Chapter 185

Mrs. Wilkins wrung her hands anxiously. "Sophia, the doctor insisted you need bed rest for at least two weeks. It's barely been five days since your surgery. If I take you outside, Mr. Blackwood will have my head."

Sophia tilted her head slightly. "Who is Mr. Blackwood?"

"Dominic Blackwood," Mrs. Wilkins answered, then hesitated. "What do you call him?"

Sophia thought for a moment before pointing toward the window. "My sunshine."

Mrs. Wilkins was at a loss. Unable to decide, she quickly called Zoe.

Minutes later, Zoe strode into the room.

"Sophia, you want to go outside?" Zoe asked with a practiced smile. "I can take you, but you'll need to use the wheelchair. I'm worried you might get dizzy if you walk."

Sophia only wanted fresh air—the wheelchair didn't matter. She nodded, and Mrs. Wilkins retrieved the wheelchair Dominic had used previously.

"Mrs. Wilkins, I'll handle this," Zoe said smoothly, taking the handles and guiding Sophia into the front garden.

This was another opportunity to solidify her position as Dominic's girlfriend. Every small interaction with Sophia was a step toward that goal.

Sophia's resistance toward her was fading. Progress. With consistent effort, Zoe was certain their relationship would improve dramatically.

The temperature hovered around 86°F, the air thick even without direct sunlight.

"Sophia, are your headaches still bad? I can prescribe something stronger if you need it," Zoe offered gently.

In her assessment, Sophia now had the cognitive capacity of a ten-year-old. Treating her as such was the best approach.

Sophia shook her head. "No."

She wouldn’t take medication from strangers—especially not Zoe. Only if Dominic handed it to her would she consider it.

Zoe kept her smile intact. "It’s good to hear you speaking. Dominic and I both want you to recover quickly."

Sophia stayed silent. After a few minutes of breathing in the garden air, she suddenly asked, "Did you really do my surgery?"

If Zoe had performed the operation, why couldn’t Sophia remember her face before losing consciousness? The only face that lingered in her mind was Evelyn’s—though she didn’t know her name.

Zoe stiffened. Sophia had been acting like a child—why was she asking this now? Did she remember something?

A flush crept up Zoe’s neck. What would Dominic do if he found out the truth?

"Dr. Montgomery?" Sophia pressed when Zoe didn’t answer.

Zoe inhaled sharply and gambled. "Yes, it was me. Do you remember something? You can tell me."

Sophia pressed her lips together and fell silent.

The next morning, Evelyn’s phone buzzed violently, yanking her from sleep. She squinted at the screen—Sophie Mercer.

"Sophie, it’s seven in the morning. Since when do you wake up before noon?" Evelyn groaned, rubbing her eyes.

After working late, Clara had taken the kids to school, leaving Evelyn to sleep in.

"My parents left for their cruise. I just dropped them at the airport," Sophie replied. "Since Mooncrest Manor was on the way back, I thought I’d stop by. Which villa are you in? I brought breakfast—let me see your new place."

Evelyn shot upright so fast her vision blurred from the sudden blood rush.

"Evelyn! I’m already at the gates. You’re not seriously going to turn me away, are you?" Sophie huffed, hands on hips.

Evelyn bolted from bed. Confirming the kids were at school, she frantically gathered their toys and dumped them in the nursery. Once the living room was presentable, she texted Sophie her address.

Three minutes later, the doorbell chimed. Evelyn emerged from the bathroom, toothbrush in hand, just as Mike—wearing only pajama pants—darted past her to answer the door.