Sophie’s pov ;I know the Sir is strict with me because he wants me to be stronger, to rely less on him, and to start finding my own strength.I don’t want to be that little crybaby anymore, someone who can’t handle even a small breeze. One day, I want to be someone who can stand on her own and face any storm that comes her way.So, when he said in that firm tone of his, “Don’t go to work at the coffee shop anymore.”I knew he was only looking out for me."But, what if I still want to make money?" I asked, feeling a bit sheepish.“I’ll help you find a new job,” he replied. “Somewhere farther from school, so you won’t be targeted by Amanda again.”As usual, he made perfect sense. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if that crazy woman showed up again and caused trouble at the café. The manager there was so kind; it wouldn’t be fair to drag them into this mess.“Okay, thank you, Sir,” I said with a nod. “Next time I pass by the café, I’ll tell the manager I won’t be coming in anymore.”I fig
Sophie’s pov :After I changed into my comfortable clothes, I tried to brush off the odd feeling in my chest.Sir had helped me without so much as a second glance, not even hesitating. Here I was, face burning, hoping for some kind of reaction, and he barely noticed me at all.Not even a flicker of interest.Was I really that unattractive? I flopped onto the bed and grabbed my pillow, punching it with frustration."Stinky Sir," I muttered. "You're the one who's blind!"At dinner, I tried to brush it off, but Sir kept piling food onto my plate until it looked like a mini mountain.I grimaced, "Sir, I don’t have that big of an appetite.""Eat more, you're too thin," he replied, all calm and serious, his black hair still damp, and his face looking as cold as ever.His words hit me like a bolt. Was he saying I was so thin it was...unappealing? Was that why he wasn’t interested in me?I looked down at my body, scrutinizing myself. Sure, I wasn’t exactly curvy, but was I that boring? Embarr
Sophie’s pov ;After I changed into my comfortable clothes, I still felt a strange warmth blooming in my chest.Sir’s words from last night kept replaying in my mind. He’d said no one had the right to judge my body, that he just wanted me to be healthy.A gentle warmth crept over my skin again, like I was wrapped in something soft and sweet. Sir could be so cold and distant, but in his own way, he really cared. I couldn’t help smiling.The next morning, Aunt Rosa handed me a glass of red date soy milk, and I gulped it down with a new sense of ease.“Aunt Rosa, you don’t have to make this for me every morning now,” I said, feeling lighter.My heart was finally at peace; I didn’t need to change myself for anyone.Across the table, Sir looked up from his magazine. I caught a brief smile on his face before he masked it with his usual calm expression.I waved to him, grabbing my thermos for class. “Sir, I’m heading out now. Bye!”“Hmm,” he replied, still cool as always, but I felt his gaze
Sophie’s pov ;The moment I placed the strawberry mousse cake on the table, I felt like I was holding something priceless. I'd never bought a cake for myself before, much less one this big.Touching the tray beneath it, I frowned. “Sir, why is a six-inch cake so big? How can the two of us finish it?”Sir sat across from me, his expression impassive as usual.He simply replied, “If you can’t finish it, give the rest to Aunt Rosa. She has children at home.”I smiled, nodding eagerly. “That’s a great idea, Sir. You really do have a good heart.”He didn’t respond, only looked away with an odd expression. I knew that some people thought Sir was cold and distant, but I didn’t believe it. He’d always been so thoughtful, even if he hid it under that serious demeanor.I cut the cake and gave Sir the biggest piece, topping it with the best strawberries. I wanted him to enjoy this as much as I did, and as I took my first bite, my whole mouth filled with the creamy, sweet taste I’d always dreamed
Dominic’s pov ;Sophie's cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of red as she quickly slipped out of my arms, her defiant voice ringing out, “I learned all this from you.”I raised an eyebrow. “From me?”She snorted, that small, indignant sound only making me want to pull her back close.“If you dare to be mean to me again, I’ll run away and stop being your wife, Dominic.”She said my name, and I felt it like a whisper of something intimate, a quiet plea that made my throat tighten. The urge to pull her back into my arms surged within me, a reminder of just how disarming this girl was without even realising it.I felt my eyes darken as I leaned closer, my voice low and almost a threat. “If you call my name again, don’t even think about going back tonight.”She blinked, innocence mixed with a small hint of curiosity. “Where do I sleep, then?”My gaze met hers, and I let the words slip, heavy with intention. “What do you think?”Her face went a deeper red as she caught my meaning. I could alm
Dominic’s pov ;My new assistant for today informed me. "She's crying. Hiding in the lounge, alone."My jaw clenched as a cold anger seeped through me. But just as I steeled myself, Mr. Palmer continued, laughing and rambling on, entirely oblivious.I thought she would be fine on her own so I walked away earlier because I didn't want her to find out my real identity but when I heard what this bastard did to her I saw red.“Just watch,” he sneered, “she’ll go crawling back for that money. Women are all the same—give them cash, and they'll do anything. These women...nothing but toys to be used, discarded. Show a bit of kindness, and they act like they're entitled to respect.”The teacup cracked against the table as I set it down. Silence fell like a guillotine, cutting off every breath in the room.I allowed a smile—cold, biting. “John Palmer, if I recall, you have a mother at home, don&rsq
Sophie’s pov ;Sir gestured for me to sit, and I did, feeling the tension in my shoulders slowly ease. He leaned in, his large hand gently pinching my chin, his touch sending an unexpected wave of warmth through me.The eye drops hovered above my eyes, but then his gaze shifted, lingering on the redness in my eyes from the tears I’d tried to hide earlier.He must have noticed the way I rubbed my cheek. Before I could even react, his fingers were on my face, pinching my cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world. I jolted in surprise, not expecting the sudden contact, my lips pouting in confusion.“Sir, what are you doing...?” I stammered, my words muffled as I tried to wriggle away from his gentle grasp.His gaze softened, his fingers moving over my face with such care that it made my heart flutter in spite of myself.“You’re so soft,” he murmured, his thumb rubbing over my cheek as though
Sophie’s pov ;I wasn’t going back to that house—my so-called family, where I was treated like nothing more than a maid. They’d never cared about me.But now, with Sir, everything felt different. I felt valued, respected, cared for in a way I’d never known before."Jenna, if they call you from a different number, just block them all. Don’t pay any attention to them. Don’t let them affect your mood."I didn’t want to give them the power to hurt me anymore. They had drained me dry for years, using me for whatever they could. But I couldn’t go back now, not after finding a sense of peace with Sir. I couldn’t risk bringing trouble to him."Yes, I will. Don’t worry." Jenna's voice was comforting.I spent the next two days in a constant state of anxiety. I couldn’t even sleep properly, my mind racing with thoughts of what might happen if they found me. Every time my phone rang
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