Chapter 11 #2
James rubbed a hand over his face. It was his fault; he had Adam go pick Lina up when she was drunk, and it had come to stab James in the back.
He leaned back in his chair. This wasn’t good.
Charles Tian held credibility in the business world, and one word from him to the right person could end James’s career. It could end Sophie’s.
She worked for Marilyn, and that was enough to spark a scandal into existence.
They would be hounded and criticized for months, possibly years, and they would lose any credibility they had.
She could kiss the promotion she wanted so badly goodbye, and he …
Hitting Sophie’s contact, he put the phone on speaker as he opened up another email.
The last people he wanted to know about him and Sophie were his family, and from the way his dad phrased his sentence, it was apparent he thought she was some brazen gold digger.
“Hello?” she answered.
He cut straight to the chase. “Hey, so, my dad knows about us.”
She was quiet for a moment. “How?”
“My brother. When he went to get Lina, I’m pretty sure she told him about us.”
“I see,” she murmured before fading into silence.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“Because it’s my fault. Because I potentially just left us to drown.”
“Stop that,” she said. “It was going to get out sooner or later, and your dad just happened to find out first. At least it’s not the public, right?”
James shook his head. “No, but it could be. You don’t understand what my dad could do with this.”
“I understand just fine.” Steel cut into her tone. “But there’s nothing we can do now except control it.”
“So, tell me how we do that,” he said. His gut twisted itself into abstract pieces of art.
She laid out their game plan.
It didn’t matter if they arrived early or were dressed to impress. His dad already formed an opinion on them. They would need to be on their best behavior and tackle both perception and emotion.
Apprehension filled James as she talked. If this didn’t work, both of them were done.
James kissed Sophie as soon as she exited the elevator on Saturday.
Clinging onto her, he breathed deep, her floral shampoo and perfume sweeping over him.
She laughed. “Well, hey. Good to see you, too.”
He sighed. “You saw the news this morning, right?”
“It was hard not to,” she said. “It was everywhere. But to be honest, Lina’s been soft launching this on her Instagram for the past week.”
“When I first saw them, I recognized the watch on my brother’s wrist, along with the ring he wore,” James admitted. “But I kept denying to myself that it was him. Our family hasn’t gotten along with the Solano Castillos for over a decade.”
“But you and Philip get along.”
“That’s different,” James said. “I’m talking about our parents, and Adam hasn’t talked to any of them since, either.”
James’s brows knit closer.
“Are you okay?” Sophie asked.
“Oh, uh … yeah, just tired.” He shrugged, mind reeling, recalling Lina once admitting she had a crush on Adam back when they were younger. I guess she meant it.
“I meant about the engagement,” she clarified. “It’s a big deal to your family, right? And you said Adam didn’t mention it at all to anyone?”
James shook his head. “Yeah, I’m fine about it, just …
in shock. Lina told me that all those years ago, right after her dad told Philip to get out, she remembers seeing Adam watching everything with this strange look on his face.
There wasn’t anything he could do, obviously, but he didn’t try to say something that might’ve helped a little. He just stood there and let it happen.”
“I see.” Sophie’s forehead marred.
James hummed.
Complications always ran amok in wealthy families, but none so much as theirs. To tie the two together through marriage …
The engagement seemed like a blessing in disguise. It would tame the bad blood running between the families. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Not even their children joining together in holy matrimony could make Manuel Solano and Charles Tian amicable again. Not when Manuel viewed taking his son in as a direct blow after everything that happened.
Adam would be at dinner later, and James hoped to get some answers, since it was his fault that Adam and Lina met up again anyway.
James blinked as what Sophie wore finally clicked in his mind.
Her hair remained down, but it had been styled into loose waves that cascaded over her shoulders. A silky, navy cocktail dress clung to the curves of her body in a way that was sensual yet conservative at the same time.
“You look amazing,” he blurted.
“Thanks. You do, too,” she said. “Did you color coordinate with me?”
James himself was clad in a navy button-down tucked into a pair of dark pants. Silver cufflinks and the sparkling silver Cartier watch on his wrist complemented the delicate silver accessories she donned. If anyone asked, he’d deny spending as much time on his hair as he did.
If they wanted to make a good impression on his dad, play his game, and walk away with all the winnings, they hit the nail on the head.
He snorted. “Thanks.”
“You’re wearing a tie,” she observed.
“It’s not the first time you’ve seen me in a tie.”
Tightness wound in his belly as she crossed the space between them, her eyes lighting up.
Taking the end of his tie in her hand, she wrapped it in her fingers. “I know, but I’ve never told you how good you look in them.”
His breathing shallowed; anything more than that made him lightheaded.
“What if it was tied around your wrists?” His voice dipped, and he put his hand on her hip. “Or wrapped around your eyes?”
Her throat bobbed. “Tempting. But don’t be the reason we’re late.”
The smile written across her lips said she wouldn’t mind that one bit. But she let go of his tie.
He stepped back reluctantly and followed her toward the elevator. The sleek doors slid shut, and James’s father yelled at him in his head.
All James’s exes had come from prominent, conglomerate families who knew the Tians through some business or other. They offered deep connections and even deeper pockets. But Sophie … what was James thinking, bringing some random woman from a simple PR firm into their world?
He shoved the thoughts aside.
Tonight was going to be different.