“You, you’re Bernard's son, too?” I check.
“Me? No, I’m pure Jefferies; no bastards in our bloodline,” he assures me, proudly.
“I’m merely here to help the rightful heir take what they deserve,” he sniggers as he looks over his shoulder, and whena voice comes from behind him that I recognise, I almost drop Benjamin out of my arms.
“Thank you, Kaleb.” Sophia steps through the gap between him and the door, dressed head to toe in black, with her hair scraped up high on top of her head. She looks nothing like the sweet, innocent girl I took in from the streets and invested all my time and efforts into helping.
“And to think, you didn’t trust me to pull off a long con,” she giggles sweetly, before turning her head and shooting Kaleb directly in his face.
I scream as his blood splatters the walls, and clutch Benjamin so tight to me, I fear I’ll suffocate him.
The noise of the gun wasn’t as loud as I expected it to be at such a close range, but it still makes him cry.
“Won’t be needing him anymore.” She laughs some more as she stands over his body and watches him bleed. “Stupid fuck thought I was going to marry him.”
“Sophia.” I go to hand Benjamin to Cecelia so I can try and talk her down, but she quickly points her gun at me, causing me to freeze.
“Don’t fucking move. Stay where you are,” she orders, looking completely unhinged.
“Sophia, where’s Jack? Did yo?—”
“I don’t know where Jack is; I just know he’s not here. You won’t believe how long I’ve spent waiting for him to leave your side.”
“Sophia, why do you want to hurt us?” I ask her, staring at my friend and wondering how she managed to fool me so well.
“Three measly million.” She shakes her head. “That's what your husband thought years of neglect and rejection were worth,” Sophia explains to Cecelia.
“Sophia, IswearJack had no idea about you. If he did, he would have made sure you were taken care of,” I promise her,realising I don’t know anything about this girl in front of me. She really did play the long con.
“Of course, he didn’t know. Bernard Ravenshaw had no use for a daughter. As soon as I was born and he realised I was a girl, he sent my mother on her way and denied all knowledge of me.”
“I’m sorry, Sophia. I’m so sorry that happened to you, but this isn’t Benjamin's or Jack's fault. Look, he’s just a baby.” I have to hold on to what she said about not knowing where Jack is; keep it as hope that he’s still alive, so I can put all my efforts into protecting our son.
“You think that's the worst thing this family did to me?” She laughs spitefully
“Try getting raped by your own brother, and his nasty, little buddy.” She kicks Kaleb’s corpse as I gasp.
“No.” I shake my head. Thinking back to the story Jack told me after we left the Winfield’s garden party.
“Oh, yes.” She nods back, looking haunted. “What do you think this is all about, Grace? I’m not crazy.” She smiles so vacantly. “I’d been following Thomas for some time before it happened. He was my brother, the rightful heir, the perfect son. I wanted to observe his life, take it in, and imagine how it would be ifDaddyhad bothered to acknowledge me. I’d often put myself in situations, hoping I’d get the opportunity to meet him, but I never expected to be his initiation to that stupid club.” Her face remains blank of emotion as my eyes fill with tears
“Thomas wouldn’t. He–-”
“Thomas was acunt, and he was just as evil as his father,” Sophia shuts Cecelia down.
“There must be some mistake my–”
“Thomas and Kaleb took turns holding me down while the other one raped me, and they did it all in front of their friends,” she interrupts Cecelia’s defence. “I don’t know if he knew who I was, but there was something in his eyes while he did it that toldme he did. I’ll bet it got that sick prick off.” She zones out for a while, and I reach back to check if the letter opener is still in my pocket.
“Sophia, Jack helped you that night. He told me what happened,” I remind her, remembering the story Jack told me word for word.
“Helped?” she laughs. “You think finding out that mydadhad another bastard, helped? He may not have been father of the fucking year to Jack, but at least he acknowledged his existence.”
I can’t argue with what she’s saying. I understand her pain, but it doesn’t warrant killing innocent people.
“Jack took time speaking to me; he was kind, but he still paid me to keep my mouth shut, to keep hispreciousfamily's secrets. He even popped me a pill to make sure Thomas didn’t make the same mistake our father did.” She shakes her head and looks up at the ceiling.
“Sophia; that's your name, right?” Cecelia clears her throat and talks to her softly. “What are you hoping to gain from all of this? If it’s money you need, we can talk. We can come to an arrangement.”
