Innocent cravings

Chapter 25- Sophie

I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath until I stepped outside the café. The air hit me sharp and cold, and I sucked it in like someone who'd been underwater too long.

Brian carter was... impossible.

Impossible to ignore. Impossible to read fully. Impossible to shake off.

I'd walked in thinking I'd give him five minutes, roll my eyes at whatever billionaire charm he tried to throw, and walk out with a firm no. Instead, I was standing on the curb with my heart thudding in a way I wasn't proud of, his words echoing in my head.

Alice is the only one.

It would've been easier if he'd smirked through it, if he'd been cocky about winning her. But the way he said it, God, it had been stripped bare, like there wasn't a single mask left to wear.

I hated that it made me believe him.

The cafe door opened behind me, laughter spilling out, but I barely heard it. My thoughts were already spiraling toward Alice. Sweet, guarded Alice, who'd been through enough storms for three lifetimes. She didn't need another man promising her the world only to let her fall through the cracks.

"Ugh," I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temple. "Why is life never simple?"

I started walking, but every step felt like I was pacing circles in my own head. One second I was picturing Brian's face, his conviction, his determination, and the next, Alice's tearful eyes when she told me she didn't want to talk about him anymore.

If I opened the door for him, I could be throwing her straight into another heartbreak.

But if I didn't... maybe I'd be keeping her from something real.

The weight of that made my chest ache.

By the time I got home, I collapsed onto my bed without even changing out of my shoes. My phone buzzed, and for a second I panicked that it was Brian already, pressing for an answer. But no, it was Alice.

Alice: Busy?

I bit my lip before replying.

Me: Only if you count having a crisis about which flavor of chips to eat.

Her typing bubble appeared, then vanished, then appeared again. Finally, a small reply came.

Alice: You always know how to make me laugh.

That did me in. My throat tightened, and I blinked up at the ceiling, whispering, "What am I supposed to do with you?"

Because how could I protect her and give her what she needed at the same time?

The next day at school, I watched Alice from a distance. She didn't know I was studying her every move, but I could see the weight pressing on her shoulders. She smiled at me when she caught my eye, but it was the kind of smile that barely reached her lips.

And that was when I knew.

Whatever my doubts, whatever my fears, Alice needed clarity more than she needed protection. She needed the truth from Brian's mouth, not through Clarissa's venom or my guesses.

So when my phone buzzed that evening and I saw Brian's name, I didn't hang up.

"Have you decided?" His voice was as steady as ever, though I caught the faintest tension under it.

"I've decided you're a pain in the ass," I shot back.

There was a low chuckle. "That's not a no."

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Fine. I'll help. But if you hurt her, Brian, I swear I'll find a way to make your billionaire life miserable. I don't care how big your house is or how many security guards you've got. I'll be there with glitter bombs and megaphones outside your window every night."

That earned a genuine laugh, rich and warm. "Understood. So when can I see her?"

I hesitated. "Give me time. She's not ready yet. But I'll talk to her. I'll... figure out how to make it happen."

"Thank you, Sophie," he said quietly. "I won't waste this chance."

I hung up, staring at my phone like it had just betrayed me.

Because now the hard part began,how to bring Alice face to face with the one man she wanted to avoid most, without losing her trust in the process.

That night, I dreamed of doorways. Alice standing behind one, Brian pounding on the other, and me standing in the middle with the key in my hand.

And when I woke up, I knew the truth.

I was the bridge.

And bridges either held strong... or burned.

Brian

When Sophie finally called, I almost didn't answer. I'd been pacing my office for an hour, hands shoved in my pockets, trying to resist the urge to drive straight to Alice's school and wait outside like some desperate fool.

But when I heard Sophie's voice, something uncoiled in me.

It was happening.

She was going to give me the chance.

For the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to breathe fully. Allowed myself to picture Alice without the bitter edge of distance. Allowed myself to believe that soon, she would finally hear the truth from me.

And once she did, there would be no more misunderstandings. No more Clarissa. No more walls.

Only us.

Sophie

I couldn't tell Alice right away. My chest tightened every time I imagined her reaction. If she thought I'd betrayed her, I'd lose her trust completely.

So I played it careful.

I stayed close. I cracked jokes. I dragged her to the arcade again, to milkshakes, to anywhere that could keep her smiling. And all the while, in the back of my mind, I carried Brian's words like a shadow.

Soon.

I'd find the right moment. The right excuse. The right way to bring them face to face.

Because whether I liked it or not, Alice deserved the truth.

And maybe, just maybe,she deserved the chance at love, too.