Where is it?
Sophia’s pulse raced. God, does he know?
She forced a smile, voice steady. “Mr. Kane, I’m not sure what you mean.”
Her lashes lowered demurely, posture composed, but inside she was in chaos. Her fingers fidgeted unconsciously — a tell she’d once had in the past.
Alexander’s eyes narrowed. That gesture, that tone — it was identical to how she used to lie to him.
Ethan noticed too. His gaze sharpened, trying to pierce through her facade. Who exactly is she?
Sophia, realizing she had to sell the act, tugged her pocket outward — nothing there but fabric. Alexander’s jaw tightened.
“You’d better not be hiding anything from me, Miss Reed.” His tone dropped dangerously low. “Or you’ll regret it.”
He didn’t need to say more. The sharp slice of his hand across his throat made the message clear.
Sophia smiled sweetly, calm on the surface — and that infuriated him even more.
Once Alexander was gone, teaching Ethan became almost easy. The boy grumbled, but he did his work. When he got lazy, Sophia simply doubled his assignments.
“Come on, Ethan,” she teased. “Be a good kid.”
“Don’t call me that,” he snapped. “That nickname isn’t yours to use.”
Sophia arched a brow. “Why not? It’s just a name.”
But in her mind, a memory flickered — years ago, she’d told Alexander she wanted to name their future child something with ‘boat’ in it, as a symbol of finally finding safe harbor.
And now his son’s nickname was “Little Boat.”
Of course it was.
Annoyed, she tossed him another set of problems.
Days passed. Alexander didn’t appear again, and Sophia’s life at the Kane Estate slipped into monotony — teaching, reading, daydreaming of freedom.
One morning, standing at the massive front door, she sighed dramatically.
“Oh, blue skies — when will I ever be free?”
“Miss Cole?” came a voice behind her.
She jumped — Mr. Howard again, silent as ever. But this time, he brought good news.
“Mr. Kane said you’re permitted to go out once a week.”
Her eyes lit up. “Really?”
After confirming it twice, she raced upstairs to grab her wallet — only for her phone to ring. Seeing the name on the screen, her blood ran cold.
“Brother…” she murmured.
Nathan’s voice blasted through. “You useless brat! Still haven’t done it? Do you even have a brain?”
Sophia flinched, pulling the phone away until his rage subsided.
“Café Verona. This afternoon,” he said darkly.
“…Got it.”
Her brief moment of freedom was already tainted. But she had no choice — she needed to learn more about Vanessa’s supposed “family.”
That afternoon, she sat at Café Verona for nearly thirty minutes before Nathan finally arrived. His delay was deliberate — intimidation through inconvenience.
When he saw her sipping tea calmly by the window, his jaw tightened with rage.
“Plenty of people watching,” she said smoothly before he could speak. “If you’ve got business, say it.”
“Bitch,” he hissed under his breath.
Sophia lowered her gaze, voice trembling just enough. “Brother, I can’t stay out too long.”
He blinked, momentarily thrown, then sneered. Sitting beside her, he grabbed her hand and pressed something into it.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Just a few pretty outfits.”
She peeked inside the small paper bag — fishnet stockings, pink lace, and something that looked like a black hook. Her face flamed.
Pretty, right.
Nathan leaned closer, his tone turning cold. “Do the job this time. Or you’ll never see your family again. And remember — take photos as proof.”
He left without another word.
Sophia sat there, gripping the bag tightly.
If she wanted any chance of finding Vanessa’s family, she’d have to play along — just enough to survive.
When she returned to the Kane Manor, both Alexander and Ethan were at the dinner table, waiting.
She froze mid-step.
Ethan smirked. “What’s the matter? You look guilty. Think we’re dead or something?”
