Replacement Bride Left With His Baby (Sophia and Easton) novel Chapter 24

**The Case of the Bleeding Shadows by Emma Blackwood**
**24 Chapter 24**

In the bustling offices of Crestview Group, Sophia found herself immersed in a sea of papers, meticulously organizing documents that seemed to multiply by the minute. The hum of office life surrounded her, but her focus was unwavering. Just as she was about to lose herself in the task, a soft knock broke through her concentration, and Julian stepped into her office with a casual air. “Heading out?” he inquired, his tone light yet curious.

“Yes,” Sophia replied, her voice steady. “I’m off to the Maritime Authority to submit the initial phase of our project for their review.” The words felt heavy with anticipation as she prepared to share her hard work with the authorities.

Julian nodded, a knowing look in his eyes, and extended a document toward her. “Here, take a look at this.”

Sophia raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “What’s this?” she asked, accepting the paper with a hint of intrigue.

“Easton and I had a lengthy discussion the other night,” Julian explained, his expression serious. “These are his insights and recommendations regarding the port project. I thought it might be beneficial for you, so I compiled it.”

Sophia began to sift through the pages, her brow furrowing in concentration as she absorbed Easton’s thoughts. ‘He definitely has a keen eye for detail,’ she mused internally, impressed. ‘He identifies issues that often slip past others.’ The questions he posed were eerily aligned with the challenges she had encountered over the past few days. Clearly, this was a document worth keeping close to her chest.

“I’ll hold onto this,” Sophia said decisively, tucking the document into her portfolio as she double-checked her materials. With her assistant trailing behind her, she made her way to the Maritime Authority, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and nerves.

As they pushed open the heavy conference room door, Sophia’s gaze immediately landed on Easton, who was seated at the head of the table. A wave of confusion washed over her, but she skillfully masked it with a composed demeanor.

Beside Easton sat Kevin, a representative from the Maritime Authority, his expression unreadable.

Sophia strode into the room, her posture confident and purposeful. “Please submit the first phase documents,” she instructed her assistant, her voice firm. To her astonishment, Kevin bypassed her entirely and handed the files directly to Easton.

Typically, the Maritime Authority would conduct their review before passing the documents to Foster Group for final approval. Yet today, Easton had seemingly taken matters into his own hands, sidestepping the usual protocol without a second thought.

‘Is he doing this deliberately? Does Easton genuinely believe I would resort to petty games?’ Sophia’s thoughts churned, and she stifled a cold snort, unwilling to let her frustration show.

But as she stepped out of the elevator, she was startled to find Easton standing there, the last person she expected to see outside the conference room.

Not particularly fond of his chilly demeanor, Sophia chose not to engage and brushed past him without a second glance.

“Ms. Roth,” Easton’s deep, smooth voice called out from behind her, effortlessly cutting through the ambient noise of the parking garage. “Foster Group and Crestview Group are partners, right? Isn’t it just basic courtesy to acknowledge each other when we cross paths?”

Sophia turned, her impatience flaring as she met his gaze. Her expression was anything but welcoming. “Mr. Foster, if we happen to be in public and it’s unavoidable, then yes, I’ll say hello. But right now? That’s not the case.”

Easton casually slipped his hands into his pockets, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, which only served to heighten her irritation. “You really don’t need to be so defensive around me. Honestly, it almost makes me wonder if you have some feelings for me.”

Sophia felt a rush of indignation at his words, a mixture of disbelief and annoyance swirling within her. She couldn’t help but wonder what game he was playing this time, but she refused to let him see how much his teasing affected her.