The days after Sophie's abduction felt like a blur. It was as though everything in her life had shifted out of focus, leaving her in a haze of confusion, fear, and a strange sense of unfinished business. She couldn't stop thinking about Leo, the way he had stepped in and protected her from those men. She had seen something in him—something fierce and protective—that had been absent before. But there was still Victor, watching from the sidelines, his eyes always lingering on her like he was waiting for something.
Sophie had tried to shut them both out, but it wasn't easy. She had returned to her apartment, trying to reclaim some semblance of normalcy, but every corner seemed haunted by their presence. The weight of their silent tension was unbearable. And yet, there was one thing she couldn't shake off.
The anger in Victor's eyes. It wasn't just jealousy—it was as if he was trying to control something that had slipped through his fingers. And Leo… Leo was as complicated as ever, holding his cards close to his chest, but there was an undeniable connection between them now. Sophie was beginning to understand that both men had stakes in her life, but what exactly those stakes were was still unclear.
But that evening, Sophie had no time to worry about Victor or Leo. Her past was coming to drag her back into the storm.
The doorbell rang, pulling Sophie from her thoughts. She glanced at the clock—it was just after six. Who could be visiting at this hour?
She opened the door, expecting maybe a delivery or something mundane. But standing in the doorway was someone she hadn't seen in over two years: Derek, her ex-boyfriend.
Derek was tall, athletic, with dark brown hair that fell messily across his forehead. He had a confident smile plastered across his face, one she remembered all too well—the kind of smile that could make anyone feel like they were the center of the world. But seeing him again stirred something in Sophie. It wasn't nostalgia; it was more like resentment.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice tight.
Derek grinned, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "I've been trying to reach you. You've been ghosting me, Soph. I thought we could catch up."
Sophie's pulse quickened as she backed away from him, her mind racing. Derek had always been charming, but their breakup had been messy. And the last thing she needed right now was him dredging up the past.
"I'm not interested in catching up," Sophie said firmly. "What do you want, Derek?"
Derek's smile faltered, but only slightly. "I heard about some… recent developments. You've got yourself tangled in something with Victor and Leo, huh?"
Sophie's breath caught. How did he know about that?
"I'm not here to make trouble, Soph," Derek said, his voice softer now. "I'm here because I care about you. I always have. And I think you need to get away from those two before things get worse."
Sophie was about to tell him to leave when another voice interrupted.
"Who the hell is this?"
The voice was cold, sharp, and unmistakable.
Sophie turned to see Victor standing in the doorway, his eyes narrowing as he locked onto Derek. The tension in the room thickened instantly, the air crackling with hostility.
Victor didn't wait for an answer. "You don't belong here," he said, his voice low and threatening. "Get out."
Derek's eyes flicked to Victor, sizing him up for a moment. There was no hesitation in his movements, just a sudden smirk that made Sophie's blood run cold. "You're Victor, huh?" Derek took a step closer to Sophie, ignoring Victor entirely. "Interesting. She's got herself mixed up with a dangerous man, hasn't she?"
Sophie's stomach churned as she watched them, both men glaring at each other like wolves circling in a standoff. She couldn't deal with this—she was not some kind of trophy to be fought over. She had lived through the toxicity of relationships in the past, and she didn't need it now. But as the silence stretched between them, she could feel her heart rate speeding up, her emotions taking over her senses.
Derek wasn't the only one with a past.
Before she could react, another figure appeared in the doorway, cutting through the tension like a knife. Leo.
His entrance was swift, almost predatory in nature, his dark eyes sweeping over the scene. The moment he laid eyes on Derek, the temperature in the room dropped. Jealousy and anger were written all over Leo's face as his gaze fixed on Sophie and then snapped back to Derek.
"What's going on here?" Leo asked, his voice dripping with disdain as he crossed his arms.
Derek didn't even flinch. He stood tall, as if he had all the power in the room. "I'm here to talk to Sophie," he said, his eyes still on her. "I'm trying to make sure she's safe."
Leo's eyes darkened. "Safe from who? You?"
Derek chuckled, clearly enjoying the escalating tension. "You're Leo, right? Funny how you think you're the one who can protect her. You all think you have control over her, but you don't."
The words hit Sophie like a slap in the face. Control. She didn't need anyone controlling her.
Victor stepped forward, his eyes flashing with rage. "You don't get to come here and question what I do with Sophie. You left her, remember?"
Derek's smirk faltered for a moment, and Sophie saw the flicker of regret cross his features before he quickly masked it. "I didn't leave her, Victor. She was the one who walked away from me. She always does, doesn't she?" Derek's gaze softened as he looked at Sophie. "I can give you something none of them ever will. I understand you, Sophie. I never stopped caring."
Sophie's chest tightened, and she felt the weight of the room closing in on her. Why was everyone fighting for her?
Before she could respond, Leo took a step toward Derek, his posture tense and dangerous. "If you think you can just waltz back into her life and cause trouble, you're mistaken. This ends now."
Derek raised an eyebrow, his gaze never leaving Leo. "Or what? You'll threaten me?"
The tension between the three men was unbearable. Sophie could feel the heat of their anger in the air, and it made her feel dizzy, like she was trapped in a storm.
"Enough." Sophie's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and firm. "I don't need any of you. None of you."
The room fell silent, and the men's gazes turned to her. For a moment, it felt like she was standing in a battlefield, the weight of their desire, jealousy, and rage pressing down on her.
"I don't need to be saved by any of you," Sophie continued, her voice stronger now. "I've made my choices. You all need to understand that."
Victor, Derek, and Leo all stared at her, each man struggling to hide his emotions.
"I'm leaving," Sophie said firmly. "You can all stay here and fight over whatever you think you're fighting for. But I'm done."
As she walked past them, not waiting for any of them to stop her, Sophie felt something shift inside her. For the first time, she realized that she was in control. She had to be. For her own sanity, for her own future.
The battle for her heart would have to go on without her.