Being around Cayden for the rest of the afternoon wasn’t easy. I couldn’t lie to myself after all.
Luckily, I had the default excuse of being pregnant, so I ended up laying in bed while he focused on his work in the living area. As soon as he left, around dinner hour, I decided a nice warm shower to wash his scent off would be a great idea if I wanted to have so peace of mind for the rest of the night.
My life was never going to be normal, and the sooner I accepted that fate, the better. Regardless of how Cayden acted around –regardless of how I put on a happy face–I had to live with the fact that I was only useful for as long as I was a breeder.
Once my task ended, so would my life.
‘Don’t cry, Tori. Tears are the most useless thing in the world!’ I told myself.
A knock on my door caused to turn from the sofa to see who it was.
“Co in,” I called out, wiping away the evidence of my pain. I had pushed off my dinner plans with Caroline and Kas, so it could be Mary bringing food.
“Hey, Tori.”
In ca the voice of the last person I ever wanted to see again.
Sophia.
Rising to my feet, I turned to face her–and this ti, it wasn’t with terror. Nothing could scare soone who knew their death was coming.
“How may I help you?” I asked her coldly.
She made her way in and closed the door behind her.
“Look, I know we’ve never seen eye to eye, and that’s partially because of –”
“Partially?” I echoed, raising my brows.
She looked at in disbelief, but her surprised look was quickly replaced by an apologetic one.
“Yes...” she gritted out. “You and I both want Cayden. Don’t lie to yourself.”
I didn’t want to continue the pointless argunt.
“Your point, Sophia? You don’t want Cayden to catch you here with alone.”
That statent made her eyes shoot to mine, and I could tell she was a little nervous, but just a little.
“Look, I ca by to say that I’m sorry.”
“Excuse ?”
That was the last thing I would have ever expected to hear from her. I was taken aback by her admission.
“You’re...sorry?”
“Yes, I am. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did toward you. I know you’re pregnant, and that makes what I did even worse.”
I stared at her, dumbfounded.
What was going on in this world?! The people I trusted most wanted to kill , and the person who had made her scorn clearly known was apologizing to ?
“What’s done was done,” I said. “I am not one to hold grudges, Sophia. I appreciate your gesture. You shouldn’t hang around too long.”
I moved toward the door, implying she should take her leave now. I didn’t want any more conflicts than I had already.
“I know Cayden is planning to kill you.” Sophia’s words froze in place.
Slowly, I turned to face her, and saw excitent and venom growing in her eyes.
This was why she was here? To remind of the pain I had to go through.?
“Excuse ?”
Did she know this whole ti? Did they all plan together from the beginning to use and then kill ?
That raised a question I wanted answered—how did she know?
I decided not to confirm it, hoping to coax out her source. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
She chuckled.
“You don’t need to play the fool with . It doesn’t matter how I know. It’s true, and you don’t need to deny it.”
I sighed as I walked back to the sofa, taking a seat and letting the information sink in.
“Well, when I am gone, you will have everything you want with Cayden. So, no need to worry. It will co soon enough...” I was surprised that I could be this calm discussing my own terrible fate.
She walked toward and took a seat on the edge of the arm chair, staring at .
“It isn’t right... Even if I don’t like you, I wouldn’t want that for you.”
Her words took by surprise.
I looked away and turned my head toward the window.
“Well, there’s nothing that can be done. I am stuck here, and from what I’ve heard the guards say to each other...no one leaves until all is clear.”
I didn’t want to discuss this with Sophia, but I felt that, if I didn’t let it out, I would drive myself crazy.
A mont of silence between us made believe that there was more that she wanted to say, but was hesitating to. She seed to have sothing in her mind, but I was done waiting for her to get to her point. I didn’t want to waste my ti on soone who only brought negative emotions.
“If you are here to remind of my own death, you’ve already done it.” I looked back at her, not in a friendly manner. “I’m tired, and I want to be left alone.”
Her attitude shifted slightly at that. She looked up at with a straight face and sighed.
“What if I told you I could get you and your baby out of here alive?”
My eyes widened as she continued.
“You would be able to start over at so place far away where no one would know who you were.”
I could hear my heart start to pound. This was the first ti in the past few days that I actually felt alive again.
If she could get out of here...
But I soon shook my head, trying not to get my hopes too high.
“That isn’t possible. Cayden won’t let go, Sophia. He owns .”
“Nothing is impossible,” Sophia replied with her signature sinister smirk. For the first ti ever, it didn’t trouble .
“Please explain then.”
She could be in so much trouble for even coming here and suggesting sothing like this, and she knew it. It wouldn’t make sense for her to risk it unless she was serious, regardless of what her true motives were.
“Don’t worry about the ‘how’s’ right now, because I still don’t have all the details. Just think about it. I have a place you can go and people who will help you start over. You just have to decide if that’s sothing you really want to do.”
Leaning back, I studied her for a mont.
I was curious as to why she cared if I was able to start over. It wasn’t like my life affected her in any way.
“Why do you suddenly care about helping ? What’s in it for you?”
Sophia looked at for a mont and sneered. I knew that her performance of compassion was going to slip away eventually, and I was waiting for the mont she showed her true colors.
“Well, you’re not as stupid as you appear.”
A snake couldn’t change its skin. At the end of the day, it would always be a snake.
Sophia stood to her feet as she straightened out the long dress she was wearing.
“You stand in my way of the future I want, Tori. Even if I give him a child, it will never see the throne. Your child will be the oldest, and that ans that it will take the throne if Cayden dies. I can’t have that.” She shot a grin. “Don’t misunderstand things. This is about .”
A small chuckle escaped my lips as I smiled.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less. I’m just surprised, honestly. You’re the last person I ever expected to help .”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Sophia replied as she made her way across the room. “I’m doing this for . The world is full of wonders. We were enemies before, but now we’ve beco friends," she carried on. "Don’t worry. I can not only help you escape, but I’m also willing to offer you financial assistance if you need it in the future. Of course, the prerequisite is that you leave Cayden forever. I hope you won’t break your promise."
I reached out my hand. "It’s a deal."
“My ti is up.” She walked to the door. “Send a word if you want to see again. In the anti, I suggest you really consider my offer. There will only be a small window in which we can make it happen, and if you want to save yourself...you’ll take it.”
With these final words, she exited the suite.
After being alone for a few seconds, I realized my breathing had beco fast. A feeling was rising in my chest that made want to cry again.
I had jumped right to trying to accept death, and I never took any notice of the fact that there could be another way–a way to find a path where I could continue my life.
My mind raced with the possibilities.
If I stayed with Cayden, the baby would be born safe and would grow up under Cayden’s watchful eyes, regardless of my death.
But if I escaped...
I shook my head. I knew I shouldn’t trust Sophia. Once the plan was in motion, I would be at her rcy, and I might be risking both mine and my child’s life.
Yet, how could I possibly not be tempted by the chance at freedom? How could I not desperately want a new life with just and my baby?
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