Dante's POVI was furious at Sophia, but the moment she collapsed, all my anger vanished, replaced by panic. I yelled at John to drive faster until we reached the hospital.The doctor examined her and assured us it wasn’t serious—just excessive bleeding.I didn’t want her spending the night in the hospital, so I carried her back to the car, and we headed home.Lost in thought, I felt a stir beside me. Sophia’s eyes fluttered open, meeting mine. She had been sleeping ever since we left the hospital.“What happened?” she murmured, her voice groggy as her eyes shut briefly before reopening.Relief washed over me. I’d been terrified something terrible would happen. Despite how challenging she can be, she’s my wife, and her safety is my responsibility.“We’re going home,” I replied, looking away. I wasn’t sure if she remembered what led to all this or if she simply didn’t want to talk about it. She stayed silent.After a while, I glanced over to find her staring at me. At first, I thought s
Sophia's POVA noise jolts me awake.I blink a few times, my eyes adjusting to the brightness in the room. The lights are still on. Dante's didn’t bother turning them off before crashing on the couch, and neither did I before dozing off.Curious about the noise, I try to sit up, but a sharp pain shoots through my shoulder. Then it hits me—I was attacked last night. The memory comes flooding back, along with the strange dream I just had.In the dream, I saw faces—three of them stood out. One belonged to Liam, the second to Clara, and the third to a woman I couldn’t place. She felt familiar, though. It was like my mind was telling me I knew her but refused to reveal how or from where.But now that I’m awake, I’m certain none of them were responsible for what happened. The culprit had seemed opportunistic, taking advantage of me being alone on an empty street.I sigh heavily, swinging my legs off the bed as an urgent need to use the bathroom takes over. My bladder feels uncomfortably full
Dante's POVSophia’s sleeping face is the first thing I see when I open my eyes.She looks serene and beautiful, her full lips catching my attention. They remind me of the fleeting kiss we shared the other night.Gone is the iron-fisted, stone-hearted, argumentative woman I know her to be. Right now, she looks like a sleeping goddess.My gaze trails to her exposed cleavage, and I swallow hard, quickly looking away. Shaking off the thought, I climb out of bed and head to the bathroom for a shower before work.The morning light streams in. My internal clock rarely fails me—I wake up at around 6 a.m., give or take a few minutes, without needing an alarm.After brushing my teeth, I step under the shower. The warm water cascades over me, washing away the haze of sleep, but my mind can’t seem to wander far from last night—or Sophia.Her touch when she held my hand, insisting I had a nightmare, replays in my head.I never have nightmares.Sure, I was uncomfortable on that couch, but her assum
Sophia's POVYawning and stretching, my hand brushes the empty space beside me. I open my eyes to find that Dante is gone.He was here all night, sleeping soundly. He must have left for work.Suddenly, my stomach growls loudly, and I groan as I get up. My shoulder still hurts a lot, and I’m guessing this hunger is thanks to the medicine I took last night.I slip into the flip-flops by the bed and shuffle out of the room, yawning loudly without a care.Last night was a nightmare, but today, I feel slightly better, though the pain is still there.I’ve decided not to dwell on what happened. Overthinking it is probably why I had that dream.“A dream is just a figment of imagination caused by human thoughts,” my dad used to say.There’s no point stressing over it now. What’s done is done. He was just a thief trying to rob me, nothing more. He’s nowhere near as significant as Liam, Clara, or even that other woman.I take the stairs slowly, heading to the dining room in search of breakfast. M
Dante's POVFather is about to leave for the day when I walk into his office without knocking. His secretary had mentioned he had plans, but this matter can’t wait.I’ve got plenty to handle back at my office, which is why I came straight here instead of heading back after my meeting.He pauses mid-step, turning to face me with a stern look.Realizing I’ve skipped formalities, I greet him, though my voice is slow. “Good morning, Father.”“Why are you here?” he asks, ignoring my greeting and offering no invitation to sit.I take a seat anyway, disregarding his tone.Questions flood my mind, ones that have been haunting me for days. This isn’t just for Sophia’s sake—though she’s part of it. My own curiosity burns too deeply to let this go unanswered."I asked why you're here, Dante,” he snaps, his irritation evident. “I’ve got a meeting in thirty minutes, and I need to leave."“I won’t take much of your time, Dad,” I reply, spinning the chair to face him. “I just have one question.”He
Sophia's POVThe sound of screeching tires jerks me out of my thoughts. I stop mid-bite on the doughnut in my hand.I had fallen asleep earlier after dinner and woke up around 10 p.m., hungry again. But more importantly, Dante hadn’t come home yet.He always comes back late, but past 10 p.m.? That’s unusual. He was so concerned about me last night; it wouldn’t hurt to worry about him tonight.I had called him before coming downstairs, but he didn’t answer.Sighing, I place the doughnut back on the plate sitting on the coffee table and get up from the sofa. Making my way to the front door, I pause when I hear the lock click.The door opens, and there he is—walking in casually with his briefcase and blazer slung over his shoulder.He doesn’t even notice me until I clear my throat softly.He glances up, his face breaking into a smile."Why are you smiling?" I ask, arms folded across my chest as I throw him a cold glare.He shakes his head, brushing past me. "Nothing.""Why are you home s
Dante's POVSophia has been avoiding me for over a week now, ever since I told her I didn’t approve of her telling my mother that she was pregnant without my consent.My mother has been thrilled by the news, and now, everyone knows that Sophia is pregnant.Every time I try to resolve things between us, I find her curled up in bed, leaving the couch for me to sleep on.I had the maids bring in another bed for the room I’m staying in now. I’m not on the couch anymore, but I really wish I could sleep beside her again.Guilt is something I’ve felt more since Sophia came into my life. I don’t know how she manages to make me feel this way, but she does.I feel bad for what I said to her, which led to her being upset with me. I really want to apologize, but I don't know how to start.She’s just trying to help.Casually, I walk out of her room and close the door behind me when I bump into someone. It’s Sophia, and she raises an eyebrow at me.“What were you doing in my room?” she asks, scrunc
Sophia's POVThere stands Christine Moore.My favorite guitarist.My mouth drops open in disbelief, and I quickly glance over at Dante, who is smiling proudly. Before I even realize it, I'm running into his arms.We’re already out of the car, but I can’t believe my eyes. I needed to step out quickly to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.Christine stands before me, looking effortlessly handsome in a black cotton jacket and a white-purple shirt. He pairs it with blue-purple trousers and a brown leather belt.His matching black sneakers complete the look. His short wavy black hair perfectly complements his outfit, and as he slides the guitar across his body, I can barely breathe.I realize I’m still in Dante’s arms, and I quickly pull away with a nervous laugh.I have no idea how Dante knew about my obsession with Christine’s music, but whatever he did to make this happen, I’m grateful.I’ve always admired Christine from a distance, watching him on TV. Back when my father’s business wa
Sophia's POVMany thoughts are running through my head while he sits calmly beside me, driving the car. I still haven't been able to comprehend his confessions. I still haven't been able to accept that my Mother is right this time.I haven't come to terms with what he said. Being nervous around men has never been my thing but for weeks, I have been extremely nervous around him and I try as much to avoid him.I know he wants answers but I have nothing to say to him. I just wished he never confessed his feelings to me and I am still as clueless as ever. I doubt if I can ever become comfortable with him again."Are you ok?" He demands with a voice thick in concern.I spare him a glance. He is watching me with a worried expression while driving expertly with his left hand. I don't think I have ever seen him drive himself."Yes", I nod and gulp down loudly before looking away.He must think I am nervous about the information I got this night which involves my father and his but that isn't
Dante POVI ache so desperately for the remaining months so she can go and I can be back to my normal self.This is what she wants. If she wanted to be gone, then maybe she will be out of my mind as well.I hate this pathetic feeling in me. With my hand entwined with hers, we run all the way home. As soon as we are inside the massive gate, I let go of her hand and begin to walk faster so I can get away from her and away from the longing I feel.When I step inside, I hurry towards the staircase. I need to get rid of these clothes and have a hot shower before going to bed.I get to my door, open it and enter before proceeding to remove my clothes. I am halfway done when the door opens again and Sophia comes in.I hear her locking the door from behind and I turn back. "What are you doing here?""I want to sleep", she answers indifferently and begins to take off her wet clothes too with her gaze still fixed on mine.When she is done taking off the jacket and her top, leaving her in just
Sophia's POV Two hours of mindless Netflix binging and a bowl of bland popcorn later, I toss the remote aside with a frustrated sigh. The movie isn’t cutting it. The popcorn? Tasteless. My patience? Hanging by a thread. Nothing seems to hold my attention these days, and the boredom is gnawing at me. It’s not just boredom, it’s something deeper. Restlessness. At first, I thought changing my surroundings would help. I left my room for Dante’s, hoping being in his space would ease the monotony. It worked, but only for a moment. Now, I’m back to feeling suffocated. I need to get out. Back when I was with Liam, boredom was never an issue. If it crept in, the solution was simple, Liam or parties. I don’t miss Liam, but I do miss the freedom of my old life. No heavy expectations. No endless worries weighing me down. Now? I’m stuck worrying about Dante, about our rocky relationship, about my parents. Dante is colder than I ever imagined he could be. It’s like he’s punishing
Dante's POV The anger simmering inside me refuses to fade, even after I apologized to her. It's an unshakable rage mixed with a suffocating tightness in my chest and a hollow ache in my stomach. I can’t get a grip on my emotions as I sit at the bar counter downstairs, staring at the glass of whiskey and wine I just poured. The sharp tang of the alcohol barely registers as I gulp it down, trying to drown the storm inside me. I wish none of this had happened. I wish I hadn’t told her how I felt. Maybe then, things wouldn’t have spiraled like this. She’s still in love with him. Liam. He’s the one she wants, or at least he was before I came into the picture. If she hadn’t learned about the arranged marriage, would she have taken him back? Accepted his apology? Maybe it’s not as easy to erase your first love as I thought. Maybe she misses how he used to kiss her. “Damn it!” I slam my fist against the counter, wincing at the sharp pain that follows. I didn’t see this coming.
Sophia's POVFinding out such a significant part of my life like this is something I never wanted Mother to know about. I never thought it through seriously. I just assumed she wouldn’t care as long as her ambitions were fulfilled.But seeing her standing there, mouth agape, I feel a deep sense of shame. I wish she hadn’t overheard my conversation with Dante.It’s mortifying.Almost as mortifying as Dante finding out I’m still a virgin despite all the wild parties, reckless behavior, and my headstrong attitude."A contract marriage?" she repeats, as though she still can’t believe what she’s just heard. Finally, she shuts her mouth. I slump onto the bed, my head bowed low in embarrassment.We shouldn’t have talked about this here."Sophia, talk to me. What does he mean by a contract marriage? Did you two actually sign a contract?" She grabs an ottoman and sits in front of me, her expression demanding answers.I’m guessing Dante was too furious to answer her earlier. He just made sure s
Sophia's POV Father is refusing to answer my questions. I’ve given him more than enough time, but his silence makes it clear—he doesn’t want to talk about it. I’m sure he knows something. Either he’s hiding something or trying to protect Dante’s father simply because he’s my father-in-law. Just like Dante said, how can we help if we don’t know the truth about their past? I try again, reaching out to him, hoping to persuade him to speak. Just then, the door opens without warning. I turn and see Mom walk in, her face lit up with excitement. “Guess who’s here?” she beams, gesturing toward the open door. Dante steps in, looking...off. His jaw is clenched, and his eyes hold a look I can’t quite decipher. He closes the door behind him and walks in, his presence heavy. I didn’t tell him Father would be discharged today—Mom must have. We haven’t been on great terms since the other night, but even then, he’s never looked this furious. Did something happen at work? Did he
Dante PovCelina has been blowing up my phone for days. She never had a reason to call me all this time, but seeing me again after so many years—now with a woman I call my wife—must have set her off. Sophia doesn’t need to know who she is. The mere thought of Celina irritates the hell out of me. How did she even get my number? She never reached out before, and now, all of a sudden, she starts calling non-stop. The first time she called, I recognized her voice before she even introduced herself. I hung up immediately. Since then, I haven’t answered her calls, not once. This morning, I finally blocked her number. She's too annoying, and I’m blaming her for Sophia’s recent coldness toward me. It’s easier to shift the blame onto Celina than to face the fact that my own actions might be the problem. It’s been days since I took Sophia to the garden, and ever since, she’s been deliberately ignoring me. She spends her nights at the hospital with her dad, but last night, she finally
Sophia’s POV Liam and Clara are the only people who know I’m a virgin. No one else. Not even my own mother. You’d think she might have guessed, considering she’s my mother. But with the wild parties Clara and I attend and the fact that I had a boyfriend for years, she must have assumed I’d lost it somewhere along the way. She never asked. And I never told her. If she did know, I’d think she was the one who told Dante. But my mother doesn’t know, so who did? “You can’t have sex with someone you don’t love,” Dante says suddenly, his voice low but sharp, cutting through my thoughts. “But you never had sex with Liam, and you were with him for years. Didn’t you love him?” The question hits me like a slap. My heart stumbles over itself, and I gape at him. “How...how do you know that?” I stammer, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound calm. “How I know doesn’t matter, does it?” “Of course it matters!” I snap, louder than I intend. Silence settles between us.
Sophia's POV My chest tightens as Liam’s lips crash against mine, the kiss fierce and demanding, his hands threading through my hair with a grip that doesn’t allow for escape. He presses harder, seeking entrance I stubbornly refuse to grant, my teeth clenched against the invasion. But resistance only lasts so long. The moment I falter, he takes full advantage, his tongue sweeping inside to claim every inch of me. His hands travel boldly downward, sending a jolt of awareness through me. Then he bites, softly but deliberately, at the corner of my lips, breaking the haze. Reality slams into me with the force of a hurricane. How did we get here? Why is this happening? My thoughts are a swirling mess of questions I can’t answer. Dante has never looked more serious than he does now. There’s no teasing smirk, no casual air about him. His dark eyes burn with something raw, something I don’t dare name. And yet, I can’t shake the disbelief. This is the second time today he’s kissed me