FEW MINUTES EARLIER
Sophia’s POV
Sasha had returned my phone before they all left the room for whatever meeting they were going to have.
My phone buzzed with tons of notifications as soon as I turned it on. Which was expected, I hadn’t been with my phone since last and then the scandal.
I quickly opened the group chat.
Nick: Hey Soph
Daisy: Why is your phone turned off?!?
Daisy: I’m losing my shit.
Daisy: Have you actually seen the news?
Nick: I swear, it’s absolutely mental.
Nick: To be honest, you and Ivan look great together in those photos.
Daisy: Nicholas!
Nick: Sorry maam.
Daisy: I thought you said you’d never have sex with Ivan again.
Nick: Babes, that’s just a photo of them together, not them fucking. *inserts face palm emoji*
Daisy: Isn’t it obvious they went home together?
Daisy: Surely you’re smart enough to see that.
Nick: Hey!
Daisy: Sophia, text us when you’re online and back from whatever it is you’re doing now.
The last message was sent 23 minutes ago, if I text, they’d definitely be online to reply. Do I really need Daisy’s scolding right now?
Fuck it, it’s better to rip off the band-aid.
Me: Hey…
Nick: You’re alive!
I rolled my eyes, Nick could be really dramatic sometimes.
Nick: Have you seen the news? Social media comments?
Nick: If you haven’t… don’t!
Daisy: What happened yesterday?
Daisy: Everyone’s talking… they are saying shit about you.
There was no reason to sugarcoat anything, I was already in deep trouble.
Me: I did go home with Ivan last night….
Me: And we did have sex.
Nick: Crazy….
Daisy: But why?
Daisy: You said you wouldn’t.
Me: I know I did.
Me: But I couldn’t resist him, okay?
Me: I’m so fucking sexually attracted to him and whenever I’m close to him I just want him so bad!
Me: I don’t know how but I always want him.
And that was the truth. Why do I have to go through this? Sex with Ivan was something I’ve never experienced before and it happened that he’s the one person I should stay away from. Why, when I want him so bad it hurts….
Me: It’s not like this with other people… *inserts sad emoji*
There was no reply for a while and I thought they’d gone offline until my phone pinged with an incoming video call. My heart sank but I had no idea why, I clicked to join the call anyway.
Their faces appeared.
“Hey…” I whispered nervously.
“Babes,” Daisy said softly, her tone a mix of concern and understanding. Nick leaned in closer, a serious expression on his face.
This felt uncomfortable but at least they weren’t scolding me. At least not yet. But the way they looked at me made me feel uneasy.
Daisy exhales. “I… I think it’s obvious to me now.”
“What do you mean?” I asked apprehensively.
“We are not here to judge you, Soph,” Nick chimed in. “We think you do have feelings for Ivan…” He said calmly.
Blood rushed to my ears as the room spun. A lump got stuck in my throat, I couldn’t push it down. I couldn’t breathe as my belly tightened with nerves.
“…Soph?” Daisy called. And I snapped out of my mini panic attack. “Are you okay?”
I struggled to clear the lump in my throat. “I’m fine,” I croaked out.
“You know it’s the truth, right?” She asked.
I nodded. I think I knew I did have feelings for Ivan, but I wasn’t sure that was it or just didn’t want to accept it. But last night, it was so clear to me. I just don’t know how to feel about this.
“God, I’m such a fool,” I muttered.
Nick shook his head. “No, you’re not. We can’t help who we like.”
Daisy’s gaze softened. “Babes, it’s not your fault. I know this is complicated, but it is what it is in the end.”
They don’t get it… It was so much easier to pretend I didn’t like Ivan. I don’t know what to do with these feelings. Do I want a relationship with Ivan? No, that was off the table, he doesn’t like relationships, he’s never been in one.
“Hey,” Nick called. “Don’t overthink this okay? You don’t have to figure it out now, you can take your time.”
Daisy nodded in agreement. “Nick’s right about that, I still dislike Ivan, but I wouldn’t judge you for who you like. And if you’re not ready for these feelings, you can take your time.”
It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I nodded slowly, grateful for their understanding and support. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“We will always have your back, no matter what,” Daisy reassured me.
I felt a tear escape.
Nick smiled warmly. “You are such a crybaby-” He paused. “So… how do we handle the main issue?”
“Right,” Daisy chimed in. “I really did wish you ended things with Harry a long time ago… this is a mess.”
I groaned, wiping tears off my face. “I know… I regret that now, I’m such a fool. Now I’m lost and have no idea what to do.”
Nick narrowed his eyes and then he grinned widely. “Wait… where are you and whose shirt is that?”
I covered my face, groaning into my palms.
“You are still at Ivan’s?” Daisy asked.
I dropped my hands. “Yes… I had to sleep here.” My face felt hot.
“So where is he?”
“He is in the living room with his sister and cousin, he wants to solve the problem,” I explained.
Daisy shook her head. “No, he can help solve this, but some things should be left for you.”
I frowned. “How?”
“You need to see Harry, come clean. Let him hear the whole truth from you, including how you want to end your relationship with him, you owe him that at least,” Daisy explained.
“True, from what you’ve told us… Harry is reasonable, he might help you,” Nick added.
I think they are right. Whatever suggestions Ivan has in mind will have to wait until I discuss them with Harry. After all, he’s the victim here.
“Thanks, guy, I’ve got to go. We can talk later.”
“Alright,” Daisy said.
Nick nodded. The call ended.
I fixed the shirt I had on, it was big, and mid-thigh long for me. It brought back memories of when I’d been held hostage by Ivan and had to wear nothing but his shirts all day.
Shit, I really did fall for my captor.
With a sigh, I headed to the living room area.
Ivan’s POV
As soon as I’d convinced Sophia to calm down and wait in the bedroom, I threw on a shirt and joined Sid and Sasha in the living room area.
Sasha looked a little stressed and the mischievous grin on Sid’s face was an indication that something stupid was about to leave his mouth.
“You look well fucked-ow!” Sid held his belly where Sasha had just punched him.
“Shut up,” she scolds. She turns to me. “Ivan, the media is going wild, now I knew you two were fucking but did you have to let the world know?” She held up her iPad in front of my face. “Now we can explain the dancing and garden pictures but this-the one where you carried her? That’s the main issue.”
Yes, the media is going wild. Yes, this might be scandalous, but I didn’t care. I don’t regret what we did. Last night was so good, I wouldn’t mind a repeat over and over.
“… she’s engaged to lord Harry and that makes it even worse,” Sasha pointed out.
I pulled out a cigarette from where I’d stashed them and lit one. It was too early for this bullshit.
She groaned. “Are you even listening to me?”
I took in a long drag and let the smoke out slowly. “I heard you,” I replied.
“Okay, well then say something.”
“I don’t care about any of this, I don’t give a damn about her engagement to Harry or whatever. That is my answer.” I shrugged.
Sasha stared at me like I was crazy.
Sid chuckled. “Damnnn, drama unfolding, I like this. It’s been so long since I’ve been entertained-” Sid crouched down, holding his stomach while he coughed. “You’ve gotta stop hitting me,” he groans.
She ignored him and turned to me. “We have to fix this, I’ve been trying to tell you that this is a pretty serious issue.”
“Fine, I’ll get Sophia to call off her engagement to Harry. It wasn’t real anyway. That solves everything, doesn’t it?”
Sasha scoffs. “What the hell? That solves nothing and only makes matters worse, Ivan. You can’t just solve everything by breaking off their engagement. Let’s say Sophia and Harry agree to that-which I highly doubt would be the case-the media would think your affair with Sophia cost their marriage. This makes Harry a bigger victim than he already is and what happens then? The people will get upset, they would troll Sophia and company and that jeopardizes the company and every fucking thing you’ve done to make it yours!”
Sid exhales. “Well, when you put it like that….”
I put out the smoke from the cig butt and toss it in an ashtray. “What is the solution then? I promised Sophia I would handle this and I will, I still think she should break her engagement to Harry, but let’s hear what you have to say.”
“An interview could help, our PR team would send specific Q&A for you and Sophia and then to the hostess for the interview. You’d have to play along-”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “No, I hate interviews,” I said firmly.
“Ivan, we don’t have a choice. Normally, I’d say, fuck it, but I know you care about her-don’t even try to deny it, we are not babies. You have to do this interview.”
My mind raced as I considered Sasha’s suggestion. I didn’t want to sit down and smile all day, listening to silly questions. I don’t have time for that. Still, if it could help this situation, I’ll just have to put up with an interview.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll do the damn interview.”
She exhales. “Good. Also, Sophia will talk to Harry, she probably has to lie to him-”
“No,” Sophia’s voice cut through the room. She was still dressed in nothing but my shirt, barefooted, with wild bed hair and I wanted nothing more than to take her back into the room and finish off where we ended last night. My fingers itched to touch her, wanted to kiss her so hard until we were both fighting for air. If only these morons gave us privacy.
“Ivan, gross!” Sid said, interrupting my fantasy.
I scowled at him. “What?”
Sasha rolled her eyes. “You were just eye fucking Sophia.”
Sophia made a choking sound.
“Thank God, I wasn’t the only one who noticed,” Sid chimed in.
I ignored them, turning my attention to Sophia, she looked stressed and worried and I wanted to ease her worries. “What’s wrong?”
She blew out a breath. “Sasha is suggesting I lie to Harry, but I don’t think that’s right.”
“That’s-” Sasha started.
“I understand you’re trying to help, but I wouldn’t lie to Harry anymore, I’d always wanted to break our engagement, not for anyone but myself. Harry is reasonable… he’d understand. Whatever suggestions you’ve made, I’d like to discuss with Harry first, he’s the victim here, I owe him that at least,” She said quietly.
I didn’t want her talking to him. But from the looks of things. She’s made her decision.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
For the first time since she stepped into the room, she let her gaze meet mine. “Yes, I thought about the whole thing. I also spoke to my friends about it.”
“I’ll come with you,” I insisted.
“No,” She said firmly. “That would be terrible, I need to speak to him, myself and alone. I’m the one who’s engaged to him.”
“How do you think he’d react to your news? Would he simply let you break the engagement? Even doing that would put you in a bad light, everyone would blame you,” Sasha explained.
She blew a breath. “I know… but I have to anyway, I already dragged this out, and I don’t want to anymore.”
If that’s what she wants, I can’t stop her. I’ll be here to help her no matter the outcome, and I was in support of breaking their engagement.
“Alright, do what you think it’s best,” I said.
She nodded and retreated to my bedroom.
“This is a disaster,” Sasha muttered.
And I hope to God that she was wrong about that, I didn’t want to cause Sophia any more problems. Left to me, I didn’t care about the scandal, I wanted her, so what? But it was hurting Sophia and I didn’t like that.