He was dressed in a dark suit that hugged his tall frame, his long strides carrying him up the stairs toward the building. His attention remained on the phone in his hand as he scrolled through the screen while walking inside.
Sophia quickly stood up from the couch and walked toward the entrance.
Just as Magnus stepped through the door, he lifted his eyes from his phone.
His gaze fell directly on her.
For a brief second, surprise flashed across his face. Then a faint, pleased smile appeared on his lips.
“Sylvia?”
Sophia gave him a polite, soft smile. “Hello, Mr. Graves. I wanted to talk to you for a moment, if you have a few seconds. It’s important.”
Magnus slowed his steps, looking at her with mild curiosity.
But before he could respond, Sophia spoke again quickly, clearly nervous.
“Can you please forgive my friend for what happened at the auction?” she asked in a rush. “She really didn’t mean those words.”
Her brows pulled together as worry filled her eyes.
“She was just venting about something. But she really didn’t mean any of it.”
She took a small breath before continuing.
“All the deals you canceled… it’s hurting her a lot. Her business isn’t nearly as big as the Empire Group, so it’s really difficult for her to handle something like this.”
Magnus listened quietly as she spoke.
But the longer she spoke, the more the expression on his face slowly changed.
The faint smile that had been there moments ago disappeared.
He slipped his phone into his pocket, his gaze settling on Sophia with a colder calm.
“My ex-wife is really talented, isn’t she?”
Sophia blinked in confusion.
Magnus tilted his head slightly, a mocking smile appearing at the corner of his lips.
“She made my mother interfere in my business and speak on her behalf,” Magnus continued coolly. “And now she’s sent you here to beg for forgiveness for her—without even lifting a finger herself.”
He gave a small, humorless chuckle.
“She knows exactly how to use the people closest to me to her advantage.”
Sophia froze when she heard the wordsex-wife.
‘Ex-wife?’ Her mind reeled. ‘He’s talking about Emma…?’
Her eyes widened slightly as the realization slowly settled in.
‘Did he mistake Emma for his ex-wife?’
Her thoughts scattered for a moment as she processed what he had just said.
“Mr. Graves,” she quickly tried to explain, “she isn’t your ex—”
