Chapter 123 One Hundred And Twenty Three
Kennedy remained standing near his desk, the tension in the office thick enough to suffocate the room.
Sofia stood across from him, composed as always, though the brief flicker of hurt in her eyes hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Priscilla Walton, on the other hand, looked like a judge waiting to deliver a verdict.
The silence stretched.
Then Sofia finally spoke.
“I actually came here to clear something up.”
Kennedy folded his arms slowly.
“About what?”
Her eyes moved briefly to Priscilla before returning to him.
“The pictures.”
Priscilla gave a quiet scoff.
“Oh good. This should be interesting.”
Sofia ignored the remark.
“I contacted the blog sites this morning,” she said calmly.
Kennedy blinked.
“You what?”
“I asked them to remove the photos.”
Priscilla’s brows drew together.
“You expect us to believe that?”
Sofia’s gaze shifted to her again, this time a little less patient.
“I don’t particularly care what you believe, Mrs. Walton.”
“That much is obvious.”
Kennedy stepped in before the tension could spike further.
“You called the blogs?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Sofia looked at him steadily.
“Because this situation is getting out of control.”
Priscilla crossed her arms.
“How convenient.”
Sofia inhaled slowly, clearly restraining herself.
“I told them to take the story down.”
“And they agreed?” Kennedy asked.
“Some of them.”
“That doesn’t answer the question,” Priscilla cut in.
Sofia looked back at Kennedy.
“I can’t control every gossip site on the internet.”
“Then how exactly does this prove anything?” Priscilla asked sharply.
Sofia’s expression hardened slightly.
“It proves that if I wanted the story out there, I wouldn’t be trying to remove it.”
That argument hung in the air for a moment.
Kennedy didn’t respond immediately.
Because part of him knew she had a point.
If she truly wanted the publicity, calling the blogs to take the pictures down would make no sense.
But another part of him remembered every calculated move Sofia had ever made.
He couldn’t be sure.
And that uncertainty was exactly what frustrated him.
Sofia watched his silence carefully.
“I suppose if that doesn’t convince you,” she said quietly, “nothing will.”
Priscilla didn’t hesitate.
“It doesn’t.”
Sofia turned toward her.
“You’ve already made up your mind about me, and nothing I say will change it.”
“No.”
The blunt honesty left no room for argument.
Sofia gave a small, resigned nod.
“I thought so.”
Kennedy rubbed the back of his neck.
“This isn’t helping.”
Sofia looked at him again.
“I didn’t come here to start a fight.”
“Then why did you come?” Priscilla asked immediately.
“To tell Kennedy that I didn’t set this up.”
“And you expect us to just believe that?”
“I expect you to use your judgment.”
Priscilla stepped forward slightly.
“My son already used his judgment once with you.”
Kennedy closed his eyes briefly.
“Mom…”
“What?” she said calmly. “Am I lying?”
Sofia didn’t respond.
She simply held Kennedy’s gaze.
For a moment the office fell silent again.
Finally Priscilla spoke.
“I think you’ve said enough.”
Sofia looked at her.
“I wasn’t speaking to you.”
“You’re in my son’s office.”
“And I came to speak to him.”
Priscilla’s voice hardened slightly.
“Well, your visit is over.”
Kennedy glanced between them.
“Mom—”
“I flew across the country to speak with my son,” she said firmly. “Privately.”
Sofia’s shoulders stiffened.
“So you’re asking me to leave.”
“I’m telling you to leave.”
The bluntness in her tone left no room for interpretation.
Sofia stood still for a moment.
Then she looked at Kennedy.
“Is that what you want too?”
He hesitated.
And that hesitation said everything.
Because Kennedy didn’t know what he wanted right now.
He didn’t know if Sofia was telling the truth.
He didn’t know how much damage had already been done with Antonia.
He didn’t know how to fix any of it.
But he did know one thing.
Right now, this confrontation wasn’t going anywhere.
“You should go,” he said quietly.
Sofia’s expression faltered.
Just for a second.
Then she nodded.
“Alright.”
She turned toward the door slowly.
But before leaving, she paused.
And looked back at him.
“I meant what I said.”
Kennedy didn’t reply.
Sofia gave a small, sad smile.
“I hope someday you’ll believe that.”
Then she opened the door.
And walked out.
The moment it closed behind her, the office fell into heavy silence.
Kennedy exhaled slowly and sat down in his chair.
Priscilla remained standing.
Watching him.
Studying him the way mothers do when they know their child is pretending to be stronger than he actually feels.
Finally she spoke.
“So.”
Kennedy leaned back.
“So what?”
“Are you going to sit there and feel sorry for yourself?”
He looked at her tiredly.
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“I’m thinking.”
Priscilla raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve been thinking long enough.”
He sighed.
“You don’t understand.”
“Oh I understand perfectly.”
“No you don’t.”
She walked toward his desk.
“I understand that you are letting your life fall apart while you sit here overanalyzing everything.”
Kennedy frowned.
“My life isn’t falling apart.”
“Your relationship with the mother of your child is.”
That landed exactly where she intended.
Kennedy looked away.
Priscilla softened her voice slightly.
“Do you still have feelings for Antonia?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Which again told her everything she needed to know.
“Yes,” she said quietly. “You do.”
Kennedy rubbed his face.
“It’s complicated.”
“It’s not.”
“Yes it is.”
“No,” she said firmly. “You’re just making it complicated.”
“You didn’t hear what she said to me.”
“I don’t need to.”
“She doesn’t trust me anymore.”
“Then earn back her trust.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Of course it isn’t,” she replied calmly. “Nothing worth having ever is.”
Kennedy leaned forward.
“She told me the only connection between us is our son.”
Priscilla nodded slowly.
“And whose fault is that?”
His silence answered the question.
“You let other people interfere in your relationship,” she continued.
“Austin.”
“Sofia.”
“Every bit of noise around you.”
Kennedy clenched his jaw.
“I didn’t invite the drama.”
“But you allowed it.”
Her words were sharp.
Precise.
“But that doesn’t mean you give up.”
“I’m not giving up.”
“You’re acting like you already have.”
Kennedy stared at his desk.
“What exactly do you expect me to do?”
Priscilla leaned forward slightly.
“Fight.”
He looked up.
“For what?”
“For the woman you love.”
Kennedy blinked.
“I never said I—”
“You didn’t need to.”
She folded her arms.
“You think a mother can’t see when her son is in love?”
He said nothing.
Priscilla’s voice softened again.
“Antonia isn’t asking for perfection.”
“She set boundaries.”
“Because she’s protecting herself.”
Kennedy leaned back again.
“Show her she matters more than the chaos around you.”
Kennedy stared at his mother.
“You make it sound easy.”
“I didn’t say it would be easy.”
She placed her hands on the desk.
“But if you still care about that woman—”
She paused.
Her gaze steady.
“You don’t let Austin or Sofia decide the outcome of your relationship.”
Silence filled the office again.
Priscilla studied him for a moment longer.
Then added quietly—
“If you don’t fight for her… someone else will.”
Kennedy’s jaw tightened.
And both of them knew exactly who she meant.