Chapter 221

Sophia was fully alert this time. She quickly shook her head in refusal. "That won't be necessary. I can handle it myself!"

Evelyn sighed.

Outside the car window, the night was thick, and this was clearly not the entrance to their residential area.

Across the street stretched a narrow alley, its dimly lit path looking anything but safe.

"Harrison, escort her home. Make sure she gets inside safely," Alexander commanded, as if sensing Sophia's hesitation. "Be quick about it and return immediately."

"Understood, sir," Harrison replied. He pulled the car to a stop, unbuckled his seatbelt, and stepped out before Sophia could protest further.

"No, really, it's fine—"

But Harrison was already rounding the car, opening her door with a polite gesture. "Miss Thornton, after you."

Realizing there was no point arguing, Sophia reluctantly stepped out. "T-Then I’ll be going. Evelyn, you and Mr. Kensington should get some rest."

"Alright," Evelyn nodded, watching as Sophia and Harrison disappeared into the shadows. Only then did she register the odd phrasing.

"Did Sophia just say you and Mr. Kensington should get some rest?" She turned to Alexander, who was staring at her with an unreadable expression.

A slow smirk curled her lips. "Don’t tell me you’re jealous?"

Alexander scoffed loudly. "Took you long enough to notice."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Seriously? She’s a girl."

"And?" His arms crossed. "Does that mean I can’t be jealous? You treat her like she’s some fragile treasure. What about me?"

His tone was so petulant that Evelyn couldn’t help but laugh. "It’s not the same!"

"Explain how." His eyes narrowed. "Unless, deep down, you think she matters more than I do?"

Jealous Alexander was a force to be reckoned with—like a child deprived of his favorite toy. Evelyn bit back a grin. "Well, she is important."

Before his expression could darken further, she looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "But you," she murmured against his mouth, "are the most important."

That single sentence was enough to dissolve his irritation. His hand cradled the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, pouring all his earlier frustration into it.

Meanwhile, Harrison paused after a few steps, allowing Sophia to catch up slightly before continuing forward. They maintained a careful distance—close enough for safety, but not so close as to intrude.

Sophia kept her gaze lowered, focusing on the faint outline of Harrison’s shadow ahead. It was a practical arrangement.

This was the same path she took every evening after work, always alone. The quiet alley, the occasional rustle of a stray cat in the trash—it had never been a comforting walk.

But tonight, for the first time, she wasn’t afraid.

Because tonight, she wasn’t alone.