Beneath the Veil of Shadows

Chapter 42

Months had passed since the day Sapphire had nearly lost her breath in Elias’s arms, but also the one where she had realized, perhaps more deeply than ever before, how much she had come to care for him. She had grown accustomed to their shared life, learning how to navigate both the intensity of their relationship and her own vulnerabilities. Elias, of course, was as overprotective as ever, but Sapphire had learned to balance his care with her own independence.

Today, however, her focus was on something else entirely. After successfully winning Mia's case, she sat in her cabin, deeply engrossed in the details of a new case. Her fingers moved quickly over the pages, her mind sharp, as she navigated through the legal jargon and dotted her notes with precision. The soft hum of the office’s air conditioning was the only sound, and for a brief moment, it felt as though she was the only person in the world.

A sharp knock on the door broke her concentration. Without looking up, Sapphire called out, “Come in.” Her voice was firm but distracted, her pen still scratching against the paper. She barely registered the sound of the door opening, nor the soft steps that followed.

It wasn’t until the visitor cleared their throat that Sapphire finally looked up, her brows knitting together in slight irritation. But the moment her eyes landed on the figure standing in the doorway, her pen slipped from her fingers, and her heart stopped.

“Sofia?” she whispered, disbelief and shock painting her features.

Sapphire froze, her heart thundering in her chest. For a moment, she thought her mind had betrayed her—conjuring up an image of someone she had longed to see again. But as her eyes locked with Sofia’s, the reality hit her like a wave. It was her. It was really her.

Sofia’s hair, darker than it had been in the past, framed her face in soft waves, but it was the look in her eyes that made Sapphire’s breath catch in her throat.

Sapphire stood up slowly, her legs feeling weak beneath her as she tried to process the situation. Her mind raced, questions swirling, but none of them made sense yet. Why was Sofia here? How was she here? How was this possible?

Sofia took a step forward, her expression both hesitant and hopeful. “Sapphire,” she said, her voice softer than Sapphire remembered, but still so familiar. “Are you free enough to join me for lunch? I think we have a lot to catch up on.”

Sapphire’s breath caught, her heart pounding in her chest as the words sank in. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. For a moment, she simply stared, as if her mind couldn’t process what was happening. And then, as reality struck, she rushed toward Sofia, throwing her arms around her in a tight embrace.

Tears welled up in Sapphire’s eyes, and before she knew it, they were streaming down her face, mixing with the laughter that bubbled up from somewhere deep inside her. She clung to Sofia, as if she was afraid that if she let go, she would lose her again. “You are here,” she choked out, her voice muffled against Sofia’s shoulder. “You are really here.”

Sofia’s arms wrapped around her in return, her grip strong, holding Sapphire as though she never wanted to let go either. “I am here,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I never left. Not really.”

For a moment, there was nothing but the two of them, holding onto each other, allowing the flood of emotions to fill the space between them. Both of them cried silently, tears mingling with laughter, grief with relief.

The sound of the door creaking open interrupted the moment, and Sapphire felt a shift in the atmosphere as a voice broke the silence.

“Well, well. Am I interrupting something, or can I join the reunion?” Ezra’s voice was light and teasing, and his timing impeccable as he stood in the doorway, his arms crossed with a smirk playing on his lips.