Chapter 82

The night deepened. Ethan Roscente pinned Sophia Lowell against the wall, his heated breath grazing her neck.

He inhaled the delicate fragrance of her hair, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Don't move," he murmured. "Let me hold you for a while."

Sophia's spine stiffened.

This man knew exactly how to unravel her.

Under the moonlight, their entwined shadows stretched long across the ground. Only after what felt like an eternity did Ethan reluctantly release her.

His fingers traced her flushed cheek. A low chuckle escaped him. "If only you'd been this obedient sooner."

Slap.

Sophia swatted his hand away. Adjusting her disheveled collar, her voice turned glacial. "Do this again, Mr. Roscente, and I'll call the police."

Ethan took half a step back. Moonlight carved his sharp features into something predatory. "Throw me away after using me?" His lips curled. "You really do change moods faster than flipping a page."

Sophia lifted her gaze, frost crystallizing in her eyes. "What do you think would happen if your grandfather saw us like this?"

"I can—"

"You can what?" she cut in sharply. "Like when you made me take the fall for Isabella Valentine? Toss me out as the scapegoat again?"

A sudden gust of wind scattered the loose strands of hair across her forehead.

"To you, I'm just a plaything. Something to amuse yourself with when you're bored, then discard when you're done." Her voice trembled. "Why drag me into this? Because I'm an easy target?"

Ethan's eyes darkened.

"You heard?" His tone dropped dangerously.

Sophia laughed bitterly. "Should I keep pretending? Who is Isabella Valentine? Not even the Valentine family's illegitimate children could dethrone her. Do you really think she'd be stupid enough to leak confidential information?"

"Proof?" Ethan's expression remained unreadable.

"Proof?" Her laugh was hollow. "The evidence you demand only ever applies to me."

She retreated two steps. The moonlight washed her face pale.

"But this time is different." Each word fell like a blade. "If Isabella ever falls into my hands, I won't show mercy."

As she turned, her tears finally hit the pavement.

Ethan reached out—but caught nothing but the night wind.

Frustrated, he yanked at his tie and dialed a number.

Outside the estate, Sophia stared up at the moon.

Her ride was late.

"Miss Lowell." A black Maybach pulled up. Zachary Evans rolled down the window. "Mr. Roscente asked me to take you home."

Sophia kept scrolling through her phone, as if she hadn't heard.