Sophia Is Forced to Make a Choice Between Her Father and Andrew

Sophia sat in her car, gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. She had driven aimlessly for over an hour, but no amount of empty roads or deep breaths could clear her mind. Andrew was slipping away from her, and she didn’t know how to stop it.

Not unless she made a choice.

Her phone buzzed on the passenger seat. She already knew who it was before she looked.

Matteo.

She let it ring, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. But when it stopped, another notification appeared. A message.

Matteo: I assume you’ve spoken to Andrew. If he is a problem, deal with it. Now.

A wave of nausea hit her. Matteo wasn’t just issuing a warning—he was giving her an order.

Deal with it.

Sophia’s stomach twisted. She had known this moment was coming, but she had prayed she could delay it, find another way. But now, Matteo was pushing for action. And she knew exactly what that meant.

She was running out of time.

Dante’s Offer

She pulled up outside a private club on the Upper East Side, taking a shaky breath before stepping out of the car. She wasn’t surprised to find Dante waiting for her inside, seated in a secluded booth with a drink in hand.

“You look terrible,” he said as she slid into the seat across from him.

“Not in the mood for games, Dante.”

He smirked, swirling his whiskey. “No? That’s a shame. I was just starting to enjoy myself.”

Sophia clenched her jaw. “Matteo wants me to ‘deal’ with Andrew.”

Dante’s smirk faded slightly. He exhaled, rubbing his jaw. “Yeah. I figured that was coming.”

She stared at him. “And you’re okay with that?”

Dante shrugged. “I don’t make the rules, Sophia. You know that.”

Her hands curled into fists. “This isn’t some nameless enemy we’re talking about. This is Andrew.”

Dante leaned forward, his expression dark. “Then maybe you should’ve thought about that before falling in love with him.”

Sophia’s breath caught.

Dante sighed, dropping his voice. “Look, I get it. You want out. You think this guy is your way out. But Matteo’s not gonna let that happen. You know how this ends.”

Sophia swallowed hard. “It doesn’t have to.”

Dante studied her for a moment, then leaned back, exhaling heavily. “There might be another way.”

She looked at him sharply. “What do you mean?”

Dante’s lips curled into a half-smile. “I mean… maybe you don’t have to choose between Andrew and the family. Maybe we turn the tables on Matteo instead.”

Sophia’s pulse pounded. “You’re talking about betraying our father.”

Dante shrugged. “I’m talking about surviving. Matteo’s getting reckless, Sophia. He’s trying to move too fast, take too much. He’s making enemies he can’t handle. And if we don’t get ahead of it, we’re going down with him.”

Sophia shook her head. “You’re asking me to betray him.”

Dante’s eyes darkened. “He’s asking you to kill the man you love. So yeah, I’d say betrayal’s a step up.”

Sophia exhaled sharply, her hands shaking under the table.

Dante leaned in. “You don’t have long to decide. Matteo’s patience is wearing thin.”

Andrew’s Ultimatum

By the time Sophia returned to the Remington estate, it was past midnight. She found Andrew in the study, staring out the window, his back to her.

He didn’t turn when she entered.

“You’ve been gone a long time,” he said quietly.

Sophia closed her eyes. “Andrew—”

He turned sharply, his blue eyes burning with anger. “I know, Sophia.”

Her heart stopped. “What?”

Andrew stepped forward, jaw tight. “I know about your father’s plan. About why you’re really here.”

Sophia’s breath hitched. “Andrew, it’s not like that—”

“Then what is it like?” His voice cracked slightly, but his anger didn’t waver. “Did you ever plan to tell me? Or were you just waiting for the right moment to take everything my family has built?”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

Andrew’s expression wavered, but only for a moment. “Then tell me the truth. No more games. No more half-answers. Just the truth.”

Sophia swallowed the lump in her throat.

“If I tell you the truth,” she whispered, “you’ll be in danger.”

Andrew stared at her for a long moment. Then he shook his head.

“I already am.”

The weight of his words crushed her.

She took a slow, shaky breath. “Matteo sent me to get close to you. To the Remingtons. To gain access, to weaken you from the inside.”

Andrew’s fists clenched at his sides.

“But I never followed through,” she continued desperately. “I couldn’t. Because I fell in love with you. And now, Matteo wants me to… to ‘deal’ with you.” Her voice cracked on the last words.

Andrew stiffened. “He wants you to kill me.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she nodded. “Yes.”

Andrew exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. “Jesus Christ.”

Sophia took a hesitant step forward. “But I won’t. I swear it. I’m going to stop him. Dante is willing to help me, but I need your trust. Please.”

Andrew let out a bitter laugh. “My trust? Sophia, do you have any idea how hard that is to ask for right now?”

She flinched.

But then, Andrew sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

“Fine,” he said finally. “I’ll give you one chance. But if you betray me again—”

“I won’t,” Sophia said quickly, her heart pounding.

Andrew held her gaze. “Then we end this. Together.”

The Decision

Later that night, Sophia stood in the darkness of the balcony, her phone in her hands.

She dialed Matteo.

He picked up immediately. “Tell me it’s done.”

Sophia inhaled sharply. Then, in the steadiest voice she had ever used, she said:

“No. I won’t do it.”

Silence.

Then, Matteo chuckled darkly. “I see. So you’ve made your choice.”

“Yes,” she said, her hands shaking. “And if you come after Andrew, I swear, I’ll stop you.”

Another silence. Then:

“You disappoint me, Sophia.”

She hung up before he could say anything else.

As she turned, she found Andrew standing in the doorway, watching her.

“You did it,” he said quietly.

Sophia exhaled shakily. “Yeah. I did.”

Andrew nodded. “Then it’s time we prepare. Because Matteo’s not going to let this go.”

Sophia looked at him, her heart breaking and healing all at once.

“Then we fight,” she whispered.

And for the first time, she wasn’t afraid of choosing him.