Sophia stood by the window, staring out over the glittering city that never seemed to sleep. Manhattan's skyline was a symbol of power and success, but tonight, it looked cold and distant. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stave off the unease creeping through her veins.
"Loyalty is everything."
Alexander's words from earlier still rang in her ears. They felt less like an assurance and more like a chain wrapped tightly around her. Loyalty—what did that even mean to him? Was it blind obedience, silence, and acceptance?
She was losing herself in his world, and she knew it. Every day, she felt herself slipping further away from who she was before Alexander. She had once been confident, independent, with dreams and goals of her own. Now, everything seemed to revolve around *him*—his empire, his desires, his demands.
But wasn't this what she signed up for? Sophia's stomach churned. She had agreed to be his fiancée, had even convinced herself it was the only way to save her father's legacy. But now, the lines between her personal and business life were blurring, and she was no longer sure where one ended and the other began.
Sophia sighed, her breath fogging up the window. The opulence of the penthouse suddenly felt suffocating. She needed space—clarity—and there was only one place she could think to go.
***
The moment Sophia stepped into her family's modest home, she was hit with the familiar smell of her mother's cooking. It was comforting in a way that nothing in Alexander's cold, sterile world ever could be. Here, the floors weren't made of marble, and the furniture wasn't handpicked by some high-end designer. But it was home. It was *real.*
"Sophia!" Her cousin Lily's voice rang out from the kitchen, and seconds later, Lily appeared, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Her face lit up when she saw Sophia, but her smile faltered as she took in her cousin's tense expression. "Oh no, what happened?"
Sophia tried to force a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Nothing, I just needed to get away for a while."
Lily narrowed her eyes. "Get away from *him*, you mean?" She tossed the dish towel on the counter and folded her arms across her chest. "What did Alexander do now?"
Sophia flinched at the mention of his name. "He didn't do anything, Lily. It's just… it's complicated."
"Complicated?" Lily's voice was sharp, and Sophia knew what was coming. "Soph, I'm your best friend, and I'm telling you—this whole situation is messed up. You're engaged to a control freak, and don't think for a second I haven't noticed how much you've changed since you started this... thing with him."
Sophia's jaw tightened. "It's not like that."
"Then what is it like?" Lily pressed, stepping closer. "Tell me how any of this is healthy. He's got you wrapped around his finger, Soph. Every time I see you, you're more and more like some trophy for him to show off. You're not you anymore."
Sophia swallowed hard, her chest tightening. "You don't understand," she said quietly. "He's protecting me. He's trying to make sure I'm safe, that my father's business is saved."
Lily scoffed. "Protecting you? From what? And at what cost, Sophia? You're sacrificing everything—your freedom, your happiness. Is that really worth it?"
Sophia bit her lip, glancing around the small living room. Everything here felt simple and familiar, yet her life had become so complicated. "You're exaggerating. I'm not trapped."
Lily's eyes softened, but her voice was firm. "Aren't you? You can't even see it, Soph, but he's controlling you. The way he talks to you, the way he makes you feel like you owe him something. You're always walking on eggshells around him, and it's not right."
"I'm not walking on eggshells," Sophia shot back, her voice trembling with frustration. "I know it looks bad from the outside, but Alexander is... complicated. He's under a lot of pressure, and he needs loyalty from the people closest to him."
Lily shook her head slowly. "Loyalty? Or submission?"
Sophia opened her mouth to respond, but the words wouldn't come. She couldn't deny the tightness in her chest, the feeling that she was being smothered under Alexander's expectations. But she wasn't ready to admit it—not to herself, and certainly not to Lily.
"You should be happy for me," Sophia said finally, her voice breaking slightly. "I'm finally secure, Lily. For the first time in my life, I don't have to worry about money or where my next paycheck is coming from. My dad's business is stable. Isn't that what I've always wanted?"
Lily's expression softened, but there was still a flicker of doubt in her eyes. "I want you to be happy, Soph. But I don't want you to lose yourself in the process."
"I'm fine," Sophia insisted, though her voice lacked conviction. "I'm figuring things out."
Lily let out a long sigh, reaching out to squeeze Sophia's hand. "Just... don't forget who you are, okay? Money isn't everything. And Alexander? He's not the answer to all your problems."
Sophia nodded, though deep down, she wasn't so sure.
***
When she returned to Alexander's penthouse later that evening, the tension from earlier had only intensified. Lily's words echoed in her mind, seeding doubt where there had once been certainty. Was she really losing herself? Or was she just adapting to a new life—a better life?
As she moved through the sleek, modern space, her eyes were drawn to Alexander's office door. It was slightly ajar, a rarity for him. He was always so meticulous about locking his office, about keeping everything private. But tonight, it seemed he had been in a hurry.
Sophia hesitated at the threshold, her heart pounding in her chest. She shouldn't go in. She knew that. Alexander had made it clear that his office was off-limits to her, and yet, something pulled her forward. Curiosity, maybe. Or a desire to finally understand what kind of man she was truly engaged to.
Her hand trembled as she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The office was as immaculate as the rest of the penthouse—bookshelves lined the walls, each one filled with leather-bound volumes and pristine folders. A large mahogany desk sat in the center, its surface cluttered with papers and documents.
Sophia's eyes scanned the desk, her breath catching when she saw a folder marked with her father's company's name. She reached for it, her fingers brushing against the smooth cover, but before she could open it, a low voice broke the silence.
"What are you doing, Sophia?"
Her heart lurched in her chest, and she spun around to see Alexander standing in the doorway, his eyes narrowed and his jaw tight.
"I... I was just looking for some papers," she stammered, her pulse racing.
Alexander's gaze flicked to the folder in her hands, his expression darkening. "You shouldn't be in here."
Sophia swallowed hard, her grip tightening on the folder. "I just wanted to see what you were working on. It's about my father's business, isn't it?"
His silence was deafening. He took a slow step forward, his eyes locked on hers, and for a moment, she could see the cold fury simmering beneath his calm exterior.
"Do you really think you're ready to know everything?" His voice was dangerously low, sending a shiver down her spine. "Because once you do, there's no going back."
Sophia's breath hitched, uncertainty clawing at her. Lily's warnings echoed in her mind, but standing here, with Alexander's piercing gaze pinning her in place, she wasn't sure she could trust her own judgment anymore.
What was he hiding? And did she even want to know?
The folder slipped from her grasp, landing softly on the desk, but the weight of its contents felt like it had just shifted something irreversible between them.
Alexander's lips curved into a predatory smile. "Good girl."
And just like that, the walls of control tightened around her once more.