Episode1
~Sophie’s POV
I'd just taken my bath, feeling slightly relieved after a long day, and shut my door, as I normally did to keep my stepfather, Edward Vance, out. I despised him. I couldn't tolerate the way his eyes followed me, as if I were a prize he could win. Every chance he got, he'd wink or make some disgusting remark.
It made my skin crawl. After moving into his house with my mother, shutting my door became part of my routine and safety.
I took out a pair of short jeans and a large blouse, something more protective than the nightgowns I used to wear.
I needed to feel safe. As I changed my clothing, I heard the door creak open and my stomach fell. My heart raced in my chest. There he was, standing in the doorway with an extra key.
My breath caught.
"He must've used that key," I reasoned.
"What are you doing in my room, Mr. Edward?" My voice shook, but I tried to sound confident. I couldn't bear to look at him since my disdain for him was so intense. I knew I was not ugly. My mother's beauty flowed through me, curves and milky skin. However, this could not excuse his weird attention.
"He is my stepfather," I thought to myself.
And the idea of him even wanting me was completely inappropriate.
His laughter echoed around the room, jolting me back into the present.
"It's impossible to be locked out of my residence. I have spare keys, remember?" His voice was soft as if he were attempting to captivate me, but it made my stomach churn with disgust.
"What are you doing in my room?!" I snapped because my worry was making me angry.
“Come on, Sophie. You know what I want. You’ve had to have gotten my hints by now,” he said, stepping toward me. His eyes roamed over me, and I felt like I was being stripped bare, even though I was fully dressed.
“Wait! Why are you so shameless? Your daughter is my age, and you’re married to my mother!” I tried to sound firm, to stop the shaking in my voice, but it didn’t work. My mind was racing. I couldn’t believe this was happening.
He scoffed as if I were being unreasonable. “You’re such a beautiful girl, Sophie. Let me take care of you. I can give you everything you want. You know I have the money, the power.”
Those words hit me like a punch in the gut. I could feel the anger bubbling up in me, mixing with the fear. My voice trembled, but I stood my ground. “I’ll scream if you don’t get out of my room! You disgusting, perverted bastard!”
He just laughed, and that laugh sent a chill through me. “Scream all you want. No one’s here to hear you.” His eyes glinted with something dark, something I had seen too many times before. He always knew when to strike, when Mom and Caroline were out, spending his money. They were nowhere to stop him. I was on my own.
Edward’s smirk widened. “Go ahead, scream. But no one will come.”
I froze. The room felt smaller. My heart was racing, my legs suddenly weak beneath me. I was alone. There was no escape. No one would come to help me.
I didn’t know what to do. I was so scared, my body shaking as I tried to think, trying to figure out how to get out of this. I sank to my knees, but he kept coming closer, his every step making my chest tighten. My throat was dry, and I could barely breathe.
“Shut up,” he growled, as he closed the space between us. His voice was low, dangerous.
I could feel my heart racing in my chest, my body frozen with fear as he stepped closer, his eyes dark with intention.
“I’ll be gentle with you, Sophia,” he said, the words dripping with something I couldn't quite name but that made my skin crawl. “You’ll see. It’ll be okay.”
His words hit me like a slap, but I didn’t have time to process them. He was already reaching for me, his hands grabbing my arm and pulling me toward him. I flinched, my mind screaming for me to get away, to fight back, but I was frozen, stuck in the nightmare of his gaze.
“No, please, don’t!” I yelled, my voice cracking with panic. “Get away from me!”
But he wasn’t listening. He was too close now, his breath hot on my neck as he pulled me even closer. I could feel his grip tightening around my waist, lifting me off the ground as if I were nothing more than a doll to him.
“No!” I gasped, my hands pushing against his chest, trying to make him stop, trying to get him off me. But he was too strong, too determined.
“You’ll like it, Sophia. You’re just scared. But I’ll be gentle, I promise,” he murmured, a sickening sweetness in his voice that made my stomach turn.
I pushed harder, my hands shaking as I struggled to get away. “No! No! Don’t touch me!”
But it was useless. He pushed me back onto the bed with one swift motion, his body pressing down on mine, trapping me underneath him. I kicked and struggled, my heart pounding so loudly I thought he could hear it, but it was like he didn’t even feel me fighting back.
“Stop! Please!” I screamed, trying to push him off, but he was relentless. He didn’t care that I was begging. He didn’t care that I was pleading with every breath in my body to let me go.
His hands moved to my shoulders, holding me down with an iron grip, and I could feel the weight of his body crushing me into the bed.
“Calm down, Sophia,” he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned in closer. “Just relax. Let it happen.”
I was suffocating. My body felt like it was burning with fear, my mind spinning as I fought against him with everything I had. My breath came out in ragged gasps, and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I wouldn’t let him see me cry. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.
“You’re nothing but a sick monster!” I yelled, my voice rising in anger. “Get off me! Get away from me, you bastard!”
But he just smirked, like my words didn’t even faze him. He pressed harder, his hands moving lower, and I could feel the cold dread in my stomach as his intentions became clear.
“No! No, you don’t get to do this!” I shouted, kicking my legs, trying to break free. My fists hit against his chest, but it was like hitting a wall. He didn’t move.
I didn’t know how much longer I could hold on, but I refused to let him take anything from me. I couldn’t let him.
With every ounce of strength I had left, I twisted my body, trying to shove him off me. My hands found the flower vase on the bedside table, and in one quick motion, I grabbed it and swung it at him with all the force I could muster.
The vase shattered against his head, the sound of glass breaking filling the air as he yelled out in pain, his hands clutching his forehead. Blood started dripping through his fingers. He collapsed on the bed, not moving, and I froze.
I could barely breathe. My heart was racing, and my head was spinning. I got closer to him, my hands shaking. His skin felt cold.
"Edward?" I whispered, but he didn’t answer. His face was pale, his eyes closed, and the blood kept spilling out.
Panic gripped me. Had I killed him?
