Silent rebellion

Chapter 18: Silent Rebellion

Sophia's body trembled beneath his touch. Every fiber of her being screamed to push him away, to reject the warmth that radiated from his chest. Yet, when Adrian pulled her closer, she remained frozen. The conflict inside her twisted her gut, a mixture of hatred, fear, and something she refused to acknowledge. His hand was still on her waist, fingers tracing subtle circles, as if claiming her without words.

Sophia hated him. Hated how he manipulated her every move. Hated how he controlled her life, even in moments like this when they were alone in his massive bed, surrounded by the cold luxury of his mansion.

His breath tickled her ear as he whispered, "You're not as good at pushing me away as you think."

The words stung more than they should have. She hated that they were true.

The night had been tense, suffocating even. After everything that had happened the way he had manipulated her, the threats against her family, her life how could she still feel a pull toward him? A weakness? Was she truly that broken?

She had tried to distance herself during the day, avoiding his gaze, his touch. But at night, when the world quieted down, when all her defenses wore thin, he drew closer. She could never push him far enough away.

He had taken pleasure in watching her resist, in watching her struggle. Amused, almost...

"I'm not the monster you think I am, Sophia," he had said earlier, his voice softer, but there was a darkness in his eyes that sent a chill down her spine. "But don't make me prove it to you again."

What did he mean by that? Was he warning her? Threatening her? Or was he simply enjoying the power he had over her?

The tension in the room thickened, suffocating her, making it hard to breathe. She wanted to scream, to fight, to lash out. But she knew it wouldn't matter. It never did. It never worked. She would only end up right where she started, trapped in his world, bound by his rules, with no escape in sight.

Sophia closed her eyes, willing herself to push him away, but her body betrayed her. Her heartbeat quickened, her breath shallow. She could feel his heat seeping into her skin. She could feel how much she hated him. But she also felt something else. A dark pull she couldn't explain.

"Don't you dare," she muttered, her voice shaky with fear and anger.

Adrian didn't respond. Instead, he pulled her even closer, wrapping his arm around her waist, his breath fanning over her neck. His warmth seemed to seep into her, breaking through her resolve.

Sophia's heart raced in her chest. She hated this feeling. Hated that her body betrayed her every time he was near. She hated that, despite everything, she was still here. Still at his mercy. Still a prisoner in her own mind.

"You'll get used to it," he whispered, his voice low, almost comforting, as if he were speaking the truth.

Sophia wanted to scream, but instead, she closed her eyes tightly, forcing herself to push back the tears that threatened to spill. She would fight this. She would fight him.

But for now, all she could do was lie there, pretending not to feel anything.

Sophia stood at the entrance of the university campus, her fingers clenched around the straps of her bag as if they were her only lifeline. The sea of students rushing past her seemed almost alien, their voices filled with laughter and excitement. She wanted to blend in with them, to forget the chains that bound her, to live her life without fear. But she couldn't. Not anymore.

Adrian had made sure of that.

She knew his eyes were on her. She could feel them, even if she couldn't see them. His men were everywhere, shadowing her every move, making sure she didn't wander too far. She hated them. Hated how they walked in sync, how they were always there, silent and ominous. They weren't even subtle anymore.

Sophia couldn't understand how Adrian could be so thorough in his control. It was as if he had planned every step of her life. The school she would attend. The people she would meet. Every single detail was orchestrated, and she was nothing more than a pawn in his game.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling her from her dark thoughts. It was a message from Liam. She froze. She hadn't spoken to him since the night she was taken. His messages were always short, desperate, but filled with care. He wanted to know how she was. He wanted to help. But she couldn't let him. Not like this. Not with Adrian watching her every move.

She stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keys. She wanted to tell Liam everything. Wanted to reach out, to beg for his help, to feel like she wasn't completely alone. But the fear of Adrian's wrath stopped her cold. She couldn't risk it. Not yet.

She stuffed the phone back into her bag and walked forward, trying to seem as if everything were normal. As if she were just another student, lost in the crowd.

It didn't take long for her to meet a few classmates. A girl named Isla, with wild red curls and a rebellious streak, seemed to take an interest in Sophia. They exchanged pleasantries, and soon Isla was pulling Sophia into conversation. It felt natural, comforting even, but Sophia couldn't shake the sense of guilt. She was pretending. Pretending to be someone she wasn't. Pretending to be free.

Isla, noticing her distant expression, tilted her head. "You okay?" she asked, voice low, as if she knew something was off. "You seem... tense."

Sophia forced a smile, nodding. "I'm fine. Just... a lot on my mind."

Isla raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You sure? Because you don't seem fine. You look like you're trapped in a cage."

Sophia felt a stab of pain in her chest. Could Isla sense it? Could she see the invisible chains that held her?

"I'm just adjusting, that's all," she said quickly, the lie slipping out easier than she'd expected.

Isla wasn't convinced, but she didn't push it further. "Well, if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me." She smiled brightly, a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside Sophia.

Sophia nodded mutely, then turned to walk toward her first class. She had no idea how she was going to keep this up. How she was going to keep pretending everything was fine. Every part of her screamed to break free, to run. But the thought of Adrian's punishment for disobedience haunted her every step.

---

The day passed in a blur. Classes. Lectures. Notes. Sophia was a prisoner to them all, unable to focus on anything beyond the sense of dread that gnawed at her stomach.

That night, she couldn't shake the unease gnawing at her. She lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her phone sat on the nightstand, its screen lit up with Liam's name. He'd sent more texts. More pleas. He hadn't given up. But she knew he didn't understand. He didn't know what Adrian was capable of.

What would happen if Liam showed up at the university? What if he tried to find her, tried to rescue her? Would Adrian kill him? Would he make Sophia watch?

The thought sent a tremor down her spine. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let Liam risk everything for her.

It wasn't long before her worst fear came to life.

Liam was relentless. He found a way to slip onto the campus and tried to find her. He thought he could get to her, thought he could take her away from this life, this nightmare. But he was wrong.

Adrian found out.

Sophia had just settled in for the night, her mind racing with plans she couldn't even bring herself to voice, when the door to her room slammed open. Adrian stood there, his eyes dark with fury, his posture rigid with rage.

"Liam," he growled. "He thinks he can take you from me. He thinks he can save you."

Sophia's breath caught in her throat. She knew what that meant. She knew what Adrian would do to anyone who dared to challenge him. And now Liam had become his target.

"I won't let him interfere again," Adrian continued, his voice icy cold. "This time, I'll make sure he understands the consequences."

Sophia's heart raced as Adrian's words settled into her bones. She had no doubt that Liam was already paying the price for his defiance. The thought of him hurt, the memory of their bond burning in her chest.

"You don't have to do this," Sophia whispered, her voice barely audible. "You don't have to hurt him."

Adrian's gaze darkened. "He won't learn until he feels the consequences of his actions. Don't make me do this, Sophia. Don't make me remind you of what happens when people disobey me."

---

Sophia couldn't sleep that night. Her mind kept replaying the image of Adrian's cold, ruthless eyes as he threatened Liam. She had to do something. She had to find a way to stop him before he destroyed everything and everyone she cared about.

The next evening, as the sun began to set, Adrian called her down for dinner. She stood in front of the mirror in her room, her reflection showing a woman she barely recognized broken, trapped, and full of silent rage. She had to go down there, but the thought of facing Adrian, of sitting in front of him as though everything was normal, made her feel sick.

Still, she couldn't refuse him. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her crumble completely.

Sophia descended the staircase, each step echoing like a drumbeat in her chest. As soon as she entered the dining room, she found Adrian sitting at the head of the table, his expression unreadable. His gaze flicked up from his phone as she walked in.

"You're late," he commented coldly, but his voice held no real anger just a deep, dangerous calm that unsettled her even more.

She nodded, trying to suppress the tremble that ran through her body. "Sorry," she murmured, taking her seat. The tension in the room thickened, but she didn't dare look at him.

She couldn't. Not now. Not after everything.

Adrian's eyes never left her. He studied her, as if trying to read her every thought. The air between them was heavy with unsaid words and unspoken emotions.

"You've been distant lately," Adrian said, breaking the silence. His voice was soft but dangerous, as though he could snap at any moment. "I don't like it when you withdraw from me, Sophia. You're mine. You belong to me, and I expect you to act like it."

Sophia flinched at his words, at the possessiveness that was laced with cold authority. She hated it. She hated him for making her feel so small, so powerless.

"I am acting like it," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Adrian leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. He placed his hand on the table, fingers lightly brushing against hers. It was a simple touch, but it sent a shock through her, a burning desire that she fought desperately to suppress. She wanted to pull her hand away. She wanted to scream at him to stop, to leave her alone. But she didn't. She couldn't.

"No, you're not," Adrian's voice was low, a whisper meant only for her ears. "You've been avoiding me, shutting me out. I don't like that."

Sophia's heart hammered in her chest as his fingers lingered on hers. Her breath hitched, and her body betrayed her again. It responded to his touch, even though every part of her screamed for him to stop.

"Don't do this," she said, her voice shaking with the weight of her words. "Please don't."

Adrian's smile was slow, calculating, as he leaned even closer to her. His eyes bore into hers, reading her, deciphering every little movement of her body. "You think you can push me away, but you can't. You're mine, Sophia. You can't deny what you feel, no matter how much you try to fight it."

Sophia's pulse raced as he slowly slid his hand down her arm, tracing the delicate lines of her skin. She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

The conflict inside her grew. She hated him for doing this. For controlling her, for using her. But at the same time, a part of her... a part she loathed... craved his touch.

She wanted him to stop. But she wanted him to keep going, to fill the void that had been growing in her heart for so long.

Adrian's thumb brushed against her knuckles, and she could feel his smirk even without seeing it. He knew. He knew the effect he had on her, and it made him more dangerous than ever.

"Admit it, Sophia," he murmured, his voice like velvet. "You want me, don't you?"

Sophia opened her mouth to deny it, but the words died in her throat. How could she deny it? How could she tell him that she hated him with every fiber of her being, yet her body betrayed her every time he touched her?

"I... I don't want this," she whispered, her voice cracking with the weight of the truth she refused to admit.

Adrian's smile deepened. He knew. He always knew.

"You'll learn to accept it, Sophia," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You'll learn that I own you, body and soul."

---

The following day, Sophia found herself once again caught in the whirlwind of Adrian's control. But beneath the surface, something was shifting in her. Her defiance was growing. She couldn't let him keep her prisoner forever.

She had a plan. It was a dangerous one, but it was the only way out.

She hadn't been able to shake the thought of the pregnancy. The life growing inside her was a constant reminder of everything she hated about her situation. It wasn't that she didn't want a child she did. But she didn't want this child under these circumstances. Not with Adrian.

She couldn't bring herself to face the possibility of being forced into motherhood by him. She couldn't give him the power of holding her child over her head.

So, she contacted a doctor. A discreet one. She set up an appointment for an abortion, knowing that Adrian would never allow it. But she didn't care. She was done being his puppet.

The plan was risky, but it was the only way she could escape the life he had trapped her in. She couldn't let him win.

Sophia had to act fast before Adrian found out. But as she stood in front of the mirror once again, the weight of her decision sank in. She was taking control of her life for the first time in a long time. But at what cost?

Would she succeed in her escape, or would Adrian stop her before she could carry out her plan?

The thought of facing him again terrified her, but it was the only way to break free.