CHAPTER3
1595 Words
Sophia’s heart pounded as Damien gripped her arm, pulling her through the chaos of the ballroom. Reporters shouted questions, cameras flashed, and the noise was deafening, but Damien moved with single-minded determination, his grip unyielding.
“What’s going on?” Sophia demanded, stumbling to keep up with his long strides.
“Not here,” Damien muttered, his voice low and urgent.
They burst through a side door into a dimly lit hallway. Damien didn’t stop until they reached a private elevator at the end of the corridor. He punched the button, his jaw clenched.
Sophia yanked her arm free. “Damien, what the hell is happening?”
The elevator doors slid open, and Damien ushered her inside. Once the doors closed, he turned to her, his expression grim. “Victor knows about the engagement. He’s not happy.”
Sophia’s stomach churned. “What does that mean?”
“It means he’s coming after you,” Damien said, his tone flat.
Sophia stared at him, her mind racing. “You said this arrangement would protect me.”
“It will,” Damien replied, his gaze steady. But Victor doesn’t play by the rules. You need to be careful.”
Sophia’s hands trembled. “You didn’t tell me it would be this dangerous.”
Damien’s expression softened, just for a moment. “I didn’t think it would be. But I’ll handle it.”
The elevator doors opened, and Damien led her into an underground parking garage. A sleek black car was waiting, its engine running.
“Get in,” Damien said, opening the door for her.
Sophia hesitated. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere safe,” Damien replied.
Sophia climbed into the car, her mind spinning. She felt like she was being swept up in a storm, with no control over where it would take her.
---
The car pulled up in front of a high-rise apartment building, its glass facade gleaming in the afternoon sun. Damien led her inside and up to the penthouse, where a man in a suit was waiting.
“This is Marcus,” Damien said, gesturing to the man. “He’s my head of security. He’ll make sure you’re safe.”
Sophia’s eyes widened. “You’re leaving me with him?”
“I have to deal with Victor,” Damien said, his tone firm. “Stay here until I come back.”
Sophia crossed her arms. “I’m not a child, Damien. You can’t just order me around.”
Damien’s gaze hardened. “This isn’t a game, Sophia. Victor is dangerous, and I won’t risk your safety.”
Sophia opened her mouth to argue, but Damien turned and walked out before she could say anything.
---
Marcus cleared his throat. “Ms. Carter, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to your room.”
Sophia sighed and followed him down a hallway to a spacious bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.
“If you need anything, just let me know,” Marcus said, his tone polite but firm.
Sophia nodded, her mind still reeling. She sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled out her phone. There were no new messages, but the text from earlier still haunted her: “You’re playing with fire, Sophia. And you’re going to get burned.”
She typed a response: “Who are you? What do you want?”
The reply came almost immediately: “I want you to know the truth about Damien Blackwood.”
Sophia’s heart skipped a beat. “What truth?”
The response was a single word: “Wait.”
---
Hours passed, and Sophia grew more restless. She paced the room, her mind racing. What truth was the texter talking about? And why was Damien so determined to keep her in the dark?
Finally, the door opened, and Damien walked in. His suit was rumpled, and there was a cut on his cheek.
“What happened?” Sophia asked, her voice trembling.
Damien didn’t answer. Instead, he walked over to the window and stared out at the city.
“Damien,” Sophia said, her tone sharper this time. “What happened?”
Damien turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. “Victor made his move. He’s not going to back down.”
Sophia’s stomach dropped. “What does that mean for us?”
Damien’s gaze softened, just for a moment. “It means we need to be careful. Victor will stop at nothing to destroy me—and anyone connected to me.”
Sophia’s hands trembled. “You said this arrangement would protect me.”
“It will,” Damien said, his tone firm. “But you need to trust me.”
Sophia looked away, her mind racing. She didn’t know if she could trust him—or if she even wanted to.
---
Sophia stared at the text, her heart pounding. “Meet me tonight. I’ll tell you everything.”
She glanced at Damien, who was still standing by the window, his back to her. His broad shoulders were tense, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. She could feel the weight of his silence, the unspoken tension filling the room.
“Damien,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
He didn’t respond.
Sophia took a deep breath and typed a reply: “Where?”
The response came almost immediately: “The bookstore. Midnight. Come alone.”
Her stomach churned. The bookstore? At midnight? This felt like a trap, but she couldn’t ignore it. She needed answers—about Damien, about Victor, about the danger she was in.
She slipped her phone into her pocket and stood, her legs trembling. “Damien,” she said again, louder this time.
He turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. “What?”
“I need to go back to the bookstore,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her.
Damien’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“I left something important there,” Sophia lied, her mind racing. “I need to get it.”
Damien shook his head. “It’s not safe. Victor’s men could be watching the place.”
“I’ll be quick,” Sophia insisted. “I’ll take Marcus with me if it makes you feel better.”
Damien studied her for a moment, his gaze piercing. “Why now? What’s so important that it can’t wait?”
Sophia hesitated, her mind scrambling for an excuse. “It’s… it’s something my father left me. I can’t lose it.”
Damien’s expression softened, just for a moment. “Fine. But Marcus goes with you, and you come straight back. Understood?”
Sophia nodded, her heart pounding. “Understood.”
---
Sophia waited until Damien left the room before pulling out her phone again. She typed a quick message: “I’ll be there. But if this is a trap, I’m not coming alone.”
The response was immediate: “No tricks. Just the truth.”
Sophia took a deep breath and slipped her phone back into her pocket. She glanced at the clock—9:45 PM. She had just over two hours to figure out how to shake Marcus and get to the bookstore alone.
---
At 11:30 PM, Sophia stood in the penthouse’s kitchen, pretending to make tea. Marcus was in the living room, his eyes glued to the security monitors.
“Marcus,” she called, her voice casual. “Could you help me with something?”
Marcus appeared in the doorway, his expression polite but wary. “What do you need, Ms. Carter?”
“I can’t get this tea bag out of the box,” Sophia said, holding up the box with a sheepish smile. “It’s stuck.”
Marcus raised an eyebrow but walked over to help. As he reached for the box, Sophia grabbed the heavy ceramic teapot from the counter and swung it at his head.
Marcus crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Sophia’s hands trembled as she set the teapot down. She’d never done anything like this before, but she didn’t have a choice. She needed answers, and she couldn’t let Damien—or anyone else—stop her.
She grabbed her coat and slipped out of the penthouse, her heart pounding with every step.
---
The streets were quiet as Sophia made her way to Carter’s Corner. The bookstore was dark, the windows reflecting the faint glow of the streetlights. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, the familiar scent of old books wrapping around her like a blanket.
“You came.”
Sophia spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. A man stepped out of the shadows, his face hidden beneath a hood.
“Who are you?” Sophia demanded, her voice shaking.
The man pulled back his hood, revealing a face that was both familiar and unsettling. It was Victor Kane.
Sophia’s stomach dropped. “What are you doing here?”
Victor smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “I told you I’d tell you the truth about Damien Blackwood.”
Sophia took a step back, her mind racing. “What truth?”
Victor’s smile widened. “The truth about who he really is—and why he’s using you.”
Before Victor could say more, the sound of breaking glass shattered the silence. Sophia turned to see Damien standing in the doorway, his eyes
blazing with fury.
“Get away from her, Victor,” Damien growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Victor laughed, a cold, mocking sound. “Too late, Damien. She already knows.”
- Writer
