Chapter 4. Sophie.

The pounding music fades into the distant hum of New York City as I step out of the club, leaving the neon lights behind. The cool night air hits me, a sharp contrast to the heat and chaos inside. I pull my coat tight around me, the city lights stretching high into the sky. A slight shudder courses through me. I purse my lips and make my way to my car, getting in and driving off without so much as a backward glance. I'm too scared to turn around and find Marcus standing there, a distraught expression on his face.

The road is alive with the energy of the night, cars rushing by, and people weaving through the sidewalks. But I can barely register anything going on around me, lost in my thoughts. Absentmindedly driving home, I turn on the radio, needing the noise to drown out the voices and emotions Marcus has stirred within me. New York City, with its towering buildings and bustling streets, feels both comforting and suffocating.

I finally get to the high-rise building where my apartment