The grand chandelier in the ballroom of the Xie Estate glimmered like a thousand stars. Sophie Wang stood at the threshold of the lavish mansion, her heart beating against her chest in a chaotic rhythm. She had once dreamed of being a part of this world. But now, standing amidst its opulence, it all felt like a foreign fantasy—a reality she could never truly touch.
A cold gust of wind brushed past her as the heavy wooden doors closed behind her with a loud thud. It was the kind of cold that made her skin prickle, yet she couldn't shake the heat of anger bubbling deep within her. This was her life now. A world of money, power, and betrayal. But none of it was real. Not for her.
At the age of 25, Sophie had lived a life full of hardship. She was born into a wealthy family, only to have her inheritance stolen. Her father's financial ruin and the subsequent demise of their once-prominent name left her grasping at the edges of a life she was supposed to lead, but could never touch. Sophie had been switched at birth—the true heiress to a fortune was a woman named Jade, the daughter of the family's maid, who had been raised in Sophie's place.
Sophie had always known there was something wrong. A nagging feeling in her gut that she wasn't supposed to be here. That she didn't belong to the people who claimed her. And today, she found out why.
Her biological family, desperate to settle old debts and political scores, had summoned her back. Sophie had been forced into a contract marriage with Leo Xie, her childhood love. But her reunion with Leo, the man who once held her heart, was not the reunion of a passionate romance. Far from it. Their marriage was a business deal—one made to secure power, wealth, and influence, not love.
But love… it was the last thing Sophie wanted from Leo.
"I'm not doing this for you, Leo." Sophie stood in front of him, a glint of steel in her eyes.
Leo Xie was everything Sophie had once loved: tall, with sharp features that could cut glass, and a presence that demanded attention. His black hair was neatly combed, his expression unreadable, and his sharp jawline was set in an icy, indomitable line. His eyes, though, were the thing Sophie could never forget. They were the eyes of the boy she had once kissed under the old willow tree, the boy she thought she would grow old with.
Now, those eyes held only indifference.
"Sophie," Leo said in a cold, flat voice, his gaze never leaving his laptop screen. He sat at the massive desk in his office, his posture perfect, his suit impeccable. The room was filled with the smell of expensive cigars, leather, and too many empty promises. "This is a business arrangement. We both agreed."
Sophie clenched her fists at her sides, a feeling of betrayal seeping into her chest like poison. Leo's indifference stung deeper than the cold air that flooded the room. How had they gotten here? How had their love turned into this?
Two years ago, Sophie had found herself at the mercy of this very man. Their marriage had been a decision made by their families. An agreement signed to secure the Xie family's future, to consolidate wealth and influence. Leo had promised her a "future", but not one of love—one of obligation.
His promise of a partnership was hollow, and that hollow feeling had only grown as Sophie realized just how far Leo was willing to go to secure his place in the world. Jade—the maid's daughter who had replaced her—had always been Leo's true love. Sophie had always known that. And yet, she had still married him.
Leo hadn't even bothered to make their relationship feel like anything other than business. His heart was never in it. And now, Sophie had learned the shocking truth: she was nothing more than a substitute, a stand-in to secure a powerful position for her family, for Leo's family.
As Sophie turned to leave the room, a cold shiver ran down her spine, and she stopped dead in her tracks. The door opened without warning, and a figure stepped inside—Victor Xie.
There was something about Victor. His presence filled the room like a storm, and Sophie felt the weight of his gaze settle on her like a heavy blanket. He was Leo's uncle, but he might as well have been a stranger in every sense. Victor was older, much older than Leo, and his gaze was far too intense for Sophie's comfort. His eyes, dark as the midnight sky, seemed to pierce through her. He was a man who had seen too much, who knew too many secrets. And Sophie felt it in her bones—the kind of man he was. Dangerous. Powerful. Unpredictable.
"Leo, you've been too busy to pay attention to the details," Victor said with a smirk, his deep voice laced with authority. He strode across the room to the desk and tossed a file onto it. His fingers brushed against Sophie's arm as he passed, sending an involuntary shiver through her body.
"You're… Leo's uncle?" Sophie's voice cracked. She didn't know why she asked—she knew who he was. It was just the power that he emanated, the intensity with which he looked at her, that made her question everything.
Victor's smirk only deepened as he turned to face her. "I am. But I prefer to think of myself as the one who knows how to get what he wants."
His eyes never left hers, and for a moment, Sophie felt trapped, caught in the dangerous web that Victor had woven. There was something intoxicating about his presence, something so magnetic that Sophie couldn't tear her gaze away. She knew she should step back. She knew she should distance herself from him.
But she couldn't.
And in that moment, Sophie understood something she hadn't before: Victor Xie wasn't just Leo's uncle. He was the one who would change everything.
Cliffhanger Ending:
As the evening wore on, Sophie felt a tension building between her and Victor—an electricity she couldn't ignore. Leo, aloof as always, didn't notice, consumed by his work. But Sophie couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to change.
Later that night, after the Xie family dinner, Sophie stood at the window of her suite, gazing down at the city below. Her reflection in the glass seemed foreign to her—just another woman caught between two powerful men.
And then she heard it: the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind her. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Sophie," came Victor's voice, low and enticing. "I've been waiting for you."
The words hung in the air between them like an invitation—and Sophie wasn't sure if she was ready to accept it.
End of Chapter 1
In Chapter 1, we establish Sophie's inner conflict about her forced marriage to Leo, her growing attraction to his uncle, Victor, and the tension that builds between the characters. The cliffhanger at the end leaves readers with a sense of anticipation, setting the stage for the emotional and romantic turmoil that is sure to follow.
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