#116 “Dumb Womanizer.”
Caroline fixed her gaze on Alexander, her eyes reflecting a mix of disappointment and maternal concern. The room, adorned with elegant furnishings, became the backdrop to a conversation heavy with unspoken emotions.
“Alexander, we need to talk about this engagement. What’s really going on?” Caroline’s voice was firm yet laden with a mother’s worry.
Alexander met her eyes, a conflict playing out in his own. “Mother, it’s complicated. Megan and I…”
Caroline cut him off with a wave of her hand. “I don’t need the intricacies. I need to understand why you’ve chosen this path. Megan is not the one for you, and you know it.”
Alexander sighed, feeling the weight of his mother’s disapproval settling on his shoulders. “I have my reasons, mother. Sophia and I… it’s complicated, too. But I have a plan.”
Caroline’s eyes flashed with intensity.” Whatever, Alexander, you’re making a mistake. Megan is not the woman you need by your side. Sophia is the one who belongs in this family.”
Alexander’s frustration bubbled to the surface. “It’s not that simple. Megan is involved in something, and I need to figure it out. Sophia and I… it’s not the right time.”
Caroline, unyielding, leaned forward. ” The right time is now. Don’t let this engagement tarnish everything you and Sophia have. She’s the one who truly understands you.”
The room echoed with the weight of unspoken emotions. Alexander, torn between duty and desire, tried to convey his internal struggle. “I promise, mother. I’ll handle everything.
Caroline’s stern expression softened for a moment. “Handle it, Alexander. Don’t let a misguided alliance ruin what you and Sophia have.”
“I know, mother. I will do whatever it takes.” Alexander promised.
Caroline fixed her eyes on Alexander, a silent understanding passing between them. “Alexander, my dear, if you truly love Sophia, you must be steadfast. Learn from your father’s mistakes; don’t waver in your commitments.”
The mention of his father, a figure from a tumultuous past, struck a chord within Alexander. A bitter taste of resentment seeped into his words. “My father is already my enemy. I won’t follow his path. I have my reasons for the choices I’m making.”
His mother, sensing the turmoil within him, wisely chose not to press the matter further. “Handle it, Alexander. Resolve Megan’s issues quickly. Sophia is upset about your involvement with her.”
Alexander, his face betraying a complex interplay of emotions, let out a bitter smile. “Mother, it seems Sophia is indifferent to my engagement with Megan. She’s not upset; she’s distant.”
Caroline leaned forward. “You underestimate her, my dear. A woman’s intuition is a powerful thing. Sophia may appear indifferent, but deep down, she’s hurt. You need to mend things before it’s too late.”
“Do you really think she has feelings for me?” Alexander asks intrigued.
Caroline laughed. “I saw it in the way you were talking tonight. That she was grateful for your help in London. And the way you looked at each other, I can tell. She likes you, but now you upset her.”
Alexander blushed slightly and shook his head. “I’ll do what I can, mother. For Sophia and for myself.”
Caroline reached out, placing a hand on his. “I believe in you, my dear. Just remember, happiness is a journey, not a destination. Make choices that lead you to the right path.”
With a nod, Alexander left the room, leaving his mother with hope and still a little concern etched on her face.
*
Sophia’s apartment felt cold in the late hours, the silence magnifying the echoes of her own thoughts. Tossing and turning in bed, she couldn’t escape the replay of moments shared with Alexander, especially the haunting memory of their almost kiss.
Sophia grumbled to herself, infuriated by the bewildering situation she found herself in. “How can he even think of kissing me when his fiancée is there?” She questioned, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “Who does he think he is? Does he believe he can play with me?”
The thoughts about Alexander churned in her mind, preventing any semblance of sleep. Furious, she kicked off her blanket and began pacing the room, her irritation palpable.
“With all his insolence, he has the audacity to ask me if I’m jealous. He acts as if he’s the greatest man in the world,” she scoffed, her annoyance evident in each word.
Sophia couldn’t shake off the effect Alexander had on her, and it frustrated her to no end. Despite her promises to herself, he had successfully provoked her once again.
“Dumb womanizer, that’s what he is. He thinks that everyone owes him,” she muttered bitterly, continuing her tirade.
As her mind whirled with conflicting thoughts, Sophia decided she wouldn’t find respite in sleep tonight. Determined, she headed to the kitchen, started the coffee machine, and waited for the comforting aroma of coffee to fill the air.
“And what was that in London?” She burst out again, the memory fueling her indignation. “First, we’re friends, and then he marries the enemy? Of all people, Megan!”
Outraged and in need of a distraction, she grabbed her cup of coffee and marched towards her office, the brewing storm in her mind demanding an outlet.
As she made her way to the office, the city lights painted fleeting patterns on the walls. Sophia switched on a solitary lamp, casting more warm glow across her workspace cluttered with papers. The flickering screen of her laptop beckoned, a portal to a world where she could immerse herself.
As the night wore on, Sophia became absorbed in her tasks, the process a balm for her soul. In the solitude of her apartment, Sophia’s fingers danced on the keyboard, her thoughts finding expression in the soft clicks and taps.
The rhythmic sound was a sanctuary, drowning out the haunting echoes of Alexander’s presence in her life.
The apartment, usually filled with the hum of city life, now echoed with the distant sounds of a lone jazz melody playing from a nearby radio. Sophia’s eyes were fixed on the screen, her mind weaving words and sentences like an intricate tapestry.
“Why does it have to be this way?” she mumbled to herself, her words punctuated by the soft typing. The cursor on the screen blinked as if waiting for her emotions to unfold in the digital realm.
