Chapter 117 One Hundred And Seventeen
Sofia did not drive immediately.
She sat inside her car, engine off.
Her lips curved slowly.
It had gone better than expected.
Not perfect.
Kennedy hadn’t melted. He hadn’t crossed any obvious lines.
But he had listened.
More importantly—
He had doubted.
And doubt was fertile soil.
She reached for her handbag with deliberate calm, pulled out her phone, and stared at the screen for a moment.
Then she dialed.
It rang twice.
“Hello?” A male voice answered, low and professional.
“Did you get them?” Sofia asked without greeting.
A brief pause.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Her smile widened.
“All of them?”
“Clear shots. Different angles. Inside and outside the restaurant. Just like you requested.”
Good.
Very good.
She leaned back against the leather seat.
“Send them.”
Within seconds, her phone chimed.
One image.
Then another.
Then five more.
She opened the first.
It was taken through the window—Kennedy and her seated opposite each other. From the angle, it looked intimate. Close. Personal.
The second showed her leaning slightly forward, her hand resting near his. The framing cut off the space between them cleverly, making it appear as though their fingers were intertwined.
The third—
She inhaled slowly.
It captured the exact moment her fingers had brushed his hand.
Frozen.
Suspended.
Intentional.
Perfect.
Anyone looking at it would see reconciliation.
Reconnection.
Romance.
Not tension.
Not manipulation.
Not strategy.
She swiped to the next.
This one was outside the restaurant. Kennedy had been holding the door open for her.
Chivalry.
Courtesy.
But through the lens?
Affection.
The final shot showed them walking side by side toward the valet.
From behind.
Close enough that it appeared intimate.
She studied each picture carefully, zooming in.
The lighting was flattering.
The distance between them was minimal.
The body language ambiguous enough to suggest history rekindled.
Exactly what she needed.
“You did well,” she said into the phone.
“I aim to please.”
She ended the call.
Then she did something far more dangerous.
She opened her email.
The recipient was saved under a neutral name.
But she knew exactly who they were.
A fast-moving gossip blog notorious for breaking “exclusive” stories about high-profile relationships, breakups, reconciliations.
She attached the images.
Subject line:
Exclusive: Kennedy and Sofia Spotted Rekindling Romance
In the body, she wrote just enough to ignite curiosity:
Sources confirm the former couple appeared deeply engaged during an intimate lunch today. Witnesses describe the chemistry as undeniable. Are the former lovebirds back together?
She reread it once.
Smiled.
And hit send.
The message whooshed away into the digital world.
And with it—
The spark of chaos.
She started the car.
By the time she reached home, her phone buzzed.
Reply received.
We’ll run it first thing in the morning.
Sofia stepped out of the car feeling light.
Strategic.
Satisfied.
“Let’s see how secure Antonia feels tomorrow,” she murmured softly.
\----
The Next Morning
Antonia had barely slept.
Again.
She woke before her alarm, the room still gray with early dawn.
Her son stirred in his crib, letting out soft noises that pulled her from the fog of uneasy dreams.
She forced a smile as she lifted him, pressing a kiss to his warm forehead.
“You’re the only calm in my life,” she whispered.
She made breakfast mechanically.
Moved through the morning routine.
But her mind kept circling back to Kennedy.
He hadn’t called.
He hadn’t texted.
Nothing.
Maybe he needed space.
Maybe he was thinking.
Maybe—
Her phone buzzed.
A notification.
She glanced at it absently while stirring her coffee.
And froze.
Her heart stopped.
The headline stared back at her in bold, merciless letters.
KENNEDY SPOTTED WITH EX-GIRLFRIEND SOFIA – RECONCILIATION CONFIRMED?
The mug slipped slightly in her hand, hot coffee sloshing dangerously close to the rim.
Her fingers trembled.
No.
No.
She tapped it.
The article opened.
There they were.
The photos.
Clear.
Intimate.
Undeniable.
Sofia leaning forward.
Kennedy looking at her.
Their hands almost touching.
Walking side by side.
It looked romantic.
Intentional.
Public.
Her chest tightened painfully.
He hadn’t even waited.
One misunderstanding.
One argument.
And he ran straight back to her.
Her throat burned.
She scrolled further down.
Sources say the former couple appeared comfortable and deeply connected, sparking rumors that their love story may not be over.
Love story.
Antonia’s vision blurred.
Her heart felt like it had been squeezed in a fist.
He had questioned her loyalty.
Looked at her like she had betrayed him.
And while she lay awake wrestling with hurt, he was at lunch with his ex.
Holding her hand.
Laughing.
Reconnecting.
A sharp sound escaped her before she could stop it.
Her son looked at her, confused.
She quickly wiped at her eyes.
“It’s okay,” she whispered, though her voice cracked.
Her phone buzzed again.
Helen.
Of course.
Antonia hesitated before answering.
“Have you seen the news?” Helen asked immediately.
Antonia swallowed, knowing exactly what her sister was talking about. “Just now.”
Helen’s voice sharpened. “This looks bad.”
“I know.”
“Did he say anything about meeting her?”
“No.”
Silence.
Then, carefully: “Maybe it’s innocent.”
Antonia laughed weakly.
“Innocent?”
“You saw the pictures.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“And it doesn’t look like a business meeting.”
Antonia closed her eyes.
“He accused me of still being connected to Austin,” she whispered. “And the next day he’s out with Sofia.”
The irony tasted bitter.
Helen exhaled slowly. “Call him.”
“No.”
“Antonia—”
“If he wanted me to know, he would’ve told me.”
Helen didn’t argue with that.
Because that part was true.
"So what are you going to do now?"
"Focus on raising my child." Antonia answered almost too quickly, "I'm done with Kennedy. I'm done with Austin. I'm done with the drama."