Chapter eighty six

---

Sophia was curled up in her room, wrapped in a blanket, and lost in the world of her favorite TV show when a loud, angry voice broke through the cozy atmosphere. It was Dalton, and he sounded furious. She instinctively lowered the volume, her heart racing as she strained to catch the words drifting through the walls.

As she listened closely, she recognized another voice—one that sent a chill down her spine. *It can't be,* she thought, her mind racing. *What's he doing here?* 

Curiosity gnawed at her, and she found herself inching toward the living room, her heart pounding with each step. The argument grew clearer, and the tension in the air thickened. She reached the doorway just in time to see Joseph, the last person she wanted to see, standing across from Dalton, his arms crossed and his face twisted in anger.