CHAPTER 10

Sophie

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I woke up in the soft glow of dawn, cradled in the warmth of Alex's arms. His breath was slow and steady against my neck, and his body curled protectively around mine. I must have fallen asleep.

For a moment, I let myself savor the illusion that everything was fine. But I knew better. I gently disentangled myself from his embrace, careful not to wake him. As I slipped out of bed, a sense of urgency pushed me.

I opened the closet and found my clothes still hanging there. After changing my outfit, I made my way to the door. When I opened it, I nearly ran straight into Mia. She stood there, her face twitching as her gaze deepened.

“What are you doing here?” She sneered, her eyes heavy with anger. “Forcing yourself on Alex?”

My body tightened, anger boiling inside me, but I took a deep breath. I wasn’t going to let her get the best of me—not again. “You must think every woman is like you.”

She scoffed and grimaced. “Well, at least every woman isn’t like you—barren.” Sh