LOGINSofia notices the sudden intensity of his stare and shifts slightly in her seat."Is something wrong, Edward?""No."Edward answers almost before the question finishes forming on her lips."The dress suits you."Sofia freezes completely, her breath catching in her throat.A warm, delicate pink slowly floods her cheeks."Thank you," she whispers, lowering her eyes shyly.Later that evening, Sofia retires to her bedroom.The following morning, soft streams of golden sunlight filter through the towering glass windows of the grand penthouse.Edward walks into the dining room, expecting the usual quiet morning and the breakfast prepared by the penthouse staff.Instead, the rich, savory aroma of freshly cooked food immediately fills the air around him.Sofia looks up from the serving counter and breaks into a radiant, genuine smile the moment she notices Edward standing in the doorw
Evelyn shakes her head with an amused smile, gently swirling the ice in her water glass."We have been telling our son for years that it is time for him to settle down. There is a young woman who has wanted to marry him for years—the daughter of an old family friend."She lets out a small, disbelieving laugh, still processing the sudden change."He finally agreed to it. Just yesterday, he agreed to meet her family formally."Sofia listens quietly, enjoying the cozy atmosphere.Lily’s eyes brighten with quiet amusement at the story."So after all these years, he finally agreed to meet the woman who has wanted to marry him.""Exactly," Evelyn says with a warm laugh.Lily chuckles softly, exchanging a quick look with Sofia."It seems both Edwards have finally decided to get married at almost the same time."Evelyn laughs warmly, her eyes twinkling."You are absolutely right."She
"And what about you, dear? I have not asked your name either."Lily offers a polite, pleasant smile."My name is Lily.""Lily."The elderly woman smiles."That is a lovely name.""Thank you, Ma’am.""And I am Evelyn."Sofia gives a small, appreciative nod."It is nice to meet you, Evelyn.""Likewise, Sofia."Evelyn then looks back toward Lily, inviting the same level of familiarity between them."And you may call me Evelyn as well."Lily nods, charmed by her warmth."All right, Evelyn.""Much better."A deeply pleased smile spreads across Evelyn’s face as they continue their steady stroll."So now that we have properly introduced ourselves, I suppose we are no longer complete strangers."Sofia smiles softly."I suppose not."Lily lets out a quiet laugh."That is true.""I am glad you agreed to come with me.""We are happy to accompany you," Sofia replies sincerely.They soon arrive at the grand, polished entrance of the exceptionally elegant restaurant."Here we are."Sofia looks up a
The boutique manager immediately begins bowing repeatedly, his former arrogance replaced by unmistakable panic."M-Miss… I sincerely and deeply apologize for my behavior," he stammers, wringing his hands in desperation.Sofia simply shakes her head, her expression calm but thoroughly unimpressed by his sudden change in attitude."You should be apologizing to her, not to me," Sofia says firmly, gesturing toward the elderly woman.He scrambles toward the elderly woman and lowers his head in submission."I… I am truly sorry, Madam. I should never have treated you that way without knowing the full circumstances of the situation," he pleads desperately.The elderly woman studies him quietly for a long moment, letting him sweat beneath her gaze.Then she gives a small, dignified nod."Remember this lesson well for the future.""Yes, Madam. Absolutely," the manager replies hastily, wiping his brow.He bows once more, his posture visibly sagging with relief as he realizes the matter is finall
Sofia carefully steps onto the pavement, her eyes immediately drawn to the magnificent architectural marvel rising before her."You don’t have to worry about anything," he says in a calm, reassuring tone as she stands beside him."Buy whatever you want. Don’t hesitate."Lily steps out of the other car moments later, her face lighting up with an encouraging smile."I’ll help Madam choose the most beautiful clothes," Lily adds enthusiastically.A faint, hesitant smile finally touches the corners of Sofia’s lips, warming her expression.Edward then returns to the vehicle, leaving Sofia and Lily behind as he heads to his office.The Maybach pulls away smoothly and merges into the flowing city traffic.Sofia watches the car disappear into the distance for a moment before lifting her gaze once more toward the enormous shopping complex towering above them.As she and Lily step through the grand entrance, Sofia looks around in quiet awe.People dressed in meticulously tailored, elegant clothi
Edward stands tall and unyielding, his imposing frame casting a long, dark shadow across the floor."You burned the belongings of a woman who never harmed you," Edward begins, his tone calm yet laced with a terrifying undertone of controlled fury."You mocked her while she grieved an unimaginable loss.""And you dared to do it right in front of me."His voice drops to a chilling register, a low, dangerous rumble that sends a collective shiver through everyone in the room."The moment I chose Sofia…""…she became my responsibility."His sharp, commanding gaze sweeps across every servant gathered in the grand foyer, missing nothing. No one dares to meet his eyes."Remember this.""Sofia will soon be my wife."He pauses, his jaw tightening as his eyes narrow."No one insults my wife in front of me.""No one hurts her…""…without facing the consequences.""You’ve proven that you were never worthy of becoming my wife."Vanessa stands utterly frozen, her posture rigid despite the tremor run







