Sophie couldn't sleep that night.
The silence in her lavish room felt suffocating, the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her chest like an invisible hand. She paced the marble floors, her mind replaying the events of the evening over and over. The conversation with Leo had been predictable—cold, clinical, like a boardroom meeting instead of a reunion between two people who had once shared something real. It was the perfect reflection of their marriage: a contract, not a partnership.
But it was Victor who lingered in her mind, his touch still vivid on her skin, the magnetic pull of his presence haunting her every thought. He had arrived without warning, a shadow in her carefully constructed world, a reminder that life wasn't as simple as the marriage contract she had entered into. Sophie had been blindsided by his attention, unsure of whether it was admiration or something far more dangerous. Victor Xie wasn't a man to be trifled with.
And yet, there was something about him that made Sophie's heart race. It was as though he had the power to read her deepest thoughts, to make her question everything she thought she knew about herself.
Sophie took a deep breath, trying to push away the desire that bubbled within her. This wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to be attracted to him. He was Leo's uncle—off-limits in every way imaginable. Yet, every time he looked at her, Sophie felt as if she were the only person in the room, and that sensation had stirred something inside of her she hadn't felt in years.
She pushed her hand through her tangled hair, her reflection in the mirror looking back at her with the same wide-eyed confusion that had consumed her for the past two years. She'd been living a lie, and now, the truth was unraveling before her eyes. Leo had always been her first love—her first everything. But now, she couldn't even recognize the man she had married.
The next morning, Sophie arrived at the Xie Mansion early, as was customary for a woman in her position. She had spent most of the evening pondering her situation, and now, she was ready to face the day ahead. The house was quiet, too quiet, as she walked through the long, marble-lined corridors. It felt as if the mansion itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to shift.
As she entered the kitchen, the staff gave her curt nods and continued about their duties. She barely noticed them. Her mind was still clouded with thoughts of Victor, and as the clock ticked on, the mystery surrounding him only deepened. She wasn't sure what game he was playing—but Sophie wasn't the type to back down from a challenge.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Turning, she saw Leo entering the room, his sharp suit a contrast to the faded elegance of the mansion around them. His gaze locked onto hers, and for a brief moment, there was a flicker of something—regret, perhaps, or resentment—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
"I trust you slept well?" Leo's voice was as detached as always, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes. A subtle warning, or maybe it was just his usual arrogance.
Sophie looked at him, her expression neutral. She didn't know how to respond. It had been a long time since they'd had a real conversation. They had always been polite, civil—even affectionate, at times—but that was before the truth had come to light. Now, everything felt like a carefully choreographed performance.
"I slept fine," she replied stiffly. "What do you need from me today?"
Leo's lips curved into a faint smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Nothing special. Just remember your place."
His words were sharp, but there was an edge of something darker there. Her place—the words echoed in her mind, filling her with a sense of unease. She had been a placeholder in Leo's life for years, but now, after everything that had come to light, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was nothing more than a pawn in a larger game. A game she wasn't sure she could win.
Later that day, Sophie found herself walking the grounds of the Xie estate, trying to clear her head. She had been given some menial tasks to do—organizing a few documents, running errands—but none of it had helped. Nothing could distract her from the gnawing feeling in her gut, the fear that she was getting deeper into something she couldn't escape.
It wasn't until she reached the gardens that she saw him again—Victor.
He stood near the fountain, his hands in the pockets of his tailored coat, staring out at the water. The sun bathed him in a soft, golden light, making him look almost otherworldly, like a figure out of a dream—or a nightmare.
Sophie froze, her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes locked with his. The moment stretched, the world around them quiet and still. She should turn away. She should walk back inside, pretend this wasn't happening.
But something in her refused to move.
Victor turned slowly, his lips curving into a knowing smile as if he had been waiting for her. "I didn't expect to find you here."
His voice was smooth, almost too smooth, but Sophie couldn't tear her gaze away. "I needed to clear my head," she said, her voice betraying her uncertainty.
Victor raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Clear your head, or get away from your dear husband?"
His words were sharp, teasing, and yet there was an underlying tension that Sophie couldn't ignore. The way his eyes studied her—like he could see through all her defenses, like he could read the fear and desire twisting inside her—made her feel exposed, vulnerable in a way she had never felt before.
"What do you want, Victor?" Sophie's voice was low, barely above a whisper, but it held a note of challenge.
Victor stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "I want what's been denied me," he said softly, his gaze flickering to her lips before meeting her eyes again. "But I'm not the one you should be worried about, Sophie."
His words sent a chill through her, the air around them suddenly thick with unspoken tension. She felt his proximity, the danger in the air, but still, she couldn't move. She was caught in the web he had spun, unwilling to escape, yet unable to embrace what was happening.
Victor's hand brushed her arm lightly, sending a wave of heat through her body. "Careful, Sophie," he murmured, his voice a quiet warning. "You might not like where this leads."
Sophie's breath caught in her throat, her heart racing as she took a step back, finally breaking the trance he had placed her in. "I don't know what game you're playing, Victor," she said, her voice shaking. "But I'm not interested."
Victor didn't reply immediately. Instead, he gave her one last, lingering look, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. "We'll see about that."
With those words, he turned and walked away, leaving Sophie standing by the fountain, her heart pounding in her chest.
Cliffhanger Ending:
As Sophie watched Victor disappear into the distance, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just taken the first step into a dangerous game—a game she was already losing. What was Victor's real purpose in all of this? Was he after something more than just power? And was she truly ready to face whatever came next?
End of Chapter 2
Author's Thought for Chapter 2:
In this chapter, I wanted to heighten the tension between Sophie and Victor, diving deeper into the dangerous attraction that simmers beneath their interactions. Sophie's internal struggle between loyalty and desire becomes more pronounced, and we begin to see just how much power Victor has over her emotions. He's a wildcard, unpredictable and dangerous, and I wanted to show that through his interactions with Sophie.
The cliffhanger at the end is meant to leave readers questioning Victor's true intentions and wondering whether Sophie can maintain control of her emotions—or if she'll fall further into his grasp. I also wanted to show how Sophie is becoming more aware of the power dynamics at play within the Xie family, especially in her relationship with Leo and Victor.
This chapter is about pushing boundaries and testing limits. Sophie is walking a tightrope, and the consequences of her next steps are uncertain.