#46 “You Bailed Out Emily?”
Sophia and Alexander were silent after the police took Emily away. Endlessly tired and confused, Sophia couldn’t deny her gratitude for the help Alexander had given her. Without him, she might not have been able to save Evelyn.
Yet, beneath her gratitude, her emotions remained tangled. She was still angry with Alexander for their past. The past couldn’t simply be forgotten or erased.
The unexpected kiss they had shared had stirred up feelings she didn’t want, feelings that both scared and intrigued her. What scared her the most was how much she liked it.
As they stood there, the unsaid words and unresolved tension hung in the air, leaving them both with a sense of unease. Alexander cleared his throat to get Sophia’s attention.
“What do you want us to do with Emily? “he finally asked. Sophia turned to him, the anger evident in her eyes. “I want them to bear the full consequences for everything they have done. Fraud, money laundering, dealing, and kidnapping. I want everything to be fair. still
Alexander shook his head, a gesture that caused Sophia to immediately pull away from him, her frustration palpable. Alexander felt a sickening stab in his heart at her reaction, he didn’t want her to avoid him.
“Leave it in the past, Sophia,” Alexander implored. “I promise you they won’t harm you again, but please, let Emily go.”
Sophia retreated even further, her disbelief and anger mounting. “You want to save your little darling while she tries to ruin my life and that of my loved ones?”
“It’s not like that, Sophia, I don’t love her.”
“Yeah, right! You want me not to press charges so she and her rotten family can continue to cause trouble.”
Alexander opened his mouth to object again, but then Michael appeared behind Sophia. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear loud enough for Alexander to hear, Come on, Sophie, you need to rest, not argue.”
Sophia didn’t need a second invitation. With one final, piercing glare at Alexander, she turned and went with Michael, her footsteps echoing through the tense silence that had enveloped them.
As Alexander stood there, the frustration and helplessness he felt began to turn into anger, and he couldn’t help but direct some of that anger toward Michael. He always intervened between them. Alexander wanted a moment with her, where no one would interrupt them, so he could explain, talk.
Michael, however, kept sitting in their way. He had dug his claws into her and wouldn’t let her go.
*
Two days later, Sophia was finally able to visit Evelyn, who had been allowed to go home. The relief of seeing her friend safe and sound overwhelmed Sophia as she walked through the door.
Evelyn wasted no time in sharing everything she had been through, the harrowing experiences and the fear that had gripped her. The two friends embraced tightly, tears streaming down their faces as they found solace in each other’s arms.
On principle, Sophia had always been the one to hold back her emotions, but when she watched her best friend cry tears of both sorrow and relief, she couldn’t help but let her own tears flow freely.
Sitting together, wrapped in a warm blanket and sipping tea, Evelyn spoke with tears in her eyes, “This is exactly what I need, peace and people close to me. I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
Sophia smiled through her own tears. I would turn the world upside down to look for you, Evelyn. I’m so glad you’re home again.”
Her phone suddenly buzzed, and she saw Benjamin’s name. With a quick inhale, she answered the call.
“Hello, Benjamin,” she greeted. ” What’s going on?”
There was a moment of hesitation on the other end, a pause that seemed to stretch on endlessly. Then, Benjamin’s voice, usually calm and composed, held a somber note as he replied, “Sophia, I have some news you need to know. Emily has been released on bail.”
Sophia’s brows furrowed in disbelief, her heart sinking at the gravity of the situation. “What?” Her voice quivered with frustration. “How is that even possible, Benjamin? She was involved in all of this mess!”
Benjamin’s tone remained measured as he began to explain the legal intricacies. “Sophia, it’s a legal process. Her family posted bail, and her lawyer argued that she was not a flight risk. The court decided to grant bail.”
Sophia clenched her fist, her frustration simmering just below the surface. “I know how this works, Benjamin, I am a lawyer, but she’s a criminal! This is not right. She should face the consequences of her actions.”
“I heard Alexander helped her get released,” Benjamin added.
“But of course, he helped her,” Sophia remarked, her voice tinged with frustration. “Thanks for telling me, I’ll take over from here.”
“Okay, Sophie, keep me posted,” Benjamin replied. Their conversation ended, and Sophia wasted no time. She had to confront Alexander immediately. She dialed his number, and within moments, he answered.
Sophia’s voice was firm and devoid of pleasantries. “I’ll be in your office in 15 minutes. We need to talk.”
“Well, as you wish…” Alexander responded, clearly taken aback by her icy tone. Sophia hung up the phone and turned to her friend Evelyn.
“Evelyn, I have to go,” Sophia said. “I’ll come to see you again later.”
Evelyn, ever perceptive, looked at her friend with concern. “Is everything alright?”
Sophia forced a reassuring smile. “Yes, I got an urgent job.”
With that, the two friends reluctantly parted ways. Sophia hurriedly got into her car, her thoughts racing as she drove at breakneck speed to Alexander’s office. She couldn’t wait any longer to confront him about his actions.
Sophia arrived at Alexander’s office, her footsteps echoing in the corridor as she approached his door. She knocked, her impatience evident as she entered without waiting for a response.
Alexander, sitting behind his desk, looked up to face her. Sophia’s anger flared as she confronted Alexander from the doorway of his office. “You bailed out Emily?”
Alexander replied in a tired tone, “Is that what you want to talk about?”
“What were you thinking? I didn’t take up the case because if I were the opposing lawyer, I would knock them to the ground. But you get them out of any stipulation.”
Alexander leaned back in his chair, his face etched with a sense of resignation. He knew that his actions had caused a rift between them, and he struggled to find the right words to explain his motivations. Alexander sighed deeply. “Sophia, please sit down. I’ll explain.”
Sophia reluctantly took a seat, her gaze never leaving his. Alexander recounted a part of his past that he had never shared before.
He sighed deeply as he tried to explain his actions to Sophia “Emily’s family helped me during a very difficult time in my childhood. I felt compelled to do what I could to save them.”
Sophia’s anger flared in response. “But Alexander, they were criminals! They tried to ruin my life and Evelyn’s. Why are you protecting them?”
Alexander, his resolve unwavering, replied, “I know it’s hard to accept, Sophia, but they have lost everything. But I can assure you they won’t escape the legal consequences.”
Sophia pressed for details. “How so?”
“All their ill-gotten gains have been taken from them, and they will be sentenced for all of this. But I will not let you put them in jail.”
Sophia wanted to interrupt him, but he continued, determined to make her understand. “They saved me, and now I’m returning the favor. I’m sorry for everything, Sophia, and I did my best, but I won’t let you do this.”
“You’re holding on to the past,” Sophia accused him.
He smiled coldly. “Don’t you do the same?”
“What?”
“You also blame me for my past actions and punish me at every possible moment.”
“It’s not about us, Alexander,” she protested. “It’s never really about us, Sophia. I want us to try again.”
Sophia, confused and taken aback, asked, “What should we try?”
Alexander’s voice softened as he laid out his proposal. “Let’s try to give ourselves a chance, without the lies from before, without the schemes, without people to hinder us.”
Sophia couldn’t contain her laughter, finding the idea almost absurd. “You’re crazy, Alexander. After everything you and your friend Emily have put me through over the years, I’m not going to give you a chance.”
With that, she abruptly left his office, leaving Alexander alone.
