Whispers of Deceit, Echoes of Love

Chapter 20

“What are you doing here?” Sophia asked her brother, not bothering with greetings.

Seth removed his shades, eyes like hers glaring at her, “I couldn’t have been here if I wasn’t sent to get you.”

Sophia gave a humorless chuckle, “Of course they would send you. So who was it? Enzo? Morgan? Or was it mom?”

“It was Dad, actually, and he wants you home,” Seth glanced at his watch.

Sophia raised an eyebrow, “do you have somewhere to be? I know the way to the house unless you guys moved without letting me know?”

“Jewels,” Seth cut her short. “Dad made me promise that I will get you to the house, and that’s what I will do.”

“Ok, I will follow you,” Sophia tried to move around his so that she could walk to her car. Instead, her brother stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“You don’t get it,” Seth shook his head. He led her to his car with his hand still on her arm.

“Wait-what are you doing?” Sophia tried to dislodge her arm from his hand, shrugging and pulling her arm away. “I have my car right there!”

Seth opened his car door and positioned Sophia on the seat, “Your car is safe there for the night. Please don’t make this hard for me. I am already late for an important meeting, and this issue with you is just inconveniencing me!” He did not wait for her to reply, rather shut the car door with force before walking to the driver side. He got in and started the car. His blue eyes went to her seatbelt, which was still not fastened. “Seatbelt and I will not tell you twice.”

Sophia kept her gaze forward but did her belt. She kept quiet, words from Seth playing in her head., Was she inconveniencing them? She had kept them out of her life, not telling anyone about the breakup. She had not called them in months to ask for money or to find out how they were doing. Heck, she hadn’t visited her parents for the past six months, but still, she was an inconvenience. If anyone was being inconvenienced and stalked, it should be her!

Seth sighed loudly, “Look, I am sorry for being short with you back there.”

Sophia did not acknowledge him. Instead, she turned her gaze to the passing traffic. There really was nothing that she could say to him that she had not said to the others.

Soon enough, Seth was parking his car in front of her parents’ driveway. From the looks of things, it seemed that Enzo and Morgan were also inside. Without waiting for Seth to follow, Sophia opened the door and walked towards the front door.

“Sophia, wait!” Seth called for her, jogging a bit to catch up with her.

Sophia turned to him, her face blank. She raised her eyebrows in question.

“Just,” Seth shook his head. “Just listen to what they have to say, alright?”

“Not going to happen,” she replied as she resumed her walk. She didn’t bother to knock; instead, she opened and walked in. The last time she had been in this house was six months ago when she had come to complain to her father about how, though she tried, no one seemed to care about her. She was gaslit, but her mother and brothers, was called attention seeker and that she was an adult and didn’t need constant assurance that she was cared for. Her father had stayed silent throughout the whole attack.

“Seems like the whole family is here,” Sophia announced as she entered the sitting room. “Let’s get the intervention over with, as I have things to do.”

“Sophia!” Her father’s voice reprimanded her.

Instead of feeling guilty for what she said, she just blinked at him, “What? Am I not correct that this is an intervention? All of a sudden, you are now worried about me and interested to know what's been happening in my life? Wanting to know how I am since your favorite Eric has dumped me?” Her gaze swept the room, seeing their faces. “Aah, from the looks on your faces, I can see that I have nailed it. So, I will make it brief because I know Enzo, Morgan, and Seth are too busy. I am fine. I have been fine, and I will continue to be fine. I don’t need or want any of your help,” she turned to Enzo. “I remember telling you if I needed anything, I would let you know. I have been quiet, so I don’t need anything from you. Can I go now?”

“That is not how to talk to your family, Sophia!” Her father’s, Stuart, voice shook with anger. Sophia tilted her head to the side, studying the man before her. Where she was the replica of her mother, Enzo was the replica of their father. “We are all worried about you!”

“Why?” Sophia asked.

“Why?” Stuart looked confused.

Sophia nodded, “Yes. Why are you worried about me now? Why didn’t you worry about me two, three, or four months ago? Why?”

“Because Eric called us and told us you were dating again. That you were going out at night all by yourself,” Darcy replied as she placed her phone face down on the table.

Sophia laughed, “And because of what he said, you now want to know about my life? This is rich. Ok,” Sophia stood up. “I will say this once and for all, and I hope and pray that you all understand. Eric cheated on me with Emily. They have been doing that for the past three years. In fact, I caught them screwing on the same bed I have been sharing with Eric for the past four years. So Eric and I are over!” She turned to her mother, “Get over it, Mom, I have.”

Seth moved forward and touched her shoulder, “we can do this while we are seated.”

Sophia shrugged his hand off, “I am not staying long. So,” she turned her gaze to each person individually. “Please, let’s go back to you ignoring me and me doing my own thing. Whether I am dating or going out at night, that is my business. Eric has no right to complain because he is no longer my boyfriend.”

“You are still our sister, Jewels; of course, we are going to worry about you,” Morgan chimed in.

Sophia nodded, “really? So, where have you guys been for the past six months? None of you even noticed that I stopped calling you because if you had, then you would have looked for me and asked me what was happening. Because you never wanted to speak to me,” she smiled at Enzo, noticing him frowning. “I stopped. I came home to talk to you, Mom and Dad, and all of you about it and was told I should stop being an attention seeker and that I was old enough. Do you remember that?” She folded her arms. “We were all in this very room. And for the past six months, I have done that. I have stopped disturbing you because God forbid me saying Hello to you might cost you a million-dollar deal,” she turned to Morgan for that. “But now, all of a sudden, you are all up in my business?” She shook her head. “No, no, no! It doesn’t work that way. I am doing exactly what you wanted me to do. So please, leave me be.”

The room was quiet. Sophia scanned their faces, from blank to thunderstorms. Different emotions were written on them. Seeing that no one would speak, she collected her back and started for the door.

“Wait, where are you going?” Darcy called as she stood up and followed her to the door.

“The intervention is over. I am heading home,” Sophia replied.

“No! You can’t leave. Stuart, make her stay,” Darcy took hold of her arm to halt her progress to the door.

Sophia frowned, “why? What else do you want me to do? Send you smoke signals so that you can understand that I don’t need this. Let go of my arm, Mom.”

“Stuart!” Darcy called for her husband.

Sophia looked between her parents and brothers, frowning at them. “What is this about? Are you going to hold me here against my will? Because if you do, I will call the cops on you!”

“It’s not that,” Seth, always the peacekeeper, spoke up.

“Then?” Sophia pulled her arm from her mother’s grasp. Before anyone could speak, there was a knock on the door. Frowing, she glanced at the door. Watching as her mother ran towards it, a thought dawned on her. “Tell me that is not who I think it is!”