CHAPTER 18 SOFIA'S POV I woke up to a beautiful, bright, sunny morning, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. After a gentle stretch, I got out of bed and began my daily routine. First things first, bath time for the kids! I spent some quality time getting them cleaned up and dressed for the day. They chattered excitedly as we made our way downstairs to have breakfast. As we settled in for breakfast, the kids climbed into their chairs, eager for their morning meal. As I poured cereal into the Luis' bowl, Mark's sudden entrance caught my attention. His expression was tense, and his eyes seemed to hold a mix of urgency and frustration. "Hey," Mark greeted, his voice low and serious. "Good morning," I greeted, faking a smile. Mark ignored my greeting and hesitated before finally speaking. "There's a press briefing scheduled for today, and I need you to represent me." My spoon hovered over the cereal box, "Me? Why?" My mind raced with confusion and alarm as Mark's words
CHAPTER 19 SOFIA'S POV As I stood in front of the mirror, I adjusted the fitted blazer, smoothing out any wrinkles. The tailored pants hugged my curves perfectly, exuding confidence and poise. My heels, a matching neutral shade, added a touch of sophistication to the overall look. I had aimed for a "boss lady" vibe, and I was convinced I had nailed it. I glanced at my watch, It was 9:45 AM. The driver should be arriving any minute now. Mark had instructed him to pick me up on time, to ensure we arrived at the briefing with plenty of time to spare. As I waited, I took a few deep breaths, mentally preparing myself for the charade ahead. I rehearsed my lines, visualized the smile I would wear, and steeled myself for the cameras and questions. A knock at the door broke the silence. "Ma'am, your car is ready," Maria the maid announced. I grabbed my clutch and took one last look in the mirror. The woman staring back at me was unrecognizable – polished, poised, and ready to face the wor
CHAPTER 20 MARK'S POV I pulled out of the warehouse parking lot, feeling a mix of exhaustion and relief. The issues were finally under control, and I could focus on other things for now. Like tackling the bad press about my family and me. Instead of heading back to the office, I decided to go straight home. The day had been long enough already, and I needed some time to myself. As I drove, my mind drifted to Sofia's press conference. I hope it has gone smoothly and she is handling the pressure just okay. I quickened my pace, eager to see her and hear all about it. Pulling into our driveway, I noticed Sofia's car wasn't there. Why isn't she back yet? As I walked into the living room, the kids' excited chatter and laughter greeted me. I smiled, grateful for the warm welcome. After a long morning sorting out issues at the warehouse, coming home to my kids was just what I needed. "Daddy's home!" Luis squealed, racing into my arms. I scooped him up, twirling him around while Joey c
CHAPTER 21 SOFIA'S POV Mark's eyes widened as Luis babbled excitedly, He frantically tried to signal to Louis to stop talking, hoping the baby wouldn't reveal more. But Luis, oblivious to Mark's distress, continued to chatter, waving his chubby little hands. Mark tried pulling Louis away from me to stop him from spilling but he was too caught up in his own excitement, he clung to my legs struggling with his father while refusing to let me go. Mark's face turned bright red as he mouthed "stop" and "shush" to Louis, who simply giggled and repeated, "Daddy watched you on TV." I grinned mischievously, savouring the moment, then turned to Mark, whose face turned red as he shifted uncomfortably. I teased, "Come on, don't be shy. Admit it, I did great on the interview." Mark's eyes darted around the room, avoiding mine. "I just started watching it," he muttered. I chuckled, "Oh, don't bother denying it. Your secret's out" I winked at him. "It's okay to compliment me, you know. I won't l
CHAPTER 22 MARK'S POV As Sofia recounted her lunch experience with Damien and the driver, my unease grew. A knot formed in my stomach, tightening like a vice. My face must have betrayed me because Sofia's expression changed from carefree to concerned. Why was I angry? I couldn't explain it. Logically, there was nothing wrong with Sofia having lunch with colleagues. But logic didn't apply here. A possessive instinct stirred within me, refusing to be silenced. I felt a surge of discomfort like my emotions were betraying me. Why did the thought of Sofia laughing with another man, sharing stories, make my skin crawl? Was it jealousy? Ownership? "What do you mean by saying I'm your property?" Sophia asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I evaded Sophia's piercing gaze, focusing on my plate instead. The question hung in the air, heavy with expectation. "What do you mean when you say I'm your property?" I couldn't meet her eyes, unsure of how to articulate the complex emotions swirlin
CHAPTER 23 MARK'S POV I shook my head, dismissing the idea. "No, Damien. I don't think Sofia would be a good fit." Damien's expression turned quizzical. "Why not, Boss? She's qualified, and—" "I said no, Damien." My tone was firm, cutting off further discussion. The truth was, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Damian's suggestion was motivated by ulterior reasons. Their lunch together still lingered in my mind. Was Damien using this job offer as an excuse to spend more time with Sofia? The thought sent a pang of unease through me. I knew I had something to protect but was it my ego or my relationship with Sofia? Damien is good-looking and his charm and charisma made him a magnet for attention, and I couldn't help but wonder if Sofia was immune to it. "Find someone else, Damien," I said, my voice firm. "Sofia is not the right person for this role." Damian's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. "Understood, Boss." As the day wore on, my mind wandered back to the conversa
CHAPTER 24 AUTHOR'S POV Mark's anxiety escalated as the driver expertly navigated the evening traffic, racing toward St. Michael's Hospital. He clutched his phone, Sofia's panicked voice still echoing in his mind. "St. Michael's, right?" Mark confirmed with the driver, double-checking the destination. "Yes, sir," the driver replied, his eyes meeting Mark's in the rearview mirror. "We're almost there." As they pulled up to the hospital entrance, Mark's impatience grew. He burst out of the car, slamming the door behind him. The automatic doors of the emergency room swooshed open, and Mark rushed inside. His eyes scanned the crowded waiting area, frantically searching for Sofia. He spotted a nurse station and hastened toward it. "Excuse me," Mark said, his voice urgent. "I'm looking for a woman. She's with my daughter, Joey Carvajal. They were brought in –" The nurse's sympathetic expression calmed Mark slightly. "Can you describe her to me, sir?" Mark rattled off Sofia's feature
Chapter 25 Mark's Pov I wanted to come home early for a change when Damian rushed to my office, I was surprised at first because I gave him strict orders to follow my wife today. "Boss you need to see this" He panted stretching his phone towards me and I took the phone from him puzzled by his behavior, then my eyes caught the pictures on the screen. My wife was sitting with a man in a cafe, this must be the friend she talked about but unfortunately, his face wasn't visible. She was stupid enough to go to such an open place, "There is more" Damian interjected and I slid on the next, he was holding her hand at such close proximity. I clenched my fist and my grip on the phone tightened, "Where did you get this?" I asked and he hesitated before replying. "The Internet is trending at the moment" I sighed and loosened my tie so I could breathe properly, how could she be so stupid to go to that cafe it's like a spot for many reporters, this seemed like some sort of trap and s
Chapter 50Mark's Pov I received a call that one of my warehouses was also attacked all in one night, that wasn't the worst part they left a message for me. I rushed to my room to get dressed and left for my warehouse downtown, I didn't want to bother Sofia with the details it was better she stayed clueless. Emily used to say we are in this together but look at where she ended up all because of me, I don't want the same thing to happen to Sofia even if she is smart and can take care of herself I still needs to protect her. Getting to the warehouse some of my men who received the news had already rushed down there trying to keep the flames under control, I got out of the car and headed inside to have a look at things over there. "Boss" One of them greeted and I spotted Enzo among them, "Did any see anything?" I asked. "No boss, the guards here were killed before we came and many of them were injured, they left this gift box" Enzo handed it over to me and I opened it to find a sin
Chapter 49 Sofia's Pov We got home and a surprise was waiting for us, Damian was pacing with a pretty lady standing in our living room looking around. "What happened?" Mark asked and let go of my hand he was holding, the lady turned when she heard his voice and I was sure I had seen her somewhere before. "The shipment is gone, I don't know how they got the information about it but it was hijacked and all the goods are gone," Damian said with a sullen expression on his face, whatever they were talking about made my husband angry and his jaw clenched as he walked towards the minibar. He took a bottle of vodka and poured it into a glass cup, after taking a sip he flung the cup on the wall and it shattered into pieces sending shards of glass everywhere and I flinched in shock. "How the hell did this happen?!" He bellowed and I decided it was time to go check up on the kids, but I paused when I saw the lady staring at my husband with hearty eyes. "I swear I checked everything,
Chapter 48Sofia's Pov I was scrolling through my phone checking for the best colleges I could find, I needed one close to the house so I looked up the ones in town. Mark's car drove into the manor and I watched from the balcony as he got out of the car, he looked angry so I decided not to wave at him but the moment he turned his eyes caught mine and he arched his brows. I awkwardly waved with a small smile but he didn't return my gesture, he just ignored me and headed inside. Did I do something wrong? I asked myself, so I left for the kid's rooms and headed downstairs when I couldn't find them there. It wasn't a surprise that Carl was playing with them when I got downstairs, Mark wasn't in sight and I was starting to consider going to his room to ask what was going on. I didn't see any of the maids and Joey was sleeping in Carl's arms, "Did Mark say anything to you?" I asked my little brother and he shook his head negatively."No he only waved at me and left for his room" He r
Chapter 47 Mark's Pov I must have gone overboard after destroying three warehouses the Alabanians owned and destroying the wedding of the Italian capo's son, my message was loud and clear they should fuck with my family and they were wrong to think I had become sloppy since Emily's death. I intend to visit her tomorrow like I always do every month, I have so much to tell her about Sofia. Sometimes I feel like she is there listening whenever I visit her graveside, just like with Sofia our marriage was arranged but we fell in love shortly after. She was fierce and bold, I was drawn to her and I think Sofia is very similar to her. They both had this pure spirit and I feel like a monster compared to them, when Emily died she left a void no one could fill but Sofia came in with her warmth and lit up my dark world. "The shipment will arrive tonight, I will go with Enzo to secure it," Damian said sitting opposite me and I nodded still deep in thought. "Have you found a way to loca
Chapter 46Sofia's POV I woke up in my bed and I didn't remember how I got there but I think I passed out when Mark played with my clit again and tongue fucked me until I could no longer breathe. One of the best orgasms of my life and I will never forget it, except I was too weak to return the favor and I was exhausted before he could finish with me. I felt embarrassed about my inexperience, it made me look naive and immature. But I intend to fix that I don't mind going to his room without his consent to prove my point, I'm not a child or that young fickle girl he sees me for. I rolled out of the bed to take a shower then I put on jean shorts and a tube top I found from my old clothes before leaving my room. One thing I noticed last night was he held back on me, I might just have to seduce him to give in so he will start looking at me differently. The kids were still asleep and Carl was in their room too playing with Lois' toys, "Look at this cool train, it's freaking expensive!
Chapter 45 Sofia's Pov I paced around the living room waiting and calling my husband but he didn't pick up, did something happen to him? He told me not to wait but I couldn't help it, I tried calling Damian and he picked up after the second ring. "Yes ma'am?" "Is my husband still with you? I have been trying to reach him but he isn't picking up, did something happen to him?" I panicked. "No, He is on his way home now he just left a few minutes ago" Damian explained and I sighed in relief then I heard footsteps behind me so I veered. There is was looking ruffled and drained with tousled hair and this was the first time I had seen him in a tank top, "Thank you, Damian, he is here already" I said and hung up while he just stood at the door watching me. "I told you not to wait up, are you that stubborn?" He tilted his head and smirked at me, seriously he was going to act like that after we were almost killed. "Did you catch them?" I asked as he walked towards me, "Yes, I h
Chapter 44 Sofia's Pov I was completely lost in a distant memory of my father yelling and that day my mom passed away, my vision was getting blurry and I felt a grip on my shoulder. "Sofia!" Someone shook my shoulders violently and I snapped it seeing the perplexed look on my husband's face, "Let's get you out of here" He said and brought out a gun from his suit, I wasn't shocked that he was carrying that around all these while after all the rumors about him being a mafia don are true. "You are going to make a run for the door on the count of three, now listen to me you run and don't look back until you get to the car" He ordered and I shook my head. "What about you? Come with me please" I pleaded but he took my hand. "At my count, you run okay? Don't worry about it I already sent for Damian and three other of my men are here, I will be fine just go without me I need to know who was behind this attack, they knew we were coming here today" He explained and I was so scared b
Chapter 43 Sofia's Pov I stared at Damon blankly as he smiled at me, I secretly hoped Mark wasn't watching cause this might end up in chaos. "Hey, what are you doing here?" I asked and he raised an eyebrow at me, "I'm out with friends and what are you doing here? Are you here with your brother?" He asked looking around and I was tempted to say yes. But that would be complicated and he might want to meet up with my brother, "No I'm here with my husband" I replied and he looked stunned. "Oh- oh alright, I guess you have forgiven him for using your condition for publicity" He uttered and I rolled my eyes. "It's all in the past now and he had his reasons, I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day" I apologized. "No need, you had every right to be angry and I shouldn't have crossed the line" He dismissed but I knew I said some mean words to him the other day. "Do you realize we are holding the line?" I teased and he chuckled, I bought two clones of ice cream. One was strawber
Chapter 42 Sofia's Pov I never expected him to react this way when I confessed about my teenage fantasy, I have always thought he saw me as a child but now I'm convinced that he doesn't. I buried my fingers inside his dark hair and he moaned inside my mouth, I didn't want him to stop so reached for his jacket and helped him take it off. I pulled away catching my breath as he leaned in and started pouring kisses on my neck and I felt his hands grabbing my ass, then he suddenly paused. "What?" I asked noticing how tensed he was, "I shouldn't be doing this, I'm sorry" He apologized and I almost lost it. "You need to stop treating me like that" I glared at him furiously, "Like what?" He raised an eyebrow. "Like I'm a child! I'm twenty for crying out loud! You keep acting like I'm fifteen" I lashed out and his hand tightened on my waist. "You don't understand" He looked away hesitating and I have never been so curious, I wanted to know what was going on inside his head. "Make me u