A broken bond

Sophie lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling as the events of the past few days swirled in her mind. How had things spiraled so quickly? Aiden, the man she had admired from afar for so long, had become a stranger—cold, domineering, and unrecognizable. She couldn't stop wondering what had happened to him over the last seven years to turn him into this person.

As her thoughts consumed her, a knock at the door broke the silence. Her heart skipped a beat. She sat up, hesitant to answer. Slowly, she walked to the door and opened it a crack. Her breath caught when she saw Aiden standing there, his expression unreadable.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Let me in," he demanded.

"No," Sophie said firmly, trying to shut the door. But Aiden pushed it open with such force that she stumbled backward, nearly falling.

He stepped inside, his eyes dark with fury. Sophie backed away, her legs hitting the edge of the bed.

"Aiden, you can't just barge in like this," she said, her voice shaking.

He didn't respond. Instead, he closed the distance between them, his gaze locked onto hers. Sophie's heart raced as she tried to understand his intentions. Before she could say another word, Aiden grabbed her face and kissed her, his actions rough and unrelenting.

"No, stop!" Sophie protested, trying to push him away, but he was too strong.

Her resistance only seemed to fuel his determination. He pushed her onto the bed, ignoring her pleas. That night, Sophie lost a part of herself she could never reclaim.

The next morning, Sophie sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face. She felt hollow, her mind unable to process what had happened.

Aiden stood by the door, his expression as cold as ever. "Get ready. You have work," he said, his tone devoid of any emotion.

Sophie looked up at him, her eyes filled with pain. "How can you act like nothing happened?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he turned and left the room, leaving Sophie alone with her shattered thoughts.

At the "Company of Music," Sophie struggled to keep herself composed. She avoided Aiden's gaze as much as possible, focusing on the schedule she was putting together for the band. Her hands trembled as she typed, the weight of the previous night making it hard to concentrate.

The other band members noticed her unusual behavior.

"Hey, Sophie, are you okay?" Logan asked, leaning over her desk.

She forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just tired."

But Logan wasn't convinced. "You don't look fine. Did something happen?"

"No, nothing happened," Sophie said quickly, avoiding his eyes.

Oscar, who had been sitting nearby, chimed in. "Maybe we're working her too hard. You should take a break, Sophie."

Their concern only made Sophie feel worse. She appreciated their kindness, but the last thing she wanted was for them to start asking questions.

Meanwhile, Aiden watched from across the room, his jaw tightening as he noticed the attention Sophie was getting from the other band members. He didn't like it. Not one bit.

Later in the afternoon, Sophie's phone buzzed with a call. She picked it up, her heart sinking when she heard Zara's frantic voice on the other end.

"Sophie, it's Zane. He's in the hospital," Zara said, her voice shaking.

"What? What happened?" Sophie asked, panic rising in her chest.

"He collapsed at work. They're running tests now, but you need to come," Zara said.

"I'll be there right away," Sophie said, grabbing her bag.

She rushed out of the office, her mind solely focused on Zane.

Aiden noticed Sophie leaving in a hurry and immediately assumed the worst. His anger flared as he thought about her possibly running away.

"Where do you think you're going?" he called out, following her.

Sophie turned to face him, her eyes blazing. "I don't have time for this, Aiden. Zane is in the hospital."

Her words gave him pause, but his jealousy still simmered beneath the surface. "And you think you can just leave without telling me?"

"I don't owe you an explanation," Sophie snapped before turning and walking away.

Aiden watched her go, his emotions a storm of jealousy, frustration, and something he couldn't quite name. For the first time in a long time, he felt uncertain—about Sophie, about himself, and about what he truly wanted.

...