Sophie’s POV
The mansion walls were too thick.
Even in silence, they pressed in, suffocating. The longer I stayed here, the more it felt like Adrian Blackwood’s world wasn’t just holding me—it was reshaping me.
And I hated it.
I hated that I had memorized the weight of his stare. That I knew the sound of his footsteps before I ever saw him. That I could still hear his voice in the back of my mind, whispering warnings, promises, threats… sometimes all at once.
Next time, I won’t stop.
That threat haunted me. Not because I feared him, but because some traitorous part of me wanted to know if he meant it.
I pressed a palm to the cold glass of my bedroom window, staring out into the night. Adrian’s men patrolled the grounds, sharp and silent, their presence a constant reminder that I was
