Khalid and Sophia had broken up, and Khalid had even warned Katelyn to be careful of Sophia. That alone spoke volumes.

Katelyn’s concern shifted to Ashlyn. She rubbed her temples, feeling a dull ache forming. “I don’t care about their past, but I don’t want Ashlyn getting hurt.” Katelyn turned to Vincent, her mind uneasy.

Vincent held her close, his gaze drifting toward the garden where Sophia lived. His voice remained calm. “We should wait and see. We don’t have all the details yet. Jumping to conclusions won’t help.” Relationships were complicated. Everyone had to navigate their own choices. As friends, all they could do was step in if things went south. Only those involved had the final say in the end.

Katelyn understood what he meant, but it didn’t ease her worry. She trusted Khalid. She didn’t believe he was the type to lead someone on. They had known each other long enough for her to be sure of that. But still… she couldn’t shake off that lingering doubt about his true nature. She rubbed her temples again.

For a moment, she had nothing to say. Then, she rose from Vincent’s lap. “I’m going to see Sophia.”

Vincent caught her wrist. “We can’t let anything slip just yet.”

Ashlyn could be in real trouble if Sophia had hidden motives.

Katelyn knew Vincent had a point. She patted his hand gently. “Don’t worry too much. I won’t be careless.” Then, she leaned down and gave him a brief kiss before heading out.

Vincent remained on the balcony, silently watching as she crossed the garden and disappeared into the house.

Inside Sophia’s room, she was playing a mobile game on her phone when Katelyn entered. She barely glanced up, raising a brow before focusing back on her screen. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

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Sophia had long noticed that Katelyn only came to her when necessary—usually for medical reasons. She preferred it that way, to be honest. Katelyn pulled up a chair, sat down, and locked eyes with her. “I have a question.”

Sophia’s fingers never faltered. She just muted the game and replied, “Go on.”

Katelyn leaned back, casually pouring herself a cup of coffee. “About Zoey. Why did T Organization do that to her? If they wanted her dead, they could have just finished her off. Why keep her alive just to put her through all that?”

Something about it didn’t add up. She had held back this question before. But now that Sophia wanted to collaborate with her, it was time for some honesty.

Sophia exited the game, tossed her phone aside, and sat up. A slow, amused smile tugged at her lips as she studied Katelyn. “You held back for a long time. I thought you’d ask me this sooner.”

She stood, walked over, and sat across from Katelyn. Then, she poured a cup of coffee for herself and took a sip.

Katelyn remained silent, waiting for an answer.

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