Chapter Thirty-Two He Knows! Alex I tipped back my glass of whiskey, the burn barely registering in my tongue before I went for another gulp. I stare out the window but my sight was far from focused on the city lights shining outside my window. My mind was elsewvhere. If you listened close enough you could hear the clicks as I performed calculations and the crank of the weight as I measured the risks that I was about to take. I knew all it would take for Sophia to claim her victory. It was a thin line. Just a sliver more, and Nathan Carter would lose everything. The thought should have satisfied me. It would mean justice has been served, the same justice I had spent years planning. But I knew better than to count my eggs before they hatch. I was just impatient to get to the finish lie that was staring me in the face. A sharp knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. "Enter," I called, already knowing who it was. Bellion stepped in. He move with a purp
SophiaNathan stands at my door, his expression carved from stone.The folder in his grip is thick, the kind of weight that speaks of buried secrets—my buried secrets. The sight of it coils something tight inside me, but I don’t let it show.Instead, I lean against the doorframe, tilting my head. “You’re out late, Nathan. Should I be flattered?”His jaw tightens. “Let me in.”I raise a brow, feigning amusement. “And why would I do that?”Nathan exhales sharply, as if restraining himself. “You should see what’s inside this folder before you get too comfortable with your little power play.”A bluff? Maybe. But I know Nathan. He wouldn’t show up like this unless he had something he thought could rattle me.I cross my arms. “Then say what you came to say, Nathan.”His grip tightens around the folder. “You think you’re smart, don’t you? Buying up shares, creeping onto my board like some parasite...”I smile. “I wouldn’t call myself a parasite. More like an equal shareholder.”His nostrils
AlexThe first rule of war: control the battlefield before your enemy even knows they’re in a fight.Nathan still thinks he’s playing offense. He doesn’t realize I’ve already moved my pieces into position. That every decision he makes is being funneled straight back to me.He’s too arrogant to see it.And arrogance? It’s the easiest weakness to exploit.I move out onto the penthouse balcony, the night breeze cooling my skin. The city lies spread out beneath me, a maze of lights and glass, but I'm not looking at the view. I'm looking at the phone pressed to my ear."Is it done?" I ask, my voice low.On the other hand, Bellion's voice is as suave as ever. "Yes, sir. The other shares were bought via our secondary channels. As of this morning, Sophia owns forty-one percent of Carter Industries legally."A slow smile creeps over my lips."And Nathan?""He doesn't know… yet. But I think that won't be so for long."Good. Let him sit in his glass spire, thinking he's above it all. Let him bel
SophiaNathan doesn't bluff.That's what goes through my mind as I stand on Alex's balcony, my fingers wrapped tightly around the phone. The call just ended a few minutes ago, but his last words hang in the air like smoke."Watch your back."A warning. A threat.I know Nathan well enough to know what that means. He's already making his moves. He's already planned how he's going to strike back.The question is—what's his next step?I glance at Alex, attempting to decipher his face for any inkling of concern. He stands with his arms crossed against the balcony railing, casually twirling the whiskey in his glass, but I can see the difference in his demeanor. The fast calculation in his eyes.He's thinking along the same lines as me."We need to prepare," I tell him.He takes his drink slowly before responding. "We already are."I blow air, messing up my hair with my hand. The weight of it all presses down on me, but I'm not going to let it get to me.Nathan's not trying to scare me. He's
Chapter Thirty-SixAlexThe gauntlet has been thrown.Nathan's warning was nothing more than a desperate attempt to regain control of the wheel, but I've known him long enough to not consider him a man who could be beaten. He's not that kind of guy. He doesn't fall. He retaliates.And the silence that follows? That's when the threat is real.Sophia is still in my penthouse, by the floor-to-ceiling windows, arms crossed. She hasn't spoken much since our conversation last night. But I see it—the fierce focus in her eyes, the wheels turning in her head, strategizing her next move."He's planning something," she says finally, her voice level but with a thread of tension underneath.I nod. "Of course, he is."She exhales, fists grasping the fabric of her blouse. "Then why do I feel like we're still one step behind?"I'm studying her closely. For all that she wears strength like armor, I can see where the cracks are underneath. Nathan's visit, his folder of painstakingly chosen threats—they
Chapter Thirty-SevenSophiaVictory is a stealthy, drunken monster.I sense it crawling up on me, slinging over my shoulders, tensing my muscles as I move down the corridors of Carter Industries. The fight at the boardroom may have ended in a tie, but I am wiser than that.Nathan is breaking.He wanted to embarrass me, to depict me as just a foolish woman playing a game that was beyond my capabilities. But he did not anticipate me to be ready.And now?Now, he is on the back foot.The knowledge lies soft on my lips as I step into my office. Weeks have gone by since I last passed through these doors, and yet nothing has changed. The same antiseptic perfection, the same pungent scent of freshly trimmed flowers, the same lingering aura of Nathan's presence.But this office is not his.It's mine.I toss my bag over the desk and turn to the magnificent windows that open out over the city. Rain is threatening again, dark gray clouds rolling in across the skyline, battering against the panes
SophiaChloe is a liar.She always has been.Even today, standing in my office, pretending to be desperate, she's acting, and calculating her words, ensuring that they make her out to be the victim.She wants me to believe it.She wants me to save her.But here's the thing, I gave up saving people the day Chloe and Nathan turned me into prey.I hesitate before speaking. I need her to feel it, the weight of not knowing, the power dynamic tipping my way."You want me to help you?" I demand finally, tipping my head back. "You, the same woman who stood at Nathan's back as he humiliated me? The same woman who smiled at me while laying a trap?" Chloe's lips clamp together. She's losing the argument, and she knows it."Sophia, I...""No." The sentence is firm but gentle. It's final. "You can't rewrite history, Chloe. You can't stand here and pretend you didn't rub my fall in my face."She flinches. Good.Standing in the corner of the room, Alex crosses his arms over his chest, a flash of am
SophiaThe walls of Carter Industries' headquarters have never felt so cold.I sit at the huge, polished boardroom table, my fingers tapping out a rhythm of anticipation on the wood. My presence has already unsettled the board. My 29% stake's influence looms over this room like a gun ready to fire at the first sign of provocation.Nathan isn't here yet, but I'm not in any doubt that he'll come. He wouldn't risk missing this meeting, not after the destruction I've unleashed.I inhale slowly, my expression unreadable, serene. Beside me, Alex lounges in his chair, casual but totally in control. The picture of easy dominance. His gaze drifts to me, dark amusement glinting in its depths."Enjoying yourself?" he murmurs.I would be if the show started already," I reply just as quietly.The doors explode open.Nathan strides in, a storm in a designer suit. His presence takes over the room immediately, his face an impassive mask. But I catch it, the underlying flash of anger beneath his featu
Sophia’s POVBy morning, the world had already taken sides.The news had spread like wildfire. My face was everywhere—headlines questioning my character, my daughter’s paternity, and my so-called lies. The media didn’t care about facts; they fed on scandal. Photos of Lina and Nathan were already being compared by strangers online. Hashtags trended. Conspiracy threads circulated like poison.It wasn’t just my name on the line anymore. It was Lina’s future. Her identity.I stood in front of the mirror in the penthouse bedroom, watching myself as Alex spoke quietly into the phone behind me. I was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, my hair a tangled mess, but none of that mattered. There was a fire in my chest now. An anger I hadn’t known I was capable of.“I don’t care what it costs,” Alex said, his voice low and sharp. “I want a full investigation into Victor’s finances and Chloe’s communications. Backdate it. Dig as far back as you need.”He ended the call and looked at me. “You okay?”
Sophia’s POVThe next morning arrived with a storm in its wake—figuratively and literally. Rain lashed against the windows of the penthouse, a dull gray mist casting a somber hue over the city. It mirrored my mood far too well.Alex had been up since dawn, pacing in his office, fielding calls from his legal team, PR experts, and Mark. I stood in the kitchen, staring into a cup of untouched coffee as Lina played quietly in the living room, her favorite sketchbook resting on her knees.But my mind was far from calm.Julian had promised to send over security footage—something he’d managed to obtain through one of his sources. Apparently, Nathan had been spotted meeting someone suspicious late last night. He hadn’t said who. Not yet.Just as I lifted the cup to my lips, Alex strode into the kitchen, his phone pressed to his ear. He gave me a tight nod before finishing the call and slipping the phone into his pocket.“Julian’s on his way over,” he said, brushing a hand over his jaw. “He sa
Sophia’s POVThe morning of the press conference arrived, and my nerves were a live wire beneath my skin. The media had been relentless since Nathan’s paternity claim went public, dissecting my past, my relationship with Alex, even my pregnancy. Every headline felt like a fresh wound. Alex stood beside me in front of the floor-length mirror in our bedroom, adjusting his tie. His reflection was all sharp angles and barely contained fury, but when his eyes met mine, they softened. “You ready?” he asked, voice low. I inhaled deeply, smoothing my hands over the sleek black dress I’d chosen—elegant, professional, unshakable. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” His fingers brushed my waist, grounding me. “Remember, we control this. Not him.” I nodded, but the weight of what we were about to do pressed down on me. This wasn’t just about refuting Nathan’s lies. It was about exposing him—and Chloe—for the manipulators they were. And Julian had given us the ammunition to do it. **********
Sophia’s POVThe dining room was suffocating. Crystal chandeliers cast a cold, glittering light over the long mahogany table, the same one where I’d endured countless silent meals as a child. The air smelled of roasted lamb and expensive wine, but beneath it all lingered something bitter—resentment, lies, and the unspoken war between us. Nathan sat directly across from me, his sharp jaw clenched, his fingers drumming impatiently against the tablecloth. His dark eyes flicked to mine, and for a second, I saw the same cold calculation that had haunted me since we divorced . Chloe, seated beside him, looked like the cat who got the cream, her lips curled in a smirk as she sipped her wine. My mother, ever the gracious host, gestured for the servers to begin plating the first course. “So,” she began, her voice too bright, “how have things been with the two of you?” I forced a smile, gripping my fork a little too tightly. “Busy, but good.” Alex’s hand found my knee under the tabl
Sophia’s povNathan’s words hung in the air like a blade poised to drop. My breath hitched, my fingers instinctively curling into fists at my sides. Beside me, Alex went rigid, his grip on my waist tightening protectively. "What the hell did you just say?" Alex’s voice was low, dangerous. Nathan didn’t flinch. His dark eyes remained locked on mine, cold and calculating. "You heard me." He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "Is it mine?" The accusation was like a slap. My pulse roared in my ears, my stomach twisting with fury. How dare he?I didn’t even think—my hand flew out, the sharp crack of my palm against his cheek echoing in the night air. Nathan barely staggered, but his head snapped to the side, a red mark blooming on his skin. "You disgusting bastard," I hissed. Nathan slowly turned back to face me, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "That’s not an answer." Alex moved before I could, shoving Nathan back hard enough that he stumbl
Sophia’s POVThe dining room was suffocating. Crystal chandeliers cast a cold, glittering light over the long mahogany table, the same one where I’d endured countless silent meals as a child. The air smelled of roasted lamb and expensive wine, but beneath it all lingered something bitter—resentment, lies, and the unspoken war between us. Nathan sat directly across from me, his sharp jaw clenched, his fingers drumming impatiently against the tablecloth. His dark eyes flicked to mine, and for a second, I saw the same cold calculation that had haunted me since we divorced . Chloe, seated beside him, looked like the cat who got the cream, her lips curled in a smirk as she sipped her wine. My mother, ever the gracious host, gestured for the servers to begin plating the first course. “So,” she began, her voice too bright, “how have things been with the two of you?” I forced a smile, gripping my fork a little too tightly. “Busy, but good.” Alex’s hand found my knee under the tabl
Sophia’s pov“That lying ass bastard!” I said with my voice coated with anger. “Hey, calm down.”I turned to see Alex with a glass of vodka and he stood near Julian as he worked.“Why not get this to the police? Nathan and Chleo would have been able to manipulate the board.” I told myself, as I tried to calm down.“And you think they don't have the resources to actually manipulate the police also?” Alex eyebrows went up.“Not with the letter and evidence we have.” Alex said and my phone rang.I picked it up from the table to see Chole’s name on the screen. My heart clenched, hard.“Who is it?” I lookeded to Alex waiting for a response, “Chole.”“Well, what are you waiting for? Pick it up before she suspects something.”I exhaled and then pressed on the green button, bringing the phone close to my ears.“Hello.” I said, my voice was filled with hate.“Ah, sister, that's one way to end the day.” I could hear the sarcasm in her voice.I rolled my eyes, not in the mood to play any stup
SophiaThe morning was too still.Like the air was holding its breath.I was perched on the clinic bed, IV line still leaking cool liquid into my arm. My head ached... not sharp, just dull and constant, like a warning hum before something bigger.I watched the door instead of the clock. I did not know what I was waiting for, maybe a sign that the world was ready to stop spinning. Maybe just for Alex to come in and not look like he was trying to carry everything on his shoulders.He was in the doorway a moment later.Hood pulled back, shirt untucked, eyes bloodshot.He didn't speak for a moment. Just leaned back against the frame like he wasn't sure he should come in or give me space. "Coffee?" he asked finally, raising a metal thermos."God, yes."He came over with it.I took it from him with both hands and had a sip. It was awful. Burnt. Too strong. But it was warm. It was real.Alex pulled the chair close, but didn't sit right away. His fingers drummed on the back. "You good to m
SophiaThe morning was too still.Like the air was holding its breath.I was perched on the clinic bed, IV line still leaking cool liquid into my arm. My head ached... not sharp, just dull and constant, like a warning hum before something bigger.I watched the door instead of the clock. I did not know what I was waiting for, maybe a sign that the world was ready to stop spinning. Maybe just for Alex to come in and not look like he was trying to carry everything on his shoulders.He was in the doorway a moment later.Hood pulled back, shirt untucked, eyes bloodshot.He didn't speak for a moment. Just leaned back against the frame like he wasn't sure he should come in or give me space. "Coffee?" he asked finally, raising a metal thermos."God, yes."He came over with it.I took it from him with both hands and had a sip. It was awful. Burnt. Too strong. But it was warm. It was real.Alex pulled the chair close, but didn't sit right away. His fingers drummed on the back. "You good to m