Chapter 115
SOPHIA’S POV
Monday morning came. I’d spent the weekend helping Bianca settle into a new apartment, studying for my exams, and pointedly ignoring all of Damien’s calls.
But I’d made a commitment to take care of Ashley while she was still recovering. I wasn’t going to break it just because I was angry.
So I drove to Stone Villa at six a.m., planning to make breakfast before Ashley woke up.
The house was quiet when I let myself in. it was too quiet. Usually, I could hear Franca moving around the kitchen by now, but there was no sound at all.
I headed upstairs to check on Ashley, but something made me pause as I passed the master bedroom. The door was slightly open.
I should have kept walking but curiousity made me peek inside.
Tiffany was sitting at my vanity table. MY vanity. The one Damien had bought me for our first anniversary. She was wearing one of my old robes that I left behind when I’d cleared out most of my things…and applying expensive skincare products.
Products that weren’t mine.
She’d completely taken over the space. Her makeup was spread across the surface. Her perfume bottles were lined up where my jewelry boxes used to be.
She’d moved in completely.
I must have made a sound because Tiffany looked up and saw me in the mirror. Her eyes widened.
“Sophia! I didn’t know you were coming today.” She said.
“Clearly.” My voice came out flat.
Damien walked out of the walk-in closet, buttoning his shirt. When he saw me, his expression shifted from surprise to annoyance.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded.
“I’m here to make breakfast for Ashley” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. “I thought you were going on a trip p>
“It was rescheduled. I leave this afternoon p>
“I see. And Tiffany is… what? Keeping your bed warm until you go p>
Tiffany stood up quickly. “Sophia p>
“Save it.” I looked at Damien. “I came to take care of our daughter. That’s all p>
“Watch your tone,” Damien said. “This is still my house p>
“Your house,” I repeated. “Not ours. Your house. I get it. Loud and clear p>
“You’re the one who said you didn’t want to be here,” Damien shot back. “You’re the one who keeps running off to god knows where, refusing to answer my calls, hanging up on me p>
“Because every conversation with you is exhausting!” My voice rose despite my efforts to stay calm. “Because you only call when you need something from me or when you want to accuse me of something. Never because you actually care how I’m doing or what I’m feeling p>
“That’s not true p>
“Isn’t it? When was the last time you asked about my day? About my studies? About anything in my life that doesn’t directly affect you or Ashley?” I crossed my arms. “I’ll wait p>
Damien’s jaw clenched. He couldn’t answer because we both knew I was right.
“I’m going to wake Ashley and make her breakfast,” I said,
I walked past both of them to Ashley’s room. My wolf was howling, wounded by seeing another woman in our space, wearing our robe, using our vanity.
But I pushed it all down and focused on why I was really here.
Ashley was still asleep. She looked so peaceful, so innocent.
I sat on the edge of her bed gently. “Ashley? Time to wake up, sweetheart p>
She stirred, then opened her eyes. When she saw me, her expression didn’t light up with joy. It shifted to annoyance.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. Her tone was similar to Damien’s.
“I came to make you breakfast and help you get ready for school p>
“I don’t need help. Tiffany helps me p>
“I want to help.” I kept my voice gentle. “Come on, baby. We need to check your temperature and make sure you’re feeling okay after being sick p>
Ashley sat up with a dramatic sigh. “You’re always checking things. Temperature, homework, what I ate. You ask so many questions. It’s annoying p>
Each word hurt me and my wolf.
I blinked back tears “I ask because I care about you p>
“Well, I wish you’d care less. Tiffany doesn’t ask a million questions. She just lets me be p>
“Ashley p>
“Can you just leave me alone? Please?” Her voice was impatient. “I can get ready by myself p>
I stood up slowly, feeling like I’d been physically pushed away. “Okay. I’ll be downstairs if you need anything p>
“I won’t need anything p>
I walked out of her room and closed the door softly behind me. In the hallway, I pressed my back against the wall and took several deep breaths, fighting back tears.
My daughter didn’t want me. she didn’t need me. she found my love and concern annoying.
And there was nothing I could do about it.