Chapter 25
SOPHIA’S POV
I arrived outside Damien’s company late in the afternoon.nMy hands were tight around my bag strap. I had come with one clear reason – to ask Damien for help, to ask if Ashley could stay with my parents for the night.
I told myself it was practical.
This was about Ashley and nothing more. It would give Ashley some time to bond with my parents. They would be happy to have her. She didn’t really know them that well. It could also be my way of making it up to her for not being there for her this morning.
We could spend some time together tonight.
I didn’t go inside right away.
Something made me slow my steps. I soon knew why.
Damien stood a short distance from the entrance, near one of the stone pillars. Tiffany was with him. They were standing close, facing each other in a way that felt private. They hadn’t noticed me.
I stopped behind the pillar instantly. I didn’t even think of my actions. I told myself I would wait just a second. Just long enough to decide how to approach them.
I could hear Damien’s voice clearly.
“You shouldn’t doubt yourself like that,” he said. His voice was affectionate in a way I had never heard before. “You’ve worked for this. You deserve it p>
Tiffany laughed softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, brushing her nose against his. “You always say that p>
“Because it’s true,” he replied. “You’re talented. You don’t need anyone’s permission to chase what you want p>
She reached out and touched his arm. She did it so intimately, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Well, for her, it would feel that way.
“Thank you,” she said. “It means a lot… coming from you p>
Damien didn’t pull away. He smiled at her, the kind of smile that softened his face, that eased the hard lines I knew so well. “I’ll always support you,” he said.
The words hit me harder than I expected.
Damien had never spoken to me in this manner before. I never even knew he could be so soft. He was always so cold to me and dismissive.
My chest felt hollow, like something inside me had collapsed without a sound. I stood there, frozen. I felt my wolf shrinking back painfully.
This was warmth. This was encouragement. This was gentleness. In fact, this was love.
And I realized, with so much pain, that I had waited years for this tone from him and received silence instead.
I remembered nights when I had been exhausted, scared, uncertain. Times I had needed reassurance and he would ignore me even when I tried to talk to him. Damien was so indifferent. Watching him give Tiffany what he had withheld from me felt like someone stabbed me in the chest.
“Leave,” my instincts told me “Turn around. Protect yourself p>
Instead, I forced myself forward.
My footsteps were steady even though my heart wasn’t.
Damien noticed me first. His body went stiff. His posture shifted instantly. Even from here, I could feel his wolf pulling back behind his control. Tiffany turned too. At first, she looked shocked when she saw me. Then, she smiled evilly.
“Sophia,” Damien said. “What are you doing here p>
I met his eyes. “I came to talk to you p>
Tiffany tilted her head. “Hi, Sophia p>
“Hello,” I replied calmly.
“I wanted to ask if Ashley could stay with my parents tonight,” I said to Damien. “They’ve been asking to see her, and I think it would be good for her. She’s barely spent any time with them”
Damien rubbed his temple. He looked a bit tense.
“Ashley’s been difficult lately,” he said. “I’m not sure she’ll agree to this p>
Then he looked at Tiffany. “Maybe you should talk to her. She listens to you p>
The suggestion felt like someone punched me in the face.
Heat crept up my neck. I felt humiliated. I stood there, watching Damien tell another woman to talk to my child, just so she could agree to spend some time with me.
I had been reduced to an observer of my own child. I was sidelined in front of another woman.
Tiffany’s lips curved in a slow smile.
“Well,” she said lightly, “kids go through phases. Some parents just don’t know how to handle it p>
I swallowed hard. My pride screamed, but I pushed it down. This wasn’t about me. It was about Ashley.
“If that’s what it takes,” I said quietly. “Then fine p>
We drove together to the kindergarten. I sat in the back seat, silent, replaying the scene outside the building over and over. I wondered when I had been replaced. Not legally. Emotionally.
When we arrived, children were already pouring out, laughing and playing with each other. I stepped out first and scanned the crowd. I spotted Ashley.
“Ashley,” I called gently.
She turned. Our eyes met and her expression hardened instantly. Her wolf bristled so hard I could feel it. My own wolf whimpered.
“Ashley,” I called again, softer.
She looked away deliberately and clung to her teacher.
I felt pain grip my chest, but I kept my voice calm.
“Sweetheart p>
She didn’t respond.
The teacher looked at me before guiding Ashley forward. Ashley walked past me without a word, without looking at me, as if I didn’t exist.
I stood there, frozen. My heart broke quietly in my chest as the distance between us widened beyond reach.
Where did I go wrong?