Sophia Carter’s eyes darted around the dimly lit room, panic surging through her chest. Her hands and feet were tightly bound, and her once-smooth black hair now hung in messy tangles. Where... was she?
Who were those guys in black? Why did they take her? Her brain was a whirlwind of questions, none with answers. Just ten minutes ago, she was happily planting lilies in the garden of the Carter estate. Now? She didn’t even know where she was.
Sure, the Carter family had fallen from grace, but the estate was still supposed to be their safe zone. So how the hell did those thugs even get in? And why target her?
A heavy fear started sinking into her bones. The soft white chiffon dress she wore was now stained with dirt, looking totally out of place in this grimy room.
Creak—
The door swung open suddenly, light slicing through the darkness like a blade.
Sophia instinctively raised her arm to shield her eyes. All she could glimpse was a tall, broad man stepping in. Around his neck hung an oddly shaped diamond necklace, catching the light and making her flinch.
Creak—
The door slammed shut again, and the shadow swallowed the room once more.
Clomp... Clomp...
Every step of his boots echoed like thunder in her ears. Sophia shrank deeper into the corner, her whole body trembling as that oppressive aura pressed down on her. Whoever this man was—she knew she had to stay far, far away from him.
“W-Who are you? What do you want?” Her voice shook like a leaf. She was trying—really trying—to sound brave. But her fear was written all over her.
There was nothing safe about this guy. Everything in her screamed: get away, now!
Thud—
Her back hit the cold wall. Nowhere else to run. In pure terror, she shouted, “Get away from me! Let me go! Please, just let me go!”
"So noisy."
The voice that came back was low, irritated, and made every inch of her skin crawl. Then before she could react, his hand moved fast—a piece of silk stuffed into her mouth, silencing her instantly.
“Mmph—mmph!”
Sophia could only whimper now, eyes wide, staring at the figure in front of her. But it was too dark—she couldn’t make out his face at all.
Riiip—
The sound of fabric tearing cut through the silence like a knife.
That noise—it snapped her back to reality with cruel clarity. She didn’t need anyone to explain what was happening.
Her mind blurred out somewhere during the whole nightmare. The pain, the fear... every second felt like she was breaking apart.
She blacked out more than once. When it was finally over, Sophia could barely breathe. Cold and broken, she didn’t even know how she made it back. Somehow, she ended up in her own room. Soft sheets, familiar scent of lilies—none of it comforted her now. That foreign, violated feeling clung to her skin.
Covered in bruises, staring at her wrecked self, she clutched the silk blanket tightly, tears falling silently down her face.
What now? What was she supposed to do now?Lost in an overwhelming sea of pain, Sophia Carter had no idea that right after she was dragged out of that bleak room, bruised and broken, a tall man followed her out.
That man—sharp features, deep-set eyes that could pull a person in with just a glance. His tailored, high-end suit clung perfectly to his broad frame, giving off a vibe that screamed nobility and control.
After leaving the room, he looked up and was met with the endless sprawl of a castle estate. He climbed into a sleek black stretch Lincoln and headed back to his study.
There, he casually picked up a contract from the glass coffee table, his intense eyes scanning each word. One name jumped out the most—“Sophia Carter.”
At the bottom, bold and dramatically signed, were three flamboyant characters—Victor Carter.
But really, did he think things would be that simple?
The man let out a cold chuckle, his gaze fixed on the document. Did Victor Carter really never wonder why the prestigious Carter family was crumbling so fast? Did he think this kind of fall came without someone pulling strings behind the scenes?
Now that Victor had taken the bait himself, he had no one else to blame. The man’s lips curled into a ruthless smirk.
—
Back at the Carter Estate.
Victor reached out, his hand resting lightly on Sophia’s. His voice was concerned, borderline pleading. “Sophia, sweetheart, you don’t look too well. Let’s head to Tian’an Hospital for a check-up later, alright?”
“I’m fine, Dad. Really, I don’t need to.”
“Sophia, come on now. Don’t make me worry, okay? You’re my everything. If something happened to you, I’d never forgive myself. Come with me, just in case, alright?”
Sophia sighed, throwing him a helpless glance. Eventually, she just nodded in agreement.
Victor didn’t waste time. The moment breakfast was over, he was already taking Sophia to Tian’an Hospital.
Stepping into the hospital felt more like walking into a luxury mansion than a medical center. The décor was a strange but striking mix of elegance and extravagance—clearly, money wasn’t a problem for the Carters.
—
“Dad, the outpatient clinic is over that way.”
Victor just grinned and gently tugged her along. “You don’t need to worry about any lines, honey. I’ve already handled everything. Your dad’s not just anybody, alright?”
As soon as he finished speaking, a man in a black suit stepped toward them.
Sophia’s whole body stiffened. Just the sight of the man made her heart race in panic. She instinctively gripped Victor’s arm tighter and half-hid behind him. These men in black—they triggered memories she desperately wanted to forget.
“Show us the way,” Victor ordered, his voice calm but authoritative.
The bodyguard led them straight into a plush VIP suite at the hospital.
As they stepped inside, Sophia spotted a man sitting at the center of the leather sofa, clad in a grey suit. His features were sharp, yet his skin was unnaturally pale.
From the moment she entered, the man’s eyes locked onto her and never left.
And to be fair—she was stunning.
Delicate face, porcelain skin that looked impossibly soft, her eyes dark and shiny like moonlit water, innocent yet alluring.
There was something about the way she looked at people—like she could reach into your soul. And her figure, slim and curvy in just the right way, was impossible to ignore.
The man's gaze made Sophia uneasy. She quickly looked away, but then she felt it—an icy stare from behind, sharp enough to pierce through her back.
