Chapter 44
“Well, well, well,” Alex’s voice rang out, cool and mocking as Adam hurried toward the car. “What do we have here? What are you doing in my house?”
Adam didn’t answer at first. His heart was thundering in his chest, and all he could think about was getting to Sophie, holding her, making sure she was okay.
Without another word, he rushed to the other side of the car, throwing open the door. Before Alex could react, Adam enveloped Sophie in a tight, desperate hug, his arms locking around her.
Sophie stiffened at first but then slowly melted into him.
The tears that had been welling up in her eyes began to flow freely as she buried her face in his chest.
Adam’s heart broke at the sight. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed her until this very moment.
“Sophie,” Adam whispered, his voice shaky. “I’m so sorry. I never should have let you go.”
Sophie pulled away slightly, looking up at him, her eyes red and swollen. She wiped at her face with the back of her hand, trying to compose herself.
“You need to go,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Go? I’m not leaving you,” Adam snapped, panic rising in his chest. “Not after everything we’ve been through. What’s going on? Who did this to you?”
Sophie took a deep breath and looked down at the ground, as if gathering the courage to speak. “The person who kidnapped me… they told me to stay away from you, Adam.”
His confusion deepened. “What? Who would—”
And then it hit him. A sickening feeling spread through his chest as the truth slowly began to piece itself together.
“Brenda?” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “It was Brenda, wasn’t it?”
Sophie nodded slowly, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “I didn’t see her face, but… I have a feeling it was her. I don’t know how, but I just feel it.”
Adam’s heart pounded. He had never trusted Brenda, but this? This was beyond anything he had imagined. He felt betrayed, enraged. He had to know the truth.
“Sophie,” Adam said urgently, holding her shoulders. “Please… I need you to know something. You… you have to understand. I never had an affair with Brenda.”
Sophie looked up at him, disbelief flickering in her eyes. “What? But—”
“What Brenda told you about me and her, all of it was a lie,” Adam interrupted, his voice growing more insistent. “The reason I did what I did the other day… it’s because my lawyer told me I couldn’t do anything unless I had evidence. But everything Brenda said, it was all a lie.”
Sophie stared at him, her eyes wide with confusion. “But then… how did Brenda end up with a pregnancy that was yours?”
The question hit him like a punch to the gut. He had thought about it, wondered about it, but he didn’t have the answers—not yet.
He opened his mouth to explain, to try and give her the truth, but before he could get a word out, Alex stepped between them.
Adam’s frustration flared. He had to make Sophie understand, and Alex was in his way. Without thinking, he shoved Alex aside, trying to move around him to get back to Sophie.
“Adam, stop!” Alex growled, shoving him back. His hands gripped Adam’s shoulders, forcing him to stay in place.
Adam pushed back, determined. “This is none of your business, Alex! I’m trying to make things right here.”
But Alex wasn’t having it. With a snarl, he threw a punch at Adam’s face, catching him off guard.
The force of it sent Adam stumbling back, but he quickly regained his balance and threw a punch of his own.
Sophie screamed, her voice shrill with panic. “Stop! Both of you, stop!” She rushed between them, trying to pull them apart, but the two men were too far gone. They were in the heat of the moment, their anger fueling them.
Adam’s fist collided with Alex’s jaw, sending him crashing into the side of the car. Alex shook it off, not missing a beat. He lunged forward, landing another punch to Adam’s stomach.
“Enough!” Sophie cried, her voice breaking. Her hands were shaking as she grabbed Alex’s arm, but he shrugged her off, his rage making him blind to everything else.
“She’s mine now, Adam!” Alex snarled, his face twisted with anger. “You lost her the moment you pushed her away. Don’t you dare try to take her from me.”
Adam wiped blood from his lip, a fire burning in his chest. “You think you can just come in and take her? You don’t know anything about her, Alex. You’re nothing more than a rebound for her!”
That hit a nerve. Alex’s eyes darkened, and without another word, he threw himself at Adam, their bodies crashing together, fists flying.
Sophie’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched the two men fight. She screamed again, but they didn’t stop. She felt helpless, caught in the middle of their fury.
“Stop!” she cried, her voice raw, but neither man paid her any attention.
Adam grabbed Alex’s shirt, pushing him back, but Alex was quick, retaliating with a kick to Adam’s knee. The impact sent Adam to the ground, but he didn’t stay there long. He was up in a flash, fury in his eyes as he charged at Alex once more.
“Both of you, STOP!” Sophie screamed, her voice reaching a breaking point.
This time, her words seemed to pierce through the chaos. Alex and Adam froze, standing in the middle of the street, panting heavily. Sophie stood between them, her body trembling, tears streaming down her face.
