𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝑰𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 19

"You know this would go a whole lot quicker if you would just... help...us...out," Sophia said while pulling one of her suitcases behind.

"Yeah, Nicky. Why are you not helping out exactly?" Chloé followed suit.

"I have been helping. Who do you think got all those boxes up here? Plus, I still have emails to attend to," I typed away on my laptop as I glanced towards the stack of boxes peeping in from the guestroom.

"Well, he does have a point," Chloé whispered to Sophia.

I smirked, returning my attention to the screen. Balancing the dual responsibilities of maintaining the facade of a perfect marriage and keeping up with my demanding job wasn't going to be easy. But then again, when had life ever been easy?

The door slammed shut, and the noise of footsteps and shuffling boxes filled the small apartment. I could hear the muted grunts and groans from Sophia as she maneuvered her luggage around the hallway. I tried to focus on the email I was drafting, but my eyes kept drifting to the two women working tirelessly to get everything in place.

Sophia looked different today-less guarded, more vulnerable. I could see the faint lines of exhaustion under her eyes, the slight droop of her shoulders. Despite this, there was an undeniable grace in the way she moved, a fluidity that drew my gaze again and again. Chloé, on the other hand, was all energy and enthusiasm, bouncing from one task to another with an infectious exuberance.

"Hey, Nicky, where should we put these?" Chloé called out, interrupting my thoughts. She was holding a box labelled "kitchen essentials" and looking at me expectantly.

"Just leave it by the counter for now. We'll sort it out later," I replied, typing faster to finish my email.

Chloé rolled her eyes but complied, setting the box down with a thud. Sophia followed suit, her gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary. There was something in her eyes-curiosity, maybe? Or perhaps it was just the exhaustion playing tricks on my mind.

Minutes stretched into hours, and the pile of boxes gradually diminished. Despite my best efforts to stay focused on my work, I found myself getting up and moving towards the kitchen where they were unpacking dishes.

"Alright, fine. I'll help with the heavy lifting," I announced, earning a triumphant grin from Chloé.

"About time, big brother. I was starting to think maybe they were right when they said 'Chivalry is dead' ," she teased, nudging me playfully.

Sophia handed me a stack of plates, her fingers brushing mine in the exchange. The touch was fleeting, but it sent a surprising jolt through me. Our eyes met briefly, and I saw a flicker of something-surprise, perhaps?-before she quickly looked away.

"Thanks," she muttered, busying herself with another box.

"Don't mention it," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant even as my heart beat a little faster.

Chloé raised an eyebrow, but thankfully didn't comment. She was too busy organizing the cabinets, humming softly under her breath. For a moment, the three of us worked in a companionable silence, the clinking of dishes and the rustling of cardboard the only sounds in the apartment.

After a while, Chloé announced that she had to leave. "I have a... design meeting. You two lovebirds can handle the rest, right?" She winked, grabbing her bag from the couch.

"Yeah, we got it," I said, glancing at Sophia.

"Thanks for the help, Chloé," Sophia added, giving her a grateful smile.

With a final wave, Chloé was out the door, leaving an odd silence in her wake. I turned to Sophia, who was staring at a half-unpacked box with a furrowed brow.