The words hit her like a blow. Sophia stared at the screen as tears slid down her cheeks. She had been dismissed before she had even been given a chance.
Across the restaurant, in a quiet corner booth, James Whitfield had been sitting alone.
His business dinner had been canceled at the last minute, and he had decided to stay for a quiet meal while reviewing contracts. He had not planned to notice anything beyond his work, but something had drawn his attention.
A familiar figure in an unfamiliar setting.
At first, he had not recognized her. The woman at the window looked elegant and composed, nothing like the quiet housekeeper who moved through his home in simple work clothes. But as he looked closer, recognition dawned.
It was Sophia.
For the first time, he saw her.
The fall of her dark hair, the grace in her posture, the emotion in her eyes. How had he never noticed any of it before? For 4 years, she had been part of his daily life, and he had never truly looked at her.
Then he saw her expression change.
He saw the hope fade, the disappointment settle in, and the moment the message arrived, the devastation that followed.
Something twisted sharply in his chest.
Before he realized what he was doing, he was already standing.
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