Sophia & E


    Sophia


    “Sophia, darling, please-”


    “Don’t ‘darling’ me!” Sophia hurled the intricate vase at the window, watching with satisfaction as both vase and window shattered. “You promised me Alex would be mine! You swore you could make it happen!”


    Richard stepped into the room, holding his hands up in surrender. “Sweetheart, we’re still working on it. These things take time-”


    “Time?” Sophia’s voice went shrill. “It’s been five fucking years! Five years of watching him with that pathetic little mouse while you two sit around making empty promises!”


    She grabbed a framed photo of herself and Alex from her high school graduation-back when he’d still smiled at her, still looked at her like she might have a chance-and threw it as hard as she could. The ss exploded against the doorframe, right next to her father’s head.


    “Sophia!” Margaret gasped. “You could have seriously hurt Daddy!”


    “Good! Maybe that would motivate him to actually do something useful for once!”


    Sophia had always gotten everything she wanted. Always.


    When she’d wanted the lead role in the school y, her parents had donated enough money to the drama department to ensure she got it.


    When she’d wanted to get into the most exclusive university, Richard had made a few phone calls and suddenly her mediocre grades were no longer an issue.


    Every holiday, every birthday, every fucking other week, she got piles and piles of gifts. Cars, phones,ptops, clothes, anything she set her sights on, it was hers.


    But Alex… Alex was the one thing they couldn’t seem to give her.


    “The leak about the mating mark was supposed to destroy their marriage,” Sophia said, her hands clenched into fists. “It was supposed to be he final nail in the coffin!”


    “It would have worked if they hadn’te up with that fake mark nonsense,” Richard said defensively. “Who could have predicted they’d be clever enough to-”


    “Shut up!” Sophia screamed. “Just shut up with your excuses! Do you know what happened today? Do you know what your brilliant n aplished?”


    Her parents exchanged worried nces.


    “Alex kicked me out of his house. Again. While his precious little wife stood thereughing at me like I was some kind of joke.” The memory made Sophia’s cheeks me with humiliation. ” She wasughing, Daddy. Laughing at me like I was nothing.”


    “We’ll figure something else out,” Margaret said desperately. “Maybe if we approach him and ask directly-”


    “No.” Sophia’s voice was suddenly calm, which somehow made it more frightening than her screaming. “I’m tired of your pathetic schemes. I’m done waiting around for you two to grow a spine.”


    She pushed past them and headed for her walk-in closet, grabbing a leather jacket and her car keys.


    “Where are you going?” Richard asked.


    “To handle this myself. Since you two are apparently useless.”


    “Sophia, wait-”


    But she was already storming down the hallway. Her parents’ voices faded behind her as she mmed the front door.


    Her red convertible roared to life, and she peeled out of the driveway. She had no destination in mind, just the need to drive and think and figure out how to get what she wanted.


    Because she would get Alex. She’d been in love with him since they were teenagers, and she wasn’t about to let some nobody steal him away permanently.


    The winding roads through the forest were empty at this time of evening, which suited Sophia perfectly. She needed space to think and n. Her parents’ approach had been too subtle, too political. What she needed was something more direct.


    Something more… permanent.


    Suddenly, she spotted a lone figure walking along the side of the road. Even in the fading light, she could tell he was a rogue. His clothes were dirty and torn, his hair was unkempt, and he had that feral look about him that said he would likely do anything for a bit of money.