Chapter 1 The Weight of Sorrow

Sophia Collins sat at her desk, the flickering office lights above her casting their sterile glow on her exhausted face. The hum of the phone line was constant, the click of the keyboards relentless to the storm raging within her. It was one of those days that passed too slowly, and she wondered why.

She glanced at her screen, hoping to see a miracle and she would have to leave work soon.

Thursday, 11 June. 4:45 p.m.

Her stomach twisted. Her parents' wedding anniversary. It had been five years since the accident, five years since her world shattered. It felt like a lifetime ago. And yet, the pain still felt so fresh, so raw. She blinked aggressively, fighting to hold back the tears begging to break free from her eyes.

The phone on her desk rang, breaking her from the spell. She reached for it instantly and forced a bright smile into her voice. "Sophia Collins speaking."

"Collins, I need that report on my desk tomorrow," Nathan said, his voice as keen as a blade. She rolled her eyes.

"Of course, Sir," Sophia replied, her voice deadpan. Nathan, her boss, never gave up. Not even for a second. He never cared for her or anyone's personal life, never cared about the anniversary that seemed to weigh her down like an anchor. But then, why should he.

"Good. And remember, I don't like delays."

The line went dead before she could respond. She sighed and dropped the phone back into its cradle, rubbing her temples. I'll never get out of here, she thought bitterly. The weight of her job, the manipulation, the late nights, God! It was suffocating.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message.

Chloe: "Hey, I'm thinking of going out tonight. It's been a while. You in? You need to let loose, Sis!"

The screen stared back at Sophia, her thumb over the reply. Her best and only friend had always been the one to drag her out of her shell, but tonight. Tonight was different. She needed something more than a drink and a forced smile.

"I don't know. It's not the right time." She replied.

"Isn't even going to go there. I'm picking you up soon. Better be ready."

Sophia couldn't help but smile. Chloe never took no for an answer, and honestly, she did need the distraction. Tossing her phone into her bag, she grabbed her coat, and made her way out of the office. "I doubt anyone would even notice my absence".

Three hours later, she sat in the amenity-faced bar in the dark, the glass of red wine held tightly in her hand. The quiet hum of conversations was filled in the air, yet her mind was somewhere else. Tonight wasn't about fleeing work; it was about fleeing that grief that attached itself to her every living moment.

She swirled the wine in her glass, trying to lose herself in the rhythm of the music, the soft clink of glasses. But it didn't work. The pain was always there, lurking beneath the surface. Every year feels the same. She sighed.

Chloe was already cozying up to a random bunch of people at the bar and waved her over. "Come on, stop sulking," Chloe implored drunkenly. "You are here to have some fun, not think of them. Come, drink with us"

Sophia tried forcing a smile onto her lips as she leant against the bar. "I am okay," she lied, muttering.

Then she saw him.

He stood at the far end of the bar, tall, with broad shoulders that made him seem larger than life. Dim light caught the edge of his jawline as he spoke to the bartender. Dark hair was just a little tousled, and his profile was sharp enough to make her heart race for a second for reasons she couldn't quite explain.

She quickly looked away, focusing on the glass in front of her. But her heart still drummed in her chest. It's just a guy, she told herself. Focus.

But then, she looked up again and his gaze caught hers.

Her breath caught as their eyes met across the room. Something magnetic in his stare-a curious and intense combination of elements-made her feel like he could see right through her.

He didn't look away, instead leaning more into the bar, as if to invite her into his orbit.

"Can I buy you a drink?" His voice was deep, smooth, with an undeniable edge.

Sophia blinked, caught for a moment off balance. Just say no and walk away Sophia. But something inside of her stirred, something that she had not experienced in a long while.

"No, thank you," she said, her voice emerging softer than she had intended. Then she caught herself. "Maybe just conversation, though."

A slow smile pulled his lips, and onto the stool beside her he slid, his presence undeniable. "A conversation it is, my lady," he said in an accent that made her laugh.

For one moment, Sophia forgot it all; the grief, the fear, the pain, the disappointments. She simply looked up at him, intrigued, curious about this stranger whose eyes seemed to draw her.

But just then, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Chloe: "Girl, Who's the hot guy?"

She giggled softly, looking at her phone, and when she looked up, he was staring at her. She blushed at how intense he stared.

Then, without uttering a word, he held out his hand.

"I realize I haven't introduced myself. I'm Adrian," he said, with a grin.

For a moment, Sophia just stared. Adrian. It just kind of hung in the air. Something told her there was a little bit more to the situation than met her eyes.

She took his hand.

"I'm Sophia," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Their fingers touched, and she felt a jolt of something unfamiliar, something hot and dangerous.

The more they talked, the more tension mounted between them. Every word, every glance, seemed to draw them closer.

And then, just as Sophia was going to ask him what brought him into this bar, she saw the flicker of recognition in his eyes, a flash of something that made her stomach flip.

He knew her.

The question hung in the air between them, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, her phone buzzed again.

Chloe: "I can feel the heat from across the room, what's going on? Who's Mr Sexy?"

I looked up and saw him talking to the bartender. I smiled. The Man I'm Going To Sleep With Tonight.