Chapter 15
Days after the club night, tension filled the penthouse. I avoided Alexander. I slipped around corners. My replies were short.
I used Sophia as a shield. Her storytimes. Her coloring. Her endless questions. They smothered my anger. My frustration. But I could not escape the truth. I was trapped. Pulled between my bond with Sophia. That sweet anchor.
And my anger toward Alexander. His control. His secrets. His way of making me feel like an intruder.
One evening, I tucked Sophia into bed. I lingered in the kitchen alone. The quiet pressed in. The sleek countertops gleamed. Under the lights. Cold and sterile. Far from the warmth I wanted.
My phone sat in front of me. Its screen glowed. With job listings. Nanny positions. Admin gigs. Anything for escape. My finger hovered over "Apply." Many times. My pulse quickened with each near-tap.
Leaving the Sterling house. It seemed like a lifeline. Freedom from Alexander's dark moods. His strange calls. The way he turned on me at the club. A fresh start. Where I would not tiptoe around his temper. Or guess his silences.
But then Sophia's face came to mind. Her bright, gappy smile. Her laugh. That could melt any cold day.
The way she held my hand. Like I was her whole world. How could I leave her? She was not just a job.
She was the little girl. Who had gotten into my heart. Who needed me. As much as I needed her. The thought of leaving her. It twisted my gut. I dropped the phone with a sigh. Burying my face in my hands.
????
The next morning, Sophia's soft footsteps. Padded into my room. Before the sun fully rose. Her small body in pajamas. A blur against the dawn light. "Elena," she whispered.
She climbed onto my bed. With a climber's strength. Her stuffed bunny trailed her. "Can we make pancakes today?"
I blinked sleep from my eyes. A tired smile touched my lips. I propped myself up. "Of course, sweetheart," I said. I brushed dark curls from her face. "Let us go."
We walked to the kitchen together. Her chatter filled the space. I cracked eggs. Measured flour. The sound of bowls and whisks. A calming rhythm. Sophia sat on her stool.
She held a wooden spoon. Like a king's staff. Her shyness was gone. Replaced by confidence. That grew with the steady love.
I gave her. I flipped pancakes onto a plate. Golden and fluffy. Drizzling syrup in shaky circles. While she told a long tale. About her bunny's secret life. As a superhero. Her joy was a comfort. Soothing the raw edges of my worry.
"Elena," she said suddenly. Her voice dropped. To a serious whisper. She set her fork down. Syrup glistened on her chin. "You are not going to leave, are you?"
My heart stopped. The spatula froze in mid-air. "What makes you think that, sweetheart?" I asked. I forced my tone light. Despite the ache her words caused.
She shrugged. Her eyes. Alexander's eyes. Dropped to her plate. Tracing the edge. With a sticky finger. "I heard Daddy talking last night. He said you might go away. And I do not want you to." Her voice wobbled. Small and fragile.
I slid off my stool. Crouching to her level. I took her hands in mine. Her tiny fingers warm and sticky with syrup.
"Listen to me, Sophia," I said. My voice was steady. Despite the lump in my throat. "No matter what happens. I will always care about you. You are so special to me, okay?"
She nodded. But her lower lip trembled. Her eyes glistened. With unshed tears. "But I want you to stay. Please?"
I pulled her into a tight hug. Her arms looped around my neck. I breathed in the scent of her strawberry shampoo. My resolve cracked. Like thin ice. Under her plea.
How could I leave this little girl? Who clung to me like a lifeline? How could I turn my back. On the one pure, firm thing. In this tangled mess?
Later that day, I gathered my courage. I went to find Alexander. He was in his office. A strong room of dark wood and glass. He sat behind his large desk. Papers were spread across it.
A laptop cast a blue light. Over his sharp face. As he scrolled. With intense focus. His tie was loose. Sleeves rolled to his elbows. Showing tense forearms.
When I knocked on the open door. His head snapped up. His gaze pierced through me.
"Elena," he said. His tone was flat. Unreadable. A wall formed between us. "What is it?"
I stepped inside. I shut the door. With a soft click. It echoed in the silence. My heart pounded. "We need to talk," I said. I kept my voice even. Though my hands trembled.
He leaned back in his chair. Crossing his arms. The leather creaked. "About?"
"About what happened at the club," I began. I stepped closer. My words grew stronger. "About the way you treat me. Like I am some fragile thing. You can lock away. Or yell at. Whenever I step out of line. About... everything."
His face darkened. A storm brewed behind his eyes. But he stayed silent. Letting me speak.
"I have been thinking about quitting," I confessed. My heart hammered loudly. I swore he could hear it. "Walking away from all of this. I have job listings open on my phone right now. Places where I would not deal with your moods. Or your secrets.
But I cannot. Not because of you, Alexander. Because of Sophia. She needs me. And I care about her too much. To leave her."
He did not respond at first. Just watched me. With that unreadable stare. Then he breathed out sharply. A rough sound. And ran a hand through his dark hair. Making it messy. "I know I have been... difficult," he said. The admission was reluctant. Like it hurt him to say.
"But you have to understand, Elena. My world is not safe. It is a dangerous place. And if something happened to you. Or to Sophia. Because of me. Because I let my guard down..." He stopped. His jaw tightened. Vulnerability showed briefly. Before he hid it again.
I stepped closer. Close enough to see the faint lines. Of strain around his eyes. My gaze was steady. "Then let me in," I said. My voice was firm. But pleading. "Trust me enough to tell me what is going on. I cannot help. Or protect myself. If you keep shutting me out like this."
He studied me. For a long, heavy moment. His silence stretched tight between us. Then he nodded. A small, reluctant nod. His voice dropped low. "I will try. But you need to be careful, Elena. Please."
I nodded back. A fragile spark of hope. Lit in my chest. Maybe. Just maybe. We were moving toward something better. Something less broken.
That evening, I tucked Sophia into bed. Her room was a soft cocoon. Of pastel walls and stuffed animals. She looked up at me. With those wide, trusting eyes.
Her lashes made shadows on her cheeks. In the glow of her nightlight. "You are staying, right, Elena?" she asked. Her voice was small. But hopeful.
I smiled. I brushed a stray curl from her forehead. My fingers lingered on her soft skin. "Yes, sweetheart," I said. My heart steadied with the promise. "I am staying."
Her face lit up. Like a sunrise. She flung her arms around my neck. Squeezing tight. "I love you, Elena," she mumbled into my shoulder. Her breath was warm against my skin.
My chest swelled. Emotion filled me. As I hugged her back. Fierce and protective. "I love you too, Sophia," I whispered. My voice was thick. "Always."