The late hours had become a quiet routine. For the past few nights, Adrian came home later than usual, claiming exhaustion from long surgeries and demanding patients. But as much as Sophia tried to ignore it, there was a lingering feeling gnawing at her—the same feeling she had once pushed aside.
Tonight, she was awake when he walked through the door, the cool night air rushing in with him.
"Another late night?" she asked, her voice steady but holding an edge she hadn't intended.
Adrian looked at her, still wearing the weight of the day. "Yeah. It's been one of those days."
Sophia's lips pressed together. She had grown used to the late nights, but something in his tone made her uneasy. She nodded, turning back to the kitchen counter.
"You should eat something," she suggested, keeping her back to him.
"I'll grab something later," Adrian replied, shrugging off his jacket.
She heard the familiar sound of him retreating to his study, but before he could disappear from her sight, she asked without turning around, "You were with Cassidy again today?"
The silence that followed felt too long.
Adrian hesitated before answering, his voice quieter than usual. "She needed some advice about a case. We were talking about it."
Sophia's grip on the counter tightened, but she kept her gaze on the sink, not wanting to give away the frustration that bubbled inside her. "I see."
The truth was, Cassidy Lane had always been a presence in Adrian's life—an old flame from before everything changed. She was the one he had been with when he met Sophia, the one who never quite let go. Sophia had heard it all before. That it was just friendship now, that Cassidy was just an old friend.
But she had been watching them over the past few days, and something had shifted.
She didn't know exactly when, but something had changed between them.
That undeniable closeness. The way Cassidy always seemed to know how to make Adrian laugh in a way no one else did. The light in Adrian's eyes when he spoke to her, just a little too warm for comfort.
And then it hit her—the way Cassidy's smile lingered a little too long every time their eyes met.
---
Sophia stood by the window again the next day, watching Adrian and Cassidy walk out of the hospital together, deep in conversation. Adrian seemed to be listening intently, nodding occasionally as Cassidy spoke, her laughter ringing clear in the afternoon air.
For a brief moment, the old, insecure feeling she had buried years ago resurfaced. The thought of Adrian and Cassidy, standing so close, sharing inside jokes, brought a bitter sting to her chest.
Is she still in love with him?
She had always suspected that Cassidy's feelings for Adrian went beyond friendship. And the more she watched, the clearer it became.
Cassidy had never truly let go. And perhaps Adrian—despite everything—had never fully let her go, either.
---
That night, as Sophia prepared dinner, Adrian walked in, his face expressionless, tired as always. But there was a new tension in the air, one that neither of them had acknowledged.
Sophia set the table quietly, her mind racing. The jealousy, the fear of losing him again—it all came rushing back in waves. When she glanced up, Adrian was already at the counter, sipping from a glass of water, his eyes far away.
"I know you've been spending a lot of time with Cassidy lately," she said, her voice too calm for the storm brewing inside her.
Adrian looked at her, his brow furrowing slightly. "She's an old friend, Sophia. You know that."
"I know," she replied, her tone stiff. "But she still feels something for you, doesn't she?"
Adrian's gaze softened, and for a brief moment, he looked like he might say something. But instead, he remained silent.
Sophia exhaled slowly, setting the table with a little too much force. "Does she still have a place in your life, Adrian? A place that goes beyond friendship?"
Adrian's jaw tightened, his shoulders stiffening as he put the glass down. He looked at her seriously, his voice low and firm. "I don't want her, Sophia. Not in that way."
Sophia's heart skipped a beat, and she took a step back, suddenly feeling small under his gaze. "But you care about her."
"I care about her as a friend," Adrian said, his voice steady. "That's all."
Sophia looked away, her fingers trembling as she picked up the plates. "I'm not sure I believe you."
He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming in the small space. "I've never stopped loving you, Sophia. Not once. Don't doubt that."
---
As he spoke, the words were a balm, but the sting of Cassidy's presence—the way she still lingered in Adrian's life—didn't fade. Sophia wasn't sure what to believe anymore.
Cassidy might still love him, but Adrian's heart belonged to her. Or at least, it was supposed to.
The doubt lingered in the air between them.