Sophia woke before dawn, the faint light filtering through the curtains casting shadows across Liam's apartment. She had barely slept, her mind plagued by Jason's words and the weight of her confession. Liam had stayed with her all night, his arms wrapped protectively around her, but even his presence couldn't silence the gnawing fear in her heart.
Carefully untangling herself from him, she slipped out of bed and moved to the kitchen. The apartment was eerily quiet, the only sound her bare feet against the cold floor. She poured herself a glass of water, staring out the window at the city below. The world was waking up, oblivious to the chaos that had taken root in her life.
She couldn't keep running. Jason wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted, and she had to figure out what his next move was before it was too late.
"Sophia?"
Liam's voice broke the silence, and she turned to see him leaning against the doorway, his hair disheveled, his eyes still heavy with sleep. He was shirtless, his athletic frame silhouetted against the dim light, and yet the concern etched across his face made her chest ache.
"Couldn't sleep," she said softly, avoiding his gaze.
He crossed the room in a few strides, his hands gently cupping her face as he tilted her head up to meet his eyes. "You don't have to face this alone. Whatever Jason's planning, we'll handle it together."
His words were a balm to her frayed nerves, but she couldn't ignore the doubts creeping into her mind. Jason had a way of twisting reality, of making people question everything they thought they knew. She couldn't let him do that to Liam.
"There's something I need to tell you," she said, her voice trembling. "Something I haven't told anyone."
Liam frowned but didn't let go of her. "I'm listening."
Sophia hesitated, her heart pounding as she searched for the right words. "When I left Jason, it wasn't just because of his control. There was something else—something I found out about him."
"What did you find out?" Liam's voice was steady, but she could see the tension in his jaw.
Sophia took a deep breath. "Jason isn't just manipulative or possessive. He's dangerous. He's connected to something much bigger—an organization that operates in the shadows, pulling strings behind the scenes. I don't know all the details, but I know enough to understand that he's not just coming after me because of some twisted obsession. He's playing a bigger game, and we're both caught in the middle of it."
Liam's eyes darkened. "What kind of organization?"
"I don't know their name," she admitted. "But they deal in secrets—blackmail, power, control. Jason was one of their operatives, and I think he still is. When I left, I took something from him, something I thought might protect me."
"What did you take?"
Sophia bit her lip, her stomach twisting as she recalled the small flash drive hidden in a place only she knew. "A drive. It has files—names, transactions, evidence of what they're doing. I thought it would be my insurance, but now I think it's the reason Jason won't let me go."
Liam's grip on her shoulders tightened. "Where is it?"
"It's safe," she said quickly. "I hid it before I came here. But if Jason finds out where it is…"
"He won't," Liam said firmly. "We'll figure out a way to use it against him."
Sophia wanted to believe him, but the fear in her chest was relentless. Jason wasn't the type to leave loose ends, and she knew he would stop at nothing to get that drive back.
Before she could say anything else, Liam's phone buzzed on the counter. He grabbed it, his brow furrowing as he read the message.
"What is it?" Sophia asked, her heart sinking at the grim expression on his face.
"It's from an old friend of mine," Liam said, his voice tense. "He's a private investigator. I asked him to look into Jason after what happened yesterday."
"And?"
Liam hesitated, his eyes meeting hers. "Jason's been making moves. He's been digging into my background, looking for leverage. My friend says there's a pattern to his actions—he's targeting people close to me, trying to isolate us."
Sophia's blood ran cold. "He's trying to break us."
Liam nodded, his jaw tightening. "But it won't work. We'll stay ahead of him."
Sophia wished she shared his confidence, but Jason's reach was long, and his ability to manipulate people was unparalleled. Still, she couldn't let him win. She had to fight, even if it meant confronting the darkest parts of her past.
"I need to get the drive," she said finally. "If we can expose Jason and the organization he's working for, we might have a chance."
"I'm coming with you," Liam said immediately.
Sophia shook her head. "It's too dangerous. If something happens—"
"Stop," Liam interrupted, his voice firm. "I'm not letting you do this alone. If Jason's as dangerous as you say, then you need someone watching your back. We're in this together, remember?"
Sophia felt a lump rise in her throat. She wasn't used to having someone stand by her, someone willing to fight for her. It scared her as much as it comforted her.
"Okay," she said quietly. "But we have to move carefully. If Jason finds out what we're doing…"
"He won't," Liam said, his eyes burning with determination. "We'll outsmart him."
Sophia nodded, but the unease in her chest remained. As they began to plan their next move, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were stepping into a trap—one that Jason had been setting for years.
And this time, the stakes were higher than ever.