Chapter 26
Adrian Pierce wrapped his arm around Sophia Sterling’s shoulders, pulling her into his embrace.
“Don’t worry. Leave it to me. They won’t bother you again.”
Sophia looked at his serious profile and suddenly smiled.
“Just how capable are you, really?”
“You’ll have to find out for yourself, little by little.”
The ice in Adrian’s eyes melted instantly, replaced by a tender warmth.
With Adrian stepping in, it didn’t take long for other news to break out, overshadowing the gossip about Sophia and the Kingsley brothers.
Both Ethan and Liam Kingsley received official warnings, directly from the government, demanding they refrain from any actions that might tarnish the reputation of Adrian’s wife.
The moment they read the warnings, their faces darkened with identical frustration.
Noah Kingsley, who had been in closed training, also saw the news and knew Adrian was behind it.
Yet he did nothing. Instead, he traced Sophia’s smiling face on his phone screen with longing.
It had been so long since he’d last seen her.
He had thought time and distance would dull his feelings, but his yearning for her only grew stronger. Countless memories replayed in his mind, but he constantly reminded himself, he couldn’t see her.
He couldn’t risk her hating him.
Ethan and Liam, however, refused to accept defeat.
They purchased another villa in Rosewood Manor and waited for days until Sophia finally returned from her honeymoon.
“Sophia…”
Ethan’s voice was hoarse, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at her, desperate to sear her face into his memory.
Liam looked equally haggard, his complexion pale and fragile.
“Sophia, we’re sorry.”
“It was our fault. Lily and her mother have already been dealt with, they’re behind bars now, paying for what they did. We’ve realized our mistakes. Can you…?”
Forgive us?
Before they could finish, Sophia cut them off.
“No.”
“You owed me an apology, but I don’t have to forgive you.”
For a moment, Ethan and Liam were at a loss for words.
They truly regretted everything, yet they were powerless.
They had never been able to resist her.
Before they could plead further, Adrian’s men surrounded them.
“Mr. Ethan, Mr. Liam, please leave.”
A group of black-suited bodyguards blocked their path without hesitation.
Ethan shoved one aside and rushed toward Sophia with unprecedented speed, his gaze dark and desperate.
“Sophia, do you really love Adrian now? Then what were we to you before? That day you came to me, were you going to confess? That love letter was meant for me, wasn’t it?”
His voice trembled as he finally voiced the question that had haunted him.
“I’m telling you now, I’ll marry you. I’ll wait for you, even if you divorce him. I’ll be your backup option. Just don’t give up on me, please?”
The man who had always held himself above others now bowed his head in desperate supplication.
But Sophia didn’t hesitate. She leaned firmly into Adrian’s arms.
“No. That letter wasn’t for you. I never planned to confess to you, and I don’t want any backup options. You were just my brother, Ethan. Don’t do this. I don’t need either of you anymore.”
“And you, Liam, it’s the same. I’ve moved on. I’ve started a new life with Adrian. You should too.”
With that, she took Adrian’s hand and turned to leave.
Adrian shot them a final warning glance before his gaze softened as it returned to Sophia.
“Sophia, this place is too noisy. Let’s move somewhere else, alright?”
“Of course. Whatever you say.”
Sophia had no objections.
Truthfully, this upscale villa district was peaceful and well-secured.
The only disturbance came from Ethan and Liam.
They watched Sophia’s retreating figure with devastation.
Just brothers?
In over twenty years, they had never once considered that possibility.
From the moment they first saw her, they had envisioned her as their future wife.
How could they accept this now?
They had apologized, why wasn’t it enough?
Defeat clung to them like a shadow.
Back home, Ethan reverted to his childhood habit of writing apology letters whenever he upset Sophia.
But this time, no matter how many letters he penned, enough to fill an entire box, they were all returned unopened.
The once-busy CEO now had an office cluttered with unsent confessions and pleas, none of which ever reached their intended recipient.
The jewelry line named “Lily,” once proudly launched by Kingsley Group, had long been quietly discontinued, its existence erased from public records.
In a bid to win Sophia back, Ethan released an entire collection titled “Apology,” along with a series of related products.
He clung to the hope that she might see them one day and forgive him.
But Adrian shielded her too well. Despite countless attempts, Ethan never managed to cross paths with her again.
This was the only way left to him.
Liam, meanwhile, publicly apologized to Sophia during a live broadcast and announced his sudden retirement from the entertainment industry.
To his heartbroken fans, he simply said, “I only entered this industry because Sophia once mentioned I looked like a star, that she wanted to see me shine on screen.”
“But now, the person I did this for doesn’t want me anymore. There’s no reason to continue.”
His departure was abrupt, leaving no room for persuasion.
Though fans mourned his exit, the uproar eventually faded.
He bought a dessert shop near Pierce Corporation, becoming its owner just to catch glimpses of Sophia whenever she visited Adrian.
If she refused to see him, he would settle for watching from afar.
One day, Sophia stopped by the shop as usual, ordering a slice of cake and savoring it slowly.
The flavor was oddly familiar, reminiscent of Liam’s baking.
Every visit left her with that fleeting thought, but she always dismissed it with a smile.
Impossible. If Liam were here, the place would be swarmed.
After finishing her dessert, she checked the time and prepared to meet Adrian.
Unnoticed, a medical report slipped from her bag and remained on the table.
Only after she was gone did Liam emerge, picking up the document with a sinking heart.
“She’s… pregnant?”
A bitter laugh escaped him.
He had clung to the hope that one day, they would separate, that she might forgive him.
But now, that chance was gone.
Upstairs, Sophia burst into Adrian’s office, unable to contain her joy as she hugged him from behind.
“Adrian! We’re going to have a baby!”
The moment the words left her lips, Adrian’s face lit up with unrestrained happiness. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her forehead.
“Sophia, I love you.”
They held each other tightly, unaware of Noah Kingsley standing in the corner, clutching a championship trophy, his heart in ruins.
He had rushed back from the competition, eager to share his victory with her, only to be met with this devastating news.
But hadn’t he seen it coming?
Noah swallowed the ache in his chest and forced a smile, placing the trophy on the desk.
“Sophia, congratulations. Consider this… a gift for the baby. I should go, my coach is waiting.”
The moment he finished speaking, he fled.
Back at the club, he threw himself into gaming with frenzied intensity, as if trying to drown his sorrows.
Hours later, he collapsed into his chair, two silent tears slipping free.
“Let go, Noah.”
“Let go… Ethan, Liam.”
His whisper was barely audible.
Soon after, he reached retirement age and left the esports scene, taking over the family business to rival Ethan.
It was the only way to keep them both from chasing after Sophia.
Some things… were simply meant to be surrendered.
