As the door creaked open, Sophia's heart sank, expecting Valerie's cruel face. But instead, she saw Alex's concerned expression.
Sophia quickly wiped away her tears, trying to compose herself. She forced a weak smile, attempting to pretend everything was fine.
"Hey, Alex," Sophia said, her voice still cracking.
Alex's eyes narrowed, noticing Sophia's watery eyes. "Hey, Sophia. What's wrong? You look pale." he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Sophia shook her head, trying to brush it off. "Nothing, I'm fine."
Alex walked closer, his eyes scanning Sophia's face. "No, you're not fine. You've been crying. What happened?" he pressed.
Sophia hesitated, scared of revealing the truth. She didn't want Alex to confront Valerie, fearing it would only make things worse for her. "I...I just remembered some bad memories, that's all," Sophia lied.
