Chapter 147 One Hundred And Forty Seven
The silence that followed Austin’s departure lingered like a storm that hadn’t fully broken.
Kennedy stood just inside the doorway, his hand still resting on the handle for a brief second before he slowly let it fall to his side.
Across the room, Sofia watched him carefully.
The shift in him was unmistakable.
Gone was the softness she had seen the day before.
Gone was the vulnerability she had used to her advantage.
What stood before her now was something else entirely.
Controlled.
Cold.
And very, very aware.
Kennedy took a few slow steps into the living room, his eyes scanning the space as if trying to piece together everything that had been happening behind his back.
Then his gaze settled on her.
“Start talking.”
His voice was quiet.
But firm.
Sofia inhaled slowly, her fingers curling slightly at her sides.
So.
This was it.
No more dancing around the truth.
No more carefully constructed half-truths.
She had already lost too much ground to pretend anymore.
“…Helen came to see you this morning, didn’t she?” she asked.
Kennedy’s jaw tightened.
“You already know the answer to that.”
She gave a small nod.
“I figured she would.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“So everything she said…”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
He didn’t need to.
Sofia held his gaze.
“…is true.”
The admission hung in the air.
Heavy.
Final.
Kennedy didn’t move for a moment.
Didn’t speak.
But the shift in his expression—
That quiet flicker of something darker—
Said enough.
“You blackmailed Ernest,” he said finally.
Sofia didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
Kennedy let out a short, humorless laugh.
“Wow.”
She flinched slightly at the sound.
Not because it was loud.
But because of what it carried.
Disappointment.
Disgust.
“You threatened to destroy his marriage,” Kennedy continued.
“I didn’t want to,” she said quickly.
“But you did.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Thick.
Unforgiving.
Kennedy ran a hand through his hair, pacing once across the room before stopping again.
“Why?” he asked, his voice sharper now.
Sofia stepped closer.
“Because I love you.”
The words came out without hesitation.
Without shame.
Kennedy’s expression didn’t soften.
If anything, it hardened further.
“That’s your excuse?”
“It’s not an excuse. It’s the truth.”
“You call that love?”
“Yes.”
Kennedy shook his head slowly.
“No.”
Sofia’s brows drew together.
“You don’t get to define what I feel.”
“I do when it looks like this.”
She stepped even closer, her voice rising slightly.
“I was willing to fight for you.”
“You call this fighting?” he snapped. “Manipulating people? Threatening them? Destroying lives?”
“I was doing what I had to do!”
“No,” Kennedy said firmly. “You were doing what you wanted to do.”
Sofia’s chest rose and fell faster now.
“I wasn’t going to lose you again.”
Kennedy let out a sharp breath.
“You already did.”
The words landed harder than anything else he had said.
For a brief second—
Sofia’s composure cracked.
Just slightly.
“We shared a kiss,” she said quietly.
Kennedy’s eyes darkened.
“That kiss?”
“Yes.”
“That wasn’t love, Sofia.”
Her lips parted slightly.
“That was a mistake.”
The finality in his tone cut deep.
She swallowed.
“You didn’t stop it.”
“I should have.”
Silence.
Sofia looked away briefly, gathering herself before turning back to him.
“I saw how you looked at me.”
“You saw what you wanted to see.”
“No,” she insisted. “You felt something.”
Kennedy didn’t respond.
Because part of him knew—
There had been a moment.
A brief one.
But it had been there.
And that was exactly what made this worse.
Sofia stepped closer again, softer now.
“I know you, Kennedy.”
“No,” he said quietly. “You don’t.”
Her breath hitched slightly.
“I do.”
“You knew who I used to be with you.”
Her chest tightened.
“That’s not the same person standing here now.”
Sofia shook her head slowly.
“You’re just confused.”
“No.”
“You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
“At me.”
“And at myself.”
That caught her off guard.
Kennedy met her gaze directly.
“I let you get close again.”
Sofia said nothing.
“I ignored the signs.”
Her throat tightened.
“I chose to believe you had changed.”
She looked down briefly.
“I haven’t,” she admitted.
Kennedy exhaled slowly.
“No. You haven’t.”
The room fell quiet again.
Then his voice dropped.
“You’re going to stay away from me.”
Sofia looked up.
“And my family.”
Her eyes flickered.
“And Antonia.”
That name again.
Sharp.
Unavoidable.
Sofia’s expression hardened slightly.
“So this is about her.”
“It’s about everything.”
“You still love her.”
Kennedy didn’t hesitate.
“Yes.”
The honesty hit harder than she expected.
Sofia let out a soft, bitter laugh.
“Of course you do.”
“And I’m going to fix what I broke.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“You think it’s that simple?”
“No.”
“Then what makes you so sure you can?”
Kennedy held her gaze.
“Because I’m done making the same mistakes.”
Sofia studied him for a long moment.
Then slowly—
A small, knowing smile crept onto her lips.
“Well…”
Kennedy frowned slightly.
“What?”
“You might want to hurry.”
His expression darkened.
“What are you talking about?”
Sofia tilted her head slightly.
“Antonia.”
A pause.
“She’s moving on.”
Kennedy’s jaw tightened.
“With Austin.”
The name alone sent a sharp edge through him.
“She said yes,” Sofia added calmly.
The words hit like a punch.
Kennedy stared at her.
“…what?”
Sofia’s smile widened just a little.
“You heard me.”
His mind raced.
Images flashing.
Antonia.
Austin.
The park.
Her laughter.
The way she had stood beside him.
“No,” Kennedy muttered.
“Yes.”
Sofia crossed her arms.
“She’s giving him a chance.”
Kennedy’s chest tightened.
For a moment—
He said nothing.
Because he didn’t know what to say.
Sofia watched him carefully.
Enjoying the shift.
The crack.
The doubt.
Then—
She delivered the final blow.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
Kennedy’s gaze snapped back to her.
“What?”
Sofia’s voice dropped slightly.
“Austin didn’t just happen to be here.”
A pause.
“He was working with me.”
The room went completely still.
Kennedy’s expression changed instantly.
“What?”
Sofia nodded slowly.
“He knew exactly what he was doing.”
“Are you serious?”
“I am.”
“He wouldn’t—”
“He did.”
Kennedy shook his head.
“No.”
Sofia stepped closer.
“I needed someone close to Antonia.”
His stomach dropped.
“And he needed a way in.”
The pieces began to fall together.
Too quickly.
Too perfectly.
The park.
The timing.
The tension.
The arguments.
Everything.
“…you’re lying,” Kennedy said, but there was less conviction in his voice now.
“I’m not.”
“Why would he help you?”
“Because it benefited him.”
Kennedy’s jaw clenched tightly.
“And now?”
Sofia’s smile turned almost amused.
“Now he doesn’t need me anymore.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Kennedy’s hands curled into fists at his sides.
Because if what she was saying was true—
Then everything Antonia thought she knew had been twisted.
Manipulated.
Engineered.
Sofia watched him carefully.
“And the worst part?”
He didn’t respond.
“He’s winning.”
Kennedy’s eyes darkened.
Because deep down—
He could feel it.
Time was slipping.
And for the first time—
He wasn’t in control of the outcome anymore.