Chapter 4 Where Are We Headed

Adrian moved so quickly that Sophie had to gather her dress and rush to keep up with him.

He let go of her hand only once they reached the steps outside the hotel.

"You already know my situation," Adrian said, his tone dropping, as he paused for a moment. "If you-"

He wanted to give her an out, to tell her she could leave the marriage if she wanted.

Before he could finish, Sophie cut him off.

"Thanks for standing up for me back there and putting that guy in his place," Sophie said.

Sophie was moved by his gesture-nobody had ever defended her like that before.

She waited a beat before adding, "Did it really have to get so dramatic, though? I was thinking maybe I could apologize and clear things up. That way, we can both move forward."

Sophie could still hear Mike's angry threats in her head.

She wondered how Adrian, who grew up with every comfort, would handle being shut out from the Knight family's fortune.

When Adrian heard her suggestion, he was slightly taken aback. "That's not necessary," he responded, his answer clipped.

"So, what now? Where are we headed?" Sophie asked.

Adrian's small pause said enough-Mike's warning meant the place they planned to go was no longer an option.

He was out of options, even more broke than Sophie.

Not wanting him to feel embarrassed, Sophie stepped in first. "You can stay at my apartment if you want. We're married. You're my husband now. There's no reason to act like strangers."

Adrian looked like he wanted to argue, but the honest look on Sophie's face stopped him.

Taking his silence as a yes, Sophie grabbed his hand and led him toward a taxi, taking him back to her modest apartment.

Sophie never realized how small her apartment truly was until Adrian stepped inside. His height seemed to shrink the room, making every corner feel tight.

She forced a smile. "Sorry if it feels cramped in here."

There had been no time to tidy, not with her hectic schedule. Piles of work and sketches littered every surface.

Before Adrian could comment, Sophie's face turned red as she rushed to scoop up loose papers from the sofa. "Give me a second. I'll get changed and straighten things up."

By the time she came back wearing a plain T-shirt and jeans, she stopped short. Adrian had already rolled up his sleeves and was stacking magazines into neat piles, sifting through the jewelry catalogs scattered across the table. Even when he did chores, he moved with a kind of natural grace.

Watching him, Sophie felt genuinely surprised. She always pictured Adrian as the kind of guy who would expect others to wait on him, not someone who would pitch in and help.

She had spent the day worrying about how to care for him.

He looked over, his face unreadable. "Where should I put these?"

"You can just stick them on the bottom shelf," Sophie replied, pointing to a cabinet by the wall.

The next few minutes passed quietly as the two of them cleaned side by side, neither saying much.

The silence broke when Adrian's phone buzzed, and he slipped out to the balcony to take the call.

From the doorway, Sophie watched his back and let her eyes wander over the apartment. The mess was gone, replaced by a sense of warmth she hadn't expected.

She could finally breathe. For the first time in ages, she felt at home.

Memories of her childhood flashed through her mind-how she had envied Alice when she lived with her uncle's family. She wanted a home of her own, a place to belong.

Maybe this was the start of something new.

On the balcony, Adrian answered his phone. The voice that greeted him sounded giddy. "Congrats, man! You finally ditched the Knights. Let me guess-Alice kicked you to the curb the second she found out you lost the money. I bet she's already packing her bags."