Becoming Her Billionaire Ex's Pet

It was a typical dinner at Sophia’s house, but her father seemed unusually tense. Despite it being one of his favorite meals, he hadn’t touched his food for several minutes. She watched her mother put down her spoon and followed suit. “Is something wrong?” her mother, Elizabeth, asked, her brow slightly furrowed. “Nothing,” he replied, finally picking up his fork. Only when he started eating did Sophia and her mother resume eating. After his first bite, he added, “Actually, there is something wrong.” “What is it?” her mother asked, placing her cutlery down and meeting his gaze. He leaned back in his chair, raising his head. Everyone at the table paused, watching him. Sophia noticed her father, usually strong and composed, looking defeated and weak. Her heart raced, sensing that whatever was troubling him was serious. “We…” her father began, then paused, taking a deep breath. “We might face difficult times ahead, and I might have to go to jail for a while,” he confessed. “I think Caleb should go upstairs,” her mother suggested, glancing at their youngest child. “No, he needs to hear this,” her father disagreed. “It’s a very serious case of embezzlement and fraud. I was deceived by a friend, and the company lost millions.” Her mother sighed, leaning back with the same defeated look her father wore. Sophia, trying to grasp the severity of the situation, asked, “How much?” “Nearly a hundred million. A friend told me about land we could acquire for the company in a promising location. We followed all legal procedures, but it turned out the documents were forged. We never bought the land, and now my friend has vanished, leaving me to shoulder the blame.” When Sophia’s dad finished talking, she realized their family would likely suffer the consequences, and although she hoped they wouldn’t, she knew it was nearly impossible for her father to escape unscathed. She glanced at her younger brother, who idolized their father, and it pained her to think of the life he’d face without him. “I’m sorry. I should never have trusted him. I was the one who ensured everything was approved by the company. I just wanted to prove to the new boss that I was valuable,” Sophia watched her father lament, and she couldn’t help but pity him for placing his trust in the wrong person. She recalled her dad mentioning that his company had been acquired due to a conflict between his boss and a powerful Italian, and they were planning to lay off some senior directors from the old regime. He must have been trying to secure his job with a good deal. “I’m sorry.” Hearing the pain in his apology filled her with sadness. “I think we need to get divorced as soon as possible, and you should take full custody of the kids to protect them,” he told her mother seriously. “I’m not getting divorced.” “We need to, at least for the kids,” he reminded her apologetically. “We don’t want you to get divorced,” the younger kids chorused, their voices filled with heartbreak. Sophia, thinking her father was wise to consider divorce as a way to protect the family, said, “Dad is right. He suggested it to protect you all. You both still need to go to college. Aren’t you worried?” “We don’t care.” Seeing Sophia’s serious expression, her father gave her a grateful, though sad, smile. “I think the divorce is a good idea. Once everything settles down, Dad will be back, and we can live together again.” “I don’t want that,” Claire, Sophia’s sister, strongly refused as she stood up. “You can all decide what to do since it’s your marriage,” she spat, pushing her chair back. “Claire, sit down,” her father warned sternly. “If I end up in jail, you won’t have everything you want. You wouldn’t be able to study fashion design like you plan to. I hope you understand what I’m trying to do. By divorcing, I can leave your mother with enough to support all your needs.” Claire looked at her dad in defeat as she sat back down. “I hate this,” she muttered, avoiding Sophia’s gaze. “How about letting the police investigate and find the man responsible? You were deceived; they can’t punish you for such a crime, can they?” Sophia’s mother suggested thoughtfully. “I wish it were that simple. He fled the country, and no one can save me except him. If he testified in court, I might only lose my job, but he left me to take the fall.” The table fell silent after that, and though everyone resumed eating, it was clear they had lost their appetite. Even her father barely touched his food. Earlier, her mother had sent the housekeeper away due to the tense atmosphere in the house. No one seemed willing to return to their rooms, and they all sat quietly in the living room. The doorbell rang, and Sophia instinctively stood up to answer it. “Who is it?” she asked, even though she could see their neighbor at the door holding what looked like a parcel. “There was a delivery mix-up. Come get your package,” he responded curtly. He was a very reserved neighbor who rarely got involved in others’ lives. She could imagine how annoyed he must have been to deliver the package himself. “I’m sorry. I’ll get it right away,” she told him as she opened the door and stepped outside. The area in front of the door was oddly quiet. She brushed it off, assuming he had left the package for her to retrieve herself, not wanting any contact. Making a mental note to apologize when she saw him the next day, she looked around for the parcel. Suddenly, the lights went out. “I think this light needs replacing,” she mumbled as she reached for her cell phone in her jeans pocket. “Ah!” Sophia screamed as she suddenly faced a man pointing a gun at her. She almost thought it was an illusion until the man, with a finger pressed against his lips and a black mask covering his face, signaled her to stay quiet. Fearing for her family inside, she tried to close the door, but the man wedged his leg between it. Before she could react, the door was yanked open, and two more men, also holding guns, advanced on her as if she had kidnapped the president, forcing her to back into the house. “Sophia, is everything alright? I heard you—” her mother began, but she froze at the sight before her. Everyone in the living room quickly noticed what was happening. One of the three men, all dressed in camouflage like soldiers with only their cold eyes visible, stepped forward. “We just want cooperation. Can I count on that from everyone here?” the man asked. Sophia, closest to them, quickly nodded, and the others followed suit. “Good,” the man responded, as another handed out black cloths. “Cover your heads with these. Anyone who sees anything will have to die, whether we get what we want or not.” Sophia didn’t hesitate to take the cloth. She put it over her head, and she was sure the others did the same. Their hands were tied, and they were forced to kneel together in the living room. Sophia strained to listen, trying to heighten her other senses. “It’s all set,” she heard someone say over a radio, presumably the man who gave the first order. She recalled her earlier observations—they weren’t just robbers, nor were they soldiers. The most plausible conclusion she could reach was that they were mercenaries, likely sent by her father’s boss taking illegal action. She couldn’t think of any other reason why someone would hire mercenaries to terrorize them at home. What followed was pure silence, except for the soft sound of her brother sniffing and whimpering. About a minute later, there was the sound of the front door opening, followed by very light footsteps, and then the door closing. Someone must have chosen the sofa closest to her to sit down. There was something about that person’s presence that filled her with more fear than the men holding guns. Perhaps it was just her instincts, or the fact that no one else was sitting, so whoever took the seat had to be the boss, the one to be feared. She swallowed the lumps in her throat as she tried to adjust her hands, despite the ropes binding them. “Mr. Bennett, where is Mr. Whitefield?” “I don’t know. He disappeared… I swear, I don’t know where he is. I… I’ve tried to find him… I called all my friends, but none of them know where he is,” her father’s shaky, stuttering voice responded. Sophia felt her blood drain, as if her very life force was being sucked out of her body. They were here for her father, just as she had feared.