I Ran From My Psycho Step-brother Straight Into The Alpha's Lap novel Chapter 11

**When Night Grows Softer Hope Returns To Lead Us by Asa Rowan Finn**

**Chapter 11**

As Sophie yanked the drawer open, her eyes fell upon a familiar sight: the crumpled purple t-shirt emblazoned with cross-eyed cats. It lay there in the corner, a mockery of fashion, as if it were a punchline to a joke that had long since lost its humor.

She didn’t even bother to glance at her roommate, who was clearly pretending to be asleep, the blanket pulled up to her chin as if it could shield her from the world.

With a resigned sigh, Sophie snatched the shirt and slipped it over her head.

Was it hideous? Absolutely. But in this dismal place, where comfort was a rare commodity, the t-shirt was both dry and warm—a small victory in a daily battle for survival. Dignity? That was a luxury she couldn’t afford anymore. The only rule that mattered was to endure.

Once dressed, she settled cross-legged on her bed, hugging her knees tightly to her chest. An hour or two stretched ahead of her, a yawning chasm of time that she needed to fill with anything to distract her from the gnawing emptiness in her stomach.

Her thoughts drifted back to earlier that day, the memory of the man she had encountered etched into her mind like a brand. She had only glimpsed him once, yet every detail was vividly imprinted in her memory—the oppressive aura he exuded, the sharp, chiseled features of his cold visage.

But it was his eyes that haunted her, those fleeting moments of molten gold. Was it merely a trick of the light, or had those obsidian irises truly shifted in color?

The next morning, Sophie donned the cat shirt once more as she made her way to work, thankful for the apron that would shield her from scrutiny throughout the day.

As she and Helen dove into their tasks, Sophie felt a pull to address something that had been nagging at her since yesterday.

“Hey, Helen,” she began, choosing her words with care.

“Hmmm?” Helen replied, her focus on arranging the supplies for the day.

“I don’t mean to pry,” Sophie continued, hesitating slightly, “but is the shop struggling?” She could feel the weight of her words as they hung in the air. Helen turned to face her, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I just overheard what you said to those police officers, and I… well, I just thought I should ask.”

Helen waved her hand dismissively, a kind smile softening her features. “Not at all, dear. You’re part of this now. I love this shop,” she said, her gaze sweeping fondly around the space. “My husband and I built it nearly thirty years ago. It’s always been a success, but after he passed…”

Her voice trailed off, and Sophie felt a pang of empathy.

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, her heart aching for the loss Helen had endured.

“It’s okay,” Helen replied, a wistful smile gracing her lips. “It’s been five years now. I miss him terribly. We shared a beautiful life together, building this business from the ground up. It thrived, but he was the heart of it all. He knew every customer by name, remembered where they were from, what they loved to drink, even the names of their pets. I swear, people came in just to chat with my Bob,” she said, a warmth in her tone that spoke of cherished memories.

“After he was gone, I became so consumed with keeping the shop running that I lost that personal touch, and it shows. Business isn’t what it used to be,” she added, a hint of sadness creeping into her voice. “Cynthia helps me as much as she can, but she has her own family to care for.”

A spark of hope flickered in her eyes as she turned to Sophie. “But now that you’re here, we seem to be attracting some attention again.”

They worked in a comfortable silence for a while, but Sophie’s mind began to wander. She pondered ways to breathe new life into the shop. Customers trickled in as they opened, but her thoughts remained tangled in the web of potential solutions.

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