Sophie's heart was racing, her pulse quickening with every step she took as she left the cold, sterile room. Victor and Leo had both locked eyes on her, their intense gazes like traps waiting to snap shut. The tension in the air was unbearable, suffocating her with every breath she took.
She was walking on the edge of a knife, caught between two men—each of them holding power over her in ways she couldn't even comprehend yet. She had tried to run before, to keep her distance from the danger, but it had only drawn her in deeper.
The hallway stretched before her, long and narrow, the dim lights casting eerie shadows along the walls. She wanted to run, but her legs wouldn't move. The weight of everything—the fear, the anger, the confusion—was too much. Her thoughts were spinning in a whirlwind, trying to piece together the fragments of what she'd just heard.
A game. Victor had called it a game, and she was its prize.
Her breath hitched as the door clicked shut behind her, the finality of it echoing in the silence. The sound of footsteps behind her sent a chill running down her spine, and Sophie instinctively turned. There, standing just a few feet away, was Victor. His presence alone was enough to make her skin prickle, but his expression… that was what stopped her dead in her tracks.
He wasn't angry, nor was he cold. For the first time, there was something raw in his eyes—something like desperation. It unnerved her.
"Sophie," he said, his voice low and filled with an unfamiliar intensity. "You think you can walk away from this? From me?"
Sophie swallowed hard, her throat dry as she tried to speak. "You've… you've been lying to me. About everything. What's going on, Victor? Who is Leo? Why is he here?"
Victor took a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. There was something predatory about it, the way he moved, deliberate and controlled. "I didn't lie," he said softly. "I just didn't tell you the truth. And now, you're in the middle of something bigger than both of us."
Sophie recoiled, every instinct screaming at her to run. But her legs remained rooted to the spot. "What do you want from me?" she whispered, barely able to hold herself together.
Victor's lips curled into a smile, but it wasn't warm. It was something darker, sharper. "You're the missing piece of a puzzle. But I'm not the one who controls it anymore. Leo is."
Leo. The name tasted bitter in her mouth. Every part of her hated him for what he'd done to her—and yet, in the back of her mind, she couldn't deny that she wanted to understand him more. The way he'd looked at her, the way his presence had made her feel… it was like he had power over her in ways she couldn't explain.
Victor stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. The warmth of his body made her skin flush, but it wasn't a comforting heat—it was the kind of heat that sparked something dangerous in her chest.
"You think you're in control, don't you, Sophie?" Victor's voice was a low growl now, close enough that she could feel his breath against her ear. "But you're not. You're just like the rest of them. Trapped."
His words hit her like a slap, the sting of reality settling in. She wasn't in control. She hadn't been for a long time.
"I'm not like them," Sophie whispered, but even as she said the words, she knew they were a lie. She was standing in the heart of a dangerous game, and there was no way out.
Victor's hand suddenly reached for her, his fingers brushing her wrist, sending a jolt of electricity up her arm. Sophie's breath caught, and her body tensed in response. She had always told herself that she would never give in, never be swept away by someone like him. And yet, here she was, unable to pull away.
"Then prove it," Victor said, his voice dark with a hint of challenge.
Before she could respond, there was a sudden crash—a loud, violent sound that made Sophie jump in shock. The door behind her burst open, and Leo stepped into the room, his face twisted in anger, his hands clenched into fists.
"Victor," Leo's voice was icy, the air around him charged with an undeniable threat. "Don't push her."
Victor turned to face him, his posture remaining unwavering. "I'm not pushing her," he said calmly, his eyes flashing with something dangerous. "I'm simply showing her the truth."
Leo took a step toward them, his movements sharp and predatory. "You think you can manipulate her the way you manipulate everyone else?" His voice was laced with venom. "She's not a pawn, Victor. And she's not your property."
Sophie felt her heart race at the intensity between the two men. The way they spoke, the way they glared at each other—it was clear that this wasn't about her at all. It was about them. And she was caught in the middle of their war.
Victor didn't flinch. He didn't even seem phased by Leo's words. Instead, he turned back to Sophie, his eyes darkening. "You'll understand soon enough, Sophie. You don't have to like it, but you will have to choose."
Sophie's mind raced. Choose? What was there to choose? Both men were playing games with her life, but which game was the one she was truly caught in? Was there a way out?
But before she could say anything, Leo moved forward with a speed that left her breathless. His hand shot out, grabbing her arm firmly, pulling her toward him.
Sophie's pulse spiked as his grip tightened, his fingers brushing against the skin of her wrist with a touch so intimate that it sent a surge of heat through her body. She wanted to pull away, but something about his touch was magnetic—compelling her to stay.
Leo's face was inches from hers, his gaze unwavering, filled with a mix of frustration and something darker that she couldn't read. "Don't let him control you," he said, his voice low and urgent. "You belong to no one but yourself, Sophie."
Sophie opened her mouth to protest, but Leo was already pulling her closer. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, the tension in the air crackling between them. Her heart hammered in her chest as his lips brushed against her ear, his voice a whisper of temptation.
"You have the power," Leo murmured, his breath sending shivers down her spine. "Not them."
Before she could process what was happening, Leo pulled back slightly, his gaze locking onto hers. His lips were close enough for her to feel the heat of his breath on her skin. For a brief moment, Sophie wondered if he would kiss her.
But instead, Leo stepped back, his expression unreadable.
"You're not a pawn, Sophie," he said again, his voice hard with an edge of warning. "But you need to start making your own moves."