43

Sophia’s POV
It’s been about an hour since Jake and Tyler left. They were a huge help, and now everything in the house is all set and looking even better than before. I take a moment to relax, and my mind starts to wander to Alexander, who now lives next door. How am I going to face him or see the kids? We signed an agreement to stay out of each other’s lives, and I agreed to keep my distance from the children after they were born. But I really want to see them. Even before I found out they might be mine, I loved spending time with them. I’m feeling really nervous and anxious as I think about it.
Just as I’m lost in my thoughts, my phone rings, and I see my father’s name on the caller ID. Surprised and excited, I quickly answered the call, not expecting to hear from him. He has been recovering well, and receiving a call directly from him is a pleasant surprise.
“Hey, Dad!” I exclaim, a hint of joy evident in my voice. “I didn’t expect to hear from you. How are you feeling?”
My father’s voice comes through the line, filled with warmth and affection. “I’m getting better, sweetheart,” he replies. “Just taking it one day at a time. How are things going for you? How’s the internship?”
A smile spreads across my face as I share my progress with my father. “I’ve applied to the hospital I wanted to work at, and now I’m waiting to hear back from them,” I explain. “I’m really hoping I’ll get it. It would be an incredible opportunity.”
My father’s voice brims with encouragement. “I have no doubt you’ll get it, Sophia. You’ve worked so hard for this. Just keep believing in yourself.”
I can’t help but mention the rumors I’ve heard about the hospital. “I’ve heard people say that the head doctor is really strict and likes to make it tough for interns to pass their internships,” I confide. “But you know me, Dad. I like pushing boundaries and testing myself.”
My father chuckles softly, understanding my determination. “I know you well, Sophia. Just be careful and do your best. If you encounter any trouble, make sure it’s because you’re excelling at your job and not causing unnecessary problems.”
I nod, even though my father can’t see me. “Absolutely, Dad. I’ll be careful and focus on doing my job well. I’ll make sure to finish my internship successfully.”
“Your mother told me you were getting a new apartment,” he says. “How is it?”
“Yeah, that’s true. I just moved in today. It’s a really nice place, I’m sure you’ll really like it when you come for the holidays.”
“The holidays?” He asks, sounding surprised.
“Yes,” I reiterate. “Didn’t mom tell you? It seems she is not at ease with me moving out of my former apartment, so she wants to check this place out, too.”
He laughs. “You know how your mom is like. She keeps worries over things like this. We’ll see you for the New Year then.”
“Okay, I’ll be free for a few days then. See you.”
We chat for a few minutes before he hangs up. I walked into the kitchen to make myself a simple meal as I hadn’t eaten all morning. In fact, I had completely forgotten that I hadn’t eaten breakfast, nor did I remember to make something for my two roommates who had sacrificed their time to help me set up.
‘Have they gotten home?’ I wonder as I look out the window at the landscape of the apartment. It is directly facing the city, and one can easily see torrents of cars driving around the curbs and squares from the window. It is a really nice place, but I can’t help but cringe at the sounds of vehicles passing by every momen. I was beginning to have a headache.
I settle to make a sandwich and grab a juice from the fridge before returning to the living room, turning on the TV set to watch a trending movie on Netflix. It has been a while since I last sat in front of a TV and conveniently watched a movie.
It has been so stressful, and just when I thought u had escaped from the school stress, I had to intern too. But anyway, I have a few more days left to rest before my internship officially begins, so I better make the most of it.
I am halfway through the movie when my phone begins to ring. I give it a sideeye glance, and seeing that the caller ID shows Jake’s profile, I quickly grab it and answer the call.
“Hey, Jake!” I greet him with a smile in my voice. “Are you guys home already? I was starting to get a little worried when you didn’t call to confirm.”
Jake chuckles on the other end of the line. “Oh, come on, Sophia. How would anyone kidnap two grown men like us? We’re perfectly safe,” he jokes, and we both laugh.
“I guess you have a point,” I reply, feeling relieved. “So, what’s up? Is Tyler there, too?”
“Yeah, he’s right here,” Jake says, his voice fading a bit as he hands the phone to Tyler.
“Hey, Sophia,” Tyler greets me warmly. “Just wanted to check if you’ve settled down and eaten. I noticed earlier when we were there that you didn’t seem to have eaten, so I wanted to make sure you got something in your stomach.”
I smile at Tyler’s thoughtfulness. “Thanks, Tyler. I appreciate your concern, but I actually made something to eat when I got back.”
“Good to hear,” he responds. “You need to take care of yourself, especially with the internship coming up. It can be demanding.”
I nod, even though he can’t see me. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to take care of myself. Thank you both again for all your help today. The place looks amazing.”
“No problem at all,” Jake interjects. “We were happy to help. Just remember to take it easy and enjoy the rest of your day off.”
I chuckle. “I will, don’t worry. I’m just relaxing and watching a movie right now. It’s nice to have a little downtime.”
“Sounds perfect,” Tyler replies. “Well, if you need anything or if you just want to chat, don’t hesitate to give us a call.”
“Thanks, Tyler. I appreciate that,” I say sincerely. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind. You guys take care, too.”
“Will do,” Jake responds. “Talk to you soon, Sophia.”
“Bye, guys,” I say. As I go back to watching my movie, my finger hovers over the “End Call” button, ready to hang up. But just as I’m about to do so, I hear Tyler’s voice calling my name hesitantly.
“Sophia?” he says, and I can sense something bothering him. “Can I ask you something?”
I furrow my brow, a hint of concern creeping into my voice. “Sure, Tyler. What’s wrong?”
He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking. “I don’t want to seem insistent, but I couldn’t help but wonder… Are those kids really yours?” he asks, his tone laced with curiosity and concern.
I sigh, realizing that this topic is bound to come up sooner or later. I take a deep breath before responding. “Tyler, I’ve already assured you that I’ll let you know when everything is settled. It’s a complicated situation, and I promise I’ll share more when the time is right.”
Tyler sounds insistent as he continues, “But Sophia, it’s just… I can’t wrap my head around how you managed to be pregnant and give birth without any of us knowing. We’ve been living together for so long, and it feels like something that significant should have been noticeable.” His worry shifts to another concern. “Also, Sophia, how do you know Alexander? And… can’t you try and stay away from him? He seems like trouble, and I’m worried that he’s staying next door and so close to you.”
I take a deep breath, realizing that he wasn’t really going to let go without an answer.
“Alexander is just someone I know, Tyler. You don’t have to worry.”
He seems to scoff. “Just someone. Do you think I don’t remember him? Isn’t he that guy who came to our apartment one year ago. I saw you two together a few more times after that. Not to mention how he kissed you at the mask party. How can he be just someone?”
His level of detail makes me speechless, and this is one of the times I don’t like how insistent the brothers are. Most of the time, they are caring and protective, but when it comes to stubbornness, they take the lead on the list.
I sigh. “Sure, you’re right. He’s not just anyone.” I pause and shift on the seat. “But like I said earlier, you’ll have to give me space to figure things out. I’m safe. Even if you don’t fancy him that much, you can’t deny that he won’t hurt me. Don’t worry, I’m safe.”
Just then, the doorbell suddenly begins to ring. I stand up and look through the peephole. The person at the door catches me by surprise and even Tyler’s next words skip me as I exclaim, “Alexander?”