Page 51 of The Bear's Perfect Mate
“He could turn my followers against me,” she said, her voice rising. “Make them think I used him for exposure. Sabotage the pop-up dinner...”
Her phone buzzed again. Sophie flinched as if it might bite her. She couldn’t bring herself to check if it was another message from him.
“This was supposed to be my fresh start,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. “My chance to create something truly mine.”
A soft knock at the door nearly made her jump out of her skin.
“Sophie?” Nero asked with concern. “Is everything all right?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but no sound came. Her throat was tight, words trapped behind the rising tide of panic.
The door creaked open, and Nero appeared in the gap. His brow furrowed as he took in her tense posture, the wild look in her eyes, the tremble in her breath.
“May I come in?” he asked softly.
Sophie nodded mutely, stepping back as Nero entered the room, his gaze assessing the scene, from her phone abandoned on the desk, to her hands twisting the corner of her cardigan, to the glittering of unshed tears.
“I heard you talking,” he explained quietly, as if she were a wounded animal. “You sounded upset. Like something rattled you.”
Sophie tried to compose herself, smoothing her hands down the front of her dress in a futile attempt to appear collected. But the tremor in her fingers betrayed her, and her voice, when she finally found it, sounded thin and strained.
“It’s nothing. I just…” She broke off. Even she didn’t believe the lie.
Nero didn’t move. He stood a respectful distance away, giving her space while making it clear he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Something’s happened,” he said, his voice calm. “If you want to talk, I’m here.”
Sophie glanced at her phone, still face-up on the desk where Tito’s message glowed accusingly. With a resigned sigh, she picked it up and held it out to Nero.
“It’s Tito,” she said, her voice cracking slightly on his name. “He saw the photos from the farmers’ market.”
Nero took the phone, his jaw tightening as he read. But when he looked up at her, his gaze was calm and steady.
“He’s trying to intimidate you.”
“And it’s working,” she admitted. “You don’t understand what he’s capable of. One call, and my cookbook deal could vanish. A few rumors, and the dinner could fall apart. He knows people, and he knows how to manipulate a narrative.”
Her words poured out in a rush, her hands slicing the air with each fear.
Nero reached out and took her hands gently. “Look at me.”
She raised her eyes to his, finding nothing but calm certainty in his gaze.
“He can only hurt you if you let him. Your followers loveyou.They love your voice, your food, and your honesty. Not him.”
She hesitated. “People love a scandal. And Tito knows exactly how to create one.”
“Maybe. But you’re underestimating your own strength.” He picked up her phone and scrolled. “Look at what they’re actually saying. They trust you. They believe in you. In Eat it Simple with Sophie. They’re excited about your recipes, not the drama.”
Sophie leaned closer, reading the comments Nero highlighted. Words of warmth, trust, and appreciation.
The knot of panic in her chest began to loosen.
“But what if he tries to sabotage the dinner?” The Thornberg family had been so kind and supportive. The last thing she wanted was to cause them trouble. Or worse, taint their business by being associated with her.
“Then we deal with it,” Nero said. “People love our wine. They love your food. But most importantly they love you.”
Her breathing slowed. “I’ve spent so long trying to please him,” she said quietly. “Even after the betrayal, I still worried about disappointing him professionally.”
