THE BILLIONAIRE'S BARGAIN

CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter Four: Searching for Answers

The cold, rushing water was mere inches away when Sophia felt a strong hand clamp around her arm, yanking her back from the abyss. She gasped, her heart slamming against her chest, and spun around, breathless.

It was him—the stranger from the club. Lucas.

His grip on her was firm yet gentle, his dark eyes wide with a mix of fear and relief. He pulled her back from the railing, holding her close as she trembled against him, her breath coming in ragged sobs.

“It’s okay,” Lucas whispered, his voice low and calming, “you’re safe now.”

Safe. The word echoed mockingly in her mind. She didn’t feel safe. She didn’t want to be safe. Sophia’s body shook violently, her hands clutching his jacket as if he were the last thing tethering her to reality. She didn’t know why he was here—why he had come after her—but she hated him for it.

"Why... why did you do that?" Sophia’s voice cracked between sobs, her words trembling with anger and anguish.

Lucas’s expression softened as he steadied her. “Because your life is worth more than whatever it is that’s driving you to this.” His voice was gentle, but there was an edge to it—a determination that cut through her spiraling thoughts. “Whatever it is, it’s not worth dying for.”

Sophia choked back a bitter laugh, the weight of her emotions crashing over her. Not worth it? She had been humiliated in front of everyone she knew, betrayed by the man she was supposed to marry, and now, her entire life felt like a dark, twisted joke. She didn’t want his sympathy. She didn’t want his pity.

With a surge of anger, she shoved him away, her fists pounding against his chest. “I didn’t ask for your help!” she screamed, her voice raw and broken. “I wanted it to end! I wanted it all to stop!”

Lucas took a step back, stunned by her outburst, but his gaze didn’t waver. “I get that you’re hurting, but this—”

“No!” she cut him off, her eyes blazing with fury. “You don’t get it! You don’t know anything about me!” Her breath came in sharp bursts, each one more painful than the last, as tears streaked down her face.

Lucas’s expression shifted, his jaw tightening as he tried to keep his voice steady. “Then help me understand,” he said, his tone quieter, almost pleading. “Tell me your name. Tell me why.”

Sophia shook her head violently, stepping away from him. “You don’t need to know my name,” she muttered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rushing river. “Just leave me alone.”

Lucas watched as she turned on her heel, her movements jerky and desperate. “Wait!” he called after her, his voice laced with desperation. “Please… just let me help.”

But she didn’t stop. Her figure disappeared into the darkness of the city streets, her pace quick and determined, like a shadow fleeing from light. Lucas stood frozen, helpless as she vanished from his sight, a hollow feeling settling in his chest.

He didn’t know why, but something about her—something raw and broken—made him need to understand her. His fingers tightened around his phone, and without thinking, he snapped a picture of her retreating form.

"Who are you, really?" he whispered into the cold night air.

The following morning, Lucas sat in his office, pacing restlessly by the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city skyline. The memory of the woman at the bridge haunted him. Her eyes—so full of pain, anger, and something darker—had etched themselves into his mind. He needed to know more. He needed to understand why she was so close to the edge.

Slamming his hand against his desk, Lucas grabbed his phone and pressed a button. Moments later, his secretary, Chris, appeared in the doorway, always sharp and efficient.

“You called, Mr. Vanderbilt?” Chris asked, sensing the urgency in his boss’s demeanor.

“I need you to track someone down,” Lucas said, handing over his phone with the photo he had taken of Sophia. “I don’t know her name. I don’t have anything to go on except this, but she’s in trouble. I need to know everything—who she is, where she’s from, why she tried to—” He stopped himself, the words too heavy to finish. “Just find her.”

Chris’s brow furrowed as he glanced at the photo. It wasn’t much to go on, but Lucas wasn’t the type to make impulsive requests. “I’ll get started immediately, sir. Anything specific to help narrow it down?”

Lucas sighed, rubbing his temples. “Just that. No name. No details. But I have a feeling…” His voice trailed off as he stared out the window, the city bustling beneath him. “She’s not just anyone. There’s something more to this.”

Chris nodded and left quietly, closing the door behind him. Alone again, Lucas slumped into his chair, the weight of the night pressing down on him. Why did this woman—this stranger—consume his thoughts so completely? He didn’t even know her name, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was somehow... important.

The sprawling estate was quiet, but inside the grand living room, the tension was thick enough to choke on. Sandra sat with her perfectly manicured hands folded neatly in her lap, though her eyes were sharp and hard as they bored into Sophia’s father, Sean.

“You have to transfer all the rights to Emma,” Sandra said, her voice as cold as it was firm. “Now that she’s married to Ryan, it’s the smart move. We can’t afford any loose ends.”

Sean shifted uncomfortably, glancing between his wife and the floor. “But Sophia… she’s still my daughter,” he murmured, his voice small. “She’s always been involved in the business, Sandra. She’s earned—”

“She’s earned nothing but disgrace,” Sandra interrupted, her voice laced with venom. “That stunt she pulled at the wedding? Do you want that kind of instability tied to our family name? Do you want the company tied to her?”

Sean opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat. He had seen the way the guests had whispered after the wedding debacle—the way their reputation had taken a hit. But still, this was Sophia. His daughter.

As he struggled with his thoughts, Sophia stood just outside the doorway, listening with growing disbelief. She had been avoiding her father and Sandra since the wedding disaster, but overhearing this conversation shook her to the core.

Sandra’s voice dropped to a venomous hiss. “Emma is the future of this family now. She’s married to Ryan, and with his connections, we’ll solidify our position. You need to sign the papers, Sean—now.”

Sophia’s heart twisted in her chest. It wasn’t enough that Ryan had betrayed her with Emma; now they were trying to erase her entirely. She couldn’t stay silent any longer.

Stepping into the room, her hands balled into fists, Sophia squared her shoulders. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Sandra turned sharply, her eyes narrowing. “This doesn’t concern you, Sophia. Go back to whatever disaster you’ve made of your life.”

Sophia’s jaw clenched. “It does concern me if you’re talking about taking away my rights.” She stepped closer, her voice low and dangerous. “You think you can just push me out? After everything I’ve done for this family?”

Sandra smirked, leaning back in her chair with a look of mock pity. “Oh, darling, you did that all by yourself when you ran off like a spoiled brat. You humiliated all of us. And now, Emma—”

Sophia’s vision blurred with rage, her hands trembling. “Emma can’t have what’s mine, Sandra. I won’t let you steal it from me.”

Sandra arched an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the confrontation. “Steal it? My dear, you’ve already thrown everything away. You’re the one who—”

Before she could finish, a loud knock echoed through the mansion, breaking the tense moment. The butler appeared in the doorway, clearing his throat awkwardly. “There’s a gentleman here asking for Miss Sophia,” he announced.

Sophia frowned, her anger still simmering beneath her confusion. “Who is it?” she demanded.

The butler shifted uncomfortably. “He says his name is Chris, and he’s here on behalf of Lucas Vanderbilt.”

Sandra’s eyes widened at the mention of the Vanderbilt name, and even Sean looked surprised. Sophia’s stomach twisted with confusion. Why would anyone from the Vanderbilt family be looking for her?