Chapter 38

Sophia's POV

All I could focus on was Alexander, even after I left him there with his little pet. His posture was stiff, unreadable, his eyes locked on Lauren and Liam, his jaw clenched with something I couldn’t quite name. Hurt? Anger? Confusion? It didn’t matter.

What mattered was the mess and the embarrassment he had caused me last night. I wasn’t going to let that happen again.

Publicly announcing that his former Luna would always hold her title? Pathetic.

I had been by his side for years, planning our future, our family, everything—all for him. And then he goes and does that.

I moved swiftly, my heels clicking against the marble floor as I made my way through the crowd. I had to salvage this. I had to get him back on my side, back in my orbit. He was my future. My husband.

The guests in the room didn’t need to know that, but I wasn’t about to let them think for a second that I wasn’t the one he’d chosen.

As I reached him, I caught sight of his profile, the sharp line of his jaw, the tension in his shoulders. He wasn’t even looking at me. His gaze was fixed ahead, on nothing in particular, like he was trying to disappear into the night.

“Alexander,” I said, my voice soft but firm. I stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. His muscles tensed under my touch, and for a brief moment, I felt a flicker of something but it passed as quickly as it came.

I forced a smile, hoping it looked genuine, though I knew it was more for show than anything else.

He didn’t respond immediately, but after a beat, he turned his head slightly, enough to acknowledge my presence. His eyes, usually so controlled, were now a storm of emotions I couldn’t decipher.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, keeping my tone light, like I wasn’t standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to fall.

“I’m fine,” he muttered, his voice flat, as if he were trying to convince himself more than me.

“No, you’re not,” I said gently, though I knew he didn’t want to hear it. I stepped closer, my hand still resting on his arm, and leaned in slightly. “Come on, let’s share a dance. You need to relax.”

A dance. That was what he needed. To let go of whatever was eating at him, to stop thinking about her.

I didn’t even want to say her name. Lauren. That woman. The one who had a hold on him, the one who had stolen his attention tonight, right in front of me. I had to make him see reason. He was mine. He had to be mine.

“I’m not in the mood for a dance, Sophia,” he said, his voice cold, almost dismissive.

I tried not to let my disappointment show, but it stung. His rejection was a blow, but I wouldn’t let it stop me. I couldn’t.

“Alexander,” I said, a little more forcefully this time. “Don’t be like this. You don’t need to be alone right now. You’ve been under so much pressure lately. Let me help you. Let’s just dance, like we used to.”

He shook his head, a tight, almost pained expression contorting his face. “I’m not in the mood for dancing,” he repeated, his voice colder now, more final.

I knew exactly what that meant, and the twist in my chest was almost unbearable. He wouldn’t even look me in the eye.

He knew what he was choosing, yet he couldn’t bring himself to say it to my face. No, he’d rather announce it to the whole world. But even if he did, it didn’t matter. I wouldn’t let him go. Not now. Not ever.

He took a step back, his gaze flicking briefly to the crowd, and then he turned, leaving me standing there, staring after him, my heart pounding in my chest.

The guests I had been speaking with earlier were watching, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and polite concern.

I’m sure the public was more than confused by everything, but all it did was leave me looking like some desperate, discarded roadkill—pathetic, vulnerable, and easy to overlook.

I could feel their eyes on me, the way they shifted uncomfortably as they waited for me to react.

I forced a smile, though it felt as fake as everything else in this godforsaken room. A tight knot twisted in my stomach as I watched Alexander walk away, his broad shoulders disappearing into the crowd.

What had just happened? Was he really going to let me walk away like that? No. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. Not if he knew what was good for him.

I could feel the heat of frustration rising in me, the sting of embarrassment curling under my skin. He had been mine. He was supposed to be mine.

But now, it seemed like Lauren was the one pulling his strings, and I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.

My gaze drifted back to her, and there she was, standing near the corner, her phone pressed to her ear. I watched her, trying to keep my expression neutral, but a spark of irritation flickered in my chest.

She was so smug, so confident. And it made me sick.

I couldn’t hear her conversation, but I could see the smile on her face, the way her eyes lit up as she spoke. It wasn’t the smile of someone just chatting casually. It was the smile of someone who was enjoying herself. Someone who thought she had won.

I narrowed my eyes. That was when I heard it.

“...No, it’s fine, Abigail. I’m just at the event with some people. I’ll be done soon. How’s everything at home?”

Abigail’s voice. It was faint but unmistakable. Her little daughter.

Lauren smiled into the phone, her face softening as she listened. I could tell she was enjoying the conversation, the way her lips curved in a genuine smile.

Talking to the one person who seemed to mean the most to her.

My eyes narrowed as a sly smirk tugged at the corners of my lips.

If I couldn’t tear Lauren down, if I couldn’t break her apart from Alexander, I’d go after the next best thing.

After all, I had made a promise to Owen, didn’t I?

It was perfect.

I glanced back at Lauren, her eyes still focused on the phone, her face alight with affection as she spoke. She had no idea what was coming.

I took a deep breath, my mind already working, plotting the steps. It wouldn’t be hard. Abigail was just a child, after all. And children were always the easiest to manipulate. I would find a way, and once I had her, I would make sure Lauren knew exactly who had the upper hand.

As I watched Lauren, a sense of satisfaction settled in my chest. This was how I would win. This was how I would take control.

I would destroy Lauren by taking the one thing she cared about most.

Abigail.