Chapter 71

Chapter 71

MADDIE

The morning sun filtered through the windshield, painting the quiet roads of Oakridge in shades of soft gold. From the passenger seat of Julian’s pickup truck, I watched the familiar countryside roll past.

Another day had begun, completely normal on the surface.

For the past couple of days, I had braced myself for an inevitable storm. After realizing that the sharp-eyed "parent" who inquired about daycare enrollment was likely one of Hades’ men, I expected black SUVs to cordon off the streets. I expected muscle-bound bodyguards in suits to storm Oakridge Little Sprouts, or Hades himself to walk through the door, cold and commanding, to drag me back to the life I had bled to escape.

But none of that happened.

There were no harsh tactics, no sudden confrontations, and no force. It made no sense considering the ruthless man I used to know. Yet, as the quiet hours turned into peaceful days, I made a conscious choice to stop letting his shadow dictate my breath. I had survived the worst of him. I was Sofia now, and my focus belonged entirely to the life I was building here.

"You're awfully quiet over there, Sofia," Julian said, casting a brief glance in my direction as he navigated a familiar turn. "Or should I be worried that your brain is spinning a million miles an hour again?"

I looked over at him and smiled, adjusting my thick eyeglasses. "Just thinking about the painting activity I set up for the kids today. Finger paint and four-year-olds usually end in complete disaster."

"Ah, tactical warfare. Got it," Julian chuckled, leaning back against his headrest with one hand easily on the wheel. He slowed the truck down as we approached the block where the daycare sat, his tone shifting into something a little more serious, though still lighthearted. "On a real note, though... how are you feeling today? Any unwanted guests lurking around? Any weird signs of... you-know-who?"

"None," I replied softly, letting out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Everything has been completely quiet."

"Good," Julian nodded, offering a wide, teasing grin. "Because if any corporate suits try to mess with you, they'll have to answer to me and my trusty pipe wrench. And trust me, I've got a mean swing."

I let out a genuine, light laugh, the sound bubbling up naturally. Being around Julian was a constant reminder of how far I had come. He didn't look at me like I was a broken victim or a trophy to be claimed; he treated me like a real person, a lady worth protecting. In his presence, the tight knot of anxiety in my chest loosened, replaced by a warm, undeniable sense of safety.

"I'll be sure to call you first if I need a wrench-wielding bodyguard," I teased back, shaking my head.

"Hey, I take my job as chief protector of Oakridge Little Sprouts very seriously," he said with a wink as he brought the truck to a smooth stop right in front of the daycare gate.

Julian hopped out first, walking around to open the passenger door for me like a true country gentleman. I smiled at his gesture and stepped down onto the gravel, adjusting the strap of my canvas bag over my shoulder.

"Thanks for the ride, Julian," I said, looking up at him.

"Anytime, Sofia—"

Before he could finish his sentence, my instincts—sharpened by months of hyper-awareness and fear—instantly flared up. A faint, metallic reflection caught the corner of my eye from down the street.

I didn't turn my head abruptly. Instead, I carefully shifted my gaze while pretending to smooth down my apron.

Parked nearly two blocks away, partially hidden beneath the shade of a large oak tree, was a non-descript dark sedan. Sitting in the driver’s seat was a man wearing sunglasses, holding a long DSLR camera with a telephoto lens resting right against the cracked window. The lens was pointed directly at us. At me.

My heart dropped, a cold pang echoing through my chest.

Hades’ operative. He was taking photos, documenting every second of my morning, every interaction, every smile.

For a fraction of a second, panic threatened to paralyze me. But then I remembered who I was now. I wasn't the helpless woman trapped in a gilded cage anymore. I was attentive, aware, and in control of my own reactions. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing me run.

I composed my face instantly, keeping my expression soft, calm, and utterly unbothered.

Without breaking stride or looking toward the hidden car, I reached out and gently pulled Julian closer by his forearm, stepping into his space with an easy, comfortable familiarity.

Julian blinked, momentarily surprised by my sudden closeness, but he didn't pull away.

"Julian," I murmured in a sweet, relaxed tone, keeping a warm smile fixed on my face so that from two blocks away, it looked like nothing more than a tender, cheerful conversation between close friends. "Don't look now, but we have an audience under the big oak tree down the road. Black sedan. Camera with a long lens."

Julian’s posture stiffened slightly, his eyes instinctively wanting to dart down the street, but I subtly tightened my grip on his arm, anchoring him.

"Keep smiling," I whispered softly, leaning in just enough to make the view through that telephoto lens crystal clear. "Let them take their pictures. Let them report whatever they want back to him."

Understanding clicked in Julian's eyes. A slow, mischievous smirk spread across his face as he played along, leaning in slightly and letting out a rich, audible laugh as if I had just told him the funniest joke in the world.

"Copy that, Sofia," Julian said smoothly, his voice laced with quiet amusement. "If your ex wants a front-row seat to your new life, we might as well give him something worth taking a photo of."

I smiled up at Julian, taking a deep, steadying breath. Whoever was behind that camera could send thousands of photos back to Hades. It didn't matter. I was standing my ground, right here in Oakridge, and I wasn't afraid anymore.

The rest of the day went by in a blur of laughter, finger paints, and storybooks. By five in the afternoon, the last of the toddlers had been picked up by their parents, leaving the daycare quiet once again.

I was at the sink washing plastic brushes when Annie walked out to the porch to sweep up the stray leaves.

"Sofia, sweetie, can you help me carry these toy bins outside?" Annie called out from near the entrance. "The Smith couple said they'd drop by to check on the porch roof before sunset—"

Annie stopped mid-sentence.

I dried my hands on a towel and walked out toward the front, wondering why she had gone dead silent.

Annie was standing completely still on the wooden porch, her jaw slightly slack, staring out toward the street. Several parents who were still chatting by the gate, along with a few local residents walking home, had all stopped in their tracks. A collective murmur rippled through the quiet neighborhood.

I stepped onto the porch and followed their shocked gazes.

Parked right in front of the daycare's wooden fence was a sleek, pitch-black luxury SUV—a vehicle so imposing, immaculate, and absurdly high-end that it looked entirely out of place against the humble, dusty roads of Oakridge. Its heavily tinted windows reflected the orange glow of the setting sun.

"Goodness gracious..." Annie gasped softly, clutching her broomstick tighter. "Whose car is that? In all my years in Oakridge, I’ve never seen a luxury vehicle like that around here."

My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird, the blood in my veins running cold as I braced for Hades to step out.

Instead, the rear passenger door clicked open, and a woman stepped out onto the gravel. She was dressed in a sharp, immaculate managerial black pantsuit, holding a thick leather portfolio. Her posture was crisp, professional, and refined as she walked deliberately toward our gate.

She stopped at the foot of the porch stairs, her sharp eyes scanning the two of us before landing squarely on me.

"Ms. Sofia Collins?" she asked, her voice polite, clear, and perfectly rehearsed.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, taking a step forward. "Yes... that's me."

"Good evening, Ms. Collins," the woman said with a formal nod. She unzipped her portfolio, retrieved a thick, elegant cream-colored envelope sealed with a dark wax stamp, and held it out to me. "This is for you."

Annie’s eyes widened in sheer shock, her jaw dropping as she looked back and forth between the high-end woman, the luxury vehicle waiting at the curb, and me.

With trembling fingers, I reached out and accepted the heavy envelope.

"Have a pleasant evening, ladies," the managerial woman said simply. Without another word, she turned around, walked back to the black SUV, and slipped into the passenger seat. The engine purred smoothly as the vehicle pulled away, disappearing down the quiet road.

"Sofia..." Annie breathed out, completely stunned as she rushed to my side. "What on earth was that? Who was that woman? Open it, sweetie... what does it say?"

My hands shook slightly as I broke the wax seal and pulled out the thick linen card inside. Printed in bold, elegant calligraphy at the top were the words:

INVITATION

Ms. Sofia Collins

You are cordially invited to an exclusive dinner at The Grand Vista Resort & Villas, Private Dining Suite A.

Tonight at 7:00 PM.

At the bottom of the card, written in familiar, dark, precise cursive handwriting, was a single, chilling line that made my breath catch in my throat:

I look forward to seeing you again, Sofia.

— H.G.