Chapter 31
Sofia moved through her day at the hospital with purpose, her mind fully immersed in her patients. The steady rhythm of her work, the beeping of machines, the low murmur of conversations in the corridors, all served to anchor her in the present. Unbeknownst to her, the world outside was shifting in ways she couldn't have imagined. In the silence of the hospital, she was unaware of the seismic shift that had unfolded in Lily's and Ryan's lives. Ryan now knew her secret—the carefully constructed wall of anonymity she'd built around herself had crumbled.
Her heart was still anchored in the past, lost in the remnants of a life that had long ago slipped away. She had no idea that the very fabric of her reality was being altered, her identity now no longer something she could keep hidden, no longer just a memory of a past she had tried to leave behind.
Meanwhile, Lily, her mind a swirl of conflicting emotions, couldn't shake the thought of Sofia. The revelation of Sofia's true identity had hit her like a wave, stirring up memories of her childhood and the woman who had once been her nanny. It felt like a lifetime ago, yet those memories came rushing back with such vividness that they overwhelmed her. The image of Sofia, always kind, always patient, was still so fresh in her heart. Now, knowing the truth of who Sofia really was, a deep longing began to rise within her.
Lily couldn't help it—she needed to see Sofia. Her heart ached to reconnect, to understand who this woman was now and what this sudden reappearance meant for their lives. She could no longer keep the question to herself. The need to speak to Sofia, to bridge the gap of time and reawaken the bond they once shared, became an urgent desire.
"I want to see Sofia," Lily voiced, her tone soft but filled with determination. The words were out before she could stop herself, her eyes wide with hope, her mind racing with the possibility of seeing the woman who had once been like family to her.
Ryan, standing by the window, a faint line of concern creasing his brow, turned to face Lily. His expression was calm, yet there was a quiet resolve in his eyes. He had anticipated this moment—the moment when Lily, too, would want answers. But he wasn't ready to let her rush into something that could unravel everything. A meeting at the hospital, a public space where emotions ran high, wasn't the place for such an encounter.
"Lily," Ryan said gently, his voice laced with careful tenderness, "Sofia is very busy right now. She's working hard, and it wouldn't be the right time for a visit." He offered her a soft smile, hoping she would understand. "It's better to wait, to give things time to settle." His words were measured, chosen with precision, and they carried the weight of experience, as if he knew all too well the emotional turbulence this moment would create.
Lily hesitated, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. She hadn't expected a refusal, and her heart sank at the thought of waiting. But she trusted Ryan, trusted his judgment, and so she let out a slow breath, trying to push aside the frustration building inside her.
Ryan didn't miss the change in her expression, the subtle shift from eager anticipation to quiet resignation. But he wasn't done. This wasn't the end of the conversation. "How about this," he began, his voice softening, "We can have a family dinner tonight. Just the three of us. It will be a more relaxed, private time for you to reconnect with Sofia. You can talk, get to know each other again, without all the distractions."
The idea of a family dinner, something intimate and controlled, appealed to Lily. She could already imagine the warmth of such a gathering, the comfort of being with both her father and Sofia, in a setting where they could truly talk. It wasn't the spontaneous meeting she had hoped for, but it felt like a reasonable compromise, a way to bring back the connection she had so desperately missed.
"Okay," Lily said, the corners of her lips curling into a soft smile. "A family dinner sounds good."
Ryan's smile returned, his eyes softening with relief. "I'll make sure everything's perfect," he promised, sensing that Lily's mood had lifted. "It'll be a night for all of us to remember."
As Lily looked at her father, her heart lightened. The disappointment of the hospital visit was still there, lingering in the back of her mind, but it was now overshadowed by the promise of the evening ahead. The future, for the first time in a long while, seemed to offer her a chance to understand her past, to embrace the connection with Sofia that she had lost but now hoped to find again.