Someone slammed through the shop door like a tornado.

A sales assistant stepped forward immediately, trying to block her path. “Sorry, ma’am, we’re closed for a private event today.”

Because of the interruption, the water bottle Sarah was holding only splashed and puddled at Adrian’s shoes instead of soaking him.

“Don’t you dare stop me. I’m going to tell this jerk what I think,” she snapped.

Adrian turned toward the commotion, tension tightening his features. “Why are you here?” he asked.

The sight of Sarah made his heart stutter for a beat, and he shot a quick look over his shoulder. Relief hit him when he didn’t see Sophie anywhere nearby.

Sarah caught that tiny check and sneered. “Scared of Sophie finding out, are you?” she taunted, folding her arms defiantly.

A headache started behind Adrian’s eyes. He motioned to the sales assistant to step aside. “It’s not what you think. Don’t tell her about this.”

Freed from the barricade, Sarah shoved her hands on her hips and launched into a tirade.

“Now everyone online knows you’re a couple. Adrian, you’re a disgrace and not good enough for Sophie. If she didn’t have a soft spot for you, I wouldn’t waste a single minute on a scarred, broke man like you. She’ll be better off without you!”

Someone from the staff barked, “Where did she come from? I said clear the shop. Security! Get her out!”

The commotion caught Daisy’s attention. She stepped out without bothering to change and craned her neck to see what was happening.

She spotted Sarah and first assumed it was another overzealous fan disrupting her day.

“No need to pull me out,” Sarah said, shoving past a couple of sales assistants as she made for the door, tossing one last barb over her shoulder. “I hope you’ll be stuck with each other. So no one else will get hurt.”

Daisy’s face burned with fury. “What’s your problem? You’re going to regret this,” she hissed, and already had her phone in hand, fingers moving to call her family’s security team.

But Sarah was almost at the door.

Before she disappeared into the street, she turned and yelled to Adrian, loud enough for everyone to hear, “You don’t want Sophie to know? Too late. She already saw it herself. You’re finished!”

Adrian’s jaw dropped. “What?”

He lunged forward, ready to follow and demand the details, but Daisy grabbed his arm and held on tight.

“Don’t listen to her, Adrian. She’s a lunatic; she just talks for attention.”

He didn’t look convinced. He needed to know if Sarah’s words were true. He tried to pull free.

“No way!” Daisy clutched him harder. “You promised to spend the afternoon with me. It’s only been hours. We’re not done.”

Adrian shook her hand off. “I don’t have time for this right now.”

As he turned to go, Daisy called after him, “If you leave, don’t expect me to tell you anything later. Not a single word!”

She watched him hesitate for a second and smirked, thinking she had him.

“Tough it out for a few hours,” she cooed, putting on a concerned face. “Tomorrow I’ll make it right. I’ll explain everything to Sophie myself.”

Adrian glanced at his phone and cut her off. “No need. I’ll explain it to her myself, right now.”

Daisy’s smile faded and her face went pale with shock. “Adrian! Come back! Adrian!” she cried, but he kept walking.

Anger flared inside her, hotter than anything before.

She never thought Sophie would matter that much to Adrian—enough for him to walk away from answers, even about his mother’s death, just to keep Sophie from getting the wrong idea.

If she wanted even the slightest chance with Adrian, she knew one thing for sure. Sophie had to be removed.

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