Chapter 96 Chapter 96
Sophia’s POV
She turned to Louis with a smile. “I made this for Hailey,” Benita said quietly, her voice flat and emotionless. “To thank her for… for being there during the attack.” Her attention was wholly on Louis.
She started walking toward the kitchen exit, carrying the arrangement carefully.
I decided to leave too. I couldn’t stand being in that kitchen anymore with Louis refusing to follow my orders and Benita looking like a walking corpse.
I turned sharply to exit at the same time Benita was passing through the doorway.
We crashed into each other, the edible arrangement flew from Benita’s hands, tumbling through the air in what felt like slow motion before hitting the floor with a wet splat.
Chocolate and fruit scattered everywhere. Strawberries rolled across the tile. The container cracked. Hours of careful work destroyed in an instant.
“Look what you did!” I shouted immediately, pointing at the mess. “You weren’t watching where you were going!”
“You ran into me!” Benita shot back, her voice rising with the first real emotion I’d heard from her in days. “You weren’t paying attention!”
“I was leaving and you stepped right in front of me!” I argued.
“You turned without looking!” Benita countered, her face flushing red. “This is your fault!” I insisted.
“No, it’s YOUR fault!” Benita screamed. “Everything is your fault! Marco’s death is your fault! This mess is your fault! Everything wrong in my life right now is because of YOU!”
The words hung in the air, sharp and cutting.
Before I could respond, Louis stepped between us, his hands raised in a calming gesture.
“Ladies, please,” he said gently. “It was an accident. No one’s to blame. These things happen.”
“Stay out of this!” I snapped at him.
But Louis ignored me, turning to Benita with a kind expression. “Miss Benita, I can make you another edible arrangement. It won’t take long. I’m actually quite good at it.”
Benita stared at him, tears streaming down her face now. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I insist,” Louis said firmly but gently. “Please, let me. It would be my pleasure to help.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You’re a security guard, not a chef. You don’t need to make food arrangements.”
“I want to,” Louis said simply, looking at me with those calm, steady eyes. “Miss Benita worked hard on this. The least I can do is help her replace it.”
Benita nodded, wiping at her tears. “Thank you, Louis. That’s… that’s very kind.”
I threw my hands up in frustration. “Fine. Whatever. Do what you want. I’m leaving.”
I stormed toward the kitchen exit, but Louis’s hand gently caught my arm.
“Miss Sophia,” he said quietly. “Would you like to help? Making the arrangement together might be a good way for you and Miss Benita to….”
“Let go of me,” I said coldly, yanking my arm away from his grip. “I’m not making anything for her.”
Louis released me immediately, his expression disappointed but not surprised.
I stormed out of the kitchen, my heart pounding with anger and something else I didn’t want to name. Guilt, maybe. Or shame.
I just needed to get to my room. To be alone where no one could look at me with disappointment or accusation.
I rushed down the hallway, my vision blurry with frustrated tears, and turned the corner toward my bedroom.
But I stopped short when I saw Barbara.
Hailey’s mother was standing in the hallway, her hand on one of the doorknobs, clearly trying to open it. When it didn’t budge, she moved to the next door and tried that one too.
“What are you doing?” I demanded loudly.
Barbara jumped, startled, and whirled around to face me. “Oh! Sophia. You scared me.”
“I asked what you’re doing,” I repeated, walking closer. “Why are you trying to open these doors?”
“I was just… looking for the bathroom,” Barbara said, but her tone was unconvincing.
“The bathroom is clearly marked,” I said, pointing to the door with the obvious bathroom sign on it just a few feet away.
“These are private rooms. You shouldn’t be trying to get into them.”
“I wasn’t trying to get in,” Barbara protested. “I was just….”
“Snooping,” I finished for her. “You were snooping around, trying to unlock different rooms. What are you looking for Money?”
Barbara’s face flushed red. “I am not looking for money! How dare you accuse me of……”
“Then what are you doing?” I challenged. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like attempted theft.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Barbara said, her voice rising. “I would never….”
“Wouldn’t you?” I interrupted. “You’re clearly uncomfortable here. You want Hailey to leave. Maybe you figured you’d steal something valuable, force my father to kick you both out…..”
“Stop it!” Barbara shouted. “I am not a thief! I was confused about the layout of this house! I got turned around!”
“Bullshit,” I said coldly. “This house isn’t that complicated. You were trying to get into rooms you have no business being in.”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you,” Barbara said, her voice shaking with anger now. “You’re just a child throwing accusations around……”
“I’m not a child!” I screamed. “And you’re not welcome here! You and your daughter should leave! Go back to whatever pathetic life you had before you trapped my father!”
“My daughter didn’t trap anyone!” Barbara screamed back. “Your father is the one who got her pregnant! Your father is the one who brought us into this nightmare!”
Our voices were getting louder and louder, echoing through the hallway.
“You’re both gold diggers!” I shouted. “Using a baby to secure your place in a wealthy family! It’s disgusting!”
“How dare you!” Barbara took a step toward me, her fists clenched.
“What’s going on here?”
Hailey’s voice cut through our argument. She appeared at the end of the hallway with my dad.
“Your mother is a thief!” I said immediately, pointing at Barbara. “I caught her trying to break into rooms!”