Sophie sat in the sleek, high-rise restaurant, her fingers nervously tracing the rim of her glass. The city sprawled beneath her, a sea of lights and towering buildings that seemed so far away from the quiet life she had once known. It felt surreal, as though she had stepped into a world she wasn't quite sure how to navigate.
Victor had been clear—this was where her new life would begin. He had chosen this place deliberately, a lavish spot high above the city, where no one could reach them. Where Sophie would be forced to confront the decisions she had made.
He had instructed her to meet him here tonight, no specifics, no explanations—only an invitation to step into a new world.
Victor hadn't arrived yet, and Sophie couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. She was far outside her comfort zone, dressed in an elegant black dress that felt too heavy for her shoulders. The woman she had once been—a woman who spent her days in tailored suits and maintained a perfect, if hollow, marriage—felt like a ghost inside her own skin. She hadn't realized how much she'd been holding onto the past until she was standing here, in this unfamiliar world that seemed to promise so much but offered no guarantees.
The waiter came by with a soft smile, offering her more wine, but she declined. The last thing she wanted was to be tipsy when Victor finally arrived. Victor. She didn't know whether to be afraid of him or be fascinated by him. She had stepped into his world without a real understanding of what that meant, and a part of her still wasn't sure she was ready to face whatever came next.
As if on cue, the door to the private dining room opened, and there he was—Victor Xie, tall and imposing as ever, his gaze sweeping the room with his characteristic air of quiet dominance. His sharp suit looked like it had been crafted just for him, and the minute he stepped into the room, all eyes were drawn to him. It was as if he commanded the space.
Sophie's pulse quickened. She hadn't realized how much she was anticipating his arrival until she felt that familiar rush of excitement mixed with a tinge of fear.
Victor's gaze locked onto hers the second he saw her. There was something about the way he looked at her—deep, almost predatory—but there was also a flicker of something else. His eyes softened, just slightly, before he walked toward her with that confident stride that always made her feel like she was in the presence of something far more powerful than herself.
"Hello, Sophie," he said, his voice smooth like velvet.
"Victor," Sophie managed, her voice steady but betraying the unease she still felt. She wasn't sure if she was glad to see him or not, but there was something magnetic about his presence that made it impossible to look away.
He sat across from her, his eyes never leaving hers. The waiter poured wine for Victor, but he made no move to drink it, his gaze still fixed on Sophie. "How are you settling in?" he asked, his tone casual but with an underlying intensity.
Sophie wasn't sure what to say. She had spent the day trying to make sense of everything that had happened—her divorce, leaving her old life behind, and now, sitting in this strange, opulent space with Victor, the man who had come into her life like a whirlwind, offering her something she hadn't even known she needed.
"I'm… still figuring things out," she said, trying to keep her voice neutral, though she felt a sudden wave of vulnerability. "Everything feels so different."
Victor leaned forward slightly, his eyes softening in a way that surprised her. "That's good. Change is unsettling. But it's also necessary. You're not the same woman you were when you walked away from Leo, Sophie. You've already started changing, even if you don't realize it yet."
She felt a chill at his words, not from fear but from something deeper—something that stirred inside her, a desire to be seen for who she really was. For so long, she had been invisible, existing as the dutiful wife, the perfect picture of domesticity, but never truly alive. With Victor, it was different. He didn't want her to be anyone but herself—and that terrified her.
"What does that mean, exactly?" Sophie asked, her voice barely above a whisper, though she couldn't seem to tear her gaze away from him.
Victor's lips curved into that enigmatic smile of his. "It means that you no longer have to hide behind a role. Behind the perfect wife. I'm giving you the chance to be Sophie. The woman who deserves more than just a second-hand life."
Sophie shifted in her seat, the weight of his words sinking in. She felt a rush of emotions—uncertainty, fear, but also something else. Hope.
"I don't know if I'm ready for this," she said quietly. She wasn't sure if she was speaking to him or to herself. The truth was, she didn't know if she could ever be ready to embrace a life of freedom, to step out of the shell she had worn for so long.
Victor studied her for a long moment, his gaze never wavering. He was silent for several seconds before he finally spoke again, his voice low and steady. "You don't have to be ready, Sophie. You only need to be willing."
Her heart skipped a beat at his words. There was a truth in them that she couldn't deny.
"You're asking me to trust you," she said, more to herself than to him.
"I'm not asking you to trust me, Sophie," Victor replied. "I'm asking you to trust yourself."
The silence stretched between them, thick and laden with unspoken understanding. Sophie's thoughts raced, and she realized something crucial—Victor wasn't just offering her an escape from Leo. He was offering her a new beginning, one that didn't come with any promises but the chance to define her own life.
She wasn't sure what to do with the invitation he was offering, but the truth was undeniable: she had already stepped into his world. And there was no turning back now.
Before she could respond, the waiter brought over their food, cutting through the tension. Victor didn't break eye contact with Sophie, his gaze steady as he picked up his fork.
"Eat," he said softly, almost as an order, though there was no harshness in his voice. "We'll talk more after."
Sophie felt a shiver run through her at the command in his tone, but she found herself nodding. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she was finally starting to take control—of her life, of her choices, and of what came next.
Victor watched her closely as she began to eat, his eyes never leaving her, as though he were waiting for something. Sophie couldn't tell if it was her answer he was looking for, or something deeper. But one thing was clear: he was ready for her to make the next move.
End of Chapter 5
Author's Thought for Chapter 5:
In Chapter 5, I wanted to explore the shifting power dynamics between Sophie and Victor. Sophie is at a crossroads, emotionally and psychologically. She's left behind her old life, but she's still uncertain about what she truly wants, or if she even has the right to want more. Victor, in his usual way, forces her to confront these questions—not by pushing her directly, but by creating a space where she can finally see herself outside of the roles she's played before.
This chapter is crucial because it sets the stage for Sophie to begin reclaiming her autonomy. It's not just about what Victor wants anymore; it's about Sophie's willingness to step into the unknown and take control of her own story. It's a turning point where Sophie moves from feeling passive to actively making decisions about her future.
Victor's subtle manipulation continues, but there's a shift in his approach. He's not asking Sophie to trust him, but to trust herself, and that, I think, is the most important thing he can offer her.