Sophia’s POV
My fingers balled into fists and I found myself holding back tears of anger as I spoke.
“You broke him. You hurt him.”
How could she be so unconcerned about this? Was she aware of how much he had changed because of her betrayal? How Mr Prescott now saw every relationship he had as a business transaction? He saved her life and she ruined his in return.
Penelope met my gaze resolutely, her voice soft but her words hit no less hard.
“Reid was broken long before I met him. He thought I could change him when I couldn’t even change myself.”
But did that justify her actions? Not by a long stretch.
Little wonder Mr Prescott had responded so coldly to her and didn’t want us to talk. I should never have come for this meeting.
What did it say about me that I’d immediately assumed there were skeletons Mr Prescott was hiding instead of trusting my husband?
“I have nothing more to talk to you about.” I said, standing up to leave. I owed Mr Prescott an apology.
Penelope caught my uninjured wrist stopping me from leaving.
“Take care of him… please,” She said haltingly and I was so surprised that for a moment, I let her hold my hand.
Penelope smiled but the edges of her lips trembled and her eyes were glassy with tears. “I really hope you and Storm can be happy.”
My anger drained away at the sincerity I saw in her eyes. She really meant it. If Mr Prescott couldn’t be happy with her then she wanted him to be happy with someone else.
Penelope had lied earlier on. She was a good person. One who had made all the wrong choices but was a good person nonetheless.
Penelope and I might have come from parallel worlds but in a way, we were strikingly similar. Born into abusive families and making all the wrong decisions with regard to our relationships.
“I hope you can find happiness too.” I told her surprised to realize that I meant every word I said.
Penelope’s grip on my wrist slackened as her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
That was the last time I saw her.
I couldn’t seem to walk fast enough.
Now that I’d heard Penelope’s words, I had gotten a greater understanding of Mr Prescott.
“We have insane chemistry, Sophia. You don’t love me. There’s a difference.”
That was what he had said to me at that diner and I wondered if that was what he thought had happened between him and Penelope. That she had only been attracted to him, not in love with him.
After what Jerry had done to me, I had been so certain that I would never fall for a man ever again. And I had not even been in love with him. Not truly.
But Mr Prescott had loved Penelope. Loved her, trusted her, proposed to her and found her in bed with not just any man but his half brother whom he hated. Of course, he didn’t want to open his heart to anyone else.
Now I understood why he was so closed off emotionally. Why he was so fixated on keeping boundaries drawn between us.
I needed to talk to him. To tell him it was fine if he was scared of letting anyone in, I was scared too.
But maybe together, we could rediscover ourselves and not remain slaves to our pasts.
Rita picked up my call on the first ring and I sighed with relief.
“Rita, I need your help, do you know where Reid’s current meeting is holding?” I asked.
I didn’t want to have this conversation with Mr Prescott over the phone. No, I needed to see him in person. To look into his eyes as I spoke to him.
Rita, the angel that she was, didn’t ask me why I didn’t just ask Mr Prescott directly.
“It just ended so he should be on his way to your room.” She said.
“Thanks, I owe you one.”
With that I ended the call, heading back to our room.
I was in the hallway almost at our room when I heard Daphne’s desperate sultry voice.
“… I’m sorry about last night,” She said and I froze, pausing midstep. I had not rounded the corner yet so they couldn’t see me but when I snuck a look, I could see Daphne moving closer to Mr Prescott as she spoke.
“I’ve tried to move on, Reid. I’ve tried to forget you… but I can’t.”
Maybe I should have walked in and dispelled whatever was going on immediately but I waited.
Mr Prescott caught Daphne’s hand that had been about to touch him.
“You disgrace yourself, Daphne. We will never get back together. Accept reality.”
“Reid.” Daphne whined trying to move closer to him but I had already heard enough.
I rounded the corner and strode towards them, my heels clicking against the tiles and Daphne spun to look at me, moving even closer to Mr Prescott in the process.
I could literally see the smile in her eyes. She no doubt thought I was going to misunderstand Mr Prescott again and she would be able to drive yet another wedge between us.
“Sophia,” She rasped, her voice literally dripping with innuendo. “It’s not what you are thinking.”
I ignored Daphne’s words, walking past her to reach Mr Prescott.
Then I kissed him. Mr Prescott was stiff with shock at first then his hand moved to cradle my head deepening our kiss.
When I ended the kiss, I was breathless and I couldn’t have cared less if Daphne was still there staring at us.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you, dear husband.”