Sophia walked slowly down the hallway, her steps unsteady as her mind struggled to process everything that had just happened. The contract, the deal, the way her life had changed in a matter of seconds it all felt unreal.
Marriage. An heir.
She never imagined her marriage would end up like this, with her child growing up in a loveless home.
The words echoed in her head, refusing to settle.
She barely noticed where she was going until she suddenly bumped into someone.
Sophia staggered back, her heart already racing. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, lowering her gaze.
"So you're the new whore," the woman said coldly.
Sophia froze instantly, her breath catching in her throat as the woman began to circle her slowly. There was something unsettling about the way she moved calm, confident, and completely in control.
"Poking your nose where you don't belong," she continued, her voice quiet but sharp.
Sophia turned slightly, trying to keep her in view as her chest tightened with fear. "I didn't mean to..."
"You never do," the woman cut in smoothly.
She stopped in front of Sophia, her eyes moving over her slowly, judging, calculating.
"Girls like you always think they're special."
Sophia swallowed hard, her hands trembling at her sides. "I'm not..."
"You need to be punished," the woman said softly, almost thoughtfully. "And I think I have the perfect punishment for you."
A chill ran down Sophia's spine. She took a small step back, her voice barely steady. "I didn't do anything wrong…"
The woman leaned closer, her gaze dark and unyielding.
"Let me make one thing clear," she said.
Sophia held her breath.
"Stay away from Kane. He is mine."
Sophia's heart pounded violently. "I don't even know him," she said weakly. "Everything just happened… I didn't ask for any of this."
"That doesn't matter," the woman replied calmly. "What matters is where you stand now."
"I don't want any trouble," Sophia said quickly. "I just want to go home."
"You're not going anywhere," the woman said.
Before Sophia could say anything else, a voice came from behind them.
"Katherine."
The air changed instantly.
Sophia felt it before she even turned.
Katherine stopped moving and turned around slowly. Sophia followed, her heart jumping as she saw him standing there.
Kane.
His expression was calm, unreadable, his gaze moving briefly from Katherine to Sophia.
For a moment, no one spoke.
"I was just talking to her," Katherine said, her tone smoother now, controlled.
Kane didn't respond immediately. His eyes settled on Sophia.
"Come here," he said.
Sophia hesitated for a second, then forced herself to move. Her legs felt weak, but she walked toward him anyway, stopping when she got close.
"Did she say anything to you?" he asked.
Sophia glanced at Katherine, then shook her head quickly. "No."
Katherine's lips curved slightly, but her eyes remained cold.
Kane looked at her for a brief moment before speaking again, his voice calm but firm.
"She's under my protection."
Sophia's breath caught.
Katherine's expression changed, just for a second, before she let out a soft, amused sound.
"Protection?" she repeated.
Kane didn't explain. He didn't need to.
The silence that followed was heavy, filled with something unspoken.
Katherine looked at Sophia again, her gaze colder than before. "This isn't over," she said quietly.
Then she turned and walked away.
Sophia stood there, her body tense, her heart still racing. Nothing made sense anymore. Not Katherine, not Kane, not the situation she had been forced into.
"You shouldn't wander around alone," Kane said.
Sophia lowered her gaze. "I was trying to find my way back."
There was a brief pause before he spoke again.
"Stay close to me next time."
Her heart skipped, and she looked up slightly, unsure what to say. But his expression gave nothing away.
He walked past her without another word.
Sophia remained where she was for a moment, her thoughts spinning, her chest tight with confusion and fear.
Everything felt dangerous.
And deep down, she knew this was only the beginning.