THE HEIR'S REVENGE

Chapter 23

I took a deep breath when I started dressing up to see Sophia, I kept wondering if this was really a good idea.

Could I do this?

I was having doubts but it didn't matter because I'd already decided that I was going. I'd already asked Henry to get the car ready for me.

The restaurant that Sophia had chosen was Elara, the kind of place where the waiting list was up to three weeks, where dress codes are needed.

I'd been to the restaurant in the past but that was only once briefly when I had a meeting with Gerald Anderson.

I arrived exactly twelve minutes late on purpose.

I wanted Sophia to get anxious, I wanted to think that I wasn't coming. She had specifically said in her letter that she wasn't going to leave until I showed up and I'm sure she must have said that to her followers.

Let them all wait.

Henry had checked her account and found out that she had gone live a few minutes ago. I wasn't surprised.

Typical Sophia. Always trying to turn every problem into an opportunity. Her comments were blowing up, some in support, others skeptical but they were all engaged.

She was trying to rebuild her platform on the back of a reconciliation story.

The driver pulled up in front of Elara at exactly twelve minutes past the time Sophia had asked to meet. I wore my green tuxedo which I consider great for the occasion.

In as much as I wasn't going there to be proud but I still had to show Sophia that I could pay her worth. As I walked into Elara, I found a photographer.

Sophia had paid a photographer to take pictures of me.

Normally, I'd react but I didn't care.

She could do whatever she wanted. Fine, she could document.

I walked through the entrance without adjusting my pace.

The maître d recognized and welcomed me immediately I went inside. I was still not used to gestures like this but it didn't surprise me.

I looked around the room and found Sophia at exactly the place where I had thought I'd find her

At the table near the window. Or course, she needed the most visible table in the room. Her hands were folded and her back straight. She had her hair done with slight make up. You could notice that she had put in the effort but I didn't care about that.

She looked thinner than I remembered but she still had that much confidence, the one that made her think that occupying a space like this is a right rather than a privilege.

She saw me when I was four tables away and something shifted in her expression. Relief, that I had finally showed up but soon that disappeared, there was tension.

Of course, I looked different from the Ethan she knew and I walked with to make a point, not arrogantly like others.

I sat down across from her.

The maître d' placed a menu in front of me and disappeared soon afterwards but that wasn't what was important. Sophia and I looked at each other for a while before she finally said something.

"You came," she said.

It was better she started talking because I was not going to be the first to speak.

“Of course, I said I would.” I actually never said that but I let my word stand.

“I wasn't sure you'd make it.”

“Well, I did.”

She didn't just look but glared at me for a while. She was trying to read my expressions and body language. I saw her doing that but I let her

“You do look good.”

"Thank you." I responded.

"The tuxedo is..” She suddenly stopped talking. I guess she thought to herself that comments about my clothes weren't the best way to start up a conversation.

Then a waiter appeared and I ordered water. Sophia ready had a drink in front of her.

“I sent you messages,” she said. “Lots of them.”

“It was just a few messages anyway.”

“But you didn't reply to any of them.”

“No. I'm very busy.”

She nodded. She must have expected more resistance than what I was giving her. I could tell she had prepared in advance, her defence and cold behaviour towards me.

"I also wrote you a letter," she started again.

"Henry told me. I read it." I acknowledge it.

“My letter said that I had a business proposal for you.”

“Yes, I read that part too but it isn't true, is it?”

“Well, it isn't.”

I knew that. There was a pause. I looked outside the window, the street moved in its ordinary way. Nothing too out of the ordinary. I thought of the photograph, he was out there, probably outside this same window waiting for the shot that would tell the story that Sophia so desperately needed.

“Ethan.”

I looked up.

This was probably the first time she was calling my name with a directness that truly surprised me. She didn't say ‘half brother’ or any of those stupid names she would give me just so she could have fun.

“I need your help.”

“I know.” I answered

“All of my sponsors all pulled out, all three cancelled on me and my rent is due.. Daniel isn't helping matters..”

“Is that why you are living at the moment?”

She looked up in surprise.

Her phone was right beside her on a tripod as she talked. I waited for her to keep talking but she didn't. I guess she didn't have an answer to my question.

“Ethan, you know why I have to do this. Don't make things too difficult.” She whispered.

“Actually, I don't know why you have to go this far but let's go on with the conversation since that is why we are here.” I said in the calmest way.

“I know what I did to you. The videos and everything. The harsh words I said to you, I'm not going to sit here and pretend that I don't know.” She looked up at me. “I know all this and I'm willing to fix everything.”

I was quiet.

I waited.

“You don't also have to fix it if you don't wish to.”

I considered it for a moment. She had said it clearly, there was no performance about that but that didn't mean that her goal was purely good.