Chapter 226

Chapter 226
Sophia

I stood in the middle of my once-pristine living room, surveying the disaster zone that had become my life. Cheerios crunched under my feet with every step, the sound amplifying my growing headache. Story books and colorful building blocks created an obstacle course across the hardwood floor. My God, how could three children create such chaos?

"It's just a phase," I whispered to myself, pressing my fingers against my temples where a monster headache was brewing. "A fucking phase that might last eighteen years, but still just a phase."

My throat tightened as I looked around. This wasn't how I pictured my life - drowning in toys and cheerios while financial reports gathered dust. I'd been a Princeton graduate, for Christ's sake. A respected analyst. Now I was just trying to survive each day without losing my damn mind.

Lily had finally crashed for her nap after fighting sleep like it was her mortal enemy. Elizabeth had taken Emma and Jasper to the park, giving me precisely one hour to pull myself together before my virtual meeting with potential clients. One goddamn hour that was slipping away with each passing second.

I stumbled into our open-concept kitchen, nearly tripping over a stuffed elephant. "Shit," I hissed, kicking it aside more forcefully than necessary. Jasper's monitor sat on the counter, mercifully silent. I filled the electric kettle for coffee—my fourth cup today, but who was counting?—and leaned against the marble countertop, feeling the cool surface ground me momentarily.

The financial reports I'd been working on last night were still spread across the kitchen island, half-finished. Client portfolios that needed analysis. Risk assessments waiting for my signature. All the work that had once defined me, now squeezed into stolen moments between diaper changes and midnight feedings.

My chest tightened with anxiety. Maybe I should cut back. Drop a few clients. Focus on being the mother my children deserved. But what about me? a selfish voice whispered inside my head. What about everything I built?

But without Sterling money backing us anymore, how would I give Lily the best specialists for her learning challenges? How would I afford the medical care Jasper still needed? The thought made my stomach churn. Sure, I had savings and my business was doing well, but nothing compared to Blake's resources.

The kettle whistled, jolting me from my spiral of anxiety. As I poured the water over my coffee grounds, my phone rang. Blake's name flashed on the screen, and I felt a mixture of relief and irritation.

"Please tell me you're calling with good news," I said, trying to sound more put-together than I felt, while silently praying he couldn't hear the desperation in my voice.

"Depends on your definition of good," Blake replied, street noise humming in the background.

"Blake, I can't do this without you," I blurted out, abandoning any pretense of professionalism. My voice cracked embarrassingly. "I'm serious. I need you back home. Everything's falling apart here. I'm drowning in fucking Cheerios and dirty diapers while trying to keep our business afloat."

The silence on the other end made me regret my outburst immediately. Great job, Sophia. Very professional.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, his voice softening. "This separation is temporary, Sophia. You know that, right?"

I nodded, forgetting he couldn't see me, and wiped away a tear I hadn't realized had fallen. "I know. It's just... harder than I thought it would be. I thought I could handle everything, but I can't. I just fucking can't."

After hanging up, I tried to focus on work, but my mind kept drifting to Blake in London, to Jasper's next doctor appointment, to the million things pulling me in different directions. By evening, the apartment had descended into fresh chaos. Elizabeth was at some expert panel discussion, leaving me solo with all three kids. Lily's tablet blared irritating music from some math game that made me want to throw the device out the window.

The financial report I'd finally completed was now sporting a purple juice stain. Fuck my life , I thought, dabbing at it uselessly with a napkin.

And Lily's stuffed bunny had mysteriously vanished, causing a meltdown of epic proportions.

"Bunny is just GONE, Mommy!" Lily wailed, tears streaming down her face, her tiny body shaking with sobs that broke my heart. "He's NEVER coming back!"

"Honey, he's somewhere in this apartment," I said, trying to sound confident while frantically searching under couch cushions, my own anxiety rising with each passing second. "Bunny wouldn't leave without saying goodbye." Unlike your father , a bitter voice in my head added.

The doorbell rang, making me want to scream. Actually scream, not just in my head. Instead, I took a deep breath and yanked it open to find Lauren standing there, looking immaculate in her work clothes, not a hair out of place.

"Oh my God," she said, taking in my disheveled appearance. "You look worse than the 2008 market crash."

"Thanks," I muttered, stepping aside to let her in. "Just what every woman wants to hear. 'Hey, you look like shit!' Exactly the boost I needed."

Lauren's sharp eyes scanned the living room, and within seconds, she was on her knees, reaching under the sofa. "Is this what we're looking for?" she asked, emerging with the missing bunny.

Lily's face transformed instantly. "BUNNY!" she squealed, snatching the toy and hugging it tightly.

"He was just conducting market research," Lauren told her solemnly. "Checking out carrot futures. Very important bunny business."

I felt a rush of gratitude so intense it almost made me cry again. Get it together, Sophia , I chided myself. You're falling apart over a stuffed rabbit.

Once the kids were settled with a movie, Lauren followed me out to the terrace. The evening air was cool against my skin as I collapsed into a lounge chair, every muscle in my body aching from tension.

"Someone's been spreading rumors that my analysis skills are slipping," I said without preamble, anger bubbling beneath my exhaustion. "Three potential clients have backed out this week. Has to be Juliana's doing. That manipulative bitch never stops."

Lauren handed me a glass of wine. "Probably. But honestly, Soph, I've seen you in meetings lately. You're distracted. Your mind's on Lily and those damn photos of Blake in London."

I flinched, my fingers tightening around the wine glass. The tabloid pictures of Blake at some charity gala, surrounded by gorgeous women, had been everywhere this week. Each one felt like a knife twisting in my gut. "I'm worried clients will run scared if they think the Sterling family is against me. And let's be real - they absolutely fucking are."

"You want to be Superwoman?" Lauren asked bluntly. "There's no perfect life." She swirled her wine thoughtfully. "Have you considered Goldstein's offer? The investment bank would kill to have you."

My mind raced with possibilities. The salary they offered would solve so many problems. But at what cost?

I stared out at the Manhattan skyline, buildings glittering like promises in the darkness. "Their office is across from Blake's building. I can't do it. I'd rather eat glass than watch him walk into that building every day with his perfect life while I'm still picking up the pieces of mine."

"Not all returns can be measured in dollars, darling," Lauren said, her voice gentler now. "Maybe you need to slow down, take care of Lily and yourself."

She leaned forward, her expression serious. "Don't let that witch Juliana win twice. Don't let her destroy your career too."

I blinked back unexpected tears, knowing she was right but unsure which path to choose. My life had become a series of impossible choices, each one tearing me in different directions. Whatever I chose, something precious would be lost.