Chapter 1 She Must Not Die!
"Sophia! Even if you're on your deathbed, you better give birth to that damn child!"
The door slammed shut with a deafening bang, plunging the room into complete darkness.
Sophia Brown lay curled up on the floor, her body covered in bruises, her hands raw and bloody as she pounded the ground in frustration. She stared at the closed door, feeling utterly hopeless.
No! She must not die here! A fire on the cruise ship had wiped out the Brown family. Their fortune was stolen, and her father and two brothers were reduced to ashes. Her mother, Evelyn Thomas, was taken away by her uncle, Chase Brown, and used as leverage against her. Sophia had become a fugitive, a shadow of her former self.
Every bit of it was Chase's doing!
Under Chase's mismanagement, the Brown Group was drowning in debt, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Desperate to forge a connection with the immensely wealthy Mitchell family, Chase had drugged Sophia and sent her to Philip Mitchell, the heir to the Mitchell fortune.
What was supposed to be a one-night stand had resulted in her becoming pregnant with Philip's child.
Sophia lay on the floor, her hair a tangled mess, her eyes burning with hatred.
The door opened again.
Emily Brown, dressed to the nines, strutted in on high heels, her face twisted in annoyance. She kicked Sophia's shoulder.
"Hey, stop playing dead. The Brown family is spending a fortune on supplements for you. If you die, all that money goes to waste."
Silence was her only response.
Emily's perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowed. She grabbed a handful of supplements from a nearby table.
"Father and the others aren't here today. You're all mine. Great!"
She yanked Sophia's hair, her eyes filled with malice, and forcefully shoved the supplements into Sophia's mouth.
"Eat! Eat it, you bitch!"
"Just one night with Mr. Mitchell and you got pregnant! You're such a slut!"
"When you give birth, I'm going to have your uterus fed to the dogs!"
Sophia struggled with all her might, her body shifting slightly away. A glint of light caught her eye. She grabbed a shard of glass, bloodied and sharp, and aimed it at Emily's neck. She missed the vital spot, only managing to cut Emily's arm.
Emily screamed in pain, clutching her wound, her eyes glaring at Sophia, who looked like a vengeful ghost.
In the dim light, Sophia saw Emily's expression clearly. There was no fear on Sophia's face, only a bloodthirsty determination.
"Sophia! You're insane!"
"You dare hurt me? When my parents get back, they'll make you suffer!"
"All they want is the child in your belly. Just you wait!"
Emily shot Sophia a venomous look and turned to leave, but Sophia wasn't about to give her that chance.
Sophia quickly stepped forward, pressing the bloody glass shard to Emily's neck.
"Move, and I'll send you to meet the Grim Reaper."
Her voice was as cold as ice.
The chill of the glass against her neck made Emily break out in a cold sweat. She looked down at the shard in disbelief.
"I...I am warning you, if you hurt me...!"
The glass pressed closer, drawing a thin line of blood from Emily's neck.
Now she was certain Sophia wasn't bluffing.
"Don't kill me! I won't move, I won't move!"
"I'll do whatever you want, just don't kill me!"
Emily's body trembled, her pants wet with fear. Sophia ignored her pathetic state.
With Chase gone, this was her only chance to escape!
"I remember you have a car nearby. Take me to it."
Emily didn't dare resist and complied, praying Chase would come to her rescue.
To avoid drawing attention, Sophia found a large coat to cover herself. She held the glass shard through Emily's clothes, pressing it against her back.
As long as Emily did anything stupid, Sophia would make sure she suffered.
Most of the servants were on the east side, leaving the west side relatively empty.
"Sophia, I advise you to go back. If you leave today, my father will never let you off easy. You'll only suffer more."
Sophia scoffed at her words.
"What, you think I'm not suffering enough already?"
Emily didn't reply, her eyes darting around for an escape route.
The Brown family was in financial ruin, and the child in Sophia's belly was their only hope for revival. If Sophia escaped, Emily would be held responsible.
The sunlight, after two months of confinement, felt like a distant memory. Sophia had been living like an animal in the basement, and now, just a short walk had left her exhausted.
No! She had to escape!
Almost there!
The door was open!
"Sophia's gone mad! She's trying to escape! Someone, catch her!"
Emily seized the moment, shoving Sophia away and running off. Her shout drew immediate attention.
Panic flashed in Sophia's eyes, but she gritted her teeth and ran through the door, slipping on ill-fitting shoes.
She grabbed the car keys, opened the door, started the engine, and sped away.
She'd rather die than stay here!
Watching the car disappear, Emily panicked.
"It's over!"
She quickly called Chase.
"Dad! Sophia's escaped!"
Chase's face darkened instantly.
"Mobilize everyone and bring her back."
He hung up, gripping his phone tightly.
When they caught Sophia, he would personally make sure she never walked again.
Sophia drove recklessly, glancing in the rearview mirror at the black car chasing her.
At this rate, they'd catch her!
She glanced at the GPS and made a sharp turn towards the most luxurious mall in town.
Opulence Mall was packed with people.
"Thank you all for joining us for Opulence Mall's second anniversary celebration. Our chairman, Mr. Philip Mitchell, is here to oversee the event. Let's wish Opulence Mall continued success!"
The host's voice was met with applause.
Sophia didn't care. She crashed through the mall's barrier, smashing parked cars in the lot.
If she was going to make a scene, she'd make it big!
The noise drew everyone's attention.
Sophia jumped out of the car, rushed into the elevator, and pressed the top floor button. If she could escape the Brown family's clutches, there was still hope!
She stumbled out of the elevator, found a room, and locked herself in. The silence was a relief.
Was she finally safe?
Sophia collapsed to the floor, exhausted, and slowly looked up into a pair of cold, icy eyes.
"Ms. Brown."
"Long time no see."
It was him!
Sophia tried to move, but her body wouldn't cooperate. The memory of that brutal night was still fresh.
The man in the suit stood up and walked over, his gaze icy as he looked at her face, then her belly.
"Sophia, I underestimated you."
"Whose child are you carrying?"