Mark is still in cafe after sophie left he is sad for getting betrayed again by alex and Liam he is not sad but his mind is clouded with thoughts—memories of trust broken, the weight of disappointment settling in his chest. He stirs his coffee absentmindedly, staring at the swirling liquid as if it holds answers.
Alex and Liam. He had given them chances, believed in their words, yet here he was again, left to pick up the pieces. He wasn't sad—no, sadness would mean he hadn't seen this coming. Maybe deep down, he always knew. But the frustration, the sheer exhaustion of dealing with betrayal again, gnawed at him.
The café bustled around him, laughter and conversations filling the air, but it all felt distant. His world had narrowed to the bitter taste of coffee and the dull ache in his mind.
What now?
Mark exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple as if he could push the thoughts away. The betrayal stung, but more than that, it left him questioning everything—his choices, his judgment, even himself. He had trusted Sophie. He had believed in her, confided in her, and now he realized that she had been the one pulling the strings all along.
Alex and Liam had betrayed him, but not of their own accord. Sophie had orchestrated it, twisting their minds, feeding them lies until they turned against him. And then she had walked away, leaving him alone to deal with the wreckage.
The café door swung open, letting in a gust of cool air, but Mark barely noticed. His mind was tangled in memories—the way Sophie had smiled, . Lies, all of it. He clenched his fists, anger bubbling beneath the surface.His phone buzzed. A message. He hesitated before picking it up.
Mark know sophie is difficult to read as he had experience he betrayed by her at end in past life he is like her pawn discarded when the work is done now also he got second chance he was still like pawn he played by sophie but one thing he must not forget sophie helped him to clear moles otherwise he will suffer when mortal online launched now only vincent left let's clear this mole also .
Alex: Mark, we need to talk. Please.
A bitter chuckle escaped him. Now they wanted to talk? After everything? After turning on him because of Sophie's manipulation?
He stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the reply button.
Should he hear them out? Or was he done letting people play with his trust?
Mark tightened his grip on the phone, his jaw clenching. Every instinct screamed at him to ignore Alex's message, to cut them all off and walk away. But a part of him—the part that still wanted answers—hesitated.
What had Sophie told them? What lies had she spun to turn Alex and Liam against him? He needed to know. Not because he wanted to fix things, but because he refused to let her control the narrative.
His fingers moved before he could stop himself.
Mark: Where?
The reply came almost instantly.
Alex: Old train station. 30 minutes. Just you.
Mark exhaled, his decision made. He downed the last of his coffee—cold and bitter, fitting for the night—and stood up.
The city lights flickered outside as he stepped into the street, the weight of betrayal pressing against his chest. He wasn't walking into this as a victim. If Sophie thought she could manipulate him and walk away unscathed, she was wrong.
One way or another, he was going to get the truth.
Mark narrowed his eyes, studying Alex and Liam under the dim glow of the broken station lights. Their expressions weren't filled with guilt or regret like he had expected. Instead, there was something else—anticipation.
Alex took a step forward. "Look, Mark. We didn't come here to apologize."
Mark crossed his arms, his body tense. "Then why did you call me here?"
Liam smirked slightly. "Sophie wants you to join us."
Mark felt his chest tighten. "Join you?" The words felt wrong on his tongue. After everything, after the betrayal, they wanted him on their side?
Alex nodded. "She never really wanted to betray you, Mark. It was a test."
"A test?" Mark's voice was dangerously low. "You mean she set me up, turned my friends against me, and then disappeared—just to see how I'd react?"
Liam chuckled. "You don't get it, do you? Sophie likes you, Mark. She sees potential in you. She always has."
Mark clenched his fists. This was insane. They expected him to just forget everything, to pretend like it hadn't mattered?
Alex continued, his voice calm. "She had to know if you were strong enough. If you could handle betrayal and still think clearly. And you did. You didn't break."
Mark felt something cold settle in his chest. This wasn't an apology. This was an invitation—to something deeper, something darker.
"So," Liam said, stepping closer, "are you in?"
Mark exhaled, his mind racing. If he said no, they might not let him walk away. If he said yes, he would be stepping into Sophie's world—a world where trust was a game, and loyalty was a weapon.
His lips curled into a small, humorless smile.
"Where is she?"
Alex and Liam exchanged a glance, as if silently debating how much to reveal. Then Alex spoke.
"You'll see her soon," he said. "But first, you have to prove yourself."
Mark let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Prove myself? After everything she pulled, she still thinks I need to earn a place?"
Liam smirked. "That's how it works, Mark. You don't just get invited in—you show that you belong."
Mark clenched his jaw. He should have expected this. Sophie didn't do things the easy way.
"And what exactly does she want me to do?"
Alex stepped closer, lowering his voice. "There's someone she wants gone. Not dead," he added quickly, seeing the flicker in Mark's expression. "Just… removed from the picture."
Mark narrowed his eyes. "Who?"
Liam pulled out his phone, tapping the screen before turning it toward Mark. A picture appeared—grainy, taken from a distance. A man in a suit, mid-conversation with someone unseen.
"His name is Daniel Cross," Alex said. "He's been interfering in Sophie's plans. Your job is to make sure he stops."
Mark stared at the photo. He didn't recognize the man, but he recognized the weight of what they were asking. This wasn't just about proving himself. It was about control—about making him take the first step down a path he might not come back from.
He met Alex's gaze. "And if I say no?"
Liam sighed, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "Then this was a mistake, and we go back to being enemies."
Mark's fingers curled into a fist at his side. He had come here for answers. Instead, he was standing at a crossroads.
Trust Sophie and step into her world?
Or walk away, knowing she might never let him?
He took a deep breath, then made his choice.