Page 51 of Secret Heir For The Billionaire Twin

“Probably,” I reply.

He excuses himself and moves away, leaving Sophie beside me.

“You looked serious,” she says.

“I was saving you from a fund allocation discussion.”

“I thought you were saving Nathan from Preston.”

“That too.”

Sophie studies me for a moment, and I feel the weight of her attention settle more fully than it did across the room.

“I was handling myself,” she says.

“I know,” I reply.

The words come out more quietly than I intend. Her expression shifts, and the room seems to recede around us for a brief second before someone calls my name from the dining table. I look toward the sound, then back at Sophie.

“We should rejoin them,” I say.

“We should,” she agrees, though neither of us moves immediately.

By the time the last of the guests begins to leave, the restaurant has grown quieter. Preston departs with Marcus, and Vivian pauses near the door long enough to tell me she will send the revised legal brief in the morning. Sophie stands a few feet away, fastening the clasp of her handbag while she thanks one of the executives for the evening.

“Did you speak with the chauffeur about a pick up?” I ask her as I approach.

Sophie looks up. “No…but it’s cool, I can take a taxi back.”

“I’m heading in the same direction,” I say.

“Ride with me, and my driver will drop you at the hotel.”

She hesitates for only a moment.

“All right.”

The car is waiting at the curb. I open the rear door for her, and she slides inside before I follow. Once we pull away from the restaurant, the city moves past the windows in soft streaks of light. The privacy partition remains lowered, though the quiet in the back seat feels intimate enough without it.

“You handled Preston well,” I say.

Sophie turns toward me.

“Was I supposed to be worried?”

“Most people are.”

“I noticed.”

Her smile is faint, but it lingers.

“And Nathan?” I ask.

Sophie’s brows lift.

“What about him?”

“He seemed interested.”