Sophie’s pov ;I didn’t even remember how I ran back to the bedroom. My mind was blank, my feet moving on instinct. Everything after that…it was like a haze. My entire face felt like it was on fire, my body practically burning from the embarrassment.The only thing I remember clearly was slamming the door behind me and hiding. Leaning against the door, I could hear his footsteps as he walked into the bathroom, the sound of the shower turning on, the steady stream of water hitting the tiles. My heart was pounding so loudly, I wondered if he could hear it from the other side of the door.Eventually, the water stopped, and his footsteps echoed again as he left the bathroom. I didn’t even dare to breathe until I heard the sound of the master bedroom door closing. Only then did I let out the breath I’d been holding.Without thinking, I slipped off my shoes and climbed into bed, pulling the quilt up over my head, trying to hide from my own thoughts. But everything was so quiet. The only sou
Sophie’s pov ;I left Dominic’s car feeling like the world was brighter and lighter. All my doubts from earlier had disappeared, and I felt silly for ever having questioned him.Sir may be cold and distant at times, but I was beginning to see him differently. Behind that serious exterior, he was kind, steady, and always responsible. He may have scolded me a little too harshly sometimes, but his words were often what I needed to hear.As I entered the school grounds, clutching my cane, I could hardly contain my happiness. Just this morning, I’d felt so down, but now I felt like I was walking on air. It must’ve been obvious to anyone watching—I probably looked like a kid on a field trip.The school grounds were busier than usual, and I noticed a crowd rushing in one direction.“Oh my god, Amanda is actually here at school. She just won the first prize in the Financial Cup Competition!” someone said excitedly.“Yeah, and don’t forget, she’s the fiancée of the richest man in London!”I ca
Sophie’s pov ;I stood there a bit longer, waiting for Dominic, but he never showed up. The streetlights were beginning to flicker on, and the sky was darkening.Carolyn noticed I was still there and suggested going home together.But I gave her a small smile and shook my head. “You haven’t eaten dinner yet. Go back first. I can get home on my own.”She looked concerned, glancing at the shadows stretching across the sidewalk. “Is your home far away? I don’t mind taking you.”“No, it’s nearby. Really, I’ll be fine,” I reassured her.It was just as well, since the class monitor called for her, giving me the perfect excuse to send her off.But as I started on my way home alone, I noticed the pathway was dimmer than usual, and there were fewer people out tonight. I tried to keep calm, even as my grip tightened around my cane.Then, out of nowhere, a tall, bulky figure emerged in front of me. He looked at me with a vicious expression, and I felt a jolt of fear.“So, I finally caught you,”
Domonic’s pov ;With Sophie asleep in my arms, I turned to face Jack and his two bastard friends. My gaze locked onto them. They stood there, shaking like cowards, terror plain on their faces. One of them—the fool, Jack—stammered out his pleas.“Mr. Williams, Mr. Williams, we didn’t know she was…if I’d known she was connected to you, I swear I wouldn’t have done anything to her, not in a million years.”My stare hardened, colder than death itself. These idiots dared to touch her. They had no idea the chasm of their mistake, but they’d understand soon enough.“Find out their identities. Bankrupt those who should be, and for those who don’t belong in London…I want them out…”My men didn’t need further instruction. They knew my family was my only weakness, the one place no one could touch without consequence.These morons clearly had a death wish. With a single move, I could strip them of everything, turn their lives to rubble. And I would. They would be bankrupt, driven out, unable to e
Sophie’s pov ;The next morning, I messaged Carolyn to ask for her help with the teacher. “Carolyn, I have a follow-up eye exam today,” I told her. “Could you ask for leave for me? I’m afraid the teacher might call my name.”“Of course. Is your leg okay? When do you think you’ll be back?”“I’m fine,” I reassured her, “I’ll be back after the checkup. Thanks, Carolyn.”After ending the call, a notification popped up on my screen: “The emergency contact has sent you a message: ‘I have something urgent to do and cannot come to your school in time. I will ask my assistant to drive to the East Gate to pick you up.’”I sighed. If only I had heard this message yesterday. I could’ve avoided what happened…maybe I wouldn’t have been walking home alone.Daniel, Sir’s assistant, drove me to the hospital. As he maneuvered through traffic, he glanced back at me in the rearview mirror. “Mrs. Sophie, I’ll park at the East Gate for pickups next time. The regular gate doesn’t allow waiting.”I nodded. “
Sophie’s pov :Due to all the crying and stress, my eyes were red and puffy, and the doctor had even prescribed eye drops to help. I'd never used them before, so when I got home and tried to put them in myself, it was harder than I’d thought.Every time the dropper neared my eye, my lids would squeeze shut on instinct. After wasting several precious drops, I realized I wasn’t going to get it on my own.Reluctantly, I turned to Dominic.“Sir, can you help me put some eye drops in?” I asked, feeling more than a little embarrassed.Dominic put down whatever he was working on and came over without hesitation. “Give me the eye drops.”“Yes, Sir,” I replied, handing him the small bottle. I felt his fingers press lightly against my chin as he tilted my face up and raised the bottle over my eye, but each time he moved to squeeze, my eyes kept closing tightly.He paused, then tilted his head thoughtfully. “Open your mouth,” he instructed.“Ah?” I blinked at him, completely puzzled. My eyes nee
Sophie’s pov ;I carefully wrote down today’s date and the costs for the exam and medication in my little notebook.I fumbled with the pen, making sure to add the supplements and nutrients that Sir had been buying for me, even though I didn’t know how much they cost.For someone with an ordinary family like his, all these expenses—especially that eight-digit surgery fee—must have drained his savings and probably left him with some debt.Sir never brings up these things, but I can’t forget. Every little bit of his kindness is etched in my memory, whether he realises it or not.Once I’d finished writing, I tucked the account book into the bedside table and carefully hid it away. I was about to turn off the light when memories of that night crept back into my thoughts.Just once…Will it really only happen once? We only did it just one time. I swallowed, a strange heat flooding me. Is it enough to make me pregnant?But why hasn’t he asked me to fulfil my role as his wife again? Maybe he d
Edwin’s pov ;I texted Carolyn about Sophie, I hoped to get some insight into her preferences. She was Sophie’s roommate, after all, so she had to know something.Carolyn’s reply came quickly:"You can ask if you want to, but I have to make it clear that I will never reveal anything involving Sophie’s privacy to you."“No problem,” I assured her. “I just want to find out about her preferences, nothing else. By the way, you and Sophie are roommates, right?”"Yes, we’re in the same dormitory. As for Sophie's preferences…” Carolyn paused for a moment before adding, “She likes to learn, works hard, and is very friendly to people."Not exactly the answer I was looking for, so I pressed a bit. “Do you know what type of boys she likes?”There was a pause before Carolyn replied, “Sophie’s aesthetic is…unique. She doesn’t seem to like guys who are too handsome.”That took me by surprise. “She doesn’t like handsome guys?”"Right. In her eyes, handsome guys are ugly-hearted and rude.” Carolyn ev
Brandon’s pov ;I stood in front of my father’s desk, clutching a stack of papers so tightly my knuckles turned white. My throat was dry, and my lips trembled as I tried to gather my words. I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, but that wasn’t the reason for the exhaustion weighing me down. It was the discovery I’d made—one that turned my entire world upside down.“Dad,” I finally said, my voice hoarse as I handed him the documents. “You need to see this.”My father, Jason Carpenter, had been scolding me just moments ago for being absent during critical company decisions. Normally, I would’ve explained myself, but this time I didn’t care about the business. Not when something far more important had come to light.He frowned, clearly irritated by my silence, but he took the papers from me anyway. “What is this?” he asked, flipping through the pages.I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I watched him closely as his expression shifted from confusion to shock the moment his eyes land
Brandon’s pov ;I stood in front of my father’s desk, clutching a stack of papers so tightly my knuckles turned white. My throat was dry, and my lips trembled as I tried to gather my words. I hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, but that wasn’t the reason for the exhaustion weighing me down. It was the discovery I’d made—one that turned my entire world upside down.“Dad,” I finally said, my voice hoarse as I handed him the documents. “You need to see this.”My father, Jason Carpenter, had been scolding me just moments ago for being absent during critical company decisions. Normally, I would’ve explained myself, but this time I didn’t care about the business. Not when something far more important had come to light.He frowned, clearly irritated by my silence, but he took the papers from me anyway. “What is this?” he asked, flipping through the pages.I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I watched him closely as his expression shifted from confusion to shock the moment his eyes land
Brandon’s pov ;I could feel the weight of the conversation with Ava pressing down on me as I walked away.My mind was racing, each new piece of information about Sophie sending my thoughts spiraling. The way Ava described her—her difficult family, the fact that she worked to make ends meet—it painted a picture I hadn’t fully realized until now.Sophie was struggling, yet she still managed to smile, to hold herself with such strength. It made me think back to everything I’d seen in her, every quiet moment she shared, every piece of her story that didn’t seem to quite fit.Her family didn’t treat her well, Ava had said. That sentence kept echoing in my mind. It was a painful reminder of the life Bella had left behind, the life she’d fought so hard to escape.And now, Sophie was in front of me, so similar to her in more ways than one, yet so different in others. She didn’t know who she truly was, didn’t know the depth of the blood running through her veins, and I couldn’t help but wonde
Edwin’s pov ;I stared at myself in the mirror, adjusting my collar for the fifth time. Everything had to be perfect today. I’d been planning this for weeks—no more doubts, no more second-guessing.Today, I was going to confess to Sophie. I had everything ready. The flowers, the chocolates, the carefully chosen outfit.I wanted to look charming, rustic, just the right amount of down-to-earth. Nothing too fancy, nothing too flashy. Sophie wasn’t like that. She liked simplicity.I’d checked my appearance over and over again. Hair neat, shirt slightly wrinkled just enough to seem like I wasn’t trying too hard. Perfect. I gave myself a quick nod of approval and took a deep breath. This was it.Grandma had called earlier, reminding me to bring a girlfriend back with me. I could almost hear her voice: “When you’re free, come and see Grandma. It would be best if you could bring a girlfriend back.”
Sophie’s pov ;Winning the title of campus belle of the University of Finance and Economics felt surreal. The ceremony was over, and as I stepped down from the stage, the buzz of excitement around me was overwhelming. My friends quickly surrounded me, all of them beaming with pride.Jenna was the first to congratulate me, practically jumping up and down. "Sophie, congratulations! I knew you could do it!"I couldn't help but smile, the sense of accomplishment filling me up. "Great, I got a bonus of 20,000 Pounds," I said, a little smugly. Money was real to me—it was something tangible, something I could actually use to ease the weight on my shoulders.Jenna grinned, teasing me, "You don’t care about the great honor, you only care about the bonus."I shrugged. "The money’s more important. I’ll take it over any false reputation any day."Yanran, always the proud one, added, "From today on, your name will be known throughout the university circles in London."I gave a small, indifferent s
Dominic’s pov :I sat in the private VIP suite, my eyes fixed on the stage below. The woman I had expected to be waiting for was not the one drawing all the attention—no, it was her. Sophie.I had been on my way to a meeting overseas, but something made me change my mind at the last minute.I’d canceled everything, rushing to get here, just to watch a simple student competition. I knew I was obsessed with her, but this... this was different. It felt like fate."Good thing I arrived in time," I thought, my fingers tapping restlessly on the armrest. "Otherwise, I would have missed it."She appeared later than the others, almost as if the universe itself had conspired to make sure I wouldn’t miss the moment when she walked on that stage. It was like everything was falling into place.The lights dimmed as the music began to play, and suddenly, Sophie opened her mouth. Her voice—so pure, so angelic—poured over the audience like a soft rain, filling the space. The chatter in the room ceased
Sophie’s pov ;The backstage was buzzing with nervous energy, and I could feel my heart racing. Everyone was busy running around, preparing for their moment in the spotlight. But for some reason, I couldn’t shake the tightness in my chest. Maybe it was because everything felt so out of my control.The makeup artist rushed over to me, her face filled with panic. "Every contestant is wearing heavy makeup, and all the cosmetics are used up. What should we do?" she said, her hands trembling as she looked at the empty makeup trays.I swallowed hard, not wanting to let the pressure get to me. "No need to worry. I can go on stage without makeup," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. I wasn’t nervous—I refused to be. But the situation was definitely not ideal.The makeup artist looked at me like I had just suggested I would walk on stage without clothes. "That’s not a good idea! The lighting on stage is harsh, and with
Rey’s pov ;I couldn’t believe my luck. Of all the things I had planned, of all the precautions I had taken, this was what I ended up walking into.Amanda had assured me everything was in place, that Sophie would be eliminated in the first round, and I couldn’t afford any slip-ups. With connections from both the Gu family and the Carpenter family among the judges, Sophie’s defeat was practically guaranteed.It was supposed to be foolproof. Sophie was nothing. A nobody. But if she managed to sneak through—if that bitch somehow advanced—everything I had worked for would crumble. The Carpenter family’s precious daughter, the one they had been obsessing over for years, would be found. And then, Sophie would be everywhere. In the media, on the news, in public—and I couldn’t let that happen.I left Amanda to take care of things, heading toward the audience. I had to get out of the back, away from all the cha
Sophie’s pov ;The contest day~~I couldn’t help but smile at the advice Jenna and Carolyn gave me. "Treat everyone as cabbages," they said.Sure, that was supposed to help me not get nervous. But I wasn’t really all that nervous to begin with. I mean, what was there to be nervous about? It was just a competition.Jenna was right, though. She was more nervous for me than I was for myself. “After all, this is your first time participating in such a big competition, so of course I am nervous for you,” she said with a soft smile.I appreciated it, but I didn’t feel the same way. The prize money was all that mattered to me; winning wasn’t some big milestone.Carolyn leaned in and whispered, “I heard that Senior Amanda is here too.”I instantly stiffened at the name. “Which Senior Amanda?” I asked, though I already knew who she meant.“It’s Amanda, Senior