Tangled Vows

The Calm Before the Storm

Sophie’s phone buzzed once more, breaking the silence that had settled over the penthouse. She glanced at the screen, her breath hitching when she saw her brother’s name, Micheal, flashing across the display.

Without thinking, she answered quickly, her heart thumping in her chest.

“Micheal ?” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Sophie!” His voice crackled with a mix of concern and barely contained anger. “What the hell is going on? I’ve been hearing rumors—people are saying you’re married to him. To Ethan Sinclair.”

Sophie’s heart sank. She hadn’t expected to hear from Micheal, especially not like this. She had no idea how he’d found out so soon. “Micheal, I—”

“Don’t give me that!” His voice was louder now, filled with fury. “You can’t possibly be serious! Did you marry him to settle a deal? Are you out of your mind? Mom and Dad—are they out of their minds? You’re their daughter, Sophie! You’re supposed to be happy, not… not sold off like some prize!”

Sophie pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to block out the noise in her head. Micheal’s anger was justified. She had heard the same thing in whispers around the mansion when she was younger—how her parents had sold their wealth and reputation to the highest bidder. But hearing it from Micheal, hearing the disbelief and hurt in his voice, made it all the more real.

“Micheal, please, I didn’t—” Sophie cut herself off, her words feeling too weak, too empty. What could she say? How could she explain to him that she hadn’t had a choice? That her life had never really been hers, to begin with?

“I don’t want to hear it, Sophie!” Micheal’s voice cracked, and she could practically hear him pacing on the other end of the line. “I can’t believe they did this to you. This isn’t just about some business deal, it’s about your life. I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I don’t care. I will fix this, you hear me?”

Sophie’s chest tightened, the weight of his words suffocating her. She knew he meant well—he always did—but there was nothing he could do. Ethan had already made it clear that she was his now, and no one would dare defy him. Especially not her brother, who still thought of the world as it was before Ethan entered it.

“Micheal, listen to me,” Sophie said, trying to steady her voice. “There’s nothing you can do. I’m married to him now. There’s no going back.”

“You’re just going to let him walk all over you?!” Michael shot back, his voice rising with frustration. “You’re his wife, Sophie! This isn’t just some fling—it’s a contract, and I’m not going to stand by and watch you get suffocated in a deal that wasn’t even your choice.”

“I don’t have a choice, Micheal !” she snapped, the words bursting out before she could stop them. “I don’t have a damn choice! This is what they wanted—what our parents wanted. They sold me off to save their skin, to save their empire. And now I’m stuck in this life with no way out.”

She paused, the tears threatening to spill over, but she quickly wiped them away. She couldn’t break down in front of him. Not now. Not when he was already so angry and confused.

Micheal’s silence on the other end of the line was deafening. Sophie squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for his response.

Finally, he spoke, his voice softer now but still full of concern. “Sophie, I swear to God, I’ll do whatever it takes to get you out of there. You don’t belong with that man. You’re my sister. And I will not let him—”

“Micheal, please,” Sophie interrupted, her voice trembling with exhaustion. “You don’t understand. He’s not just some businessman. Ethan Sinclair is dangerous. If you try to intervene, it could get worse.”

There was a long pause, and Sophie could almost hear the wheels turning in her brother’s head. He was protective, loyal, and relentless—just like their father. But she had learned the hard way that Ethan didn’t play by anyone’s rules. He was above all of it.

“Then what? What am I supposed to do, Sophie? You’re my sister!” Micheal’s voice cracked with frustration. “I can’t just let this happen to you. I’ll go to them, talk to them, do something. This isn’t your fault.”

Sophie closed her eyes, the tears finally slipping free. She wiped them away quickly, unwilling to let him see her weakness. She loved her brother more than anything, but she couldn’t let him get dragged into this mess. She couldn’t let anyone else pay the price for her mistakes.

“I don’t want you involved, Micheal. Please,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Just promise me you’ll stay away from him. Stay out of it.”

Micheal’s voice softened. “I can’t promise you that, Sophie. But I will try to figure out a way to get you out of there. I’ll get you out of that hell, no matter what it takes.”

Sophie let out a shaky breath, torn between relief and dread. Part of her wanted to tell him to forget it, to let her handle it, but the other part—her sisterly love and the desperation in her heart—wanted to hope. Maybe Micheal could save her.

But deep down, Sophie knew. No one could save her from Ethan Sinclair.

“I love you, Micheal,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“I love you too, Soph,” he replied quietly. “I’ll figure this out.”

The line went silent, and Sophie stared at her phone for a long moment, the weight of the conversation heavy on her shoulders. She wasn’t sure whether she was more afraid of what Michael would do next, or what Ethan would do when he found out.

One thing was certain: her brother’s attempts to rescue her were only going to make things worse.

---

As Sophie sat in the silence of the penthouse, trying to calm her racing thoughts, The door opened with a soft click, Ethan walked in, and Sophie turned to face him.

Ethan stood in the doorway, his jaw clenched and his expression cold as ice. The warmth from earlier—the tenderness in his eyes—was gone, replaced by the hardened, impenetrable man she had first encountered. The man who didn’t care about feelings, only control.

His eyes met hers, and for a moment, Sophie felt a chill wash over her. He knew.

“I hope you’re done making calls, Sophie,” Ethan’s voice was low, dangerous. “Because I don’t take kindly to people getting in my way.”