Chapter 69 Chapter 69
Sophia’s POV
The moment my father’s car disappeared through the gates, I pulled out the second copy of the photo I’d given Marco yesterday and headed downstairs to find him.
He was standing near the entrance, looking exhausted and irritated, probably still angry about the wild goose chase I’d sent him on.
“Marco,” I called out, walking up to him with the photo in hand. “I need you to look into this girl again. Get me more intel on her background, where she lives, who she associates with. Everything.”
Marco stared at the photo, then at me, his jaw clenching visibly. “Miss Sophia…”
“Right away,” I interrupted, keeping my voice firm and authoritative. “This is important.”
Before he could respond, Benita appeared from the sitting room, her expression tight with frustration and exhaustion.
“This needs to be over soon,” she said, looking directly at Marco. “I can’t take this anymore. You being gone all the time on Sophia’s mysterious errands, me stuck here with guards I barely know. This is ridiculous.”
“Benita…” Marco started, his voice softening as he looked at her.
“No,” she interrupted, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I’m tired, Marco. I’m tired of all of this.”
She turned and walked away, her shoulders tense, leaving Marco standing there looking torn between following her and obeying my orders.
I could see the anger building in him, the frustration at being caught between his duty and his relationship. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and for a moment I thought he might actually refuse me.
But he didn’t.
He let out a sharp hiss of frustration, snatched the photo from my hand, and stormed toward the garage without another word. I heard his car engine roar to life moments later, the sound angry and aggressive, before he peeled out of the driveway.
I watched him go, feeling a mixture of satisfaction and guilt. Marco was loyal, but I was pushing him to his breaking point. I just needed him to hold on for one more day. Just one more day and this would all be over.
I checked my phone and saw a message from Tyler.
I’m here. Early. Where should I meet you?
My heart started racing with anticipation. Hailey’s end was closer than she could possibly imagine, and I could feel it in every nerve of my body.
I texted back quickly.
Side entrance. I’ll meet you there.
I made my way to the side entrance, careful to avoid the main areas where Hailey or Benita might see me. When I opened the door, Tyler was standing there with a large, heavy-looking bag slung over his shoulder.
“You’re early,” I said, looking at the bag. “What’s in there?”
“Study materials,” Tyler said quickly, shifting the bag slightly. “Books, notes, equipment. I wanted to overwhelm Benita with so much work that she’d get frustrated and leave. That way I can be alone with Hailey.”
The plan was perfect, and just thinking about it made heat pool low in my belly. This was really happening. In just a few hours, Hailey would be dead, and my father would be mine again.
“Come with me,” I said, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside.
I led him quickly down a hallway to one of the rarely-used guest rooms, glancing around to make sure no one was watching us. The moment we were inside, I locked the door and turned to face him.
“We have time before you need to start the tutoring session,” I said, moving closer to him. “And I want you.”
Tyler set down his heavy bag and smirked. “Right now? Here?”
“Right now,” I confirmed, already pulling off my shirt.
We came together in a rush of urgency and need. The sex was quick and rough, both of us too keyed up with anticipation to take our time. I rode him hard, my hands braced against his chest, both of us breathing heavily as we chased our release.
When it was over, we dressed quickly, neither of us wanting to waste too much time. Tyler was supposed to be a tutor, and we couldn’t risk anyone getting suspicious about why he was late.
“Go,” I said, smoothing down my hair. “I’ll wait a few minutes before leaving so no one sees us together.”
Tyler nodded, grabbing his heavy bag and slinging it over his shoulder. But as he turned toward the door, the bag shifted and something fell out, hitting the floor with a soft thud.
“I got it,” I said, bending down to pick up whatever had fallen.
It was small and black, about the size of a matchbox. At first I thought it might be some kind of recording device for notes. But as I turned it over in my hands, I realized what it was.
A camera. A tiny, professional-grade spy camera.
And the small red light on the side was blinking.
It was on. Recording.
“Here,” I said slowly, holding it out to Tyler. “You dropped this.”
He took it quickly, shoving it back into his bag. “Thanks. Part of the study materials.”
But my mind was racing, trying to understand why Tyler would need a recording camera for a tutoring session.
“Why do you need a camera?” I asked, keeping my voice casual even though suspicion was crawling up my spine.
“To record the session,” Tyler said smoothly. “So Hailey can review the material later if she needs to. Some students find it helpful to watch back over lessons.”
The explanation made sense. Sort of. But something about it felt off.
“That’s thoughtful,” I said, forcing a smile.
“I should go,” Tyler said, already moving toward the door. “Don’t want to be late and make her suspicious.”
He left, and I stood there for a moment, staring at the door he’d just walked through.
A camera. He’d brought a camera.
I told myself it was nothing. That he’d explained it perfectly reasonably. That I was just being paranoid because of the high stakes of what we were about to do.
But the unease wouldn’t leave me.
Why would he need to record a tutoring session? And why was the camera hidden in his bag instead of set up openly where Hailey could see it and consent to being filmed?