Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Sophie had known there was a possibility Miranda might show up at the office, but considering Sophie had planned on getting in and out in a week, she hadn’t been too worried.

Now, well, she’d been here a couple weeks and knew she was tempting fate with each additional day she stayed.

Sophie had texted her brothers and asked how soon they could get to New York. She’d told them everything and pleaded with them to help her with Nigel. Maybe that was still a coward’s way out to have backup, but she was desperate to hold on to the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Hopefully Vaughn and Kellan could be here tomorrow and Sophie could get all of her lies out in the open and tell Nigel exactly who she was and why she’d deceived him. She had to make him understand that every part of what happened between them was real—especially the part where she was falling in love with him.

Until all of this mess was over, Sophie wasn’t going to be able to relax. And now she had to watch out for more Miranda sightings. Perhaps she should stay in her office or, better yet, feign sickness and head to her penthouse where she could hide out until she could confront Nigel.

Either way, Sophie was walking a thin line and at any second she could fall off and get lost in her web of deceit.

* * *

Nigel had just eased into the back of his car when his cell rang. He’d spent twelve hours at the office today trying to formulate a game plan for some grand going away party for Seraphina. Of course, the event would be aired, but the show needed to be the grandest of all. A black-and-white cocktail party at the Waldorf? A luau in Hawaii? He wasn’t sure what would be the best, but he did plan on getting Roslyn’s take on several ideas.

As his driver pulled away from the curb, Nigel answered his phone without looking.

“Nigel Townshend.”

“Always so professional.”

He smiled at his sister’s teasing tone. “Aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon?”

“I’m in Morocco now,” she told him. “We just arrived after a couple days in Spain. It was beautiful, by the way, thanks for asking.”

Nigel laughed and settled into his seat. He dropped his head back and closed his eyes. He’d take even a second of relaxation at this point. Trying to figure out ways to save his show from plummeting into an abyss while losing one of their top cast members was quite stressful.

Which was just another reason he couldn’t wait to see Roslyn. She always made things seem better, brighter.

“So why are you calling your brother when you should be spending time in newly wedded bliss?”

“Are you alone?” she asked.

“I just left the office, so I’m with my driver.” Alarm bells went off in his head. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but I’m worried about you.”

“Me? Why?”

Ellen sighed. “You remember how I kept saying Roslyn looked familiar to me?”

“I do.”

“I don’t know how to tell you this,” she murmured.

Nigel sat up and gripped his cell. “Just say it,” he demanded. That trickle of fear down his spine had him on edge.

“Her real name is Sophie Blackwood.”

Blackwood. As in... Miranda’s late ex?

“She’s actually a famous designer,” Ellen went on. “I was watching one of my favorite YouTube channels on the plane and that was when it hit me. She has a massive following on her channel Dream It, Live It. I’ve watched so many of her design videos that I should have recognized her right off the bat, but she’s altered her look. She’s not a blond naturally and she doesn’t usually wear glasses.”

Nigel rubbed his forehead as his sister’s words settled in.

“Are you positive?” he asked, hoping she wasn’t, but knowing she was or she never would’ve called.

“Yes. I’m sorry.”