Cruel twist of fate

Chapter 15

RICHARDS POV

In the crowded park, my eyes never left Sophia, I watched as she played and jumped around with Lilly, while Penelope and I strolled gently behind.

" you are drooling Richard, " Penelope said.

" she is pretty, and fun to watch" I blurted out carelessly forgetting that It might hurt her feelings.

" Are you sleeping with her, that's why you are avoiding me. " I could feel the pain in her voice as she asked.

" c'mon Penelope, you know this is a sham, I just have to be careful so the media don't catch on, " I said trying to convince myself that was the reason I was avoiding her.

"But we can...... " before Penelope could complete her sentence my eye caught Sophia tumbling from the swing and I ran towards her leaving Penelope behind.

" holy shit! Sophia why do you always make me worry " I scolded her, as I looked down at her bleeding knee, and bent down to look at it.

" it's just a little bruise, it's not a big deal Richard," she said smiling at me.

" How can you be smiling, you are bleeding for heaven's sake," I said, still looking down and observing her wound, Lilly stood by the swing with teary eyes.

" mum, I'm so sorry," She said softly fighting back her tears.

" oh no darling, mummy is fine" She responded trying to get back on her feet but I pulled her back to the ground.

" Can you please get the first aid kit in my car?"
I made a request to Penelope, she nodded her head and reluctantly went ahead to bring the kit.

A few minutes after I cleaned up her wound and put on a band-aid over the bruises, I helped her stand back up. She moved towards the swing.

" You are not going back to that swing, what if you fall off again? "

" I'm not a child Richard I can take care of myself "
She said.

" no way Sophia! Go and sit on the bench, I'll play with Lilly" I said.

" Richard I told you....."

" No! Sophia! Please stop being stubborn,"

" wow why so angry, fine I'll go sit down," She said reluctantly as she leaped to the bench and I sighed with relief.

SOPHIA'S POV

I felt so embarrassed by the fact that Richard was treating me like a little child but a part of me appreciated that he worried about me.
I fell off the swing because my mind got lost in wondering what he and Penelope may have been discussing, I watched and wondered what relationship those two had.

talk of the devil, Penelope approached me with a smile and two cotton candy sticks.

"I thought I should get you this,"  she said with a soft smile. her smile looked phony.

" oh thank you so much, I needed this, "   I said taking the candy from her.

She sat next to me, and we sat there in silence watching as Richard and Lilly went on different rides. A smile escaped my lips and that caught Penelope's attention.

"I guess you both are so in love, "  Penelope said breaking the silence.

I nodded my head and turned to look at her, she wasn't smiling anymore and I decided to take this as an opportunity to find out about her relationship with him.

"That's why we are getting married because we are in love girl "     She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

" you are pretty good at acting though, "  she said with a smirk.

" what do you mean? " I asked trying to fight the irritation.

"C'mon I know this relationship is a sham,"  she said with a dry smile

"Richard told you that? Why would he tell you that"
I asked.  relieved that she finally dropped her phony act.

"Are you surprised? Isn't it obvious we are inseparable, we have been that way since middle school,"  she said?

This woman was getting on my last nerves, I was so pissed but I refused to let her see me sweat.

"Did he also tell you the things we do to each other in the bedroom, did he tell you how he kisses me passionately and......"

" what do you think you are doing? "  she cut me off before I could complete my sentence, and I watched as her face furrowed in anger.

" oops looks like he didn't tell you everything about us, after all,"    I said.

"You don't know Richard, he is merely using you to satisfy his desires and soon you won't matter to him".

Those words pierced my heart, I knew she was telling the truth, this was temporary and soon I'll be gone from his life forever, but I still wouldn't let her see how hurt I was by those words.

" How about you Penelope will you keep being by his side until he finds his soulmate, ? are you going to be his side piece forever? "   I asked sincerely feeling sorry for her, she was obviously in love with him.

" you will be gone and I'll be here,  what we have is something you won't understand, "  she said clearly trying to fight back her tears.

" what's up ladies, what are you ladies up to? "  Richard called out approaching us and holding Lilly's hands tightly.

" I'm a bit tired, I'll wait in the car," Penelope said as she walked past him to the car.

" what's up Sophia, did you guys fight? "  he asked.

I looked up at him filled with anger, Penelope's words came back to me and pierced my heart again, I ignored him and pulled Lilly away from him.

"I think we should leave now, can we? "  I asked avoiding his eyes and holding on to her.

"What is wrong with everyone? Fine let's go"  he said reluctantly and we strolled quietly back to the car.

The drive back home was really quiet, Lilly slept off while Penelope just kept staring outside the window and he drove quietly.

We dropped Penelope at her apartment and continued our journey back home quietly, he didn't even try to speak to me.

He knew I was bothered and angry about something and I was dying for him to ask, I wanted to get mad, I wanted to ask him if he was just using me. I wanted to know if he felt something for me.

I knew I was feeling something but I just couldn't bring myself to accept it.
Falling in love with him was not part of the plan and I needed to stop.