Blurred Lines 1: CHASE
Chapter 115

-Chase-

"Daddy!" I swear my daughter's voice was an enchantment. One note from her, my worries, the buzzing anxiety of seeing Sofia again, were all replaced by the contentment of hearing her call my name. She barreled at me as I entered the mansion; Hunter's tongue was sticking out, trailing behind her, his tail wagging. As I caught Elise, Hunter sat before us, his head tilted to the side, his big puppy eyes watchful. "How is my sweet princess?" Elise kissed my cheek; I buried my face in her neck, my stubble tickling her soft skin.

"Daddy!" She giggled, curling into my arms, pushing my face away with one hand. "That tickles."

Walking towards the kitchen with Elise in my arms, I dropped my messenger bag and coat on the couch and rubbed Hunter's head. Hunter made a sound in his throat, his tail wagging furiously.

"He likes you," Elise murmured, as I set her on the island.

"He does?" Elise nodded eagerly. As though he understood he was the topic of our discussion, Hunter sat beside my foot with expectant dark eyes. His ears perked up. "I like you too, buddy." I petted Hunter's head; his fur was soft against my rough palms. He whined and rubbed his head on my pants.

"See? That's his love language," Elise stated as a matter of fact.

"I didn't know that." I never knew how hungry I was until I saw the lasagna on the island. My stomach growled, my body protesting at having only a sandwich and two cups of coffee. "We have to teach you how to take care of Hunter, Daddy," she sighed, shaking her head. That tore a s

m my lips. "Watch and learn," she reached out her hands to me. I lifted her down onto the island, and she immediately faced Hunter. "Hunter, spin," she extended her hand and made a circle with her forefinger. Hunter spun, following Else's hand as she did this twice. "Good boy, now sit." Hunter followed, dropping on his hunches, patiently waiting for Elise's next instruction.

Elsie shoved her hands in her jeans pocket, producing treats for Hunter. She opened her palm, and Hunter ate out the treats.

"See?" she parked her hands on her hips, her chin jutted out, making her point. She reminds me so much of her mother when we're arguing, and she knows she's right. It made me smile. Sometimes, I purposely pushed Sofia's buttons to see this side of her. Apparently, my daughter inherited being adorable when she's making her point.

"I see," I nodded. "I'll clear my schedule on the weekend. Can you teach me more about taking care of unter?!"

"Of course, Daddy," she kneeled beside Hunter, hugging him. "Hunter is part of our family now, and we need to make him feel welcome."

I bite down a laugh. She looked fucking adorable, and she's my daughter. "Yes, ma'am." I opened the fudge to get a glass of water and leaned on the counter, sipping it slowly.

"Are you going somewhere?" She wore jeans, a white top with a flurry hem, and red boots. Her hair was brained, and that's when I saw the duffle bags sitting in the living room.

"Mommy said we'll have to sleep over at Julian's," she said, excitement shining in her eyes. "And Hunter come too! It's our first sleepover with Shooter."

If I wasn't leaning on the kitchen counter, I might have slumped on the floor. I guess it was the lack of proper meals and sleep, but my vision turned hazy; the floor was marshmallows beneath my shoes.

"Wow, you are?" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around what this would mean. My knees were about to give out. I had hoped that the space I'd given her last night and today would be enough to calm her anger. But this only shows that she wanted to keep her distance from me and expand it by staying at Leo's.

Elise nodded, unaware of my current status. "Mommy is getting ready."

I swallowed hard and raked my fingers through my hair. This is not happening. I won't let Sofia leave until we fix things. Leaving Elise in the kitchen, I told her to play with Hunter first while I said hi to Sofia. Hunter was a good distraction for her. I won't have to worry about our daughter getting bored since I knew this would be a long conversation.

In our bedroom, Sofia was sitting on the bed, a pile of clothes nestled on top of the mattress as she stuffed them in a duffle bag one by one.

"Sofia." I paused a few feet away from her, shoving my hands in my pocket. I honestly don't know how to approach this situation. It was like treading in murky water without knowing if my next step would be in a sinkhole.

Her shoulders tensed, keeping her attention fixed on the clothes on the mattress. She grabbed a t-shirt, folded it neatly, and gently placed it inside the bag. The leather bag was already filled with enough clothes for a week-long vacation, and she kept adding more. How long does she plan to stay at Leo's?

I tried to keep my mind calm and my heart from bursting out of my chest, but it was fucking hard. My world was crumbling before me as I helplessly watched. I removed the distance between us and sat beside her. Gripping her shoulders, I forced her to look me in the eye. "Sofia, what are you doing?"

She raised her gaze to meet mine; the sadness shining in her azure eyes, nearly toppling me. "I need space, Chase."

I shook my head, my heartbeat gaining speed, my fear doubling by the minute. "Talk to me. That's how this works, right? We talk, and your leaving is the opposite of that," my voice breaking.

A somber laugh fell from her lips. There was an unmistakable incredulity in her tone, but it clashed with the pain and anger she was keeping at bay. "You're the one who needs a reminder of that."

"Sofia..." I murmured, apprehensive of my reply. One wrong word, and I knew the thin thread holding our relationship together would snap.

She adamantly shook her head. "Not now, Chase. You had time to tell me who Samantha was, and you didn't! You made me look so stupid."

"That's not fair, baby." Defending myself was a risk. I knew I was at fault, but can't she see I didn't tell her about Sammy there because I knew she would react this way? "I was waiting for the right time to tell you."

Sofia nibbled her lower lip, her eyes clouded with mist. "You had time, Chase..." she sighed, scooting back from my hold, my hands dropped on my lap. "Tell me one thing... If... if I haven't heard about her son, were you gonna tell me?"

So this wasn't just about Sammy. F**k! My tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth, my throat going dry. She knew my answer before I even opened my mouth.

"Thought so."

Turning around, she continued folding her clothes. A fat silence vigorously swelled between us, the tension smothering me.

"Don't leave," I mumbled. My shoulder dropped, accepting my defeat. I knew when Sofia set her mind on something, especially when she was hurt, I couldn't do anything to change it. This was déjà vu. This was a mirror of the emptiness and fear swallowing me slowly when she left me in Rio.

I have to trust that she needed this space, not to break us apart, but to deal with her pain before talking to me.

"Let me go, Chase. Elise will see that something is going on between us if we stay like this. I need time to clear my head."

"Don't leave. I will," I said. She froze, turning to look at me. A look of pure confusion popped into her face. I grabbed her hand and clasped it with mine. "I'm not leaving because I'm giving up. You need time, and I will give it to you. It's easier if I leave. We'll just tell Elise I'm on a business trip."

Her gaze dropped to our joined hands. Her mind gears were shifting, but she refused to ask questions, so I took it upon myself to tell her where I'd be. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. "I will stay with Rafa until you're ready to talk." I hooked a finger on her chin and gently guided her face until we were looking eye to eye.

My throat was growing tight as her vulnerability surfaced. I have to trust our bond, our love, but I can't shake this fear of losing her.

'Fuck. Please come back to me, baby!'

"I love you. I don't know what kind of game Sammy is playing, but I'll get to the bottom of this, okay? Take all the time that you need. I'll be waiting."

Fat tears of longing and sadness rolled down her cheeks. "I... I'm sorry, Chase. I can't just pretend that I'm okay after what I heard. It hurts that I can't just forget about everything." She fell into a rumble of tears.

I clasped the back of her neck and drew her in my arms. She wrapped her arms around me, shaking as her sobs grew louder. "It's okay, Sofia. Don't cry. I understand."

Kissing her forehead, I released her and entered the walk-in closet, forcing my boneless body to get what I needed and be on my way. I didn't want Sofia to see how this was breaking me inside. We both needed time to clear our heads. I knew forcing her to listen and understand my situation would only lead to more tears.

This was the best solution.

Jose informed me that Leo and Julian would be sleeping over at our mansion instead of Sofia and Elise going on a sleepover. Before I left, I spoke with Joe's men to keep an eye on my family while I was away.

One look at me - shoulder slumped, gripping a duffle bag - Rafa knew something was up. He didn't ask questions. He just told me to choose any room upstairs, and he'll make dinner while I get settled in.

I took a long, cold shower and let the water wash away my tears. I hope my decision will lead to Sofia clearing her mind and hearing me out. If this backfired and she decided to end things between us, no one would be at fault but me.

Just the thought of not seeing her for days, sleeping alone and cold without her touch, drove a sharp knife into my chest. Shoulder quaking, I fell onto the soaking floor and placed my elbows on my knees, dropping my head.

I have to accept defeat today, but I won't give up. Ending Samuel's crazy plan and figuring out his endgame is the only solution I could think of. He won't be the reason I'm losing my family.