Chapter Five

Sofia packed up the last box and loaded it onto the moving truck and looked at her beautiful little home for the last time. So many memories. Some good, some bad, and some downright horrible. Her heart ached and her head pounded but no matter how she felt, the house did not belong to her. Never did. Never will.

"Are you sure you want to leave this place?" asked her best friend Judy with concern.

"I honestly wasn't given a choice. It's not my house. My parents want me out," replied Sofia in a sad voice and changed the subject. "Just so you know, I hired a lawyer and Lucian will be served with divorce papers later on today."

Judy looked at her best friend and knew she was upset. "Are you sure this is what you want? I know what Lucian did was wrong, but running away from him and your feelings isn't going to change things."

Sofia looked around at the emptiness and felt the same inside. With shaky steps, she walked towards the kitchen counter, lifted her purse and keys and made her way towards the front door. "Lucian was wrong on so many levels it's absurd."

Judy turned her best friend to face her and took both Sofia's hands in hers. "Sof, I know Lucian and I know you. There is no other man like him."

"That's good to know," said Sofia in a tired voice. "I don't think the world could handle another Lucian Wolffe."

"Does he know you're moving?"

"Nope. I haven't talked to him since early Sunday morning. All his calls have gone straight to voicemail."

"I can't believe it's been three days already. You are aware that he's not going to divorce you. Right?"

"Nope. He probably won't," replied Sofia as the two of them walked outside in the cold November air.

Judy zippered up her jacket and rubbed her hands together to warm them up. "You're still planning on having Thanksgiving with my family, right?"

Sofia smiled bright, "As long as Lucian won't be there."

Judy looked at her best friend and just as she was about to speak, she was interrupted.

"Pardon me Miss Drivas," called one of the movers. "We're ready to roll."

"Great," said Sofia in a monotone voice. "I'll lead the way."

"Wait for me," called Judy as she finished sending a text message and headed for Sofia's Range Rover.

With a heavy heart, Sofia put the car in drive and looked at her cute little stone house for the last time. She raised her left hand and wiped away a stray tear and frowned. "I swore I wouldn't be upset but I was wrong."

"I'm sorry Sof," Judy whispered. "Have you spoken to your parents?"

"Yes. They're not taking the news well hence the reason I had to move out."

"Wait. How did they find out? Did you tell them?" asked Judy in a shocked voice.

Sofia folded her hands across her chest and sobbed, "My big mouth, trouble making cousin Demetrius told them. Ready for the kicker?" asked Sofia in a dejected voice. "MY family does not believe in divorce and absolutely refuse to listen to anything I have to say about what happened."

"Ouch. I never liked your cousin Demetrius."

"Me either. He's the family rat."

"As if this was your fault," groaned Judy shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "What's wrong with your family?"

Sofia sucked on her teeth and remarked, "Do you really have to ask?"

**

Lucian sat in his office trying to concentrate. His mind refused to focus, his head pounded, and if truth be told, he wanted to be anywhere but at work. He looked at the same boring menu for the umpteenth time, and circled the changes.

"Boss," called Ryan into the intercom pulling Lucian out of his misery. "There's a short, beady- eyed man here to see you. He claims it's important."

Lucian shook his head in disgust, and barked, "Send him in," and quickly cleared his desk.

A knock at his door indicated his visitor arrived causing Lucian to get up and open the door.

"Lucian Wolffe?"

"Yes."

"You've been served," jibed the beady-eyed man as he handed Lucian a manila folder and left as quickly as he arrived.

Lucian closed the door, sat down at his desk, and opened up the envelope, and pulled out the papers and froze.

'In the matter of dissolution of marriage of Sofia Anna Drivas and Lucian Wolffe by court complaint...'

"Son of a bitch," he yelled while searching for his car keys. "No. Not happening." He made his way to his car and headed toward Sofia's house.

"Damn it," he barked in frustration as he hit every freaking red light imaginable. Finally after what seemed a lifetime, he pulled up in front of Sofia's house, parked, and made his way up the concrete path to her front door and rang the bell.

Nothing. He rang the bell and knocked. With a swift pull, he opened the screen door and looked inside and noticed the house was empty. He rummaged through his pocket and pulled out his phone and called Sofia.

Deaded, she pushed him straight to voicemail. He walked in a circle, rubbed the back of his neck, and sat down on the cold step. "Where are you Sofia? You can't ignore me forever."

**

Sofia pulled up to a huge updated colonial house, typical for Old Greenwich, Connecticut, and parked. She cut the engine, looked at Judy and hummed "We're here."

Judy looked out the passenger door window and turned back to Sofia with a raised brow, "Seriously? This place must cost a fortune."

Sofia lowered her head and looked out the window and replied, "It did cost a fortune but I didn't pay for it. It belongs to yia-yia." Sofia's grandmother. Her mother's mother. A tough woman who never agreed with the way her granddaughter was treated. Yia-yia spoke with a very thick accent and always made a point to see Sofia at least once a week and would only communicate in Greek with Sofia.

"Oh," Judy stated as she opened the car door and stretched.

Sofia opened the front door, walked inside and turned on the lights and looked around. Judy came up behind her and sighed, "Wow. This place is fantastic."

"It is," said Sofia taking in the grandeur. "But everything comes with a price with this family and I'm almost terrified to find out what that price is."

Judy stood there in awe as she stared at the enormous white dwelling. Every inch of the place seemed to sparkle from the enormous wooden front porch to the crystal clear, large glass windows.

The moment they stepped inside Judy let out a breath. The rooms were large, bright, and freshly painted a crisp white color with medium brown hardwood floors and wood accents. The living room had a huge fireplace along the center wall with oversized French doors that allowed views of the entire back garden. She moved further into the home and noticed a huge light wood kitchen with all the latest stainless steel appliances with an oversized formal dining room to the left and a family room to the right.

She was so lost in the beauty that she didn't even realize she walked upstairs until she spotted the huge master suite with a closet larger than her entire apartment, two more bedrooms not as large but just as amazing and already furnished with expensive furniture.

Before long, David, John, and Tammy came over to help and within a few hours, the place looked like a home.

"Thank you all so much for helping me. Dinner is on me. Between all of you and the moving company, everything is finished," beamed Sofia. "Your choice. We can either eat here or go out."

"Out," they chimed.

"I'm filthy," grunted Sofia as she stood there covered in dust and grime.

"We're not. Go shower and get ready," called Judy.

"Don't take too long," asserted Tammy in a rushed voice.

David sighed as he leaned his head against the cool wall in the kitchen area. "Maybe we shouldn't go out. What happens when we "accidentally" bump into Lucian? How do we explain ourselves?"

"My brother has everything under control," replied Judy in a confident voice. "They've been best friends since they were five."

"Wait. How old is Lucian?" asked John in an inquisitive voice.

"31," replied Judy.

"Seriously? So why does Sofia repeatedly say he's too old? He's only 9 years older than her. Doesn't make sense," questioned David in a quiet voice.

"No. It doesn't," put in Judy as she paused for a moment to make sure that Sofia was still in the shower. "The truth of the matter is Lucian is not Greek."

"Come on," cried Tammy. "You can't be serious."

"Oh but I am," added Judy. "Trust me, Sofia is crazy about Lucian, but always holds back. It's her family she's concerned about."

"Her family?" barked John in an agitated voice. "You mean the people who left her when she was still in high school? Those people?"

"The very same," assured Judy.

"This is a mess," said David with a look of despair. "We need to fix this for our girl before it's too late."

"Yup," chimed Judy. "We sure do."

"She served him with divorce papers," said John in a low voice. "I hope he doesn't sign them."

"He won't," sighed Judy as she finished sending a text to her brother. "Okay. We're going to the Pepper Grill across town this way Sofia will be able to relax and will not expect to see Lucian."

**