Chapter 3

I had wanted to leave my thing here and move on, but a small part of me wanted to hear what he had to say for himself.

The house I once thought was home stood before me, its walls holding memories I wished I could forget. The driveway was the same, the porch light flickering like it always did, but everything felt different... colder, emptier.

Alexander's Porsche came to a smooth stop, the bare hum of the engine fading into the quiet street. I gripped the hem of my dress, my fingers twisting the fabric as if holding on to something real... something that wouldn’t betray me.

“You don’t have to do this,” Alexander’s voice cut through the silence, calm and unreadable.

I turned to look at him. His hands rested casually on the wheel, his sharp features unreadable in the dim glow of the streetlights. He didn’t seem like the kind of man who concerned himself with other people’s affairs. So why did he care now?

“Yes, I do,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.

He didn’t argue, just nodded once. “I’ll wait.”

"No, you don't have to; I'd be fine on my own; thank you for bringing me," I said holding his gaze for a minute

I pushed the car door open and stepped out, the night air biting against my skin. My heels clicked against the pavement as I walked toward the house, every step heavier than the last.

I wasn’t sure what I expected when I opened the door. Silence? Indifference? Maybe a shred of regret from Ethan?

But the moment I stepped inside, I knew I had been foolish to expect anything at all.

Because Ethan was waiting.

His face twisted in fury the second he saw me, his fists clenched at his sides. “You have some fucking nerve coming back here after the stunt you pulled at my office.”

I stared at him, my expression blank. “I only came to get my things. Nothing more.”

His laughter was sharp, cutting. “Your things? You mean the things I bought for you? The things you wouldn’t have owned without me?”

I inhaled slowly, willing my pulse to stay steady. “I deserved them all because I made you who you are today.”

“Don't fucking be delusional, Sophia; I got to where I am today because of my hard work,” he sneered, stepping closer.

But I wasn't backing down. "Hard work?" I scoffed. "Hard work indeed, get out of my way I need to pack," I said trying to shove him but he held my arms instead

“After those designer dresses, fancy dinners, that pretty little diamond necklace you claimed you loved so much, and now what? You think you can just pack them all and run off with some rich bastard and pretend like you owe me nothing! You owe me your entire fucking life!”

I scoffed, crossing my arms, meeting his glare without flinching. “You don't even know the half of it, Ethan. But not to worry, you'll soon realize it..”

He stepped closer further. “You have made it easy for me. I was done with you anyway.”

A sharp pain twisted in my chest, but I refused to let it show. Instead, I tilted my head, my lips curving into a smirk. “Then why are you so angry? Why are you so affected that someone else”

Ethan’s jaw tightened. His nostrils flared. “Don’t act like you won, Sophia. You were nothing before me, and you’ll be nothing after me. Do you think Mr Reid gives a damn about you? He’s simply using you. And when he’s done, he’ll throw you out like the trash you are.”

Something inside me snapped.

I stepped closer, looking him straight in the eyes. “Maybe he will,” I admitted, my voice low, steady. “But when I get to that bridge, I’ll cross it.” I let my smirk drop, my gaze turning sharp. “But if I were you, Ethan, I’d be more worried about catching yourself, because when you come crashing down, it’s going to hurt like hell.”

His face paled, his anger momentarily replaced with something else. 

Fear? Realization?

A slow clap broke the tension.

I turned to see Ethan’s mother standing near the staircase, her arms crossed, eyes filled with cold amusement.

“Oh, how adorable,” she mused, stepping down. “The little girl thinks she has power.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think, Mrs. Carter. I know.”

She smirked. “Is that so? And what exactly do you think you have? You’re nothing more than a used-up toy my son no longer wants.”

Ethan let out a bitter chuckle, seeming to regain his confidence. “She’s right, you know. I have bigger things to focus on now.”

I raised a brow. “Like what? Finding another girl to deceive?”

Mrs. Carter stepped forward, her smile cruel. “Like securing his future. Ethan will be attending the Lancaster Charity Gala in two days. And when he meets the heiress of the Lancaster Group, he’ll propose. And you? You’ll be nothing more than a forgotten memory.”

A slow, knowing smile spread across my lips.

“Oh?” I mused, tilting my head. “The Lancaster Charity Gala?”

Ethan frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

But I didn’t answer. I had nothing more to say to him.

I turned away, my heels clicking against the floor as I walked toward the door. But just before I stepped outside, I turned back one last time, letting the streetlights cast a glow over me.

“I will make you both regret this.”

And with that, I walked away without looking back. 

****

The car ride back was quieter than before.

Uncle Bruce didn’t speak, but I could feel his eyes on me, watching, waiting. He probably thought I would break down, that I would cry. But I wouldn’t.

I refused to.

As we neared the Lancaster Mansion l

I instructed. “Uncle Bruce Please Terminate Ethan’s invitation to the Lancaster Charity Gala.”

A short pause. Then, a chuckle. “Already ahead of you, Ms Sophia.”

I smirked. “Good.”

By the time we reached the Lancaster estate, my father was waiting at the entrance, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

“Finally,” Thomas Lancaster said, relief clear in his voice. “You’ve come to your senses.”

I stepped out of the car, brushing past him, my heart still hurting from the pain. “Not quite.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

I turned to face him, my stance firm. “I would like to continue living as Sophia Thomas.”

His brows furrowed. “Wait what? Bruce told me that you are already engaged to your betrothed... To Alexander Reid. There’s no need to...”

“That’s exactly why,” I interrupted. “He was willing to marry a stranger instead of the heiress of the Lancaster Group. Don’t you find that odd?”

My father hesitated. “You think he has ulterior motives?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice softer. “But I intend to find out.”

He sighed, rubbing his temples. “Sophia...”

I softened my gaze. “Please, Father. Trust me.”

After a long pause, he let out a long breath. “Fine. But be careful.”

I nodded, giving him a peck on the cheek before stepping inside.

Back in my bedroom, I finally let myself breathe.

The past clung to me like dirt, and I stripped it away, washing it off in the hot shower. The water burned, but I welcomed it. I needed to feel something... something that wasn’t betrayal, anger, or regret.

As I sat in front of my mirror, combing through my wet hair, my mind drifted.

Alexander Reid.

Who was he?

Why had he agreed to marry me so easily?

Was it desperation? Convenience? Or was he

hiding something, just like I was?

One thing was certain.

I would unravel him.

Even if it meant playing the most dangerous game of my life.