Replacement Bride Left With His Baby (Sophia and Easton) novel Chapter 62

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

**Chapter 62**

Sophia felt her heart skip a beat at the mere mention of the name. The idea of encountering Easton in a place as far-flung as Harlinton seemed utterly surreal. She fought against the unsettling notion that it could be the very same Easton who haunted her thoughts, the one whose memory lingered like a shadow in the corners of her mind. Surely, it must be a different man who happened to share that name. However, when Easton strode into the room accompanied by Evelyn, any chance of mistaken identity evaporated like mist in the morning sun. He was exactly as she had envisioned him, and the familiarity of his presence sent a shiver down her spine.

As the realization settled in, Sophia and Julian exchanged glances, both stunned to learn that Easton was, in fact, Evelyn’s nephew. The revelation struck Sophia like a thunderbolt; his mother and Evelyn were sisters. She recalled the whispers that had floated through the Foster family about Easton’s father, who had passed away when Easton was just a boy. Yet, it was his mother who remained an enigma—an unspoken topic that seemed to cast a shadow over their family gatherings, one that no one dared to discuss.

When Sophia had first entered the Foster family as a bride, Irene had leaned in close, her voice barely above a whisper, and cautioned her never to mention Easton’s mother in his presence. That warning had etched itself into Sophia’s mind, and she had heeded it, keeping her distance from the subject altogether. The very fact that Easton maintained such a close relationship with Evelyn, despite the taboo surrounding his mother, left Sophia feeling perplexed and a bit unsettled.

Lost in her thoughts, she was suddenly drawn from her reverie by a gentle voice beside her. “My mother raised Easton,” the voice said softly, almost as if it were a secret meant only for her ears. “He’s been with us since he was small.”

Turning to her side, Sophia was met with the sight of Annie Hughes—the sole heiress of the Hughes family and her soon-to-be cousin-in-law. Annie exuded an effortless grace that seemed to belong to the upper echelons of Harlinton’s elite. Even Sophia, who had been nurtured in the opulence of Jenston’s high society, found herself momentarily awed by Annie’s refined demeanor.

As Annie stood beside her, a sense of harmony enveloped them, and in that instant, Sophia understood precisely what her mother had meant when she spoke of “a match made in heaven.”

“Hello, Annie. It seems we’ll soon be family,” Sophia greeted, her smile warm and inviting.

Annie’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink at Sophia’s words. She instinctively cast a glance toward Julian, her shy smile betraying a hint of her feelings. “Hello, Sophia,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

The story felt disjointed to her, as if something essential was missing. It seemed odd that a family would keep their son away from his father’s side for an entire decade if everything at home was in order.

“I asked my parents about that when I was little, too,” Annie replied, shaking her head slowly. “But they always sidestepped the question, so I eventually stopped bringing it up.”

Sophia nodded, understanding dawning upon her. It made sense; everyone had chapters in their past they preferred to keep locked away. She didn’t feel the need to pry any further.

As Easton entered the hall, his gaze immediately found Sophia, who stood at the heart of the room, engaged in warm conversation with the Hughes family. The crowd was dense, and he initially made his way through the throng of guests alongside Evelyn. It wasn’t until later that he would approach her.

Easton had been aware for some time now that Julian was engaged to Annie. Yet, neither Julian nor Sophia had any inkling of the deep, abiding connection that existed between the Hughes family and Easton.