Sophia sat across from her father in their private villa. His tone was calm, but the words hit hard.
"You need to think about your future, Sophia," he said. "Adrian is a temporary solution. He was never meant to be permanent."
She stirred her coffee silently.
He continued, "Sebastian Wren is back from London. He's stable. Wealthy. Influential. And he's interested in marriage."
Sophia's jaw tightened. "I'm already married."
Her father laughed dryly. "A contract marriage. Don't insult my intelligence."
Before she could respond, Sebastian himself entered.
Tall. Handsome. Confident. A man who knew exactly what he wanted—and right now, it was her.
"It's good to see you again, Sophia," he said with a charming smile. "This time, I won't take no for an answer."
---
That night, Adrian returned home to find Sophia in the kitchen, staring blankly at a ring box left on the counter.
"New proposal?" he asked casually, though something in his voice cracked.
She didn't look at him. "Yes. My father wants me to marry Sebastian Wren."
Adrian walked up to her, closing the gap. "Are you going to say yes?"
She met his eyes. "I don't know."
He didn't say anything—just stared at her for a long, painful moment.
Then he whispered, "If you're going to break the contract… do it for love, not for power."
And he walked away, leaving her breathless.