Chapter 51

There was a stranger in Liam’s car.

Sophia hesitated. "Thank you, Mr. Sterling, but I can just take the bus."

"I won’t bite!" Liam scoffed, ignoring her protest. "This is my best friend, Noah. Get in. I know you’ve got a mountain of work waiting. New employees always get the worst assignments. Consider this a favor—my chauffeur will drop you off."

Biting her lip, Sophia reluctantly climbed into the backseat.

Noah Whitmore turned to her with polite curiosity. "Mrs. Blackwood, it’s an honor to finally meet you."

Sophia offered a faint smile before lowering her gaze.

The two men in the front were from a world she didn’t belong to—wealthy, privileged, and entirely foreign. She had no idea how to navigate their conversations, let alone engage in them.

Silence settled between them.

"Taking you back to my cousin’s place?" Liam asked casually.

Before Sophia could respond, her phone buzzed. An unknown number flashed on the screen. She answered cautiously. "Hello?"

A gruff male voice replied, "Miss Montgomery? This is Prime Lens Rentals—"

Sophia’s pulse spiked. She cut him off quickly. "Mr. Wilson! Yes, I—I still need the camera for a little longer. Just a few more weeks, I promise!"

Covering the receiver, she turned to Liam. "Mr. Sterling, when does our company issue paychecks?"

"The 15th of every month. You’ve got seventeen days to go," he answered without looking back.

Sophia exhaled sharply before speaking into the phone again. "Seventeen more days, Mr. Wilson. Charge me the daily rate—or higher, if you want. I’ll return it then. Thank you." Without waiting for a reply, she hung up.

Noah arched a brow. "Still renting cameras in this day and age? Why not just use your phone?"

Sophia shook her head. "I can’t."

Noah opened his mouth to ask more, but Liam snorted. "Talk about bad luck. Prime Lens only rents high-end gear. A basic DSLR costs thousands. Can’t afford it? That paycheck won’t cover it."

"I rented a digital one. Fifteen hundred," Sophia muttered.

Liam went quiet.

Then, without warning, he yanked open the glove compartment, pulled out a thick wad of cash, and tossed it into her lap.

Sophia stared at the money.

A beat passed before she laughed dryly and pushed it away. "I don’t want it."