Sophie’s pov ;As I sat on the sofa, watching Aunt Rosa bustle about in the kitchen, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.This was the kind of warmth and ease a family should have—a comfortable atmosphere filled with gentle care and natural affection.Unlike me, Aunt Rosa’s daughter didn’t have to worry about housework or tending to siblings. She could just focus on being a child. I’ve been helping my parents with chores for as long as I can remember, running the store, taking care of my younger brother.I wasn’t a child who needed care for them; I was just…a tool.I never envied people with endless money, but I did envy people with endless love. How I wished I could have been born into a family like that. If only my parents had loved me even a little more.Aunt Rosa soon prepared a large spread of dishes. Before she left, I invited her to stay and eat with us."Aunt Rosa, please stay and eat with us," I asked hopefully.She smiled at me, gentle and warm, like always. "No need, So
Dominic’s pov ;I watched her closely, my gaze tracing the slight furrow in her brow.“Are you feeling uncomfortable in your stomach?” I asked, trying to sound neutral, though I was more concerned than I let on.She looked up, her face a little flushed. “I…I think I just ate too much. My stomach’s been bloated, and drinking water hasn’t helped.”“Don’t drink more water if it’s bloated,” I told her. I moved to the cabinet and took out the medicine box, searching until I found a strip of lactase.Handing it to her, I said, “Take a few of these and rest. They’ll help with digestion.”She accepted the pills with a small nod, her expression both grateful and a bit shy. In a few minutes, the tension in her face softened as she relaxed.The bloating seemed to be easing, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction—small problems like these I could fix without much effort.“Thank you, Sir,” she let out, giving me a soft smile. “I think I’ll go back to my room and get some sleep.”“Wai
Sophie’s pov ;Later, while we ate, I caught myself mumbling a formula aloud, trying to remember it. “What’s the name of that theorem…?”Without missing a beat, Dominic answered. I looked at him, my eyes wide. “That’s it! Sir, how do you know all this?”I felt a little silly as soon as I said it—of course he would know. The Sir went to college too, after all.He just shrugged, looking casual. “I haven’t forgotten everything I learned.”“Sir…were you a top student?” I asked curiously.He gave a small, almost arrogant smile. “Not quite. They used to call me the God of Learning.”He said it so matter-of-factly, like it was just a minor detail, but his confidence left me awestruck. I stood there staring, probably with my mouth open.He raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t believe it?”“No, no! I believe it!” I said quickly.Of course he was brilliant—I’d always thought so. But hearing it in that smooth, confident voice of his just made me admire him even more. I could feel my cheeks heatin
Dominic’s pov ;I watched Sophie as she bit open the sugar-roasted chestnuts, peeling them with care.To my surprise, she held one up to me. "Sir, you'll be the first to eat."Her earnestness caught me off guard, but I took the chestnut she offered, tasting the sweet, sticky warmth. It wasn’t bad, actually—soft and comforting, much like the little crybaby in front of me. She seemed blissfully unaware of my thoughts as she bit into another chestnut, smiling to herself.The sun filtered through the leaves above, casting light over her pale skin, making her almost seem to glow. Her nose was small and perfectly shaped, and there was a bit of chestnut powder dusted over her cherry-red lips. She looked so innocent. So tempting.And for some strange reason, it brought back my grandmother's misunderstanding—the way she’d somehow gotten it into her head that Sophie and I were having a child together. If I couldn't find some way to justify this soon, I’d be left without an explanation."Do you
Sophie’s pov :Returning to the Galaxy Hotel, I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Peter, the same colleague who had previously accused me of theft, stood before me in front of the crowd.His voice, loud and clear, echoed through the room. "Sophie, I apologize. I thought you stole something without finding out the truth. Don't take it to heart. I'm straightforward, not one for tricks, and this time, I was wrong."The apology was public, a forced act, and it felt humiliating. It was as though he was making me swallow the guilt in front of everyone. The attention made my face burn, the sting of shame crawling under my skin. I felt exposed, like a puppet on display. But I couldn’t let him see how it affected me.I steadied my breathing, trying to keep my composure. “It doesn’t matter,” I said, my voice level, though I couldn’t completely hide the tension in it. “Let’s just put it behind us.”With a sarcastic tone, he spoke again, his words dripping with venom. "Rest assured, if I don’t h
Sophie’s pov ;"There’s no one I know with that name," I said, almost to myself, as Jenna had mentioned the name “Brandon Carpenter.” Why did it sound so...strange?My chest felt tight, like there was a weight pressing down on it. It hurt in a way I couldn’t explain."Sophie, what’s wrong with you?" Jenna’s voice pulled me back to the conversation.I pressed a hand over my chest, willing the sensation to go away."Nothing," I said, trying to sound casual. "I just think…that name feels very…special."There was a slight pause on her end before Jenna continued. "The Carpenter family still holds a high status here in London, but their reputation faded after something happened over ten years ago. It led to the family’s decline. Now, they’re considered second-rate."I felt an odd pang of sadness. "What happened?" The question tumbled out before I even thought about it."Sophie, you never cared about wealthy family drama before. Why are you curious about the Carpenters now?""I…I don’t know.
Sophie’s pov ;During lunch break, I made my way to the fountain garden at Galaxy Hotel, craving a bit of quiet. I settled on the steps, listening to the birds chirping in the trees above.Before long, I heard light footsteps approaching, and a familiar voice called out, "Sophie, I see you again!"I looked up to see Ava, her face bright with a smile. "It's you, Ava."She skipped over, as lively as ever, and sat beside me. "What are you daydreaming about here?"I lowered my head, feeling a slight blush on my cheeks. "Nothing." I tried to sound casual, but memories of last night came flooding back.The way Sir had looked at me, his words about having a baby…I’d been so shocked, embarrassed beyond words. And then this morning, I couldn’t even bring myself to face him. I had skipped breakfast entirely, rushing out as soon as I woke up to avoid the awkwardness."Have you had lunch yet?" Ava’s question snapped me back to the present.I nodded, though I knew I hadn’t eaten much. "Yes, I’ve e
Dominic’s pov ;As soon as I saw her step into the car, I caught the distinct scent of the tea clinging to her clothes.The eldest son of the Flensky family, Christopher, was known for his refined tastes and mysterious demeanor, an elegant face masking shrewd intentions. People like him—people who played at subtle games—were hardly the sort I wanted Sophie entangled with.She’s innocent, trusting, like a little white rabbit. She’s too pure for the intricate schemes of this world. And I can’t always be around to protect her. My best option was to keep her far from such influences.“Stay away from him,” I said quietly.She nodded, her voice soft. “I see.”For the rest of the ride, I noticed her head dipping slightly, fighting the drowsiness. But every time I glanced at her, she was curled tightly in the corner of the car, as if deliberately keeping a distance, clearly cautious.“If you’re tired, come over and sleep,” I finally said.She jolted awake, her cheeks coloring as she shook her
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