LOGINSophia’s POV“M-mom?” I croak, taking an unsteady step back as she pauses. Wasn’t she supposed to be away for a few days?Fear grips my entire body, causing my hands to begin trembling. I grip the sling of my purse to hide it.“I’m not going to repeat myself after this?” She says firmly, features hardened. “Where did you go, and why are you just returning home at this time?”A lump forms in my throat. I feel my eyes filling up again.“J-Jordyn…” I stutter. “Um, Jordyn and I–”“Jordyn?” She raises her brows and scoffs.My eyes shift over her shoulder to see Jordyn walking out of the kitchen with a mug, a worried expression on her face.My stomach drops.Instantly, my mom charges toward me. She grabs my arm, pulling me as she moves.“Mom?” I crumble in tears, staggering while she drags me back to the entrance.“You’ve started lying to me, you didn’t answer your phone when I called, Jordyn couldn’t get through to you! Oh, Sophia. No daughter of mine will behave like this!”“Mom, I’m sor
Sophia’s POVI stare at the small white skirt on the floor, fixing my eyes on the bloodstain that painfully reminds me of what I’ve been stripped of.Tears drip out of my eyes, dropping onto my arm resting against the bathtub. The water is so warm, just what my body needs after that seizure and scary experience. The bath bomb smells of vanilla candy. There’s a bathrobe in baby pink, a small towel in the same color, coconut-flavored shampoo, and a bowl of untouched marshmallows—he passed it in before I locked the bathroom door and unwrapped the sheet from my body.I’m not sure where he got all these things from, but he just happened to have them somewhere in his home—his sincere attempt at making me feel better. But all I want is for the day and several days to pass, so I stop feeling this awful, like the weight of the whole world is on my shoulders.The only thing that can make me feel better is going back in time to when I saw the thong. I’d probably head back home instead.My ches
Alexander’s POV“Soph? Soph… Sophia?!” I manage to grab her wrist before she falls off the couch. It’s hard to see in the dark, but she doesn’t stop shaking by the second.Quickly, I slip my left arm underneath her trembling body and pull her with me as I get off the couch. Her body is warm against mine, her chest rising and falling rapidly.“Sophia?”She mumbles unintelligible words, taking short gasps of air.I set her on the soft rug and instantly wave my left hand twice. The lights come on, illuminating the media room, and I see Sophia having a mild seizure on the floor. Her breasts bounce carelessly, hitting the tiny gold necklace she’s wearing. Her eyes are lidded, showing only the white parts; tears leak out of them onto her ashen face. Her hands twitch, lips quivering. “Shit,” I say under my breath and reach for the coffee table. I drag it away from where her socked feet shake, ignoring the things falling off it, including her wine glass. Next, I take the pack of wet wipes an
Sophia’s POVMy mind is hazy. My eyes stay closed.One deep sigh after another, I catch my breath as my fingers feel his silky hair.Having devoured both girls passionately, he peppers soft kisses on my pounding chest. He kneels above me, knees pressed around my hips. His hands were all over me, caressing and pressing, but surprisingly not going below my waist, despite the useless skirt covering nothing; I’ve never experienced anything like this since he started to show me ‘other things’.Yet it feels like we’re not done.I’ve crossed too many lines that I don’t dare to think of the world outside this room or penthouse.The kisses stop, and his hair slips out of my feeble grip, leaving my fingers curled around nothing.My eyes flutter half open in the dark to see his silhouette above me, reaching for something. A warning voice screams in my head, but it’s quickly drowned out as Alexander starts to adjust himself. He moves one knee between my thighs.Oh, God.What’s going to happen ne
Sophia’s POV“No,” I murmur, sitting up abruptly.Just five minutes into the match, and a Chelsea player’s been handed a red card. Now 11 against 10.“No?” Alexander voices behind me as he sips wine. “Didn’t he deserve it?”“He did.” My shoulders sink with a sad sigh. Instead of leaning back against his chest, I lean forward, drop my wine glass, and reach for green grapes.We watch the match in silence. My fingers grip the edge of the seat, foot tapping against the ground because my favorite team is struggling with one man down.“Do they always have to compete even when it’s raining?” Alexander inquires as he steals from my grapes.I nod in response, munching on some fruits. Then I offer him the rest of the green grapes. “It’s always raining in Manchester at this time of the year. They have to play except it’s a threatening storm.” “Did you also see matches in the rain?” “Mmm-hmm… I’d always wear rain coats and thick sweaters.”A resounding cheer suddenly erupts from the speakers, s
Sophia’s POV‘What could go wrong?’“Everything, Sophia… or maybe you’re just being paranoid…” I murmur to myself as I follow the rose petals, all changed. Yes, I changed into the outfit. I did. I’m probably not thinking.I fidget with my French manicured nails, curving a corner that leads to the 70th floor. My steps are slow and hesitant. The coolness of the penthouse caresses my exposed thighs. The socks get just below my knees, feet buried in pink furry slides. The tiny skirt floats around my hips, covering enough. But not enough to get my mind off the feel of the soft lace underneath, which keeps thinning into nothing as I go up the stairs.My heart pounds in my ears like a warning.I left my purse downstairs in the foyer because he texted: ‘No phones. No interruptions. Just you and me.’“You’re not even twenty-four. He’s thirty-two. What could you possibly know, Dum dum?” I explain away.I rake my fingers into my hair, letting out a deep, shaky breath. “What are you doing, Soph
Sophia’s POVIs this why he’s been in a good mood the entire day? Why he’s been using his phone more than usual and constantly communicating with Leah? Because he was planning my proposal?My lips quiver, my eyes watering without my permission. I glance over my shoulder at Leah. She has a friendly
Sophia’s POVNo, I haven’t got this. At all.“Cut!” The Director shouts for the third time. I drop my hands to my sides. They’re trembling. One hand holds the facial cleansing brush, the other forms a fist.“Relax, Love,” Alexander whispers, patting my shoulders.Seated on the solid vanity top, I
Sophia’s POVHe hasn’t said anything about the call we had in the middle of the night. Or about whatever he said to get Candace off my back, and how he knew to call her at that moment.I stare at my hand in his as we ride the elevator together, then at him. He seems distracted today, busy typing on
Leah Monroe’s POViPad in my hands, earphones in my ears, I scroll through the comments on user @rosetta.rose’s latest IG post. I clench a fist tight. The air here feels stuffy. “I’ve been his secretary since he took over as CEO. For what now? Almost seven years? And not once has he paid attentio







