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SOFIA'S POV
Somehow the door was ajar, letting Leon see everything happening inside the house.
By his side was Emily, who watched everything with wide eyes, holding her little school bag, her tied-up pigtails. Even if I knew she probably wouldn’t understand what was happening, I still flushed, ashamed.
I shot up from my seat, kneeling before her, pulling her into a hug. Mommy had missed you, Emily.
Picking her up, I placed her with her brother beside the bed, playing with toys.
Alex shot up upon seeing her, grasping her by the hand and dragging her to his works, displaying them with pride. Swiftly, the both of them became engrossed in other things.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I returned to the little round dining table where the food was served, seeing that Leon still stood outside while Diego sat on the chair.
Silently, I compared both of them in my mind. Leon would wait politely for an invitation, while the man over there wouldn’t, waltzing in like here was his room.
'But it’s his cabin,' a small voice reminded me. Still, I shot back, 'I was given it for a time, which is supposed to mean for that period it becomes mine.'
I called Leon in. "Leon, please stay for dinner before you leave."
"Thank you, Sofia. What a coincidence, I haven’t had my dinner meal yet."
While he sat, I went to bring the other two children and set up their mini table where my eyes could reach them, placing them there with their plastic spoons and napkins.
From when they were two years old, I had already started teaching them to eat by themselves.
I sneaked glances at the two men who sat opposite each other, despite being silent, the aura and tension rippling of them was loud and chocking.
Even though I’d have to do a bit of cleaning for shattered bits of food, it saves time.
During the meal, it was quiet, save for the soft clinking of cutleries against the plate.
Immediately after the meal, Diego leaned backwards and said, "Sofia, since dinner is over, isn’t it time for the guest to take their leave?" He emphasized the word 'guest.'
I groaned, having a feeling that this night would be a tough one.
And just as I had guessed, Leon shot back. "Diego, stop trying to influence and control Sofia. Let her be herself without any of your manipulations."
"You’re just envious that I can sit and talk with Sofia and you can’t."
"No, I’m concerned about her. I might not be a psychologist, but I know that whatever is happening here isn’t healthy, and you know that."
"What do you know about healthy? Is it trying to turn her against the father of her children?"
I stared at Diego in shock. How did he know about our conversation today? I have never mentioned it.
"You see what I’m saying, Sofia? That bodyguard"—he spat the word 'bodyguard' out like it was dirty—"wasn’t for your protection; it was to monitor you.
"Trust—it’s not in Diego’s dictionary. All he knows is control, and if I’m right, he probably doesn’t like that you’re doing things out of his control right now."
"Of course it was for protection. Protection against men like you. Despite knowing fully well that Sofia is taken, you resort to dubious means, trying to steal her away from her mate."
"You’re her mate? How come I didn’t know that? Sofia never told me you were her mate. Are you sure you aren’t dreaming again?"
'Can you stop' I pleaded in my mind, praying, seeing them like this dealt more damage to me.
"Not only I, but the whole pack knows that Sofia is now my beloved mate."
"And did she agree to being this mate of yours?" Leon sneered.
Diego stood up, his chair clattering to the floor, Leon following after. It’s like they had completely forgotten where they were.
The air became heated, rippling with aggressiveness.
They were in each other’s faces, their rumbling and growls bouncing off the walls.
I swiftly moved my children far away from them, hugging them to my chest shielding their frightened eyes
Just in case it turned out that they came down to blows, and looking at it, they weren’t far off from it.
'It was just a dinner how had it come to this' I wondered
Just then, Leon snapped at Diego. "If you’re so sure of Sofia, then let her decide right here and now." Their heads simultaneously turned to me, each intensity burdening. I froze. Decide what?
Between the both of them, they stared at me, waiting for my words. My heart was tugged in two directions, waging war. Emotions and logic clashing.
I couldn’t.
Panicking, I ran out, slamming open the door and running off into the night. My breath came out as fog, my heart pounding against my ribs, the cold air piercing my lungs with each pant.
When I looked up, I was surrounded by gigantic trees, losing my sense of direction. Thankfully, I could see in the dark.
I never thought that one day I would be placed in a hot spot, to decide who to follow. It tore down every kind of illusion I had placed between us, forcing me to see the truth clearly.
To my side, a twig snapped. I crouched down, vigilant. This was the forest where wild animals roamed, and since it was night, in this case, it could be predators.
"Sofia, it’s me."
From the bushes emerged Leon, picking out the twigs and leaves that clung to his cloth.
He walked towards me. "I finally found you.
"I’m sorry if my actions had put you in a hot spot. I know you don’t like it, but I had no choice.
"You know how much I like you, Sofia. You’re aware of it. I’ve never made it hidden from you, and now, seeing you wavering for some guy who tortured you years back just because he’s the father of your children pains me, Sofia.
"You can’t imagine just how much pain I’m in. It’s like my heart is literally being stabbed and sliced at the same time."
"Sofia." His voice lowers an octave as he wraps his hand around my waist, pulling me to him. Under the backlight of the moon, it was as if he was encased in an ethereal glow.
With my body against his, he whispered, "I just wish that you’ll look at me, finally seeing me for who I am. No one else.
"His head came closer to mine. I could feel his heated gaze on my lips.
He drew closer again, closing his eyes. I knew what he was going for. Nervous, I closed my eyes.
But my eyes snapped open when a growl rumbled from the shadows—Diego stepped out, his eyes glowing.
He’d been watching from the shadows.