"Hey wifey, it's time to get up," Mike whispered gently into Sophie's ear, punctuating his words with a light peck on her cheek. The soft brush of his lips stirred her from a deep slumber, sending an electric shiver down her spine. Startled, Sophie shot up in bed, blinking away the remnants of sleep as she instinctively slapped his cheek lightly, a reflexive gesture of surprise mingled with annoyance. She quickly wiped the spot where he had kissed her, shifting backward on the bed to create distance between them.
"Don't ever do that again! Ever!" Sophie warned, her voice steady but firm. She paused mid-sentence, her eyes darting around the room as reality rushed back to her. Disorientation washed over her like a tidal wave, leaving her in an utter state of bewilderment. "Didn't I? Did you? How did I...?" she stammered, grappling with her thoughts.
"Yes, sweetheart, I knew you'd sneak out and try to sleep somewhere else," Mike replied with a teasing grin as if this were all a playful game. "And despite your stubborn determination, I can't let my wife sleep in the sitting room of all places, I mean there are at least 8 rooms here aside the boys quater. So, unfortunately for you, I pretended to be asleep and watched you try to make your escape. I must say, you're not good at it," he added with a wink, leaning back against the headboard, clearly amused.
"Please leave!" Sophie snapped suddenly, anger bubbling to the surface as she struggled to keep control of her emotions.
Mike, however, remained unmoved, planted firmly next to her on the bed.
"Can't you hear me? Leave!" she repeated, her voice rising a notch, the frustration evident in her tone.
"Hey, calm down! I didn't do anything wrong. I was just trying to help," he said, shifting closer in an attempt to drape his arm around her shoulders, a gesture meant to soothe but which only intensified her irritation.
"Take your hands off me and leave my room! I just want to be alone, please! Just leave right away," Sophie insisted, rising from the bed and marching toward the door. She swung it open wide, holding it as an unambiguous invitation for him to exit.
"Get ready; we have a family dinner today at my dad's mansion," Mike said casually over his shoulder as he moved toward the door, seemingly unfazed by the storm brewing in Sophie.
"Wait, what?" Sophie exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief. "I'm sorry, but I can't… I can't attend. Just extend my greetings to them," she stuttered, her heart racing at the very thought of facing his family.
"Sadly, we don't have a choice in this case," Mike replied matter-of-factly, stepping out and giving the door a light push, helping her to shut it behind him without any further discussion.
Left alone, Sophie stood there, the weight of the morning's events crashing down on her. She pressed her back against the wall and slid down, the coolness of the surface contrasting the warmth of her tears as they began to trickle down her cheeks. Each sob racked her body, a desperate cry for escape from the turmoil in her mind. The echoes of Mike's earlier words resonated painfully within her, haunting her thoughts: "That's my favorite part about you—you're so clumsy and bad at sneaking out, and that makes this easier for me." As those memories replayed, her heart shattered all over again.
At that moment, Mike's presence loomed large, a haunting echo of a past she had fought relentlessly to escape. He struck a chilling resemblance to someone she wished she could forget, amplifying her frustration. The more she looked at him, the more her disdain deepened; she loathed him for the way he stirred memories of that other person. In her eyes, they were two sides of the same coin, both deserved her contempt.
"Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?" Mike's voice broke through the silence from outside her door, pulling Sophie out of her swirling thoughts. She felt a jolt as reality set back in, and instinctively, she hurried to wipe away the remnants of her tears from her cheeks. Clearing her throat, she forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yes, I'm fine."
"Whatever it is, it'll be okay," he said, his tone gentle, laced with an understanding that Sophie found hard to believe. A wave of disbelief rolled over her, yet she tried not to let her inner turmoil seep through her façade.
"Thought I asked you to leave. What are you still doing here, eavesdropping on me?" Sophie shot back, desperate to deflect his concern and cling to her pride.
"Are you crying?" Mike persisted, his voice soft but unwavering, a hint of worry threading through his words as he remained outside her door.
Sophie took a deep breath, her heart racing as she defiantly replied, "No, of course not. Why would I?" The words felt hollow even to her ears, echoing against the heavy silence of her room.
"I'll ask Mrs. Mac to bring you some chilled juice and reschedule the family meeting for tomorrow, being a Sunday," Mike said calmly, his voice steady and reassuring, even from the other side of the door.
Sophie's stomach twisted at the thought of his kindness. "There's no need for all of that," she replied, trying to downplay the flutter of hope that sprang up at the prospect of freshly squeezed orange juice and the chance to sleep her troubles away—her most effective therapy.
"A thank you wouldn't hurt, Sophie," he called back, his tone light but edged with sincerity, before she heard his footsteps retreating down the hallway, leaving her alone once more with her tangled emotions.
There was a knock on Sophie's door, and it was Mrs. Mac. "Sophie, my dear, you appear to be unwell. Is there anything troubling you?" she inquired with evident concern. Sophie promptly opened the door.
"I am fine, Mrs. Mac. I will be alright," Sophie replied with a faint smile.
"Your husband has asked me to bring this for you. May I come in?" Mrs. Mac asked.
"Certainly," Sophie responded, allowing Mrs. Mac to enter and placing the juice on the table.
"If you require any advice or someone to talk to, please know that I am here for you," Mrs. Mac said kindly as she prepared to leave the room.
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Mac, and I appreciate the juice. It will certainly help me feel better," Sophie replied gratefully.
"You are most welcome, my dear. However, the gratitude for the juice should be directed to Mike rather than me," Mrs. Mac said politely before closing the door behind her as she returned to the kitchen.