005-- Her Nightmare, he's concern

Brooks Apartment

The dim glow of the bedside lamp illuminated the tangled mess of sheets on the bed. Lucas sat up, his back against the headboard, his face shadowed with irritation. Jessica lay beside him, the blanket draped loosely over her body as she lazily twirled a strand of her hair. The air was thick with tension, despite their intimate position.

"I don't understand," Lucas muttered, tossing his phone onto the nightstand. His sharp jaw clenched in frustration. "Why hasn't Sophia called? She's never ignored me like this before."

Jessica's eyes narrowed as she propped herself on one elbow, studying Lucas's face. "I don't know either," she admitted. "When I told her you were sick, I expected her to drop everything and rush here. That's what she's always done."

Lucas's frown deepened, his thoughts spiraling. "But she didn't," he murmured. "Something's off."

Jessica sighed, brushing her hair back. "I noticed it too," she said carefully. "When I called her, she sounded… different. Cold. Like she didn't care anymore. She even told me to take care of you myself."

Lucas's head snapped toward her, disbelief etched on his face. "She said that?"

Jessica nodded, her lips tightening. "I know. It's not like her. Sophia loves you too much to abandon you like this. Maybe Ethan is behind it. He's probably manipulating her, making her stay away from you."

Lucas grabbed his phone again, scrolling through his call history. He hit redial, the phone ringing endlessly before going to voicemail. He let out an exasperated sigh, tossing the phone back down.

"She's ignoring me," he said flatly, his voice tinged with anger.

Jessica reached out, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "Relax, Lucas," she said soothingly. "I'll go to her house tomorrow and figure out what's going on. Maybe Ethan's threatening her or pulling some strings behind the scenes."

Lucas scoffed, his frustration palpable. "If she thinks she can just cut me off like this, she's got another thing coming," he muttered. "She belongs to me, Jessica. Always has, always will."

Jessica smirked, though unease flickered in her eyes. "Don't worry. I'll handle it. Sophia's just confused right now, but I'll remind her where her loyalties lie."

But even as she spoke, doubt gnawed at her. Sophia's coldness had been unsettling, and for the first time, Jessica felt a sliver of fear that their grip on her might be slipping.

---

Carter's Mansion

The room was bathed in the soft glow of moonlight streaming through the large windows. Sophia lay on the king-sized bed, her face contorted in distress. She thrashed slightly, her fists gripping the sheets as tears streamed down her cheeks.

In her dream, the memories of her past life played out like a nightmare. She saw herself sitting in a cold, sterile office, the weight of betrayal crushing her chest. Lucas and Jessica stood before her, their expressions smug as they shoved the transfer papers toward her.

"Sign it, Sophia," Jessica had hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "If you don't, you'll end up just like your father."

Sophia's sobs echoed in her dream, mingling with the haunting laughter of her tormentors. She remembered the pain of losing her father, the despair of being coerced into giving up everything, and the searing betrayal of those she had trusted.

She cried out in her sleep, her body trembling.

Beside her, Ethan stirred. His dark eyes blinked open, and he turned toward her, concern etched on his face. "Sophia?" he murmured, reaching out to gently shake her shoulder. "Wake up. You're having a nightmare."

Sophia jolted awake, her eyes wide and filled with tears. She looked around wildly, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

Ethan sat up, his brows knitting together. "Hey, it's okay," he said softly. "It was just a dream."

But before he could say more, Sophia threw herself into his arms, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. Ethan froze for a moment, startled by the sudden gesture. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"Sophia," he said gently, "it's just a dream. You're safe."

But Sophia didn't let go. She buried her face in his chest, her body trembling as silent sobs wracked her frame. Ethan tightened his hold on her, his hand gently stroking her hair in an attempt to comfort her.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," he murmured, his voice steady. "You're safe with me."

Sophia eventually calmed down, her breathing evening out as exhaustion took over. She closed her eyes, her grip on Ethan loosening slightly.

Ethan glanced down at her, his mind racing. He had never seen her like this before—so vulnerable, so broken. What kind of dream could have shaken her so deeply?

As she drifted back to sleep, Ethan lay awake, his thoughts filled with questions. Sophia had always kept him at arm's length, her heart seemingly locked away. But tonight, something had changed. For the first time, she had let her guard down, even if only for a moment.

Ethan stared at the ceiling, his mind replaying the events of the day. Her sudden change in behavior, her decision to defend Daniel at school, and now this—something was different about Sophia.

And for the first time, he found himself wondering what secrets she was hiding.

--

Morning

The first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains as Sophia stirred awake. She blinked groggily, her eyes landing on Ethan, who was already up and dressed. He stood by the window, his arms crossed as he stared outside, deep in thought.

"Good morning," she said softly, her voice still heavy with sleep.

Ethan turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Morning," he replied, his tone neutral.

Sophia sat up, her heart sinking slightly at the distance in his voice. She knew he was confused by her behavior, and she couldn't blame him. But how could she explain the truth? How could she tell him that she had been reborn, that she was determined to rewrite their story and protect the family she had once failed?

"Ethan," she began, her voice hesitant.

He looked at her, his dark eyes searching hers. "What's going on with you, Sophia?" he asked, his tone firm but not unkind. "You've been acting… different."

Sophia swallowed hard, her hands gripping the blanket. "I…" she trailed off, struggling to find the right words. "I just realized that I've been making mistakes. Big mistakes. And I don't want to make them anymore."

Ethan studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "Mistakes," he repeated, his voice soft.

Sophia nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I've hurt you and Daniel, and I want to make things right. I just… I need you to trust me."

Ethan's gaze softened slightly, but there was still a hint of skepticism in his eyes. "Trust is earned, Sophia," he said quietly.

"I know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "And I'll earn it. I promise."

Ethan didn't reply, but the faintest flicker of hope sparked in his eyes. Maybe there was a chance for them to find their way back to each other.