Chapter 124 One Hundred And Twenty Four
Sofia sat motionless in the driver’s seat of her car long after she had left Kennedy’s office building.
The engine was running.
The air conditioner hummed softly.
But she barely noticed either.
Her hands rested on the steering wheel, her manicured fingers tapping slowly against the leather as her mind replayed the last twenty minutes over and over again.
Priscilla Walton.
The woman had become a problem.
She was never going to let her son consider her again.
And for what?
Having an affair with a married man.
Wasn't that a common thing these days?
Her jaw tightened at the memory.
But that wasn’t the worst part of today.
The worst part had been Kennedy’s hesitation.
When Priscilla told her to leave.
When Sofia had looked at him and asked, Is that what you want too?
For a brief moment she had hoped—
But he hadn’t defended her.
He hadn’t asked his mother to stay out of it.
He had simply told her to go.
Sofia’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
That small moment had spoken volumes.
Priscilla Walton still had influence over him.
Maybe more influence than anyone else.
Yes, she was his mother, but she shouldn't interfere in matters of the heart.
But if Sofia was honest with herself, she knew something else too.
Priscilla Walton was the key.
If she wanted to get back into Kennedy’s life properly, she would need the older woman’s approval.
Without it…
Every step would be ten times harder.
Sofia exhaled slowly and leaned her head back against the seat.
She had always been good at solving problems.
Strategizing.
Finding the weak points in any situation.
This was no different.
She just needed the right angle.
Her eyes drifted toward the large glass building behind her.
Kennedy’s office.
Inside, he was probably still talking with his mother.
And knowing Priscilla, that conversation would revolve around one person.
Antonia.
Sofia’s mouth tightened slightly.
Antonia had been an inconvenience ever since she returned to the picture.
At first, Sofia had underestimated her.
But things had become more complicated than expected.
And with the child.
A bond that couldn’t be easily broken.
Even Priscilla seemed firmly on Antonia’s side.
Which meant Sofia needed leverage.
Something that would shift the balance.
Her gaze dropped to the phone resting in the center console.
Slowly, an idea began to form.
At first it seemed vague.
But the more she thought about it…
The clearer it became.
Her lips curved faintly.
Yes.
That could work.
Sofia picked up the phone and unlocked it.
Her contact list appeared.
She scrolled slowly.
Passing familiar names.
Business associates.
Friends.
Old acquaintances.
Until her thumb stopped.
Ernest.
For a moment she simply stared at the name.
A small smile touched her lips.
It had been a while since they had spoken properly.
But that didn’t matter.
Some connections never truly disappeared.
Especially when secrets were involved.
She tapped the name.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
For a second she wondered if he might ignore the call.
But then—
“Hello?”
His voice sounded cautious.
“Ernest,” Sofia said smoothly.
There was a brief pause on the other end.
“Sofia?”
She smiled slightly.
“Yes.”
“I wasn’t expecting your call.”
“I know.”
Another pause.
“What’s going on?”
“Are you busy?”
“I’m at work.”
“Can you step out for a moment?”
The hesitation in his voice returned.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On why you’re calling.”
Sofia leaned back in the seat, her tone calm and controlled.
“I need to see you.”
Silence.
Then—
“See me?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“It’s important.”
“Sofia…” His voice lowered slightly. “You know I can't do that.”
She rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see it.
“I promise you, it's not what you think.”
“Then why are you asking to meet?”
“It’s urgent.”
“How urgent?”
“Very.”
“You can’t say it over the phone?”
“No.”
He didn’t respond immediately.
Which meant he was thinking.
Carefully.
Probably weighing the risks.
Finally he spoke again.
“Where?”
Her smile widened slightly.
That had been easier than expected.
“There’s a café on Maple Street.”
“The one near the park?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“An hour.”
“That soon?”
“Yes.”
He sighed softly.
“You’re not giving me much time.”
“I told you it’s urgent.”
Ernest was quiet again for a moment.
Then he said—
“Fine.”
“I’ll see you there.”
Sofia’s smile sharpened slightly.
“Thank you.”
But before she could end the call, Ernest added—
“Sofia?”
“Yes?”
“This better not be something stupid.”
She gave a light laugh.
“It’s not.”
“It’s not going to cause problems, is it?”
Her eyes flickered with amusement.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On how you look at it.”
He didn’t sound reassured.
“Sofia…”
But she had already ended the call.
The line went dead.
Sofia set the phone back down and looked out through the windshield.
The tension that had filled her earlier was slowly dissolving.
Replaced by something else.
Focus.
Determination.
She started the car properly this time and pulled out of the parking spot.
As she drove through the city streets, her mind worked steadily.
Piece by piece.
Scenario by scenario.
Priscilla Walton wanted Antonia in Kennedy’s life.
That much had been obvious.
But what if that image of Antonia…
The responsible family woman.
What if that image cracked?
Just slightly.
Just enough for doubt to creep in.
Sofia turned onto Maple Street.
Then finally, she parked near the café and turned off the engine.
The afternoon sun spilled across the windshield.
She sat quietly for a moment, staring ahead.
She had to find a way to make Antonia unavailable.
It might change things.
Not drastically.
But enough.
Enough to push Kennedy into her arms.
Her lips curved slowly as she stepped out of the car.
Across the street, the café buzzed with quiet afternoon activity.
People chatting.
Waiters moving between tables.
The smell of coffee drifting through the open doors.
Sofia adjusted her sunglasses and walked inside.
She chose a corner table.
Private.
Good view of the entrance.
Then she sat down and ordered an espresso.
As she waited, her fingers tapped lightly on the table.
Her mind calm.
Patient.
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.
And finally—
The door opened.
Ernest walked in.
He looked around cautiously.
Until his eyes landed on her.
Sofia smiled slowly.
Because the game had just begun.