Chapter 6: Under My Protection
808 Words
Sophia felt the blood drain from her face.
"What do you mean someone threatened me?"
Alexander's expression was grim.
The relaxed atmosphere from moments earlier had vanished completely.
Now he looked every bit like the ruthless billionaire the business world feared.
He set his phone on the table.
"My head of security just received an anonymous message."
Sophia's stomach twisted.
"What did it say?"
Alexander hesitated.
That alone terrified her.
Finally, he answered.
"It said that if I don't stay away from you and the baby, you'll both suffer the consequences."
A chill ran down her spine.
For a few seconds, she couldn't speak.
Couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think.
Why would anyone care about her?
She was nobody.
Just an ordinary woman trying to survive a terrible year.
Alexander seemed to read her thoughts.
"This isn't about you."
Sophia frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I have enemies."
The seriousness in his voice made her heart pound.
Of course he had enemies.
Men like Alexander Knight didn't build billion-dollar empires without making a few.
But this?
This felt different.
This felt personal.
Alexander stood.
"We're leaving."
"What?"
"Now."
Sophia blinked.
"Alexander, you're overreacting."
His eyes narrowed.
"I'm not."
She opened her mouth to argue.
Then stopped.
Because for the first time since she'd met him...
She saw fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
And somehow that scared her even more.
---
Thirty minutes later.
Sophia stared out the window of Alexander's luxury SUV.
The city lights blurred past.
"Where are we going?"
"My penthouse."
She nearly choked.
"What?"
Alexander didn't even look at her.
"It's the safest place."
"No."
His jaw tightened.
"No?"
"I'm not moving into your house."
"Why not?"
Sophia crossed her arms.
"Because we've known each other for less than a month."
Alexander actually seemed to consider that.
Then he shrugged.
"We have a child together."
Sophia stared at him.
The man had a terrifying talent for making outrageous statements sound perfectly reasonable.
"I'm not moving in."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Sophia groaned.
"You always have to be right, don't you?"
The corner of his lips twitched.
"Usually."
She rolled her eyes.
Arrogant billionaire.
---
An hour later.
Sophia stepped into Alexander's penthouse.
And immediately forgot how to breathe.
The place was enormous.
Elegant.
Modern.
Every detail screamed wealth.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city.
A chandelier sparkled overhead.
The living room alone was bigger than her apartment.
"This is ridiculous."
Alexander removed his jacket.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Sophia shook her head.
"No one needs this much space."
"I do."
"For what?"
He looked around.
Silence.
Sophia laughed.
"Exactly."
For a moment, Alexander's eyes softened.
He liked her honesty.
Most people spent their time trying to impress him.
Sophia didn't care about his money.
Didn't care about his status.
If anything, she seemed annoyed by both.
The realization made him smile.
A rare occurrence.
---
Later that night.
Sophia couldn't sleep.
Too much had happened.
The pregnancy.
Victoria.
The threats.
Everything felt overwhelming.
She quietly left the guest room and wandered toward the kitchen.
The lights were already on.
Alexander sat alone at the counter.
A glass of whiskey in front of him.
His tie loosened.
His sleeves rolled up.
For the first time, he looked tired.
Human.
Not like a billionaire CEO.
Just a man carrying too much responsibility.
He noticed her immediately.
"Can't sleep?"
She shook her head.
"You?"
A humorless smile appeared.
"Not really."
Sophia sat beside him.
Neither spoke for a while.
The silence felt comfortable.
Unexpectedly comfortable.
Finally, Alexander broke it.
"My father died when I was seventeen."
Sophia looked at him in surprise.
He'd never spoken about his family before.
Alexander stared into his glass.
"Everything changed after that."
His voice was quieter than usual.
"The company became my responsibility."
Sophia listened carefully.
"I spent years building what he left behind."
There was pain in his eyes.
Pain he'd hidden from the world.
And suddenly Sophia understood.
The coldness.
The walls.
The obsession with control.
None of it happened by accident.
Alexander had been surviving for years.
Just like she had.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither looked away.
The tension between them returned.
Stronger than before.
Dangerously strong.
Then—
A loud crash shattered the silence.
Glass exploded somewhere inside the penthouse.
Sophia jumped to her feet.
"What was that?"
Alexander was already moving.
His expression instantly turning deadly.
Another crash echoed through the apartment.
Followed by the sound of breaking glass.
Someone had entered the penthouse.
And they were not alone.
Alexander stepped in front of Sophia.
Protecting her.
Protecting the baby.
Then he heard footsteps approaching.
Fast.
Deliberate.
Dangerous.
His eyes narrowed.
"Stay behind me."
The footsteps stopped just outside the kitchen.
A shadow appeared in the doorway.
And then a man's voice spoke.
"I finally found you, Mr. Knight."
- Writer
