Chapter 4.

Sophia laid in bed, looking up at the ceiling, thinking about all that had happened these past weeks. Her home was dark, with only a little bit of moonlight coming through the curtains. It was a peaceful night, but She couldn't calm her thoughts. Her phone buzzed loudly on the nightstand, shattering the quietness of the room and causing her heart to race. Without even checking, she knew it was Alexander Sinclair, the man who had turned her world upside down with his hidden truths and deceit.

 Her hand shook as she picked up the phone. A message popped up on her screen that made her heart race: "Can't stop thinking about you. Let's meet tomorrow night at our usual spot." She felt torn - she wanted to say no and resist, but the idea of letting Alexander down, of losing her only way out from her boring life, made her heart hurt. 

A mix of excitement from his attention and guilt hit her like a sudden chill. Before she could answer, the door made a squeaky sound as it opened, and the faint light from the hallway shone into her room. "Sophia, why aren't you asleep yet?" Eleanor Montgomery asked softly but curiously. Her mother's shadow was visible in the doorway, standing elegant even in her nightclothes. 

Sophia hurriedly hid her phone under the pillow, attempting to calm down her fast-beating heart. "I couldn't fall asleep, Mom," she said with a fake smile that didn't show in her eyes. Eleanor moved nearer, squinting her eyes a little while looking at her daughter's face. "You've been acting different recently," she told her, sounding worried. "Are you okay?" Sophia asked nervously, trying to think of a reason. "Yes, everything is good," she replied, her voice shaky. "Just... thinking about going to the Orphanage visit tomorrow, that's all," she said. 

Eleanor's gaze lingered on Sophia for a moment longer than necessary. "If you say so," she finally said, though her tone suggested she didn't quite believe it. "Try to get some rest then. You'll need your energy for tomorrow."

Sophia felt better when her mom left the room. But she still worried about the doubts her mom had. The next day, Sophia tried to forget about the tension from the night before while getting ready. But when she walked down the big staircase, she saw something she didn't want to see: a nicely wrapped box on the table in the hallway. She saw it was Alexander's handwriting on the card. 

"Sophia, what's in the box?" Victoria asked, interrupting her thoughts. Sophia's older sister stood at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed, looking doubtful. Sophia tried to stay calm, but seeing Victoria eyeing the gift skeptically made her feel queasy. "Oh, just a something.." "A friend gave this to me," Sophia said nervously, looking away from Victoria's intense stare. 

"A friend?" Victoria echoed, her tone dripping with disbelief. She picked up the box, examining it with a raised eyebrow. "It looks a bit too extravagant for just a 'friend,' don't you think?"

Sophia's mind raced, searching for a plausible explanation. "It's... for the visit to the Orphans today. You know, a donation."

Victoria's eyes flickered with doubt, but she said nothing. Instead, she handed the box back to Sophia, her expression unreadable. "You should be careful, Sophia," she said quietly. "Not everyone has your best interests at heart."

"Sophia held onto the box tightly while watching Victoria leave. She could tell her sister wasn't fully convinced. The tension between them felt like a time bomb ready to go off, and Sophia worried it would happen soon.

 That evening, Sophia snuck out of the mansion again, feeling her heart race as she quietly went out through the back door. The chilly air outside didn't help her relax as she walked to the hidden café where she and Alexander usually met. Every step seemed harder than the one before, almost like her guilt was dragging her down.

When she got closer to the café, Sophia saw someone she knew—Tiana Sinclair, Alexander's sister. Tiana was standing by the entrance, looking at Sophia with a sly smile. She felt nervous and quickly adjusted her scarf to cover her face. She was aware that Tiana had been keeping an eye on them from the start, and this made her feel uneasy. As Sophia walked past her, she hoped Tiana wouldn't come over to talk to her. However, the creepy smile on Tiana's face hinted that she knew more than she was revealing. 

Alexander sat at their regular table inside the café, his face brightening when he saw Sophia coming towards him. "You always look beautiful," Alexander said trying to charm her but despite his compliment, Sophia couldn't help but feel uneasy, like a shadow was hanging over her. 

He tried to hold her hand, but Sophia hesitated thinking about Tiana's sly smile. "Alexander, I spotted Tiana outside," Sophia whispered softly. "She's been keeping an eye on us." "I think she knows." 

Alexander's smile faltered for a bit, but he soon regained his composure and gently held her hand. "You don't need to be bothered about Tiana." "She won't say anything," he stated confidently. "I've handled the situation," But Sophia remained skeptical. 

"But what if she—" Alexander Interrupted her, speaking in a gentle but firm confident tone. "Trust me." "Don't worry, I've got it all handled," he said, looking into her eyes with a serious expression. He gently pushed a piece of hair out of her face and added, "I won't ever let anything bad happen to you."

 Sophia couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty, though, no matter what he said. Before she could speak again, Alexander's phone vibrated on the table, catching both of their eyes. He looked at the screen, and his face briefly turned serious before he covered it with a smile. "It's just work," he said, brushing off the message with a relaxed gesture. 

Sophia noticed the name Tiana on the screen and felt her heart race more. She looked at Alexander, trying to figure out how he was feeling. "Is everything okay?" she asked, sounding unsure.

Alexander's smile stayed strong, but there was a hint of emotion in his eyes that Sophia couldn't quite figure out. "Don't worry," he said calmly, reaching out to hold her hand once more. She felt like something was not right.

 At the same time, Tiana Sinclair looked at the pictures she had taken of Sophia and Alexander in her car. She realized she had power over her brother now. He was dating a girl whom their father had not officially approved, and she knew that would cause problems for him. The idea made her grin mischievously. Alexander had always been the favorite child, the one who never did anything wrong in their parents' opinion. However, Tiana was aware of the truth about Alexander. She knew who he really was, and now, she could reveal his true nature. 

As soon as Alexander arrived home, he went straight to Tiana's room with a threatening expression on his face. He demanded in a low and dangerous voice. "You should delete those pictures and leave Sophia alone. 

"Tiana said with a smirk, crossing her arms. "Why do I have to? You're not the only one who knows how to play, Alexander," Alexander clenched his jaw as he glared at his sister, anger evident in his eyes." "You don't want to cross me, Tiana."

Tiana raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by his threat. "And you don't want those photos getting out, do you?" she countered. 

The tension between them was electric, a dangerous mix of power and manipulation. After a tense moment of disagreement, Tiana gave in and deleted the photos from her phone in front of Alexander. As she left, she couldn't help but smile to herself. After all, she still had the backups. 

 When Alexander exited her room, he felt a dark cloud of anger and frustration surround him. He understood that his sister was clever, just like him, which made her a formidable adversary. He poured himself a drink, trying to drown his thoughts in alcohol, but the bitter taste only reminded him of how precarious his situation had become.

Meanwhile, Sophia returned to the Montgomery mansion, feeling on edge after what had happened that night. As she crept through the hallway, she almost bumped into her mother, who was walking the other way.

"Sophia, why are you out of bed?" Eleanor asked sharply, narrowing her eyes as she examined her daughter. Sophia quickly tried to think of a reason. "I... "I couldn't fall asleep, so I decided to go to the garden for some fresh air," she fibbed, her voice sounding nervous. 

Eleanor stared at Sophia, her lips tight. "You've been acting really weird lately, Sophia." "Do you have something you're hiding from me?" Sophia shook her head. Eleanor gave Sophia a curious look before walking off. As she reached her door, she heard her parents talking quietly. 

"I'm telling you, Harold, something is wrong with Sophia," Eleanor said, her voice filled with concern. "She's not herself lately

"She's fine, Eleanor," Harold replied dismissively. "Sophia's has always been a bit... sensitive. You're just imagining things."

Sophia's heart pounded in her chest as she listened to their exchange, fear gripping her like a vice. She knew her mother was getting closer to uncovering the truth, and the thought of it made her feel sick.

Later that night, while lying in bed, her phone buzzed once more. It was a message from Alexander saying: "We need to talk. Meet me tomorrow night." The words sent a shiver down her spine. There was something different about the tone—darker, more urgent. A sense of dread settled over Sophia like a heavy blanket, suffocating her.

As she stared at the message, Sophia felt the walls closing in around her. The secrets, the lies, the constant fear of being caught—it was all becoming too much. She knew she was in too deep, but the question that haunted her was whether she could—or even wanted to—find a way out.