Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 27

Without any consideration that he had something to say in mind, she kept on going.

“We were friends,” she said in a hushed tone, so as to not attract another person’s attention.

“But that was before you did what you did.”

“My brother, he loved you,” Sophia said in a strict tone.

“And you, what, traded him in, without a second thought for another man.”

“What’s Louis ever done to you other than love you?” Sophia asked him, seeking an answer.

She heard her heart beating quickly in her chest, something she only felt when she was around another man.

Finally getting time to speak, Leo said apologetically, “I’m sorry, Sophia, I really am.”

“I never intended to inflict any harm upon Louis, you have to believe me, Soph.”

“I just came here to apologize,” he lied.

Sophia inhaled sharply.

“I’m not the one you should be directing your apology to, it’s Louis, not me.”

“I’ve heard tougher people try to lie to me and they did a far better job than you’re doing now,” Sophia told Leo.

Leo wondered if he’d ever get a chance to speak, taking into consideration that the woman he was having a conversation with was extremely stubborn.

“That’s because I’m not lying, Sophia,” he said in an attempt to convince her otherwise.

Sophia looked around. Louis was staring at her, wondering what was she doing talking to him, whilst Nicholas sat on another table, lonely and bored.

She sighed.

“Let’s move this conversation outside so others won’t pry,” she decided.

Leo hesitated. Was she actually giving him a proper chance to speak his case?

He was to find out.

He nodded slowly.

“Alright,” he said as him and Sophia moved into a less public setting.

Sophia’s face was emotionless and grim as she walked with him. Nicholas noticed her facial expression from afar and his mood became far less gloomy than it originally was, that is, before he noticed her leaving with him.

Louis had a worried expression plastered on his face. But it wasn’t Sophia he was worried about, it was Leo and what his sister would do to him.

He worried she’d go overboard and she’d hurt him, and even despite the fact it was his ex-lover she was currently with, he didn’t want Leo’s blood on her hands.

He shook his head, sighing.

Something told him it was better if he stayed where he was and let Sophia do whatever she was to do. After all, she wouldn’t attempt something too reckless on Julia’s birthday.

Oh, how he was mistaken.

As soon as Sophia and Leo were situated somewhere else, Sophia punched Leo’s face.

The sound of a low pitched slap filled the hallway.

“Ouch!”

“That’s for hurting Louis and cheating on him,” she told him before calling him names a royal wasn’t allowed to use. Had Julia heard her speaking such vulgar language, Sophia would’ve been in big trouble. She felt better after taking out her anger on the poor count, not that she thought he deserved the pity. He took advantage of her brother’s kindness and exploited it for his own use. He was greedy and some could argue the only reason he dated Louis was for his power. As soon as he abdicated, he and his boyfriend happened to broke up over wanting different things when the truth was, Louis was trying desperately to save the relationship whilst Leo wanted no part of it.

She’d been wanting to punch someone all day, ever since that wretched king had proposed to her thinking she’d accept his pitiful proposal. She’d only been holding back for Julia and Louis’ sake. After all, punching someone in a ballroom where your grandmother’s dinner dance was being held was most undignified, especially for a duchess like her.

“Don’t you ever think of hurting him again or going anywhere near him or there’ll be more harm coming your way, Leonard,” she said.

Leo – or Leonard – had his hand cupping his face, face grimacing from the excruciating pain from Sophia’s punch. He knew damn well he didn’t want to suffer Sophia’s wrath again, so he made a mental note to stay clear of her as much as possible. She could be extremely horrifying at times, especially when it came to the people she loved getting hurt.

“I deserved that,” he admitted before he heard Sophia utter the words, “You can speak your case now.”

He sighed relievedly, wiping the blood trickling down his face. He did believe he deserved that, but, he wasn’t exactly planning on telling the full story as to why he’d come to Beldovia.

“I just came here to offer Louis an apology.”

“I promise.”

“Just let me speak to him, I won’t do anything nor do I plan to,” he told Sophia, flat out lying to her.

Sophia wasn’t in any place to be making decisions for her brother and she knew that. All she could do was allow him to do so.

“Say the wrong thing and it won’t be your face I aim at,” she said, looking directly at his now-bruised face.

He nodded in order to get her convinced that he had pure and innocent intentions, so to speak.

Sophia sighed, “Alright.”

“And don’t tell Louis of any part of our conversation that we had,” she said expectantly.

He nodded once more.

Sophia crossed her arms and left, her gown swishing.

She returned to the ballroom discreetly, so as to not gather any attention from Julia. The guests had stopped dancing by then and had returned to their respective tables. She headed over to Nicholas’ table, where he’d been waiting for her.

“I’m back,” she said jokingly in a singsong manner.

Nicholas made a sound that was halfway between a grunt and a chuckle.

“Took you long enough,” he told her in a spoilt mood.

“And what’s gotten you in a sour mood?” Sophia asked.

Nicholas looked at her strangely before lying to her, “Nothing.”

“So we’ve resorting to falsifying the truth?” Sophia asked, her brow raised.

She’d never seen him in such a mood.