**Knock, knock.**


    The sound echoed softly against the door. Sophie, feeling upbeat, called out, "Come on in!"


    Harold stepped inside, looking like he didn''t quite know where to begin. Sophie immediately guessed he had seen the news. "Are you upset I didn''t give you a heads up?"


    "You''ve got your reasons for keeping it under wraps. I''m not gonna pry, and you don''t have to exin. It''s just...," Harold hesitated.


    "Don''t you think naming the club ''S&C'' is a bit too on the nose?" he finally asked. "I mean, everyone''s gonna assume it stands for Sophie and Colby. If The Silent Shadows catch wind, all your efforts might just go down the drain." Harold couldn''t believe Sophie would risk something like this.


    Sophie chuckled, "Who says it has to be Sophie and Colby? It could just as easily be Sophie''s charm and Harold''s valor."


    The gossip mill in Devonport was working overtime, buzzing about Sophie and Harold being an item. Everyone seemed convinced they were not only together but also shacked up.


    Neither Sophie nor Harold had bothered to set the record straight, which Harold thought was because Sophie didn''t care about the rumors. But now, he realized there was more to it. Sophie was ying the long game, using the rumors to blur the lines of their rtionship and throw The Silent Shadows off their scent.


    "Colby''s gonna be mad as heck," Harold fretted.


    "Nah, he won''t," Sophie shrugged. "I''ve left enough clues for him. If he still doesn''t get it... well, once we''ve dealt with The Silent Shadows, I''ll have a chat with him about it."


    Sure, S&C was about Sophie and Colby. Sophie could''ve picked something else, but she preferred this. It had to be about them.


    The night wore on, nketing everything in darkness. Sophie was on the mend, and with the New Year around the corner, the world outside was still a snowy canvas.


    While waiting for The Silent


    Shadows to make their move, an invitation from the Spellman family arrived. Ever since Timothy met his end at Joseph''s hands, the Spellmans had gone quiet. But recently, they''d secured a solidN?velDrama.Org content.


    foothold in Summerfield


    With Odie out of the picture in Summerfield, the Spellman and Gibbs families were locked in a power struggle. Both were eager to seize the throne and boot the Mintons out of y. Gazing at the invitation, Sophie was lost in thought.


    "Darn it, I should''ve crushed the Spellman family when I had the chance! Who do they think they are trying to upstage the Mintons!" Odie fumed when he got wind of the situation, stomping around in frustration.


    Jonah, standing nearby, couldn''t calm him down, no matter what.


    Who would''ve predicted the Spellmans could climb the ranks so fast?


    "Don''t lose your cool. Anger won''t fix anything, Sophie said, getting to her feet. "I''ve got to head to


    Summerfield and see things for


    myself, all because of this


    invitation."


    "You can''t go," Harold warned, his brow furrowed. "The Spellmans are up to no good. What if something happens to you?"


    "But Mr. Odie''s people are still around, aren''t they?"


    "That''s not the same," Harold sighed, ncing at Odie. "The Mintons... well, things aren''t like they used to be."