CHAPTER ONE

SOPHIA’s POV

“Where’s Daniel?”

The question slipped out before I realized I was even asking it.

One of the event planners looked up from the floral arrangements near the rehearsal ballroom entrance. “Mr. Kingston stepped out few minutes ago.”

I frowned slightly. “Stepped out where?”

She gave me an awkward smile. “I’m not sure, ma’am.”

I nodded absentmindedly and continued walking. The hotel buzzed with wealth and noise around me. Waiters moved between powerful guests carrying champagne trays while reporters gathered near the lobby downstairs hoping to catch photos before tomorrow’s society wedding.

White roses decorated almost every corner of the ballroom so heavily the scent had started making my head ache. It’s my wedding rehearsal dinner.

Funny how I’d spent months planning this night only to end up searching for my missing fiancé instead. I adjusted the silver bracelet around my wrist while scanning through the room again, still no Daniel.

A few feet away, Vanessa laughed softly at something one of my father’s investors said. Her emerald dress hugged her body perfectly, drawing attention exactly the way she liked. Then, I noticed she was staring at her phone on interval.

My father suddenly appeared beside me with a glass of whiskey in his hand. “Smile more tonight,” he muttered quietly. “There are important people here.”

I stared at him. “Hello to you too.”

He ignored the sarcasm effortlessly. “Kingston Holdings finalized the Singapore deal this afternoon. Tomorrow’s wedding will push Carter Industries into international markets by next quarter.”

“You do realize I’m the bride and not one of your company assets, right?” I asked dryly.

His expression barely changed. “Tonight, you are both,” he said as he patted my back softly.

Then he walked away toward another group of investors before I could respond. I released a quiet breath, that is a typical Roman Carter.

My eyes searched the ballroom again instinctively, still no Daniel. And now, Vanessa was gone too.

My stomach lurched, it’s probably a coincidence except Vanessa had been disappearing a lot lately.

I told myself I was imagining things because the alternative sounded insane. Daniel loved me and we’ve been together for six years.

People don’t throw away six years over paranoia. Still, my feet were already moving before my brain caught up. I slipped quietly out of the ballroom and into the hotel hallway.

The music from inside became muffled behind me.

“Daniel?” I called softly.

There was no response still.

The corridor ahead remained empty except for dim lights reflecting against polished marble floors.

I should’ve turned around, I honestly wanted to, but I kept walking anyways.

Just then I heard a soft laugh, I recognized the voice, it was Vanessa. The sound came from one of the guest suites ahead, I walked closer out of curiosity.

Then I heard a masculine voice “You like it uhh,” followed by a soft moan, I froze. That was Daniel’s voice.

“Please don’t let this be what I think it is.” I prayed silently.

My feet moved before I could stop them, faster but quietly. Every step felt heavier than the last until I reached the door.

My hand trembled against the door handle, every instinct inside me screamed to leave. Instead, I pushed the door open.

My entire world collapsed the moment I walked in.

Daniel had Vanessa bent over the dressing table, his hands gripped her waist firmly. Vanessa’s dress was pushed above her waist. Daniel’s trousers hung carelessly around his knees.

The sound that left me didn’t even feel human. Both of them turned sharply, Daniel pulled away first, breathing hard. “Sophia…”

Vanessa straightened immediately, fixing her dress without panic nor shame. Like she wasn’t just caught sleeping with her sister’s fiancé hours before the wedding.

I couldn’t breathe properly. Six whole years with Daniel, and this…I stared at the ring sitting on my finger, every memory shattered so painfully inside me, I genuinely thought I would collapse.

Daniel rushed toward me. “Sophia, wait”

“Don’t.” My voice cracked badly as I stretched my hand forward to stop him, my eyes filled with tears I was fighting vigorously back as he stopped a few steps from me.

Vanessa folded her arms, watching me without any hint of guilt or regret.

I looked at Daniel again and suddenly noticed the lies and deceit I’ve always ignored. With the years we’ve been together, trusting him has been an instinct.

How stupid had I been?

“How long?” I asked quietly.

Daniel ran frustrated fingers through his hair. “Sophia, listen…”

“How long?” I repeated the question.

There was a brief silence as my gaze moved between their faces.

Then Vanessa answered casually. “Over a year.”

The room spun around me as I stared at her. “You’re my sister.”

Vanessa laughed softly. “And?”

The cruelty in that single word sliced deeper than anything else tonight.

Daniel shot her an angry look before turning back to me quickly. “Sophia, she’s angry. She doesn’t mean that.”

My heart burned so much, I almost confide in laughter. He was still trying to manage and control this situation.

“You were both going to stand at my wedding tomorrow pretending none of this was happening?”

Daniel stepped closer quickly. “Sophia, I love you.”

I looked at him in disbelief. “You love me?”

“Yes, I sincerely do.” His expression was sober and pitiful, I almost fell for his deceit again.

“While sleeping with my sister?” I asked with a scornful look.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.”

For a moment I thought I heard wrong. Was he actually annoyed he got caught than being sorry.

Vanessa leaned against the table lazily. “You should stop acting shocked. You barely pay attention to him anyway.”

I looked at her slowly, “You wanted him?” I asked.

Her lips curved smugly. “He wanted me first.”

Daniel cursed under his breath. The people I loved most were destroying me right in front of me like I was nothing. I turned to walk away, then Vanessa delivered the final blow casually.

“Father already knows anyway.”

I was shocked and speechless, I thought I misheard.

“What?”

Daniel’s expression changed immediately. “Vanessa”

But she kept going.

“He found out months ago.”

I think that was the exact moment my heart stopped belonging to my family because suddenly everything made sense.

My father insisting Daniel remain close to the company, Vanessa constantly disappearing during wedding preparations, Daniel sudden late night meetings and business travels, every dots started connecting.

Every time my father insisted the wedding must happen no matter what, he knew, and he still looked me in the eye every day pretending nothing was wrong.

I took a slow step backward, my pulse quickened as I tried desperately to suppress the ache in my heart.

Daniel reached for me again. “Sophia, calm down.”

I jerked away instantly.

“This wedding still has to happen,” he said flatly. “There are investors involved, your father already finalized major contracts around this marriage.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “So that’s what I am to all of you?” I whispered. “A contract?”

I turned and walked out before either of them could stop me.

“Sophia,” I heard Daniel called after me but I kept walking.

By the time I reached the elevator, my vision had blurred completely. The elevator doors opened and I stepped inside quickly, I hit the close button, but a hand stopped the doors before they could shut completely, and my father stepped inside.

One look at my face told him everything, but instead of guilt, he sighed, like I was the inconvenience.

“You knew,” I whispered.

“Sophia”

“You knew Daniel was sleeping with Vanessa.”

He rubbed his temple tiredly. “Lower your voice, you were going to marry him anyway.”

I stared at him in disbelief as the tears I had been fighting slid down my face uncontrollably. I glanced at my father looking completely unsurprised.

For the first time in my life, I truly saw the man standing in front of me beyond being my father. Roman Carter, a businessman, a strategist, a monster.

“My wedding is few hours away, and apparently the only person at this wedding who didn’t know my fiancé was sleeping with my sister…was me.” I muttered under my breath.

“I was going to deal with it.”

“Deal with what?” I snapped back

“Vanessa? Daniel? Or the embarrassment?”

“Do you understand what happens if this wedding falls apart tomorrow?”

I looked at him coldly as I dried my face with the back of my hand. The elevator doors opened into the hotel lobby. My father stepped out first before I could respond, looking calm and composed.

I stood inside the elevator for a few seconds longer before stepping into the lobby. As I lifted my head…standing across the room near the bar, dressed in black with one hand inside his pocket was Eric Prescott, my father’s greatest enemy.

The moment our eyes met…An idea formed in my head so dangerous it terrified me.