Sofia laid awake in the hospital bed, her fingers tracing the faint outlines of the bandage wrapped around her forehead. The room was dimly lit, casting sun lights over the walls, mirroring the turmoil raging inside her. Her heart felt heavy. Everything had changed so quickly. One moment, she was lost in the arms of the man she loved; the next, she was lying here, fighting the pain, both physical and emotional.
She turned her head slowly and found Charles sitting beside her, his hand resting on hers. Even with his dark glasses shielding his eyes, she could feel the sorrow radiating from him. He had barely moved from her side since the incident. His loyalty, his love, it filled her with warmness even in the midst of this chaos.
"I hate that I wasn't there to stop it," Charles said, his voice barely above a whisper. He was gripping her hand too tightly, as if letting go would mean losing her. "I should have protected you."
Sofia swallowed the lump in her throat. "Charles, none of this is your fault."
His jaw clenched. "Yes, it is. If I hadn't kept my identity a secret, if I had told you who I really was from the beginning, Pamela wouldn't have had a reason to target you."
She sighed, squeezing his hand. "You kept it a secret because you wanted to be loved for who you are, not for what you have. And I do love you, Charles. I love your blindness, fortune, secrets and all."
A breath of relief escaped his lips. He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss against her palm. "I love you more than I can ever put into words."
Tears welled in her eyes, but before she could speak, the door creaked open. A nurse stepped in, her face tensed. "Mr. Charles, Miss Scott, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but..." She hesitated before continuing. "The media is outside. They're demanding a statement from you both."Sofia's chest tightened. Of course.
The scandal had already spread like wildfire. Pamela had ensured that their love story was turned into nothing more than a tabloid spectacle.
Mr. Charles expression darkened. He stood up, adjusting his suit as if preparing for battle. "They can wait.
Sofia's well-being is my only priority right now."
But Sofia shook her head. "No. We can't just hide my love."
He turned toward her, concerned. "Sofia, my angel"
"I'm tired of running," she said, her voice strong despite the tremor in her heart. "Pamela wants me to be ashamed. She wants me to crumble under the weight of this. But I won't. We won't."
Charles exhaled sharply, torn between wanting to shield her and knowing she was right. "You're braver than I am, you know that?"
She gave him a small, cute smile. "I learned from the best."
He ran a hand through his hair, a sign of his frustration, but after a few beats, he nodded. "Alright. But we do this together."Sofia took a deep breath and nodded. Together.
The hospital's front entrance was a battlefield. Journalists and photographers swarmed like vultures, cameras flashing, microphones extending in desperate attempts to capture a single word from them. Security guards held them at bay, but the chaos was uncontrollable.
The moment Charles and Sofia stepped outside, a bunch of questions was thrown to them.
"Mr. Charles, is it true you had an affair with the janitor?"
"Sofia, are you really carrying his child?"
"What do you have to say about the leaked footage?"
Charles held Sofia's hand tightly, anchoring her as they faced the problem. His grip was firm, reassuring, a silent promise that he was here, and he wasn't going anywhere.
Sofia took a deep breath, stepping forward. "I love this man," she said, her voice strong and confident. "I loved him before I knew who he was, and I love him now. My pregnancy isn't a scandal it's a blessing. And no amount of lies will change that fact."
Charles lifted his chin, his jaw tight with emotion. "Pamela Andrew has tried to humiliate and destroy Sofia for no reason other than jealousy. She thought revealing my identity would end us.
But all she's done is make us stronger."
The crowd erupted with more questions, but Charles wasn't done. "To anyone who thinks my love for Sofia is a mistake save your opinions. I am blind, yes, but I see her clearer than anyone ever will. And I would choose her in every lifetime."
The murmurs grew louder. Some reporters nodded in approval, others whispered among themselves.
But Sofia didn't care. She felt Charles hand in hers, warm and steady, and that was all that mattered.
As they turned to leave, a sudden, familiar voice cut through the noise.
"How touching."
Sofia's blood ran cold.
Pamela.
She stood at the edge of the crowd, dressed in a designer and arrogant, her lips curled into a mocking smirk. "You think this is over?" she sneered.
"This is only the beginning."
Charles turned his head in her direction and reached her by the help of his walking stick, his body rigid. "You've done enough, Pamela."
She stepped forward, slow, deliberate. "Oh, Charles, you poor, blind fool. Do you really think the world will accept a janitor as your bride? As the mother of your heir?"
Sofia's stomach twisted in fury. "I don't need the world's acceptance. I have his."
She smiled as she said so.
Pamela's smirk faltered for a split second, but she recovered quickly. "Brave words. But let's see if your love survives what's coming next."
And with that, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.
Sofia's heart pounded. What did she mean? What was she planning?
Charles squeezed her hand. "We'll face it together," he talked softly. "No matter what."
Sofia closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting the weight of his words settle in her heart. Whatever problem was coming, they would solve it together.