Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Replacing
SOPHIA’S POV
Lunch with Lance was at a fancy cafe near??the hospital and he ordered for us both without consulting .
When the waiter left, I looked at him and smiled.
“You still rember how I take my coffee.”
He smiled back.
“So things stick.”
I felt different emotions inside . At the sa ti, I noticed a few familiar faces from the hospital at nearby tables. So doctors looked over at us.
My shoulders stiffened.
I wondered what they were thinking, seeing
here with Lance. I hated that my mind went there, but I couldn’t stop it. They gossiped a lot in the hospital.
Lance asked about my morning surgeries and as I spoke, I rembered why I had always valued him.
He saw
as a doctor first, not as Damien’s wife, or as Ashley’s mother, or his friend.
When I finished, he said casually, “My ntor is giving a lecture this weekend.”
“Oh. That’s nice. Who’s the ntor?”
“Professor Rio.”
My eyes widened instantly. “Professor Rio? The Rio?”
Lance nodded, amused by my reaction. “The one and only.”
My heart started racing. Professor Rio was a legend in cardiovascular surgery and his research had helped both humans and werewolves alike. I had read his work for years.
He almost never gave public lectures anymore. So, this must be a rare event.
“It’s about breakthrough techniques in heart transplants,” Lance continued. “Invitation-only. At the dical university. If you want to co, you can, as my plus-one.”
I forgot everything else when he said that. My wolf was filled with excitent, her snout and ears lifting with interest.
This could change everything for . It could also push my career forward in ways I had only dread about. I could learn a lot from this lecture. I might even et so people.
“That’s... incredible.” I said instead of “yes” to his invitation.
The event was during the weekend and that ant ti away from Ashley. Damien also wouldn’t like it and—
My wolf growled stopping my thoughts.
Why should you care what Damien thinks? He hasn’t supported your career in any way. He has made clear what matters to him, and it’s not you. Why are you thinking about him now?”
“Sophie?”
“I’d love to-” I cleared my throat and started to say when my phone rang, cutting
off. I froze when I saw the caller ID.
“Ashley’s School.”
I stood up so fast my chair scraped roughly against the floor.
“I’m sorry,” I told Lance quickly, already answering the call. “I have to take this. It’s from my daughter’s school.”
“It’s okay,” he waved his hand gently. “Go ahead.”
“Hello?”
“Aunty Sophia.” A small voice ca from the speakers and I recognized it imdiately.
“Klara?”
“Yes, aunt. It’s .”
“What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to be in class? Who gave you a phone?”
“Sorry Aunty. I got the phone from my teacher.” She paused. “Sothing happened to Ashley during recess.”
“What?”
“Yes, Aunty.”
“What happened? Is she hurt?”
“No,” Klara said slowly. “She isn’t and she didn’t hurt anyone but she did sothing else.”
“Why? What did she do?”
Klara sniffed and took a breath.
Then— “she threatened a little boy. Alexander. He accidentally knocked over her water bottle and she beca very upset so she stepped very close to him, spit on the ground near his feet then spat on his face and said next ti she’ll beat him so bad.”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
Why would Ashley do that?
No. This was not the little girl I called my child. This was not the girl I rose.
“Where is she now?” I asked.
“She’s in the teacher’s office.”
“Okay. I’m coming,” I said imdiately. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Thank you for telling
Klara.”
There was another pause.
“Actually, aunty Sophia... that won’t be necessary.”
“Why?”
“A woman called Tiffany arrived. The teacher called her first.”
I blinked.
If she was called first that ans she was listed as the first ergency contact instead of , her mother.
Klara was still speaking. She said sothing about Tiffany handling the situation and apologizing to the little boy.
When she finished, she said goodbye.
I didn’t say it back.
The call ended.
In a daze I walked back to my chair.
I didn’t know I had sat down until Lance touched my arm gently and I flinched.
“Sophia. Are you okay?”
I was not.
Tears burned my eyes.
Tiffany. Again.
I was losing my daughter to that woman.
I imagined Tiffany comforting Ashley, saying the right words, being the calm presence I was not there to give. Ashley had always preferred her. Even when I lived at ho, she ran to Tiffany first. Did she even ask for ? The thought crushed my chest.
“Sophia.” Lance called again, this ti asking softly, “Who called you.”
“It’s nobody of importance.” I answered quickly then diverted the conversation. “About the lecture with Professor...”
“Rio.”
“Yeah. I’ll think about.”
“Okay. Looking forward to hearing from you.”
I forced a smile.
Lance called the waiter and ordered more snacks for us to eat.
He brought up another small talk but I could barely listen.
Lunch was not the sa again.
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