Kane walked away without a word.
Sophia was left standing in the middle of the hallway, alone. The house swallowed sound. Every corridor looked the same — dark wood, gold trim, doors that didn't belong to her.
If I don't even know my way around this house, how does he expect me to know my way around his life?
"Stay away from Kane."
The voice made her flinch. A girl, maybe her age, eyes sharp and unsmiling. "I'm Sonia. Master said take you back to your room."
Sophia wanted to laugh. As if I wished to be here. But her mouth was dry.
She didn't argue. She followed. The word Master sat heavy in her chest the whole way.
Her room was too big, too cold. A bookshelf lined one wall. She grabbed a book just to hold something. The words swam. All she could think about was her mom — her warnings, her voice, the way she'd said don't trust easy promises, Sophia.
Regret tasted like metal.
Sonia came back with a tray. Sophia picked at the food, moved it around the plate. Her stomach was a knot. Every bite was her mother's face.
The knock came before she was ready.
Kane was waiting in his room. He didn't tell her to sit. Didn't offer anything.
"Wedding's tomorrow."
The floor tilted. "What?"
"Nine a.m. Wear white." He said it like he was ordering coffee. "And Sofia—"
Sophia frowned. "My name is Sophia."
Kane didn't even look at her.
"I know."
"My name is Sophia."
He ignored it. "I have three rules. Break one, you're punished. Break two, you say goodbye to your mother. For good."
The room went airless.
"One. You don't come in contact with any other guy except me."
"Two. You don't poke your nose in my business. It's private."
"Three. You obey me without questioning my decisions."
He paused. "Do you have any questions."
It wasn't a question. It was a leash.
Sophia's fingers dug into her palms until it hurt. That was something she could control. "I have two rules also."
His eyebrow twitched. Interest, or warning. She couldn't tell.
"One: You won't touch or hurt me."
"Two: Can it be a secret? I don't want my mother to know about this."
Kane stood. He didn't hurry. He didn't need to. Three steps and he was in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her chin to keep eye contact. Close enough that the wrong name in his mouth felt like a threat.
"How are we going to make babies if I don't touch you, Sophia?"
"How can he say that without feeling ashamed?" Sophia whispered, her face burning.
"I… don't know."
Her voice came out smaller than she intended.
But her thoughts didn't stop.
C'mon, Sophia… you're not thinking about surrogacy, right?
Her stomach tightened at the word.
No. That can't be it.
Her breath slowed, as if the air itself had turned heavier.
Besides… I'm a virgin.
The thought made her freeze.
A virgin doesn't go through surrogacy… right?
Silence pressed against her ears. The room suddenly felt too still, too quiet—like even the walls were listening.
Then came a sound.
A soft click.
Sophia's head snapped up.
The door.