CHAPTER 1: THE ESCAPE
282 Words
The dim glow of New York City’s streetlights flickered against the tinted windows of the taxi as Sophia Windsor clutched the worn leather strap of her duffel bag. The weight of her decision pressed against her chest, but she refused to let doubt creep in.
She had left it all behind—her family's sprawling estate, the wealth that came with the Windsor name, and, most importantly, the life that had been meticulously planned for her.
Her mother’s words still echoed in her mind: "You will marry James Lancaster. It’s best for the family."
Sophia had smiled politely, played the role of the perfect heiress, and then that night, she disappeared.
Now, she was just Sophia Reynolds, a woman determined to carve out a life of her own.
The cab pulled up to a modest apartment building in Brooklyn, a stark contrast to the marble halls she once called home. Sophia handed the driver a few bills, grabbed her bag, and stepped out into the crisp night air.
Inside her tiny new apartment, she leaned against the door and exhaled. She had made it. But she had no illusions—this was only the beginning.
Her phone buzzed with a call from an unknown number. Her heart stuttered.
She hesitated before answering.
“You can’t run forever, Sophia,” warned a deep voice.
She hung up, her fingers trembling.
No. She would outrun them. And tomorrow, she would start fresh.
Tomorrow, she would step into the offices of Knight Enterprises as nothing more than a woman in need of a job.
Little did she know that her new boss, Alexander Knight, would be more dangerous than any enemy she had left behind.
- Writer
