Chapter 10 The First Day #3
Harold was about to pull away—
But then his hands, already resting on her waist, tightened instead.
A faint frown crossed his face.
‘Wait, why should I be embarrassed? She’s my girlfriend. I didn’t do anything wrong.’
The hesitation in his eyes disappeared, replaced by quiet confidence.
The next second, he pulled her closer.
Emma let out a soft, surprised breath as her body shifted against his.
Harold lowered his face again, brushing his lips slowly along the line of her neck. His eyes closed as he held her tighter, his arms pulling her closer.
Emma went still beneath him.
She lay still beneath him, her heart racing at first, her fingers gripping the sheet tightly—
Then slowly, her body softened.
Her grip loosened. Her breathing softened. The initial stiffness in her body faded as she sank back into the bed, her eyes slowly closing.
***
“How is the coffee?”
Camila’s voice broke the quiet as she watched Magnus from across the table.
They sat in the garden, morning light filtering through the trees. A small table stood between them. Magnus leaned back slightly on the outdoor couch, one arm resting along the backrest, while Camila sat upright across from him, a cup of tea held carefully in both hands.
Magnus took a slow sip of his black coffee, his gaze thoughtful.
“It’s good,” he said after a pause. “Tastes different than usual.”
A small smile appeared on Camila’s lips. “I brought it from France the last time I visited a friend. She said it’s one of a kind. When I tasted it, I thought you would surely like it.”
She tilted her head slightly. “Do you like it?”
Magnus gave a short nod. “Yes.”
But his eyes were no longer on the coffee.
Magnus slowly lowered the cup in his hand, the porcelain making a soft clink as it met the saucer. His fingers lingered on it for a second before he looked up at her, his gaze sharp, serious.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice low. “Is something wrong?”
Camila stiffened.
Her fingers tightened around her own cup, shoulders drawing in slightly as if caught off guard. “Nothing is wrong,” she said quickly, almost too quickly. “What do you mean?”
Magnus leaned back in his chair, studying her, his jaw tightening.
“You’re making small talk,” he said flatly. “You never do that.” He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. “Which means you have something planned. So tell me… what is it? Why did you ask me to come here today?”
Camila’s lips parted, but no words came out at first.
For a moment, she said nothing. Then she exhaled, her shoulders dropping slightly as if the weight of it all finally pressed down on her.
“I…” She hesitated, then forced the words out. “I asked Sophia to come over today.”
Magnus went completely still.
“She agreed,” Camila continued, her voice gaining urgency. “She should be here any minute. I thought… the two of you could talk. Sort things out. Maybe get back together.”
“Mom.”
His voice cut through hers, cold and sharp.
His face twisted with irritation as he leaned forward. “I told you already. I have nothing to do with her. And I don’t want anything to do with her.” His jaw tightened. “Why are you doing this?”
Camila flinched but quickly shook her head. “I’m not doing anything,” she insisted. “You just don’t understand your own feelings. You haven’t even met her since she came back. How can you say you don’t care? If you see her—if you talk to her—you’ll remember.”
Magnus let out a sharp breath, his patience snapping.
“I don’t need to meet her,” Magnus snapped.
He pushed his chair back abruptly, the legs scraping loudly against the floor. His hand came down on the table as he stood, the coffee cup rattling from the force.
“I don’t have time for this, Mom,” he said, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “Can you stop? This is getting ridiculous.”
His eyes locked onto hers.
“I know you want us to get back together,” Magnus continued, running a hand through his hair in frustration, “but I’ve already told you—there is nothing between us. Nothing!”
Camila’s lips parted, but he didn’t give her a chance to speak.
He shook his head firmly. “There’s no chance. So just stop.”
His eyes hardened.
“I have no intention of getting back with her. Even if she wants to.” His voice dropped, colder now. “I know who she is. And what she wants.”
With that, he turned and strode out.
“Magnus—!” Camila called after him, her voice rising as she hurried a step forward. “Wait—just sit down! She’s already on her way. Can’t you stay and meet her once?”
But he didn’t stop.
He moved straight through the back, cutting across the garden instead of taking the main path, his strides long and angry. Gravel crunched under his shoes as he circled around and came out the front.
Moments later, the sound of a car door slamming echoed through the air, followed by the sharp roar of an engine as he drove away.
Camila stood frozen for a second, her chest rising and falling heavily.
Then she let out a long, frustrated breath, pressing her fingers to her temple.
“This boy…” she muttered under her breath, anger flickering across her face. “He’s going to be the death of me.”
Just then, her phone began to ring on the table.
She turned, quickly picking it up—and the moment she saw the name on the screen, her expression shifted.
Camila straightened slightly and answered the call, forcing a small smile into her voice.
“Hello, Sophia?”
“Hello, Mrs. Graves…”
Sophia’s voice came through, slightly hesitant.
Camila straightened. “Sophia, dear. Where are you? I’ve been waiting for you.”
There was a brief pause on the other end.
“Mrs. Graves… can I ask something?” Sophia said carefully. “Why did you ask me to come today? Is everything okay?”
Camila’s grip tightened slightly around the phone as she exhaled, her gaze drifting toward the empty doorway Magnus had just walked through.
Camila smiled softly into the phone, trying to keep her tone light.
“Everything is fine, Sophia. Actually, Magnus is here today. I called him home so the two of you could meet. It’s been so long since you last saw each other. I thought… this would be the perfect time.”
On the other end, Sophia had just reached the gates of the Graves mansion.
Her steps slowed.
Then stopped.
Her hand lifted halfway to knock—but the moment those words sank in, her body went still.
Then, as if something inside her snapped, she took a step back.
Another.
And another.
Her breathing turned uneven as she quickly turned around, her back now facing the house. Without even looking back, she started walking away—fast, almost rushing—her heels hitting the pavement in quick, uneven beats.
“Oh… I see,” she said into the phone, forcing her voice to sound normal, though it trembled slightly. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Graves, but I’m not feeling very well today.”
She swallowed, her grip on the phone tightening.
“I think I might have a fever. I’m not sure… I might need to go to the hospital and get checked.” Her pace quickened. “I’m really sorry, I’ll have to cancel today.”
Camila’s voice immediately turned concerned. “Do you want me to come see you?”
“No!” Sophia answered a little too quickly, then forced herself to soften. “I mean… it’s okay. It’s nothing serious. I’ll just take some medicine and rest.”
She kept walking, faster now, putting distance between herself and the house.
“I’m really sorry,” she added quietly. “I’ll come another time. I promise.”
There was a small pause.
“…Alright. Take care,” Camila said finally, but the disappointment in her voice was clear.
The call ended.
Without wasting another second, she unlocked her phone again and opened a cab app, her fingers moving quickly across the screen. She glanced back once to make sure she was far enough from the mansion.
She was already a good distance away.
She tapped to book a cab.
Nothing.
No cars nearby.
She frowned slightly, refreshing the screen again, her anxiety creeping back in. “Come on…” she muttered under her breath, tapping again.
Still nothing.
Just then—
A car pulled up sharply in front of her.
Sophia flinched, her shoulders jerking as her head snapped up.
The car door opened.
And the moment she saw who stepped out—
Her breath hitched.
“Magnus?”
He shut the door with a firm push, his eyes already locked on her. Without breaking that gaze, he rounded the car in long strides.
As he came to a stop in front of her, he tilted his head slightly, his brows pulling together.
“Sylvia? What are you doing here?”
Her body went stiff.
Her throat went dry, her chest tightening as if something heavy was pressing down on it.
“I… I was—”
The words wouldn’t come out.
Before she could even finish—
Something flickered across his face. A realization. His eyes darkened instantly.
In the next second, his hand shot out, grabbing her arm and yanking her toward him.
Sophia stumbled, her body swaying forward. Her free hand came up, pressing against his chest as she tried to steady herself.
Magnus leaned in, his grip firm, his eyes sharp and searching.
“Doesn’t Neymar live in this area?” he cut in, his voice low, tight.
His fingers tightened around her arm.
“Don’t tell me…” His jaw clenched. “You went to his house to see him?”
Anger was visible in every line of his face.
“I told you he’s not good for you,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “Why would you go meet him?”
His chest rose sharply, like the thought itself irritated him.
The hand on her arm flexed again.
Sophia winced, her shoulders tensing at the pain. Her eyes dropped to his hand for a second before she forced herself to look back up at him.
“I told you to stop interfering in my life,” she said, her voice tight, breath slightly uneven.
She twisted her wrist, pulling against his hold—
And yanked her arm free.
“It’s none of your business what I do.”
She took a step back immediately, putting space between them. Her chin lifted slightly, stubbornness flashing in her eyes.
“I can do whatever I want,” she added, her chin lifting slightly. “You don’t have the right to interfere.”
For a moment, he just stared at her.
Then his expression hardened further.