Chapter 146 One Hundred And Forty Six
The next morning, Austin stood in front of Sofia’s apartment door, a faint smile resting on his lips as he adjusted the sleeve of his shirt.
For once, things were going his way.
And he intended to enjoy it.
He knocked.
Once.
Twice.
A few seconds later, the door swung open.
Sofia stood there, dressed in a silk robe, her hair falling loosely around her shoulders. Her expression was neutral at first—but the moment she saw it was him, her brows lifted slightly.
“Austin.”
“Good morning.”
She stepped aside reluctantly.
“Come in.”
He walked in casually, hands tucked into his pockets, his confidence unmistakable.
Sofia closed the door behind him, watching him carefully.
“You look… pleased with yourself.”
Austin turned toward her, that same smile widening.
“I am.”
Sofia folded her arms.
“That’s never a good sign.”
He chuckled lightly.
“Well, that depends on perspective.”
She walked past him into the living room.
“Get to the point.”
Austin didn’t sit immediately. Instead, he let the moment stretch, enjoying the anticipation.
Then he finally said it.
“She said yes.”
Sofia stopped mid-step.
Slowly, she turned back to face him.
“…what?”
Austin’s smile sharpened.
“Antonia.”
The name alone shifted something in the room.
“I told her how I felt,” he continued. “And she’s willing to give me a chance.”
Silence.
For a brief moment, Sofia said nothing.
Her face remained composed.
But her eyes—
Her eyes betrayed her.
A flicker.
Something dark.
Something bitter.
“…she agreed?” she asked slowly.
“Yes.”
Sofia let out a soft, almost disbelieving laugh.
“Wow.”
Austin tilted his head slightly.
“That’s all you’re going to say?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I thought you’d be happy for me.”
Sofia looked at him for a long second.
“Happy?”
“Yes.”
She laughed again, but this time it held no warmth.
“That’s rich.”
Austin’s smile faded slightly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sofia walked toward the window, folding her arms tightly.
“It means,” she said coolly, “you’re celebrating something I couldn’t achieve.”
Austin frowned.
“That’s not fair.”
“Isn’t it?”
He took a step closer.
“You wanted Kennedy. I wanted Antonia. We both had goals.”
Sofia turned sharply.
“And yours is working out perfectly.”
Austin didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
Her jaw tightened.
“Must be nice.”
He studied her carefully.
“You’re not even going to pretend to be happy for me?”
Sofia scoffed.
“Why should I?”
“Because we were working together.”
Her lips curled slightly.
“Were.”
The word lingered.
Austin’s expression hardened.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“This.”
He gestured between them.
“That bitterness.”
Sofia’s eyes flashed.
“You think I have no right to be bitter?”
Austin held her gaze.
“I think you’re letting it cloud your judgment.”
“My judgment?” she echoed.
“Yes.”
He took another step closer.
“Look at it this way.”
Sofia said nothing.
“With me in Antonia’s life… she’s not going back to Kennedy.”
Sofia’s expression remained unreadable.
“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“So you win.”
Her laugh was sharp.
“Do I?”
Austin frowned.
“She’s not with him.”
“And neither am I.”
The words came out colder than before.
Austin paused.
Because now he understood.
This wasn’t just about strategy anymore.
This was personal.
“You really thought you’d get him back,” he said quietly.
Sofia didn’t respond.
But her silence said enough.
Austin sighed.
“That was never guaranteed.”
Her eyes snapped to his.
“I was close.”
“No,” he said calmly. “You weren’t.”
That struck a nerve.
“I had him,” she insisted.
“You had a moment.”
“It was more than a moment.”
“A kiss,” Austin corrected. “Driven by emotion. Confusion. Not love.”
Sofia’s eyes darkened dangerously.
“You don’t know anything about it.”
“I know enough.”
She turned away from him again, her hands clenched tightly.
“I did everything right,” she muttered.
Austin shook his head.
“No.”
Her voice rose slightly.
“I removed obstacles.”
“You created chaos.”
“I gave him a reason to come back to me.”
“You pushed him further away.”
She spun back toward him.
“That’s not true.”
“It is.”
Silence fell again.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Then Austin softened slightly.
“Look… I get it.”
Sofia didn’t respond.
“You wanted him.”
Still silence.
“But sometimes,” he continued, “you don’t get what you want.”
Her voice dropped.
“I always do.”
Austin gave a small, knowing smile.
“Not this time.”
That was the final blow.
Sofia’s composure cracked—just slightly.
“You think you’ve won?” she asked quietly.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You think this is over?”
Austin shrugged lightly.
“For me? Yes.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
“For you, maybe.”
He studied her carefully.
“What does that mean?”
But Sofia didn’t answer.
Instead, she walked past him toward the kitchen.
“Congratulations, Austin,” she said flatly. “You got the girl.”
He watched her for a moment.
Then nodded.
“Thank you.”
He turned toward the door.
“I hope you find something better to do with your time now.”
Sofia didn’t respond.
Austin reached for the door handle and pulled it open.
And froze.
Standing right outside—
Was Kennedy.
The air shifted instantly.
Tension.
Sharp and immediate.
Austin’s grip on the door tightened slightly.
“Well,” he said slowly. “This is interesting.”
Kennedy’s eyes moved from him… into the apartment.
Then back to him again.
Cold.
Unreadable.
“What are you doing here?” Kennedy asked.
Austin smirked faintly.
“Visiting a friend.”
Kennedy didn’t react to the sarcasm.
His gaze sharpened.
“I didn’t know you and Sofia were that close.”
Austin leaned casually against the doorframe.
“You’d be surprised.”
Behind him, Sofia had gone completely still.
Her heart skipped.
This—
This wasn’t how she wanted this meeting to happen.
Not like this.
Not with both men standing in the same space.
Not with tensions already high.
Kennedy stepped forward slightly.
His presence alone shifted the atmosphere.
“You seem very comfortable here.”
Austin met his gaze evenly.
“I am.”
A beat of silence passed.
Then Kennedy spoke again.
“Does Antonia know you’re here?”
Austin’s smile didn’t falter.
“That's none of your business?”
Kennedy’s jaw tightened.
Austin saw it.
And enjoyed it.
“I told you,” Austin continued casually. “Things are going well between us.”
Kennedy’s eyes darkened.
Sofia stepped forward quickly.
“Enough.”
Both men glanced at her.
“This isn’t the place for whatever this is,” she added.
Austin straightened slightly.
“I was just leaving.”
Kennedy didn’t move.
Didn’t step aside.
For a brief moment, the doorway became a standoff.
Then slowly—
Kennedy shifted just enough to let him pass.
But as Austin walked by, he paused just long enough to say quietly—
“Antonia is mine.”
Kennedy’s expression hardened.
Austin walked away without looking back.
The door remained open for a second longer.
Then Kennedy stepped inside.
And closed it behind him.
The tension between him and Sofia was immediate.
Palpable.
Different from before.
No warmth.
No softness.
Just questions.
And something dangerously close to anger.
Sofia turned to face him slowly.
“…you weren’t supposed to find out like that.”
Kennedy’s voice was low.
“Find out what?”
Her breath caught slightly.
Because for the first time—
She wasn’t entirely in control of the situation anymore.
And she could feel it slipping.