Ilias blinked. “You sure you’re fifteen? You sound way too wise to be related to me.”
Emir laughed. “People say I look like you. So yeah. Guess we’re stuck with each other.”
“When are you coming back to Imsouane?” Ilias asked.
“Two weeks. End of school.”
“I’ll try to be there. I’d like to… make up for lost time.”
“Yeah. Me too.” A pause. “I’ll call my Mom now.”
“Shukran, khouya,” Ilias said softly.
“You’re welcome, brother. And… thank your girlfriend. She sounds smart.”
“The smartest,” Ilias said, smiling as he hung up.
He tilted his head back, staring at the clear sky. No clouds. No storms. Just blue. He whispered a thank-you—to Antonio, to fate, to whatever had kept him from flying to Brazil. That call might’ve changed everything.
When he headed back toward the restaurant, Ghita stepped in front of him.
“What?” he frowned.
“They’re alone,” she said. “Yasmine just answered a call. I wonder who that could be.”
“Then why can’t I go in?”
“Because she asked you to trust her,” Ghita said gently. “And you should.”
Ilias met her gaze, then nodded.
Yes. He trusted Sofia.
She could handle Thomas.
61
SOFIA
El Mismo Aire – Camilo, Pablo Alborán
“What are you doing here, Sofia?”Thomas asked again, right after Yasmine picked up the phone call, that—if her plan worked, if Ilias did his job—might finally stop this nonsense.
Jeremy suddenly became very invested in a carpet.
“I’m here to stop all of this, Thomas.” She lifted her chin, crossed her arms, felt the familiar tension settle between her brows. She wasn’t going to show a single crack.
“Stop what?” He scoffed. “Do you have any idea how much money we move around at Whitmore LLC? The amount I offered her, I could double it without blinking.” The smug look he used to reserve for enemies was now aimed straight at her.
“This isn’t about money. Or Imsouane,” Sofia said evenly. “It’s about us.”
Thomas laughed. “Do you really think the world revolves around you, Sofia? Grow up.”
“I heard what you said to Ilias a few weeks ago.” Better not to mention it had been recorded. “Do you really think this is about us breaking up? That offering me back the presidency of NIMS would make me crawl back? Do you think I’m that shallow?” Her voice sharpened. “Do you even know what I actually want?”
“You wanted that,” Thomas snapped. “The Sofia I knew wanted it more than anything. And I would give it to you, if it meant having you back.”
“That Sofia died months ago,” she said, pointing at him, her nostrils flaring. “And you killed her. You and your lies. You and your fucking money that buys everything. You made me hate the only career I ever wanted. You made me despise my research, the hours in the lab, the sacrifices. You made me hate myself for trusting you.” Her voice shook despite her efforts. She paused, breathing deeply, refusing to cry.
