His Private Chef (by Amycee) novel Chapter 86

Sophia kept showing up.

Every day.

Sometimes with food. Sometimes with flowers. Sometimes with nothing but red eyes and a heart too stubborn to give up on me.

I kept saying no. No to visits. No to talking.

Until one morning, I heard her crying on the porch through the thin crack in the front door. My mother came into my room, gently brushed my hair back and said, “Let her in. She needs this. And I think you do too.”

I nodded.

The door opened.

Sophia didn’t waste a second. She ran straight to my bed and hugged me like she was trying to piece me back together with her arms.

I sank into her arms and cried. Sophia didn’t try to stop me, she just held on tighter, her own tears slipping quietly into my hair.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “If I could take this pain from you, I would. Emily…”

I nodded against her shoulder, my voice barely a breath. “I know.

”

We stayed like that for a while. No mask. No forced strength. Just two women holding onto each other, hearts in pieces, and no clue how to make the world feel steady again.

“Does Liam know?” I asked finally, voice paper–thin.

Sophia swallowed hard. “Yeah. I told him.

My stomach twisted. “What did he say?”

”

“He barely spoke,” she murmured. “Just kept blaming himself. Said he broke you… and he doesn’t know how to live with that.’

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Chapter 86

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I winced at the word broke, even though I’d whispered it to myself more times than I could

count.

“He’s out of town,” she added. “Disappeared again. But this time, it’s different. He’s not running from you. He’s running from guilt. And it’s eating him alive.”

I stared at the ceiling. “I’m not even mad at him anymore.”

Sophia’s eyes searched mine. “You’re not?”

I shook my head slowly. “I’m just tired. I don’t have energy for anger. Or hope. Or what–if’s. I just need space. I need to feel like me again.”

She looked at me, eyes brimming again. “What can I do?”

“You’re doing it,” I said. “You came.

”

We shared a long, quiet moment. The kind that says everything without needing words.

“I’m going back to school next week.” I told her.

She nodded, slowly. “Okay.”

“You’ll keep in touch?”

“Like a rash,” she said, forcing a smile. “You’re stuck with me. Sisters for life, remember?”

I smiled, but it didn’t quite reach my eyes.

Sophia stood, brushed her palms against her jeans. “I’ll let you rest.

As she reached the door, she paused.

”

“I know it doesn’t feel like it now,” she said softly, “but you’re going to be okay.”

“I hope so.”

”

She gave me one last look, the kind only real friends can give, and walked out.

The door clicked shut behind her.

And I sat there in the silence, thinking about everything I’d lost, and everything I still had to fight for.

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Chapter 86

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