“They said I had a breakdown,” I mutter. “I don’t even remember half of it.”
It all feels distant, like it happened to someone else.
Sofia leans back slightly, her gaze drifting for a moment. “When I first came to London, I hit a low point,” she says quietly. “And then, when I found out I was pregnant, it got worse.”
I look at her, surprised. She looks like the sort of person ’who’s strong.
“The pregnancy made everything feel final,” she continues. “Like I was trapped in whatever my life was becoming. And Vinn . . .” She huffs out a breath. “He wasn’t easy to love back then. I thought about walking away. I thought about ending things completely.”
Her voice drops on that last part. There’s no drama in it, just truth.
“I’m glad you didn’t,” I say softly.
“Me too,” she replies, “but it didn’t feel like that at the time.” Silence settles between us for a moment. “I came because I wanted you to hear that it does get better,” she says. “Not perfect, and not easy in the slightest, but better.”
I shake my head slightly. “It’s not just Ray,” I say. “Loving him . . . that’s not the problem.” The words feel strange out loud. Too real, but I feel at ease, like she’s not going to judge me. “It’s everything else.” She watches me, waiting for me to continue in my own time. “He doesn’t love me,” I say quietly. “And he blames me for Anika. I was never meant to be in his world. I was just there for a while, passing through.” My hand drifts to my stomach. “And now this,” I add. “He’ll do the right thing. He’ll tolerate me because of the baby.” The word ‘tolerate’ tastes bitter. “But he’ll never love me,” I finish. “Not properly. Not the way he would someone like him, from his world.”
“What do you mean?” Sofia asks gently.
I let out a small breath. “Someone who fits. Someone rich, confident, used to how things work around him. A woman who can sit at those tables and not feel like she’s pretending.”
Sofia studies me for a second. Then she smiles. “Wynter,” she says softly, “you’re not beneath Ray.”
I don’t respond, because it doesn’t matter how many times I hear it, I still feel like it’s true.
“Money doesn’t make him better than you,” she continues. “It just means he has more of it. That’s it.” I glance down, unconvinced. “He didn’t come from that world,” she adds. “He built it. And trust me, he’s surrounded by women who look like they belong there.”
My head snaps up and she gives a gentle smile.
“And he still chose you,” she says simply. “He doesn’t need someone who talks business all day,” she goes on. “He needs someone real. Someone who sees him, not just what he has.” Her gaze softens. “You already do that.”
My throat tightens. “I don’t think it’s that simple,” I whisper.
“It really is,” she says. “And unless you talk to him about how you’re feeling, he won’t get a fair chance to show you?”
The door opens and my key worker smiles awkwardly. “I’m sorry, but there’s a gentleman outside yelling at my staff because he wants Sofia . . . I take it, that’s you?” she asks, and Sofia rolls her eyes whilst I stifle a giggle.
“Christ, one minute it’s like I’m invisible, and the next, he’s stalking me. I swear, I delete this phone tracker every day and somehow, it’s back on within hours.”
I laugh. “It must be nice to be so loved. Thank you for coming.”
She hands me a piece of paper with her phone number. “Let’s talk more, Wynter. We’re going to become good friends.”
I nod and watch as she leaves.
We’re only in London for another week. That’s what they keep telling me. Another week of this place, of routines and talking and pretending I’m stronger than I feel, and then I can go home.
Properly home. Somewhere safe.
Somewhereheisn’t. Because distance from Ray is the only thing that makes sense right now. It’s the only way I can breathe without feeling like everything is about to cave in on me again.
And I should feel relieved. Instead, there’s this tight, uncomfortable ache in my chest every time I think about it.
I’m angry with Aunt Lucy for telling him about the baby. I know she didn’t mean to. She thought he already knew. But still . . . it wasn’t her place. It wasn’t her decision to make. That was mine, and now it’s gone, and he knows.
And that changes everything. Because Ray isn’t the kind of man who hears something like that and walks away. He’ll stay. He’ll insert himself into every part of my life under the excuse of doing the right thing.
For the baby.