CHAPTER 11: Facing Fears

Sophia's eyes met Ethan's, and for the first time since they started unwrapping their shared histories, she saw vulnerability in him that mirrored her own. It was raw, unprotected and shot through with the sort of fear she knew all too well — the fear of loving and losing.

"What's wrong?" she said gently, her voice quiet but firm.

Ethan hesitated, his broad shoulders rising and falling with a deep breath as his eyes moved to the floor. "I don't know if I can do this, Sophia," he said, his voice a whisper, as if it hurt him to say.

Sophia's chest tightened. Taking a careful step closer, her pulse racing at the crack in his composure." "Do what, Ethan?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

His eyes met hers finally, marred by a tumult of anguish and indecision. "Be with you," he admitted. "Allow myself to get my heart broken again."

The confession washed over Sophia like a wave. She knew that fear — of taking a leap into the unknown, of laying your heart bare for someone only to end up in pieces. So she wasn't ashamed; it was in fact a sensation that had been far too familiar to her after her own heartbreaks.

"You're not alone, Ethan," Sophia murmured, inching closer until they were nearly touching. One hand extended, light fingers grazing his before finding purchase in his palm. She squeezed his hand gently, anchoring them both. "I've been hurt too. I know what a challenge it is to trust again, to feel it's worth the risk. But I'm willing to take that risk with you."

Ethan's eyes searched her gaze, as if he were looking for confirmation, a reason to believe her words. Sophia held his gaze, her features open, and almost vulnerable, allowing him to see her vulnerability. A little at a time, she watched the terror in his eyes fade away, to be replaced with something softer, something hopeful.

"Why?" he asked after a long beat, his voice laden with emotion. "Why do you agree to take that risk with me?"

Sophia smiled, the corners of her lips rising gently. "Because I believe in us," she said matter-of-factly. "I think we can confront our fears as a group. And I believe you're worth it, Ethan."

Neither of them moved for a heartbeat. Then Ethan's mouth creased with a small, tentative smile. The kind of smile that alluded to relief and cautious optimism. "I believe in us too," he said quietly, his voice heavy with a new conviction.

Without saying another word, Ethan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. With her eyes shut, Sophia leaned her head against his chest. His heartbeat steady, beating in her ears, gave comfort to her own chaotic thoughts. Held in his arms, she felt a peace she hadn't experienced in years.

But just when the world felt as if it was falling into something perfect, Sophia's phone suddenly buzzed loudly on a nearby table, shattering the silence. The sound pulled them both out of the moment, and Sophia broke away in reluctant effort.

She crossed her brows knit as she picked up the phone on the table. Her stomach knotted as she read the name flashed across the screen.

Nathan Cole.

Her mind raced as her thumb hovered above the answer button. Why was he calling her? She had not spoken directly to Ethan's business nemesis, and the timing could not have been more unnerving.

Ethan noticed her hesitation. "Who is it?" he asked, his voice steady but tinged with tension.

Sophia looked at him and held the phone up for him to read the name. His reaction was immediate. His jaw muscles clenched, and both his fists balled at his sides.

"Nathan Cole?" He repeated, his voice low and biting. "What does he want with you, anyway?"

"I … I have no idea," Sophia said honestly, her voice a whisper.

Ethan stepped closer, his body rigid. You don't have to answer that, Sophia," he said intensely. "He's not calling for something good."

Sophia looked from between Ethan and the still-buzzing phone. "What if it's important?" she asked cautiously.

"It's Nathan," Ethan said gruffly. "Everything he does has an ulterior motive."

Ethan's warning couldn't cure Sophia's curiosity. She needed to understand why Nathan was contacting her of all people. After a long inhale, she swiped to answer the call.

"Hello?" she said cautiously.

"Ms. Carter," Nathan's silky, polished voice greeted her, rich with charm. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Sophia tightened her grip on the phone. "What do you want, Mr. Cole?" she inquired, her tone as neutral as she could manage.

Nathan laughed, a low, measured sound. "Straight to the point. I like that. Let's just say, I've been keeping an eye on your work here at the resort and I'm impressed. You have a real gift, Ms. Carter."

Sophia's brow furrowed. "How do you know even about my work?"

"Oh, I have my methods," Nathan replied, purring. "Let's just say I have a stake in the resort — and its management."

Sophia's pulse quickened. She was annoyed by how cryptic he was being. "What do you want, Mr. Cole, what do you really want?"

Another chuckle. "I'm giving you an opportunity," he said. "Your talent is too good for this little stage. I can help you take your work to the global stage, I can connect you with people that can take your career to the next level."

Sophia blinked, taken aback by his proposition. "You're offering me a job?"

"Not just a job, Ms. Carter. A partnership," Nathan corrected him, smoothly. "Imagine it—your photography featured on an international platform, your name the name of excellence. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

A cold weight settled in Sophia's chest. She looked at Ethan, whose face had blackened somewhat. "I… I will think about it," she said cautiously, as if she might not want to make any promises.

"We would," Nathan said, his voice saturated with self-assurance. "But don't take too long. "Opportunities like this do not wait around forever."

As the call ended, Sophia pulled the phone down and her mind was whirling.

"What did he want?" Ethan said, his voice tight, restrained frustration in his tone.

Sophia paused before answering. "He… approached me with a partnership. An opportunity to grow my career."

Ethan's face hardened; his eyes narrowed. "And are you considering it?"

"I don't know," Sophia confessed bluntly. "I need to take the time to think it through. I don't believe him, Ethan, but I have to find out what he's really after."

Ethan stepped forward, his face soothing even if his stance was anything but. "I just don't want him to use you, Sophia. Nathan doesn't give a fuck about anyone but himself. Whatever he's offering, it's not what appears to be."

"I know," Sophia said softly, taking his hand. "But I need you to trust me. "I won't allow him to come between us."

Ethan nodded slowly, maintaining his gaze with hers. "I do trust you. It's him I don't trust."

The night wore on, Sophia lay awake and rehashing the exchange in her head. What did Nathan really want? And how would it impact her relationship with Ethan?

She did not believe, deep down, that this was the end of their troubles. But for the first time in

long time, she was prepared for whatever came next because she wasn't facing it alone.