Chapter 139
Sophia clenched the pill in her palm, her resolute gaze locking onto Ethan Roscente.
She threw her head back and swallowed the tablet. The dry gulp echoed sharply in the silent room.
"Happy now?" Her lips curled into a bitter smirk.
Ethan's eyes darkened instantly. He seized her slender wrist, his scorching fingers pressing hard enough to bruise bone.
"For that senior of yours, you'd really go this far." His voice dripped with ice.
Sophia wrenched free and strode toward the walk-in closet. Her fingertips brushed empty hangers before she remembered leaving without even a scarf.
A dress suddenly descended over her head.
"Wear this." Ethan stood at the threshold, holding a set of lace lingerie.
She snatched the garments and slammed the door. The moment the lock clicked, she spat the hidden pill into the toilet.
The flush erased all evidence.
When she emerged dressed, the man leaned against the foyer. His long fingers toyed with car keys while his gaze pinned her in place.
"Did I say you could leave?"
Her hand paused on her purse. "Planning unlawful confinement, Mr. Roscente?"
He forced her into a dining chair. A charred-edged omelet sat on the porcelain plate, its edges blackened like cinders.
"Your handiwork?" She arched a brow.
Ethan's ears flushed pink. "Michelin takeout."
She prodded the burnt crust with a fork. "They should fire their chef."
The air froze.
"Take it or leave it." He loosened his tie and sat opposite her.
Sophia meticulously sectioned the omelet. Beneath the crisp exterior, the yolk oozed golden. The sight transported her to a memory of a teenage boy who'd once blown up a kitchen.
"Does Ms. Valentine know?" she asked abruptly. "That her fiancé spent last night in another woman's bed?"
Silverware screeched against china. Ethan's knuckles whitened, his expression turning murderous.
"Must you phrase it like that?"
She pushed the plate away. As her skirt grazed the table edge, his strained voice followed:
"That child...if it had survived—"
Her entire body locked rigid.