, something was definitely wrong. 

 

That was a famous habit of hers when she was nervous. I knew it all too well.

 

"About what?" I asked.

 

"About... me moving in. With you."

 

Huh? What kind of question is that?

 

"Of course I am. I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't."

 

"Okay... Its just, after... y'know, everything that has happened between us..." she stuttered.

 

I furrowed my eyebrows disapprovingly.

 

"Where are you going with this, Sophia?" 

 

I knew exactly where she was going! By now, I thought we were past all this!

 

"I don't know... I just want to make sure that you're making the right decision." She said.

 

"You think I'm not capable of doing that myself?" I found myself getting annoyed.

 

"No, of course you are..." She said apologeticaly. "But when someone is in love... sometimes they might make the wrong decisions... or they think they want something but... they really don't." She looked away.

 

Was she insinuating that I may have made the wrong decision??? Why does this woman always self-sabotage every god-damn situation.

 

"Sophia, where are all these insecurites coming from?" I frowned at her.

 

"Adam-"

 

"Did somebody say something to you? Was it your parents?" 

 

They were the only ones I could think of that were currently standing in the way of our happiness.

 

"No, no, it wasn't my parents."

 

"Then who?!" I demanded.

 

"Nobody." She flinched. "I'm sorry."

 

I could see that she was scared becasue of my slight outburst. I took a deep breath and relaxed my nerves. 

 

"Come." I sat on her couch and gestured for her to join me.

 

Slowly, she walked over and sat nervously on my lap.

 

"Listen to me, Sophia. I love you." I kissed her gently. "I have so much confidence in us which is why I want you to move in. I've never been so sure of anything than ever. I want you in my life and I want to raise this child with you." I looked deep into her eyes and stated matter-of-factly.

 

I placed my hand on her stomach.

 

"All I want is to love and care for the both of you." I referred to the baby as well. "We've all come a long way and I am so happy that we've gotten this far. Don't let any doubts make you feel otherwise. This is real."

 

She nodded her head.

 

"I will always love you. Never forget." I took her into my arms and hugged her for a long time.

 

"I will always love you too Adam." She said. 

 

"Still want to move in with me?" I asked.

 

"Yes." She confirmed.

 

In a heartbeat, she straddled me and kissed me intently. I got lost in it, savoring the taste of her beautiful lips.

 

I slowly kissed down to her neck and she tilted her head back. She arched her body for me, sending me signals that she wanted it.

 

Right here, right now.

 

...which brought an idea to my head  

 

"Sophia, we've never made love in your apartment before." I whispered to her before my mouth wrapped around the lobe of her ear. "It would be a shame if we don't maximize the full potential of this space before you finally move out."

 

She moaned against me, not saying or denying it. I could tell she liked the idea because her body was now trembling against mine. She shimmied my suit jacket off and roughly began to undo the buttons of my shirt. Her body craved the exact thing mine did.

 

I helped her to undress me out of my shirt and she attacked me with her lips, moving from my neck to my chest.

 

"Adam," She breathed. "I want you."

 

At this point, her hands were loosely roaming up and down my arms. Her head dipped down to my stomach, feathering kisses against my heated skin.

 

I pulled on her arms and yanked her body into mine. "You're playing with fire sweetheart." I warned.

 

She fluttered her eyes open and stared intently into mine as she said, "Well... I hope I get burned."

 

Oh no, she didn't!

 

Her tongue teased out and tortured me once again.

 

This version of Sophia awakened something deep inside me. My body felt as if it was on fire as I craved every part of her. I needed to be inside her—teasing and torturing her. I wanted my mouth on her skin, kissing every bruised and broken memory. I wanted her more than I ever thought I needed anyone.

 

"You're going to regret this, Sophia." I said before wrapping her sexy, little legs around me and standing up.

 

"Adam," she finally whimpers. "Oh...yes..." She moaned in excitement as I walked us down to her bedroom. Her lips never left my skin—moving from my ear, neck, and mouth.

 

Once inside, I set us down on the bed and her body arched against mine. I discarded her cardigan along with the rest of her clothing and in no time, my free hand began rubbing her clit as my tongue sucked on her breast hard. The double sensation was overwhelming for her, and she couldn't control her breathing or the excessive moans she released from her throat.

 

"Oh my," She breathe out. "Gosh!"

 

I was relentless in pleasuring her clit and nipple at the same time. She was trying to hold in the screams that desperately needed to come out.

 

"Cum for me, Sophia." I demanded. "I want to hear you and feel you at the same time."  I said seductively as I mouthed her other breast and worked it in the same fashion as the first—aggressive and eager.

 

"Oh, my gosh...oh gosh...yes..." She moaned over and over. "Just like that...yes."

 

Her body unhinged, arching more and shaking harder. My fingers worked inside her as she peeked into an intense orgasm. Her hands flocked to my head, grabbing on to my hair.

 

Her body lay flat on the bed again as I pulled my finger out and released her breast. I was hovering directly on top of her, and I could feel her heavy breathing on my face.

 

Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and looked up at me. A huge blush creeped up her cheeks which made her look 10 times more beautiful. Her face was intense, and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was thinking—passion and lust.

 

Slowly, I brought my mouth down on hers and genuinely kissed her. It was slow and controlled as if I was asking for permission, easing her into what was about to occur.

 

Her hand cupped my cheek, her thumb rubbing softly against my chin. It was a sweet and caring gesture.

 

All of a sudden, Sophia pushed hard against my chest, forcing me on my back. She straddled my waist and grabbed my wrists in her tiny little hands. I had to reduce my strength in order for her to do that.

 

"Adam, I want you to make love to me now." I could hear the desperation and see the heated expression on her face. "I want you to take me as I am." She pleaded.

 

She released the grip on my wrists, and my hands immediately grabbed her hips. I forced her hips to grind against my cock that was already rock hard against my pants.

 

It didn't take long before she got frustrated and began to unfasten my belt.

 

"Have patience, m'love." I laughed at her forwardness.

 

It was my turn to grip her wrist. I rolled her to the side and stood up next to the bed. Sophia laid back casually staring at me as I removed the rest of my clothing. She held a mesmerized look in her eyes as she watched me slowly peel off each clothing item away from my body. 

 

"Adam!" She groaned impatiently. I could see the way she trembled. "Hurry up!"

 

I shrugged unapologetically and continued taking my sweet time but once I was done, she crawled over to me and she attacked me.

 

She pulled me back on top of her and leaned back allowing my body press against hers. She could feel my hard cock pressed against her thigh and she spread her legs till I was up against her pelvis, begging for me to enter.

 

"This is a battle you're going to lose." I warned.

 

She nodded in understanding and she gripped me a little tighter. She didn't mind losing at all. 

 

I felt her hot breath vibrate against my skin. I could hardly concentrate on my own breathing as I took in every soft gasp that escaped her. 

 

I brought her face to mine and gently kissed the corners of her mouth. It was sweet and soft, but it didn't last long. 

 

All of a sudden, I whipped her body around so she was facing away from me. 

 

"Bend over and spread your legs," I growled in her ear.

 

She wanted it. I was going to give it to her.

 

"Oh yes!" Her body shook excitedly as she did as I said, clenching her hands to the mattress. I held her hips as I slowly and gently worked my way inside her. She gasped at the contact, clenching the sheets in her fists. It took a moment for her body to stretch open for me as I filled her again, inch by inch.

 

Once I was fully inside, I controlled the rhythm—rocking my hips against her. She moaned and whimpered as I went from fast to slow and slow to fast. I filled her completely, stretching her walls with every demanding thrust.

 

"Sophia..." I found myself moaning, as I crept close to my release. I had to control myself. She could feel it because I tensed up during the movements. She opened her legs wider to give me better access... and oh, it felt so damn good. 

 

As she begged me not to stop, I slammed the head of my cock against her g-spot, making her go over the edge.

 

She clenched tighter around me as I felt her climax approaching. I slammed into her harder and I felt her body react.

 

I leaned over, wrapping an arm around her. My other hand went to her clit and I began to rub relentlessly with each thrust. "I want to hear you scream my name, Sophia." I demanded.

 

She couldn't focus on much while my body was pressed against her, and my fingers worked her clit.

 

"Oh, god...Adam...yes..." She screamed. I didn't slow down, I continued harder as another climax exploded inside her. "Shit, I'm...oh, god...ADAM!" She could barely make a coherent thought, nevertheless a coherent sentence.

 

"That's my girl..." I whispered in her ear as I waited for her breathing to calm down. "That was the first time I heard you curse." 

 

She blushed again. "Sorry." She laughed.

 

I could stay like that, listening to her laugh beautifully. But there was no time to waste!

 

I backed off and pulled out without my own release yet. I twirled her back around to face me and slowly dropped her on the bed. I went down on my knees and spread her legs. I brought my mouth to her glistening pussy, licking and sucking up her juices. My tongue plunged hard inside, hitting her sensitive spot. She could hardly take it as she'd barely come down from her first two organs.

 

She grabbed a fistful of my hair to try and stop me, but it only made me work harder. I grabbed both her wrists and pinned them to the mattress, all that while my tongue continued with its tortuous play.

 

"Adam...stop," She begged. "I can't take it." I shook my head. I'd made it clear to her earlier that she was fighting a losing battle. 

 

"Ah, god! Oh, Adam. Yes...oh, my GOD!" She screamed as she came with no embarrassment or shyness. I licked and sucked up her climax once again. Her body was shaking from what I'm sure was the hardest orgasm she'd ever had.

 

"My name sounds so good on your lips," I mused as I finally towered over her.

 

She swallowed and looked up at me. "That was...intense." She said. 

 

I grinned as I grabbed both of her legs and placed them on my shoulder. 

 

"Don't surrender on me now, Sophia. I told you, you had no idea what you were getting yourself into." I said as I positioned myself over her with both of her feet in the air.

 

She chuckled as I slowly plunged back inside her. "I used to be a cheerleader, remember? There isn't a position I can't handle." My eyes widened when she said that. "I promise I won't break."

 

That was all I needed to hear. I rapidly sped up the pace as I bent her body in half, taking everything she was willing to give.

 

We moaned and panted together, barely able to contain the sounds that came from us. I thrust hard inside her until I finally found my release.

 

"Oh, god...Sophia...fucking amazing!"

 

I held us in place for several seconds until I released every last drop inside her. I slowly put her legs down on each side of me, leaning over and capturing her mouth. I kissed her into an oblivious bliss.

 

"Wow, you don't know how many times I've imagined us together like this in my apartment." She said, massaging my head and running her hands through my now messy hair.

 

"Me too."

 

"Really? How was it?"

 

"Better than I ever fucking imagined," I said into her neck where I planted soft kisses. "So much fucking better..."

 

***

 

Sophia Parker

 

"It's lunch time and I'm meeting up with someone today... Guess who." I spoke to Lily over the phone as I walked out of my building. 

 

Yes I'm still working... but it's very flexible. I'm so lucky Burberry accepted my request to work part time, so I only go to work 3 days in a week now. Plus, I am on track to get enhanced maternity pay once I go on maternity leave. For someone whose only been at this job for just over a month. I'd say, the employee packages were quite generous.

 

"Ugh, let me guess. Phoebe?"

 

"Yup. And Sean." I beamed. Although, I wasn't as excited as I sounded. I was actually quite apprehensive. Which is why I made sure Sean was there too. I didn't want to be alone with her in case she squared up on me like she'd done yesterday. 

 

"Are you crazy Sophia? She almost attacked you the last time you saw her. Why put yourself in danger again?" Lily yelled.

 

"Relax, Sean spoke to her. Apparently she just wants to apologize."

 

"She can do that over the phone. You don't need to be around her anymore. She's dangerous."

 

"She was once my close friend Lily!" I defended Phoebe.

 

I don't know why but something in me felt like I shouldn't throw away our friendship all because of a simple misunderstanding.

 

Actually no, scratch that. Complicated misunderstanding!

 

"Does a true friend make you feel insecure about your relationship? I don't think so."

 

Lily was referring to yesterday when I'd asked Mr Wilson if he was sure about me moving in. I told her about how angry it made him... but I skipped what happened afterwards and told her I was officially living with him now.

 

"That wasn't her fault. You must admit, there was some element of truth to what she said. I was the one who let it get to me..."

 

"Exactly, that was her intention. To get to you."

 

"Okay, Lily. No matter what you say, I am scheduled to meet with her for some coffee and guess what, I'm here already!"

 

"Do whatever you want, I've warned you." She said before she ended the call.

 

Was I really stupid for doing this? I can't just cut people off that we're so close to me just like that. I mean, we all used to go shopping together. Whatever happened to those perfect moments?

 

I walked inside the coffee shop and spotted them at a corner.

 

"Sophia." Sean signaled to me. Phoebe was next to him. She didn't say anything when she saw me. 

 

"Hi Sean." I walked up to them.

 

He stood up and gave me a hug. We both sat down, and I took a seat opposite both of them.

 

"Hi Sophia." Phoebe said flatly.

 

"Hi." 

 

"Can I just start by saying I am terribly sorry about what happened yesterday in your apartment. I didn't mean anything I said. In fact, none of it is true! I just completely lost myself in something that I can't describe... perhaps jealous, hatred and envy combined."

 

"Jeltredvy?" I joked.

 

Surprisingly she laughed.

 

"How are you able to forgive so easily." She said.

 

"What makes you think I've forgiven you?"

 

"I mean, you're here... you actually came. And you're not throwing daggers at me with your eyes..."

 

I took her hand and held it in mine.

 

"Phoebe. I'll be honest with you. You said some hurtful things to me. But the thing is, they were true. I have been childish in the past and maybe a bit selfish as well. And you made me realize it. What you said, it kind of set me back a little bit... mentally. But because of that, I am in a much more stronger position with Mr Wilson right now. I am ready to look past it and accept your apology. But only on one condition."

 

"Really? I am so glad to hear that Sophia. But what's the condition? ... You know what, it doesn't matter. I'll do anything you want right now because I feel like I owe you one." She said relieved. 

 

"Okay, well... the condition is that you and Lily need to stop beefing and start being friends again."

 

She froze.

 

All this while, Sean was just enjoying his coffee, pretending to read a newspaper and mind his business. But that bit got his attention. 

 

"Sophia... I'm going to need some time." She said.

 

"Ok, well in that case I'm going to need some time too." I said simply. 

 

"So you're choosing her over me."

 

I knew she was going to say that!

 

Which is why I had come up with a perfectly good response.

 

"It's not like that Phoebe. I knew sooner or later I would be in this position but I'm not choosing anyone. I'm just trying to make everyone friends again." I smiled. 

 

I could see a smile tug at the corner of Sean's lips as well.

 

After what felt like an hour but was only about 1 minute, Phoebe spoke up.

 

"Okay. I'll speak to Lily and apologize." She said dramatically, acting like she'd just fallen on her sword.

 

"For real?" I asked. I couldn't tell if she was serious or sarcastic.

 

"For real Sophia. I'll apologize." She said much more seriously this time.

 

"Yes! I'm so happy, finally the three of us will be back together as friends!" I grinned.

 

"Yes, I could really use a friend right now. Especially after..." She was about to say something but she trailed off.

 

"After what?" I pressed.

 

I saw her glance at Sean who was now giving that newspaper his undivided attention.

 

Phoebe took a deep breath.

 

"Sean and I are... taking a break."

 

"What?!" I shrieked. 

 

"It's okay Sophia. We've decided to remain friends for now and see how things progress. I think we kind of rushed into the relationship."

 

I hope this had nothing to do with me... or what happened yesterday! Who am I kidding! Lily was right, her behavior was unattractive... enough to put any guy off for good. 

 

Did Sean have the ick?

 

"I'm really sorry to hear that. I- I don't know what to say..." 

 

"It's fine Sophia." Sean spoke up for the first time. He looked over at Phoebe "We'll keep seeing each other. We just need to work through our differences first." He smiled reassuringly. 

 

Yup! They definitely argued about yesterday.

 

I felt so bad for Phoebe. Even though anyone else in my position wouldn't, especially Lily. I could just picture her shrugging her shoulders and saying, "Well, you brought this on yourself." And at the end of the day, I had the man of my dreams and she lost hers. This must be so embarrassing for her.

 

"I'll tell you what." I held her hands again. "Why don't we go out tonight and do something fun. Just you and me."

 

"Sophia, you don't have to-"

 

"I want to." I cut her off. "We're friends, remember?" 

 

She smiled.

 

"Just a quick disclaimer... unfortunately, my definition of fun excludes alcohol."

 

"Damn it!" She pretended to be upset and we both laughed. 

 

Chapter 52

Sophia Parker

 

"Tell me about this one." I rubbed the scar by the side of his knee. 

 

"Fell off from a motorbike." He said casually from behind me. His breath tickling my ear.

 

"When? And how?"

 

"Its stupid. I was in college and we were racing. Sean was there too."

 

"Really?" I scooped some of the water into my hands and poured it on his knee. 

 

Like that was supposed to make any difference to the scar!

 

"Yeah... he was." He threw his head back onto the edge of the bathtub and relaxed, his arms gripped both sides.

 

"Just our of curiosity, did Sean ever get interviewed for his position?" I asked.

 

While I was at Wilson & Co, I remembered reading his application for the role of Head of Accounting and Finance. When I recommended him, Adam merely laughed. Plus, I don't recall Sean ever getting interviewed. I could bet it had something to do with their friendship. 

 

I could hear and feel Adam chuckle from behind me, causing my own body to move in sync with his.

 

"Yes, I did interview him." He said.

 

"When? I swear you didn't. I never setup an appointment for him." I said, reminiscing those days when I used to be his personal assistant.

 

"That's because I did it over the phone. Although it was more like an informal chat, than an interview."

 

"Aha! I knew it. That's nepotism!" 

 

"Call it whatever you want Sophia." He ran his fingers through my wet hair, moving it all to one side before he gently rubbed the skin at my shoulder. "Sean has all the right skills and experience. Plus, he's doing me a huge favour by working under my company, because quite frankly, he doesn't need to." 

 

"Is it because he comes from a very wealthy family?" I asked. 

 

"How did you know that?" He asked with a hint of astonishment. 

 

"Um, we dated... remember?"

 

I could literally feel his body become taut after what I said. Gladly, he couldn't see my face, which meant that I didn't have to withhold the huge smile that ventured across my lips. I don't think Adam will ever come to terms with the fact that Sean and I actually dated, which I will forever find amusing. 

 

"I'd rather not." He said grimly before he dismissed that topic entirely. "I've always known Sean to be discreet about his family. Which is why I took surprise to your awareness." 

 

Knowing that it might aggravate him, I decided to pick up topic of us dating again. 

 

"Oh, but surely, as we were once together, it's reasonable to expect that I am VERY acquainted with Sean... in ways that are well above the average-"

 

I was cut off when Adam instantly sprout up, bringing his lips dangerously close to my ear. 

 

"Mention his name one more time, and I swear-"

 

"Or what?" I challenged before he could finish his threat. The once still water around us was now splashing around due to his swift movement.

 

I didn't have to wait too long before I found out what he would do. He leaned over my shoulder and captured my lips in an instant.

 

"Mmm..." I responded swiftly. 

 

I didn't mind this sort of punishment for talking about Sean... considering he was the one brought him up in the first place. I'd endeavor to talk more about him in future.

 

His fingers sneaked through my side and squeezed my left breast. 

 

"Oh my god..." I moaned when he mercilessly began to tease my nipple. 

 

It didn't help that I still had tender breasts. It only heightened and intensified the feeling. 

 

When he did the same for the right, I completely lost my head. I leaned back against him and let him take total control of my body. 

 

My head shot into the clouds as he simultaneously worked both my nipples. The incessant throbbing between my legs became unbearable. Thankfully, he used one of his hands to address this. 

 

Oh stars, sweet sweet stars! 

 

I saw them right there, in the middle of his bathroom, on a Saturday morning... inside of his bath tub! 

 

***

 

"Okay, the table's set, the food is ready, and everything else is in order." I breathed.

 

"Well done m'love." He said, walking into the kitchen. He held me and kissed my forehead.

 

I had spent the last few hours preparing for the arrival of my parents. Finally, I was going to get to see them again... since the incident.

 

I was scared as hell to meet them. Who knows how my dad will react to seeing us again. The last time, things didn't end well between us.

 

"Oh, Adam. I'm really nervous." I hugged him.

 

"Don't worry Sophia." He reassured. "I promise you, this time it'll be okay."

 

I hope so.

 

My parents had already arrived in New York a couple of hours ago. Adam arranged a hotel for them to get settled into first before coming over to visit. They should be here any minute now. 

 

"Mmm... that smells really good." He said.

 

I'd spent the whole day making four maple-glazed sheet pan salmons with brussels sprouts and radicchio. I had to go for a healthy option because of my dad.

 

"Thanks." I grinned at him.

 

"I have a few calls to make in the meantime before your parents get here. Let me know when they do. I'll be in the study." He briefly kissed me on my cheek before he dashed off.

 

Things were still 'business as usual' for him. It sucked not being part of that aspect of his life anymore. But I couldn't complain, this new aspect was much better!

 

I looked around me at what was once a barely furnished apartment. I had slowly turned it into a more homely, friendly and welcoming space. Starting with flowers and decorations, to kitchen and bathroom ornaments, and just basic homeware that were missing. I was still in progress but the whole place was taking shape, there was a massive difference compared to the first time I was here.

 

The two extra rooms that were once completely empty were now being converted. One into a guest room and the other for the baby. It was difficult to do anything without knowing the gender of the baby so that has been put on hold for now. 

 

Although this was his main residence, Adam had another smaller bachelor apartment somewhere in the city and a house in The Hamptons. I was yet to see the house but from what I knew, it was already fully furnished and massive. 

 

As for me, I didn't need my apartment anymore. I intend to tell my parents today once they arrive that I was letting go of it...

 

*beep

 

...and they were here!

 

I went to the door intercom and spoke to the front desk assistant of the building. I told her to let my parents through.

 

Feeling nervous, I rushed to the study to get Adam. He ended his phone call and we both went to the living room to wait for them. I held onto him for emotional support because I felt like a wreck inside. 

 

"Oh my gosh, I'm so scared."

 

"It's okay baby, everything will be just fine." He whispered in my ear from behind me. 

 

I held his arms that were wrapped tightly around me and took a deep breath. 

 

We waited in excruciating pain and finally just as the doorbell buzzed again, Adam moved to open the door.

 

Oh god please let this go well.

 

The door swung open and revealed my parents. Thankfully there was a huge smile on my mums face. 

 

"Mum!" I gasped.

 

"Oh my baby!" She rushed into my arms. "I've missed you so much." 

 

"I've missed you too, ma."

 

"Oh dear my baby is pregnant. How are you feeling, are you okay?" She put her fingers on my cheeks, trying to feel my temperature. 

 

"Yes ma, I'm fine." I complained, slightly embarrassed at her. 

 

While my mum was being overly affectionate and concerned about me, Adam spoke to my dad.

 

"Pleasure to see you again, Mr Parker. Welcome to our home."

 

As expected, he looked at him skeptically but surprisingly, he gave Adam a courteous nod before walking in. 

 

Clearly he was still doubtful about us moving in together...

 

"My daughter." He said. He gave me a hug too once my mum finally let me go.

 

"I've missed you dad." I said honestly. We might have ups and downs but he is still my father and I am lucky to still have him in my life after everything that's happened with his health. 

 

Once all the pleasantries were exchanged, I went over and stood beside Adam. I held his hand, indicating to my parents where my loyalties ultimately stood. This was my future now, with the father of my child... and I was going to do anything and everything to support our relationship. 

 

Of course my dad took notice of it but he didn't react... not just yet. 

 

"You've got a lovely place Adam." My mum looked around. 

 

Thank god I had done it up a bit. 

 

"Thank you Mrs Parker. But please, all credit belongs to Sophia. She helped turn this space into a proper home." He said, smiling at me. "Anyway, I'm sure you both had an exhausting flight and must be starving. Why don't you join us for dinner made by Sophia?"

 

"Oh we would love to!" My mum beamed excitedly. "I've really missed Sophia's cooking."

 

"Excellent. Shall we?" He gestured.

 

Adam led us all to the dinning table. I was really pleased with him, unlike me, he was handling the situation pretty well. But then again, he's always had a way with impressing my parents.

 

Instead of taking a seat at the head of the table, he actually sat next to me, and my parents sat directly opposite. 

 

I revealed the salmon that was still piping hot thanks to these new set of serving dishes I had bought. My mum was very impressed. 

 

"Of course, this is inclusive of everyone. I know there's certain things that you can't eat, dad. I've avoided all of them." I said.

 

"Very thoughtful. Thank you my dear." He replied.

 

As dinner progress, Adam tried to make light conversation with them but only my mum was responding. This was unusual because he'd previously always had something to talk about with my dad. Either my dad was deliberately being quiet or he was still mad at him. Maybe he was still mad at this whole arrangement.

 

"So, how's the prep for the baby going, have you run any checks or tests?" My mum asked me this time. 

 

"Yeah, I've had one prenatal visit so far. It's still early days so I haven't really done much." 

 

"I hope it's not taking a toll on you. When I was pregnant, it was a very stressful time. Hopefully you'll have it a lot more earlier than me." She smiled.

 

I don't think so.

 

I was not about to disclose the emotional and hormonal roller coaster that I have been through because of this pregnancy. But I'm pretty sure mine is worse, merely because of the fact that I did my prenatal much more earlier than usual.

 

"I've been okay Mum. So far there hasn't been any issues." I lied. 

 

"Good. Because I can't wait to be a grandmother." She smiled. 

 

Once dinner was finished, my mum helped me to clear the place. I noticed that my dad had pulled Adam for a chat. They both headed towards the balcony and closed the door behind them, so we couldn't hear their conversation.

 

My heart was beating so fast in my chest that I thought it might stop working. 

 

I felt my mum put her arm around mine. She knew exactly what I was thinking. 

 

"Is he still upset?" I asked her.

 

She nodded. 

 

"Oh my god." I almost broke down.

 

"Shhh, it's okay Sophia. He knows you've made your decision and he has to respect it. He just wants to make sure of Adam's intention."

 

"Mum! He intention should be clear by now! We live together! How else can he prove himself?" I cried frustratedly. 

 

My dad was being so unreasonable and annoying. All we wanted was to mend fences with him. But no! Firstly, dinner was awkward because of him and his stubborn attitude. Now he's about to have it out with Adam. 

 

"It's because you aren't married yet. That's the reason he has a problem with this." My mum said.

 

"But he's going to marry me, ma."

 

"Are you sure? Has he asked you yet?" She looked at me intently. She was on my side. She wanted this to work just as much as I did.

 

"No, but he will. I can just tell." I said, wiping my tears.

 

She gave me a reassuring look and helped me wipe the tears off my face.

 

"Don't worry honey. I have faith in him too."

 

***************

 

Adam Wilson

 

As soon as I closed the balcony door, the interrogation started.

 

"What are your intentions with my daughter." He stated plainly. His face held a very serious look.

 

"Bruce." I started. "I believe I've answered that question before. I once told you about how much I love your daughter."

 

"Ah, yes you did. Right after you slept with her, under my roof. Without any sense of discretion."

 

"Come on, we've been over this alr-"

 

"No, we haven't. I threw you out before I could get a proper explanation from the both of you."

 

"Okay. Would you like a proper explanation now?" I asked. 

 

"Yes. When did you realize that you love my daughter. Was it before or after you started sleeping together?" He quizzed.

 

"It was certainly before." I said confidently. "From the day I first set my eyes on her when she came into my office for a job interview, I felt something for her. I didn't know what it was at the time but I hired her on the spot. For about a year and a half, I managed to maintain a professional working nature with her. But I couldn't stop thinking about the feelings that I had. It got to a point where I decided to pursue things with her, but she refused. Yes, your daughter rejected me countlessly."

 

He seemed taken aback by the fact that Sophia had rejected me. He hadn't known the full story of our relationship before. Hopefully now he can understand us better. Anyone who knew about our history would be thankfully that we are together now.

 

"But I didn't stop pursuing her. Time after time, I let your daughter know that I wanted her. She quit because she felt harassed." 

 

"But you did harass her." He accused.

 

"No I didn't, because we made love the same day she quit her job."

 

"What?"

 

"Right after she quit, Sophia and I had our first encounter and it was consensual."

 

"I don't understand." He shook his head in confusion.

 

"Bruce, your daughter confessed to me that she was also in love with me from the very beginning. She was in a state of constant denial. But it was only a matter of time before it happened. Our second time was in Virginia."

 

He turned away in disbelief.

 

"I know this is probably not what you had planned for your daughter but-"

 

"Probably?!" He said with anger before turning back to face me. "This is DEFINITELY NOT what I had planned for her. She made a mistake and she ran away from you. But you came after her and forced her to make the same mistake again under my roof. And this time, your actions had consequences."

 

"I didn't force her Bruce. Has it ever occurred to you that your daughter is an independent young woman who is free to make her own choices?" I defended.

 

"Not after she's been heavily influenced and seduced by you."

 

At this point, I laughed. There was nothing else I could do or say to him to convince him. 

 

"So are you saying that you are not in support of what Sophia and I have?" 

 

"What do you have? Apart from the child, you have nothing. What's stopping you from taking off with another woman tomorrow?" He said.

 

That's when I realized where his anger was channeling from.

 

"Ah, I see. This is about us not being married." 

 

"Damn right it is!" He challenged, stepping closer to me. I had a slight height advantage over him but not significant enough.

 

If only he knew how bad I wanted to marry Sophia. I was only taking my shrimp's advice by laying off for a bit. In the study earlier, I had been talking to a few suppliers about engagement rings.

 

"I can't marry her without your blessing."

 

"Then you should have thought about that before you got her pregnant."

 

We were both glaring menacingly at each other. I refused to back down from the stare down and so did he. I also noticed his hands were now balled up into fists. 

 

"Perhaps I could have handled the timeline of events much better, but I have absolutely no regrets with your daughter." I spoke to him in a careful tone. "I would say this ONE last time, I am in love with your daughter. In fact, I have already made plans to get married to her. If I cannot get your approval simply because she is pregnant out of wedlock then I will proceed without it." 

 

Having said that, I walked away.

Chapter 53

Sophia Parker 

 

"Trust me, this coffee machine is the best! I've never had such good coffee in my entire life."

 

"Okay, okay, give it a try." I laughed.

 

"By the way, how was your parents' visit to New York?" Lily asked. 

 

She'd insisted I come over and try out her brand new coffee machine. Being in her new apartment made me a bit nostalgic. I definitely missed living here. Phoebe moved in from her old apartment which used to be on the top floor. And to be fair, she'd done a better job with the place than I did. 

 

"Ugh! It was a disaster!" I groaned as I put my hands over my face and sat at my old kitchen island.

 

"Really, it couldn't have been THAT bad." She placed the fresh cup of coffee she'd just made in front of me. It actually smelled heavenly.

 

"Thank you. And yeah, maybe I am over exaggerating a little bit. Overall it wasn't too bad... but at first it was. Adam had a little confrontation with my father." I took a sip of the warm beverage. "Wow, you're right. This home-made mocha tastes really good!"

 

"I know right! I told you this coffee machine is perfect." She chimed. "But what happened between him and your dad?"

 

We both laughed because we were having to separate conversations at the same time. Coffee and my parents visit. We decided to park one for now.

 

"Let's just say, my dad is not over that whole incident that happened in Virginia."

 

"Wow, how long is he going to hold that against the both of you?"

 

"I don't know... But in the last few days he was here, he definitely eased up. Eventually, he realized that there was nothing that he could do about it. What's done is done."

 

"Exactly! It's time to move on. I mean, there's a baby on the way for heaven's sake." She said.

 

*ding*

 

"Oh! I'm not expecting anyone... and I don't remember ordering anything." Lily said suspiciously as her doorbell rang.

 

"Actually... I know who it is." I said.

 

"How?" She raised an eyebrow.

 

"I kind of... invited Phoebe over." I said carefully, anticipating her reaction. Surprisingly, it wasn't negative at all. I got laughter from her instead.

 

"Right, you're funny." Lily waved me off. "Seriously, who is it?"

 

I could see from her face, she didn't want to believe that I had the guts to invite Phoebe over to her place without telling her. But this whole thing had to be squashed and I needed to get them both together in a room to do that.

 

"I'm serious. And I'm going to let her in. She has something important to say to you."

 

"Sophia." She looked at me seriously. "That girl hates you. Don't tell me you completely let her back into your life."

 

"Please Lily, I've already forgiven her and so should you. Technically, you don't really have a reason to dislike her because she never did anything directly to you." 

 

"Whatever. I was only defending you, but now, I could care less anyway." She waved me off again, very dismissively. 

 

I ignored her and went to open the door for Phoebe. She had her famous cookies in her hands, the one she bakes when she's about to call a truce. And they smelled absolutely delicious as always!

 

"Hi." She smiled weakly.

 

"Hey Phoebe, I'm so glad you came." I hugged her firmly. As much as what happened between us was unpleasant, she was the main reason that Adam and I are together. She helped me come to terms with my feelings for him and realize why we needed to be together. And I will be forever grateful for that.

 

I let her go and she turned to Lily.

 

"Hi, Lily." She said.

 

Lily simply folded her arms and didn't respond.

 

"I know you're not a fan of me right now. And rightly so. But I just wanted to say that I was definitely going through a lot with Sean during that period. Still, that's no excuse for what happened. What I did was terrible and completely out of character. I let jealousy consume me so much and the way I lashed out was 100% unacceptable. I just hope that one day you'll forgive me and we can be friends again." She got out shakily. She was now wiping the tears that had started falling from her eyes. 

 

I rushed to the kitchen to get some tissues and helped her wipe her tears. At this point, Lily was already consoling her too.

 

"Shhh, it's okay Phoebe. I forgive you." Lily said.

 

"Thank you." Phoebe breathed. "I made you some cookies, both an apology and housewarming gift." 

 

"Thanks. I live for your cookies. They're the best." They both laughed. 

 

It was so good to see that they were finally back together again as friends.

 

"Awww, I'm so glad you two have made up. Finally, the trio is back!" I joined their embrace.

 

"I'm glad too. I really love what you've done with the place." Phoebe said to Lily as she scanned the apartment.

 

"Thanks, you're invited anytime." Lily smiled.

 

* 2 weeks later *

 

"Omg omg omg!!!" I screamed the moment Lily opened her front door.

 

"Um... hello? We're watching something here." She pointed to Phoebe who was sat on her couch with a huge bag of popcorn. 

 

"Hi!" Phoebe waved.

 

"Well... whatever you're doing can wait, I have some big news." I beamed. 

 

"What is it?" They asked.

 

I paused for a little dramatic effect.

 

"Adam and I are taking a trip to London!"

 

"Ahhh! That's amazing! First getaway as a couple."

 

"I know, anytime I went on trips with him in the past, I was always taking notes, organizing his diary and stuff like that. Now it's going to be a proper romantic holiday. No business involved, just..."

 

"Pleasure?" Phoebe finished my sentence.

 

"Absolutely." I smiled dreamily.

 

"Yes girl!" She raised her hand and I proudly gave her a high five.

 

"Will you two stop it." Lily frowned. 

 

"Awww, sorry Lilz." Phoebe said.

 

Quick life update on all of us. Adam and I were still going strong and he asked me on a romantic weekend trip to London. Phoebe and Sean finally got back together and their relationship has been flourishing ever since. Lily on the other hand was still single, which made her feel left out.

 

"Don't worry Phoebe. You'll find someone. I know it." I sat next to her on the couch and gave her a hug.

 

"Why don't we set her up with someone at work? Maybe Paul Lewis? He's single... and sexy." Phoebe suggested.

 

"Oh! Oh! Who's that?" Lily asked enthusiastically.

 

"Nah, I don't think you'll like him. He's the head of HR at Adam's company. I think you'd be better suited with an investment banker." I said to her excitedly.

 

She thought about what I said for a second. 

 

"Yes, you're right! The work we do is similar... only I deal with the legal side of things." 

 

"Who cares! What matters is the level of mind-blowing sex you-"

 

"Phoebe!!!" We both screamed before she could finish off her sentence.

 

"What? It's the truth!" She threw some popcorn in her mouth nonchalantly.

 

"God I've missed you so much." Lily said and we all laughed.

 

*********************

 

Adam Wilson

 

"We're here." I announced as I opened the door to our hotel room. After a long flight, we were finally here in London.

 

Our room entitled us to an unparalleled view of the City. The glass panels surrounding the walls gave a panoramic skyline view overlooking the River Thames and other notable landmarks. We were currently in the Shard, the tallest building in the whole of the United Kingdom. 

 

"Oh my god, this is so breathtaking. I can't believe this." 

 

I watched Sophia study her surroundings as she walked into our luxurious suite in the Shangri-La hotel.

 

"I'm glad you like it." I folded my arms contently as she smiled at the amazing view through the huge glass windows.

 

"Like it?" She turned around to face me. "I love it! Thank you so much for doing this for me." She ran over to me and gave me a hug.

 

"Like it?" She turned around to face me. "I love it! Thank you so much for doing this for me." She ran over to me and gave me a hug.

 

"It's my pleasure, Sophia." I hugged her back wholeheartedly.

 

"You're always doing the best things for me. I can't show you how appreciative I am." She said.

 

"Actually, yes you can." I smirked. 

 

"How?" She looked up at me innocently.

 

I had to refrain myself. The moment right now was pure and perfect, I didn't want to ruin it with a risqué joke.

 

It was currently 2am in London which meant it was 9pm in New York...

 

"Later this evening, I'm taking you out for dinner. Say yes."

 

"Yes!" She kissed me without thinking twice about it.

 

My heart leapt in my chest with happiness, but at the same time, I suddenly felt anxious. Today was a big day for me. I had everything planned out to a T. So far, things were perfect. Let's just hope they stay that way.

 

"The bed looks really comfy." She said suggestively as she broke off the kiss.

 

"Hmmm... would you like to put that theory to a test?" I played along.

 

"Don't make me start without you." She teased with her beautiful sultry eyes. 

 

That's it. She's awakened the beast.

 

Next thing she knew she was picked up and slung over my shoulder. 

 

"Ahhhh, Adam." She cried helplessly as I navigated us towards the bed. 

 

I managed to turn those cries into screams... which lasted all through the night.

 

***

 

"I still can't believe we didn't use the trains. You know much I enjoyed taking them the last time we were here." Sophia moaned.

 

We were in a taxi and I was taking her to a special location after a spectacular dinner at the Shard.

 

"No trains Sophia, this is much more intimate." I said, holding onto her hand lovingly. But that wasn't the real reason why I chose to take a taxi. I was almost running behind schedule and I wanted us to get to our destination as quickly as we could. Thankfully we were almost there.

 

"Really?" She looked at me unbelievably. "After last night, how much more intimacy do you still want?"

 

I chuckled at her.

 

"Relax Sophia, I'm taking you somewhere important and I just wanted us to be on time. We'll be there soon." 

 

She looked out the window impatiently. 

 

I must add that she looked absolutely stunning in her silk off-shoulder black dress. I had us go shopping earlier today at Harvey Nichols. Part of my agenda was to get her the perfect outfit for tonight. Her dress was paired with a pair of Saint Laurent heels and a bag, thanks to the personal shopper that I hired. They definitely did a good job in making her look exquisite. 

 

"Oh my god!" She gasped. "Look, its the London Eye again! Oh please, please tell me that's where we're going."

 

"That's exactly where we're going my love." I confirmed, after which she launched towards me, attacking me with kisses. 

 

"You." *kiss* "Are." *kiss* "The." *kiss* "Best."

 

"Come on now Sophia, the taxi cant go past Westminster bridge so we need to alight here."

 

She hopped out excitedly and followed my lead. I navigated us through the light crowd and found our way to the ticket stand. 

 

Checking my watch, I saw that it was exactly 6:30pm which meant our special capsule was ready.

 

"How come there isn't a line of people. Last time we were here, this place was very busy, we had to get an express ticket. Plus its a weekend." Sophia asked curiously.

 

"I'm not sure Sophia. But for us, that means it's easier to get on." I said hopefully, trying to momentarily divert her away from her suspicions.

 

"Yeah, I guess." She seemed hopeful too.

 

After a few minutes, aspecial attendant directed us into an empty capsule, one which I had personally reserved and customised. 

 

The moment Sophia walked in, she was met with beautifully-lit lanterns and flowers, with rose petals on the floor.  Right in the middle of our capsule was a table with 2 glasses, a trug filled with ice, and a bottle of sparkling wine - non alcoholic of course. I could see that the decorations took her breath away. She clearly wasn't expecting any of it.

 

"Adam." She whispered. "You did this."

 

"Yes, I did." I nodded. 

 

She didn't say anything. She just hugged me. And I hugged her too.

 

Our capsule had moved almost halfway and we hadn't said a word to each other. We just enjoyed each other's company, embracing tightly as we took in the viewed of the well-lit city.

 

This very moment was nostalgic. Memories flooded as I relived the same exact experience that I had with Sophia just a couple months ago. The energy in the atmosphere was indescribable. And I know Sophia could feel it too. 

 

"This is where it all began." She said softly, looking outside at the beautiful view.

 

"Indeed." I responded from behind her. She was rubbing my arms that were currently encircled around her waist. 

 

"We had our first kiss right here." She recalled.

 

"Mhm... In this very capsule." I kissed the exposed skin at her shoulder.

 

"Wow, I can't believe you actually got us back into the exact same one. How many strings did you have to pull to achieve this." She chuckled.

 

"Hey! I'm more influential than you think. I've got a lot of friends in high places."

 

We both laughed momentarily before settling into comforting silence once again. 

 

We'd soon reached the top of the Eye and I suddenly felt nervous. 

 

Fuck.

 

I'd managed to keep myself composed all day but now that the moment was finally here, I felt like I was no longer in control of any of my five senses. 

 

"That night..." Sophia started, bringing me back from my thoughts. "...what made you kiss me?"

 

"I don't know, Sophia." I hugged her closer to my chest. "All I know is I had been meaning to do so for a long long time and... I guess that was just the right moment."

 

"Well, I'm glad you did." She said.

 

I took a deep breath and let go of her momentarily. I took two steps backwards and reached into the pocket of my suit. With shaky hands, I pulled out a tiny box which contained the most expensive thing I had ever bought for a woman.

 

"Me too." I said.

 

This was it. I got down on one knee behind her.

 

"Adam..." She whined. "Come back. I feel so cold and lonely without you."

 

"Sophia." I called out to her.

 

Finally, she turned around and gasped when she saw me on my knee with the little black box in my hands.

 

"Sophia. That night, I kissed you because you'd pierced my soul. For months I was half agony, half hope. I harboured such precious feelings for you and I needed to express them. I needed to let them loose. Just like a butterfly hatching from its cocoon, I wanted to be able to fly... with you."

 

My speech came out wholeheartedly and sincerely. I had one prepared but I abandoned it last minute and just spoke from my gut. At this point Sophia had covered her mouth, with tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

 

"I never wanted to fall in love. I didn't believe that I ever would. But I knew I was in trouble that very day when you walked into my office... You alone have brought me so much happiness. For you alone, I have thought and planned. I mean, look at all of this." I gestured around us and she laughed. 

 

"I want to give myself to you completely, with a heart even more yours than when you broke it countlessly over the last couple of months." I joked again. 

 

She didn't laugh this time, she just shook her head regrettably and mouthed those words "I'm sorry" to me.

 

"Sophia, I have never loved anyone as much as I currently love you. Will you please marry me, and spend the rest of your life with me, our unborn child, and any other future children we may have?" 

 

I finally opened the box, revealing an dashing 18ct diamond ring. I know Sophia wouldn't want anything too flashy or expensive so I went for a moderately-priced ring. This only cost about $60,000.

 

"Yes, Adam. I will marry you." She said softly. "I'll marry you because I love you very much too!" She launched herself into my arms, laughing and crying at the same time.

 

"Thank you my love." I said as she pulled back. 

 

I slipped the ring on her finger and was relived to see that it fit perfectly. I had stolen a ring from her dresser and had it measured so I could get the appropriate size.

 

I stood up on my two feet and kissed my soon-to-be wife thoroughly. Just as planned, beautiful fireworks began to go off outside of the capsule. 

 

"Oh my!" Sophia jumped at first but she soon relaxed once she realized that it was all part of my elaborate proposal. 

 

We watched the display for a few minutes before it came to an end.

 

"This is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me." She said tearfully. "I'm so glad that I met you. I'm so glad that you fell in love with me. I'm so glad that I'm having your child. You don't understand, I'm so glad that it's you." 

 

I wiped the tears from her eyes with my hands and looked down at her intense dark eyes. "I promise you Sophia, my love for you will last forever."

 

"Forever sounds perfect." She smiled.

 

Forever with her was absolutely all that I could ever want or need...

 

Chapter 54

EPILOGUE

 

"Say 'mama'." Sophia mouthed the words to little Ben in her hands, with crazy hopes that he would somehow repeat them.

 

He only stared back at her with his cute wide eyes. They were just as blue as his father's. 

 

Of course he wouldn't respond! She thought to herself. He was way too young to speak!

 

"Oh, what an adorable creature." Ben's grandmother chimed. "I can't believe I missed his birth."

 

Getting Adam to reconnect with his family had been an impossible task for Sophia, at first. But when it finally came down to the wedding, Anne González realised that there was no way she could miss her son getting married for anything in the world. She and Chloe Wilson, her daughter, flew in from Spain a week before and attended the ceremony. 

 

And it was absolutely magical. The morning session was held in St. Thomas Church on 5th avenue and the reception was held in an intimate suite at the Plaza Hotel, suitable for their 100 guests. Sophia had worn a beautiful maternity lace dress by Madeline Gardner. She looked so stunning that Adam gently cried as he watched her walked down the aisle with her father. 

 

Sophia and Anne got along really well in the week leading up to the wedding, which surprised her. She didn't think that her mother-in-law would be such a nice and caring woman. Perhaps, Adam got those traits from her, and he'd gotten his hard and firm demeanour from his late father.

 

"Oh please let me hold the cute little thing." Anne held out her hand and puckered her lips towards Ben. 

 

"Of course." Sophia laughed and happily gave him to her. She was glad that Anne was here to take care of Ben. She'd already had immense support from her own parents but she was glad that Adam's mum was there for her too.

 

"Oh, how I wish I had been there to hold him when he came into this world." Anne sobbed as she cradled her grandson in her arms for the first time. 

 

She went back to Spain after the wedding with the hopes of returning before Sophia's due date but the baby came a week earlier than estimated, and she'd missed the birth. It had also taken a while before she could get proper time off work to help look after Ben in New York.

 

"It's okay, Anne. You only missed the first two months, but you have him now." Sophia smiled at her.

 

Anne stared at Ben with awe and then turned to Sophia. "Thank you, my dear. Thank you for giving us such an amazing boy." 

 

"Oh, don't be silly. It's my absolute pleasure to bring such an amazing human into this world." Sophia said contently as she too looked at little Ben. 

 

Anne was extremely happy that her son found love with a beautiful, strong and selfless woman like Sophia. Initially, she had been worried that her son might end up alone or with the wrong woman. But she couldn't object to Sophia at all. She absolutely loved and adored her.

 

Sophia was the one who reached out to her and Chloe directly, introducing herself and inviting them to the wedding. Anne thought it was quite a brazen thing to do, considering that she hadn't spoken to her son for years. But the fact that Sophia was willing to take that step and help reconnect her with her son was something she instantly admired about her. Chloe also took a liking to Sophia and they both got on very well. She was the perfect role model for her daughter and an amazing mother to her grandson. 

 

To top everything, she was a perfect wife for her son. She'd felt their chemistry during her last visit. It was extremely strong and passionate. She was sure that it would never wear out...

 

"I'll leave you both to get acquainted." Sophia said as Anne purred all over Ben, showering him with kisses. 

 

She rolled Anne's suitcase into the guest bedroom which she had prepared earlier in the day. The room was previously occupied by her own parents who only returned to Virginia a few days ago. They came to spent time with her and Ben since his arrival.

 

Sophia was glad that her father finally got over the situation with Adam after he learned of their engagement. It was all he wanted from the start... for his daughter to be with a man in holy matrimony. Now that she was married to him, Bruce showed full support of their relationship and treated Adam with the respect and esteem that he once had. Especially after hearing the beautiful vows that Adam had recited at the wedding. Without a shadow of a doubt, he knew Adam loved his daughter.

 

*

 

Adam came home that night to meet his wife and mother sitting on the sofa with his son. He was so pleased with the turn of events since his engagement to Sophia. 

 

Firstly, reconnecting with his family. Although he had been hesitant about it, Sophia helped him to see past his resentment towards them for taking sides with the Spaniard over his father. He had also done the same thing too by siding with his father, so he was no better. 

 

At least his mother was happy and lived a good life in Spain with Chloe. The last time he had seen his sister, she was 14. Now at 19, He couldn't believe how much she'd grown up and he hated himself for not being there to witness it. 

 

Chloe was innocent and had no part in what happened between their parents. She had to take her mother's side because she was young and needed a guardian to look after her. He understood that now... because of Sophia, his voice of reason.

 

Second, the gender-reveal party held in one of the large conference rooms at the office which had taken both him and Sophia by surprise. He knew that there was going to be one but he never expected it to be at work. However, it ended up being the perfect location as closest friends, parents, family and employees were able to make it. 

 

Organised by Lily, Phoebe, Sean, Fred and Hendrix, but the mastermind behind it all was, of course, Mason. He'd placed a massive black balloon filled with helium in the centre of the room. Once it was time to reveal, he asked him and Sophia to pop the balloon with a large pin. 

 

Once they did, Adam was super relieved to find blue confetti in the air. He'd really wanted a son and he believed in speaking things into existence. The name he'd chosen with Sophia if it turned out to be a girl was Aria, and Ben if it was a boy.

 

The wedding was also at the top of his list. Seeing Sophia walk down the aisle had made him emotional. Thankfully his best man, Sean, was there to show him support. He recalled how their powerful vows had shaken through every single person in the room.

 

"Adam, I love you because you fought for me endlessly. Even when it seemed like you'd given up, you always came back for me. You proved to me how strong your love was, and one of my biggest regrets was not realising this on time. I believe we've had an amazing journey together. Being the person you trusted the most, I learned so much about you. I fell in love with a strong, intelligent, and ambitious man, who has a passion for what he does. And since you translated that passion into a relationship with me, you've made me happier than I could ever imagine. I vow to listen to you and continue to learn from you. I vow to laugh with you and cry with you. I vow to put all my effort into strengthening our marriage and to give you the best version of myself. For better or for worse, I promise to always love you and make you proud as your wife."

 

"Sophia, when I met you, I saw a beautiful and confident young woman who had accomplished so much at a young age. I was impressed with how clever and well-spoken you were, and I knew I could trust you to manage my personal affairs. With every passing day since that moment, I thought about you constantly. I soon realised that my thoughts went beyond that of a professional working nature. I became your secret admirer, repressing my feelings successfully, yet painfully. And the more we spent time together, the worse it got. I knew at some point, I had to convey them because I was fiercely in love. Although we had our ups and downs, I will never forget that one ordinary day turned extraordinary when you finally declared your true love for me. From that moment, I knew everything was going to be alright between us. Sophia, you are more dear to my heart than I ever knew anyone could be. I am who I am because of you. I'm am very lucky to have you as my wife. You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future, every day we are together will be the greatest day of my life. I will always be yours. I will love you until I die, and if there's a life after that, I'll love you then. These are my vows of eternal fidelity and everlasting love."

 

Sophia and Anne looked up and saw Adam had arrived home from work. 

 

He went straight to his son and picked him up. He'd been obsessed with little Ben since day one. 

 

"Hey, m'love." Adam said to Sophia as he kissed her on the lips. "Welcome back mother. How was your flight?"

 

"Oh, it was wonderful. I bought Ben that little toy at the airport. He's been playing with it all day."

 

"I see... I guess its kept him busy all day." He watched as Ben incessantly chewed at the non-harzardous toy in his mouth. "How's Chloe?"

 

"She's okay. She's finally heard back from LSE, she got in!" Anne shreiked excitedly.

 

"That's fantastic!" Adam was indeed pleased to learn that Chloe would be attending the same university that he had in London. 

 

"I know, she got accepted to study Journalism." 

 

"I think that suits her personality perfectly. She has a way with words, and she's very investigative." Sophia added to the conversation. 

 

"You're right! I can't belive you picked that up in such little time you spent with her." 

 

"I guess when someone has a passion for something, it shows clearly." Adam said. "Anyway, why don't we take this conversation to the dining room. I'm starving."

 

"Oh, Sophia made some lovely casserole. You'd love it. I'll go put some in the oven." Anne left.

 

"You keep coming out with new recepies everyday, I'm impressed." Adam said to Sophia as he pulled her closely to him. 

 

"That's cus I get bored at home. All Ben does in the afternoons is sleep, so I have a lot of time to do stuff." 

 

"Mmmh... since you have a lot of time on your hands, I was thinking we could spend one of your afternoons alone together." He whispered in her ear. "Now that my mother's here, she could take Ben off our hands for a little while."

 

Sophia ached for some alone time with Adam, so she was more than happy with that idea. Ever since Ben, she'd barely had any time with him that didn't involve screaming, feeding, or diaper-changing. 

 

"I'd love that very much." She said, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a kiss.

 

*********

The End

*********

 

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Table of Contents

×

1

Chapter 1

2_3

Chapter 2–3

4_8

Chapter 4_8

9_13

Chapter 9_13

14_18

Chapter 14_18

19_23

Chapter 19_23

24_28

Chapter 24_28

29_33

Chapter 29_33

34_38

Chapter 34_38

39_43

Chapter 39_43

44_48

Chapter 44_48

49_54

Chapter 49_54