Becoming Her Billionaire Ex's Pet

His money worth and his offer

“What would I be if I believed every word you say to me?” a chilling voice asked, filled with skepticism and menace.

“I swear on my father’s grave, I didn’t know he was going to betray me. I was deceived, just like you. He was my friend, and I trusted him,” the man pleaded, desperation thick in his voice.

The person sitting close to her let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Perhaps a bit of torture will help loosen your tongue. How would you feel if we killed everyone before moving on to torture you?” The steely voice spoke again, laced with displeasure and threat.

Sophia felt the world around her slow to a terrifying crawl. Her senses became painfully acute, amplifying the terror of the person’s announcement. Each word hung in the air, magnified in her mind, making the threat all the more real.

“No, what would you gain from killing women and children?” her father shouted, his voice cracking with a mix of anger and helplessness.

“The answer to my questions since you seem a bit hesitant to respond,” the voice replied, cold and unyielding.

“No . . . no! I have responded! I don’t know where he is. I didn’t know it was all a fraud. I trusted him completely,” her father cried out, his voice wavering under the pressure.

The interrogator let out an icy laugh, one that sent chills down Sophia’s spine. “And you expect me to trust your words?” the person asked, dripping with sarcasm and disbelief.

“No! I’ll turn myself over to the police. I know I made a mistake that cost millions, and I should pay for it. I’ll go to jail for my crimes, but please, my family had nothing to do with what happened. Please, spare their lives,” her father pleaded, his voice filled with remorse and desperation.

“If I wanted you to go to jail, I would have brought the police,” the interrogator responded coldly, dismissing the offer without hesitation.

“Fine,” her father said, his voice firming with a newfound resolution. “I made the mistake, so let me pay for it. Let them go. You can kill me, just don’t make them pay for the foolish mistake I made. Please, I’m begging you.”

The person who had been sitting silently on the sofa finally spoke, their voice calm but deadly. “I still need to know the whereabouts of my money.”

Sophia held her breath, her heart pounding as she recognized the voice. It was her father’s boss.

“I swear, I don’t know where the money is. I swear, I don’t know!” Her father’s voice grew more frantic with each repetition, as though he believed the more he said it, the more convincing it would be. He continued to plead, his words becoming increasingly desperate. But his pleas were abruptly cut off by a muffled scream, followed by another, and then the sickening sound of flesh and bone being struck.

Sophia’s entire body tensed, and she could almost hear the sound of bones breaking, causing her to wince instinctively. The sudden silence that followed was unbearable, amplifying her fear and hatred for the blindfold that covered her eyes. It made her feel like a trapped, hunted animal, blind and defenseless against the danger that surrounded her.

Every sound, every movement in the room was magnified in her mind, making the terror almost unbearable as she waited, helpless, for what would come next.

"We haven’t made much progress yet, so let's start with your son—maybe that will get you talking," someone retorted, their voice cold and unyielding, before her brother’s screams filled the room.

"No! I've told you everything I know. I was deceived, I swear I was deceived! Please, torture me instead. Leave my son alone!" Sophia’s father pleaded, his desperate cries trying to drown out her brother’s agony.

Sophia prayed the neighbors might hear, despite the soundproofing of their house, and call the police. "What does a hundred million mean to you?!" Sophia screamed, her voice desperate and trembling.

She had countless ideas racing through her mind, but she wasn’t sure which, if any, would work. All she could hope for was that the worst outcome would be her own death alone. When her brother’s screams abruptly stopped, a heavy, suffocating silence filled the room, pressing down on her, as though demanding she speak.

Sophia exhaled sharply and forced herself to speak, her voice loud and defiant, "A human life? Is that what a hundred million means to someone as powerful as you?"

"What if I want five lives since it doesn’t seem like I’ll get my money from your father?" the man on the sofa replied, his voice deep and foreboding, like the echo of a grave.

She considered her response, but her words froze on her lips. She knew nothing she could say would make a difference if he was determined to kill them all for his money.

The room fell into an oppressive silence, as though everyone was waiting for her to speak again. She parted her lips and, with great effort, asked, "How do you want me to die? How do we need to die to give you something worth your money?"

Her words seemed to bring the gravity of their situation crashing down on everyone, and sobs filled the room—each one heavy with helplessness and despair.

Sophia’s father, overwhelmed with guilt from hearing those sobs, began begging again. "Please. I deserve to die. Kill me, but let them go. They don’t deserve this. Please, find it in your heart to show mercy."

"Hmm," their boss hummed, sounding pleased. "I like the sound of that. Mercy. How about I show you mercy, as you begged, by reducing the value of my money to just one life?"

Sophia was on the verge of shouting that no amount of money could measure the value of a life, but she bit her tongue, knowing that any outburst might seal all their fates.

“Thank you for your mercy,” her father's voice echoed through the room, and what made it even more heart-wrenching was the genuine relief and gratitude that laced his tone. It was as if he had completely given up, his will to fight utterly extinguished.

"Take him away." The order was swiftly followed by the sound of the man on the sofa standing up.

"No, wait! Don’t you want a life?" Sophia's voice broke through the tension, desperate and determined.

"You’re right," came a response to her question.

Without a second thought, Sophia stood up, her hands still bound, and declared, “Then take my life. Let my life repay the money you lost.”

For a moment, the room was silent, the shock of her offer hanging heavily in the air.

Fearing they might reject her proposal, she quickly added, “A younger life is worth more, isn’t it? Let me pay for the loss.”

“Sophia, shut up! Don’t say that. It was my mistake; why should you suffer for what I did?” Her father’s voice, tinged with anger at her self-sacrifice, cut through the silence.

She was on the verge of saying that her siblings still needed their father, but she held back, knowing those words would only deepen the guilt if she was gone.

“I’m twenty-five, and the things I’ve achieved in my field at such a young age are remarkable. Don’t you think a promising life like mine is more valuable than a middle-aged man’s?” She hoped desperately that they would agree with her reasoning.

"I think you make a valid point..." their boss finally responded, his deep voice resonating powerfully in the room, so much so that her father could barely muster a response. "However... I don’t think I’d get as much satisfaction from killing you as I would from your father. It seems too dull."

Sophia, knowing that removing her blindfold would force them into a decision, quickly shook it off her head and stood up. As her eyes adjusted to the living room’s light, the face she saw was shockingly familiar. It was someone she never expected to encounter again in her lifetime—her first love, her first boyfriend.

He seemed just as surprised, his eyes slightly widening as they met hers. “You took your blindfold off,” he remarked with a chuckle, amused.

This act put her in both a precarious and potentially advantageous position. The man she once loved might just be the key to keeping her father out of prison if she played her cards right. “I’ll do anything you ask of me, anything, as long as you let my father go free without sending him to jail.”

He smirked coolly as he sat back down, gesturing for her to kneel. Obeying, she sank to her knees, locking eyes with him.

“Break up with my brother. You’re the reason he’s refused to be trained as an heir. He’s afraid that if he does, he won’t be the kind fool he is when he’s with you. My father’s given him one last chance—if he doesn’t leave, we’ll be disowned, and one of my father’s enemies will likely find us.” His words, filled with bitter resentment, were as vivid now as they were that lunchtime in high school when she first heard them.

He had truly changed. The kindness in his eyes, the trait she had once loved, was gone. This was no longer the teenager she had fallen in love with, but she couldn’t help but hope that somewhere inside, he might still find it in his heart to forgive her harsh words and her father’s betrayal.

“So, I’m the one to decide if he goes to jail or not? A moment ago, I was feeling quite satisfied. What gives you the right to strike a deal with me?” he asked, leaning back lazily.

“For old times’ sake, Alex,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, but hoping he heard.

His cold gaze met hers, confirming that he had indeed heard her plea. She froze, realizing that this was not the response she had hoped for, and a sinking feeling told her that she hadn’t played her cards right.

“Alessandro,” he corrected icily, before motioning her to come closer.

Forced to shuffle forward on her knees, she covered the short distance between them. He leaned in, his eyes scanning her body as a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “Perhaps this will be fun after all. So, what can you do?”

She saw the desire flickering in his eyes as he reached out to touch her chin, lifting her face so their eyes met fully.

This wasn’t some nostalgic high school reunion in a cozy restaurant. This was a confrontation with the man who wanted her father dead. Without a second thought, she answered, “I’ll do anything. Absolutely anything.”

“That sounds promising. I’m sure Alex would be pleased to have his revenge, wouldn’t you agree?” he said, almost as if mocking her.

Her mind flashed back to the moment when she had watched tears roll down his cheeks as he whispered, “Why? Was it something I did? I’ll change, I’ll do anything if we can stay together. Please, Sophia.”