Replacement Bride Left With His Baby (Sophia and Easton) novel Chapter 64

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

**Chapter 64**

Sophia had always cherished the moments of solitude she found in the garden, a sanctuary where she could escape the clamor of the world. But today, that peace was shattered by an unexpected voice that sent a jolt through her.

As she turned around, her eyes landed on Easton, casually leaning against the sturdy trunk of a large tree just a few feet away. His presence was both familiar and unnerving, and that slight, almost teasing smile on his lips only added to her discomfort.

Quickly, she slipped her shoes back on, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. “What are you doing here?” she snapped, her tone sharper than she intended, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface. “Do you have any idea how much you scared me?”

Easton’s smile lingered, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “I have every right to be here—this place is practically my second home. In fact, I was here before you arrived. If anyone was startled, it was me, watching you kick off your shoes like that,” he replied, his voice light, but there was an underlying tension.

Sophia felt her cheeks warm with a mix of anger and embarrassment. “If that’s how it is, I’ll just leave,” she declared defiantly, turning on her heel as if to make a swift exit.

But Easton was quick, stepping in front of her with a fluid motion, his hands tucked comfortably in his pockets. “I’m not asking you to leave,” he said, his tone softening. “Stay out here where it’s quiet. If you go back inside, those socialites will just start their usual gossip about you.”

The mere mention of the socialites ignited a spark of resentment within her. She was all too aware that Easton was the catalyst for their whispered remarks and sidelong glances. “It’s a bit stuffy out here. I’ll be heading inside where the air is fresher. Excuse me, Mr. Foster,” she retorted, but the words felt hollow even to her. Easton saw right through her flimsy excuse; it wasn’t the garden air that bothered her—it was him.

He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. “You were in the car that night. You saw what happened, didn’t you?”

Sophia’s brow furrowed in genuine confusion. She had no idea what he was referring to, the memory of that night a blur in her mind.

“And since I’d rather people not know about our past marriage, let’s pretend we’re strangers if we meet again,” she concluded, her heart racing as she turned away from him.

Without another word, Sophia brushed past him and stepped into the house, the door closing behind her with a definitive click.

Easton stood there, watching her retreat, his expression tightening as a sense of frustration welled within him. He couldn’t quite articulate why he felt such an urgent need for her to understand the truth of that night; all he knew was that the misunderstanding weighed heavily on his conscience.

That very weight had compelled him to seek her out tonight.

Yet, her words lingered in the air, leaving him feeling more unsettled than before. He lit a cigarette, the smoke curling around him like a shroud, and stood by the window, lost in a maze of thoughts and emotions, wondering how to bridge the chasm that had formed between them.