Replacement Bride Left With His Baby (Sophia and Easton) novel Chapter 16

**The Case of the Bleeding Shadows by Emma Blackwood**

**Chapter 16**

Without thinking, Easton instinctively drew Sophia closer, wrapping his arm around her waist. The warmth of her presence felt achingly familiar, perhaps even more intoxicating than he remembered. His heart raced, and he swallowed hard, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “Ms. Roth, you did that on purpose.”

Sophia looked up, her eyes widening as recognition dawned. In a flash, she pulled away from his embrace, her cheeks flushing slightly as she mumbled an apology, desperate to escape the moment. Yet, just as she attempted to stride past him, Easton’s voice cut through the air, firm and unyielding.

“There’s no way someone could’ve pieced together that port project proposal without years of meticulous planning. Sophia, are you trying to take down the Weston Group?” His words hung heavy between them, a challenge cloaked in concern.

Sophia halted, turning to face him, her expression frosty. Five years had slipped by, yet he still interrogated her with that same infuriating tone.

Annoyance bubbled within her, and she decided to play along with his game. “Mr. Foster, if I were to say yes, then what would you do? Are you planning to mount a rescue mission to defend your lover’s honor?” The sarcasm dripped from her words, a sharp contrast to the tension that filled the space.

Easton’s face remained inscrutable, a mask of icy detachment. “You’re overthinking this, Ms. Roth. I’m a businessman, and profit is my sole concern. Whatever Crestview Group does to compete with Weston Group? That’s not my problem.”

He paused, his gaze hardening. “Just ensure Stella stays out of it. She’s naive and doesn’t deserve to be dragged into this business drama.”

The words struck Sophia as absurdly humorous. ‘Stella is naive?’ she thought, stifling a laugh. ‘It’s been five years. Is Stella really that adept at concealing her true self, or is Easton simply oblivious to the truth?’

A cold laugh escaped her lips. “Mr. Foster, you really enjoy playing the gallant knight for her, don’t you? Too bad I thrive on chaos. So, what’s your plan to handle that?”

Yvonne’s family had deep roots in the entertainment news industry, and for years, Stella had relied on her to orchestrate paparazzi to capture her and Easton together, each snapshot fueling her ambition.

Meanwhile, Sophia was still simmering over her confrontation with Easton. The way he had grilled her left a bitter knot in her chest, a reminder of the unresolved tension between them.

Stealing a glance at the clock, she realized how late it had grown. She turned to May, suggesting they make an early exit. They had already accomplished all the networking necessary, and any follow-up deals could easily be handled back at the office.

At Crestview Group, the past few days had been a whirlwind for Sophia. The business with Rothea Designs in Japoria was thriving, and the port project was in full swing. She barely had a moment to breathe, let alone check her phone.

Lucas had called her multiple times from Japoria, but each ring had gone unanswered. By the time she finally noticed the missed calls and returned his call, Mia informed her that he had cried himself to sleep, a pang of guilt striking her heart.