Chapter 80 The Look In Her Eyes

• Christian’s POV
• The moment I saw her, I froze. I had been mid-conversation with Claire, trying to figure out how to wrap things up without making a public scene. Claire was talking too much, as usual, trying to lean into me, laughing at jokes I never told. My mind wasn’t in it—not really—but when I glanced up and saw Sophia walk into the restaurant, something in my chest tightened like a goddamn vice.
• She wasn’t alone. A woman—tall, curly-haired, a little too stylish for Sophia’s usual crowd—walked beside her and handed her a white envelope. That was the first thing I noticed. The envelope. Slim, clinical, like something from a doctor’s office or a legal firm. Sophia took it without hesitation and opened it as she walked.