The Lover Who Broke My Soul

g affair, held in the grand ballroo

lready publicly pledged a huge sum in Sophia's name and bought her a diamond n

bought an entire private island I'd idly mentioned wanting, a

es were for Sophia. The cro

drifted over to me. I was standing alo

her eyes. "So glad you could make it. It means so much

h-profile fundraiser. Her fe

not trusting

front of the ballroom, meant to d

ss vase, but with a series of shocki

d. In compromising pos

room. The auctioneer fell sile

flying to her mouth, h

rs already streaming down her face

accusing, found m

nger at me. "Amelia! She's always hated m

. I felt a hundred pa

t, save for Sophia

ling. I hadn't done this.

an instant, his arm protective

m Sophia's tear-streaked face to me, and h

dangerous, cutting through the sile

doubt Sophia for a seco

The photos were clearly fa

her grandest performance. And Et

ning certainty, that

would me

over me. This was a setup, a

my bedroom. I hadn't even had tim

orm, his face co

w. "She drove her car off the pier! They pulled her out

han, I didn't do anything! Thos

hed into fists. "Don't lie to me,

could feel the h

rst life. A minor business rival had tri

he'd said, his voice deadly calm, "will ev

once my shield, was now So

was a bi

ce like ice. "You will apologize to Sophia. Publicly. You will t

g but firm. "I won't apologiz

oration is vulnerable right now. I can crush it with a word. And I'll make sure a

old. He wouldn

rciless face, I knew

hand, the one he'd thre

s grip brutal. Pa

our father pays the pric

oid of any emotion but

g me anymore. Th

I hadn't imagined even he wa

iating. He was slowly, deliber

n my eyes, blu

father's reputation. He

y battered, was s

cruelty towards m

e word barely a whis

intensified. I could feel t

esca

e asked, his voice flat, relent

ould only nod, tears

ter hopelessness of my sit

t fell limply to my si

finality. "And after your apology, you'll agree to a stay at a

ion. He was going

d, I could only