The Billionaire's Bargain

Chapter 17: The Web Tightens

Sofia stood by the window, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. The faint hum of traffic outside barely registered as her mind was disturbed. Ethan’s words from their last encounter haunted her, but it wasn’t fear that gripped her—it was anger. She was done being a pawn in his twisted games.

Alexander’s voice cut through her thoughts. “You’ve been staring out that window for twenty minutes.”

She turned, startled to find him leaning against the doorway. “Just thinking.”

“About?” he prompted, crossing the room and handing her a cup of tea.

She hesitated. Part of her longed to tell him everything, to let him help her bear the weight of Ethan’s threats. But she couldn’t. Not yet.

“About us,” she said softly, her eyes searching his.

Alexander set his tea down and took her hands in his. “Sofia, whatever’s bothering you, I hope you know you don’t have to face it alone. We’re a team, remember?”

She nodded, guilt tugging at her. “I know. Thank you.”

The next day, Sofia met Carmen for lunch at a quiet café. After their heated confrontation, she hadn’t expected to see Carmen again so soon, but her former friend had reached out, insisting she had more to say.

“You’ve got some nerve,” Sofia began as she slid into the booth.

Carmen held up her hands in mock surrender. “I deserve that. But I’m here because I want to fix things.”

Sofia scoffed. “Fix things? You lied to me. You set me up to attend that gala, knowing Ethan was behind it all.”

“I did,” Carmen admitted, her voice low. “But I didn’t realize how far Ethan would take it. I thought it was just…business.”

“Business?” Sofia snapped. “Ethan has been manipulating me, threatening me, and trying to destroy Alexander. That’s more than business, Carmen.”

Carmen looked genuinely remorseful, but Sofia wasn’t ready to let her off the hook.

“You want to fix things?” Sofia asked, her voice hard. “Start by telling me everything you know about Ethan’s plans.”

Carmen nodded. “I will. But first, you need to know something else—something I should have told you from the start.”

Sofia’s heart sank. “What now?”

“It wasn’t just Ethan,” Carmen confessed. “Victoria’s involved too.”

The revelation left Sofia reeling. Back at home, she paced the living room, her mind racing. Alexander had stepped out for a meeting, giving her the space she needed to process everything.

Victoria. The woman Alexander had once loved and lost. The woman who had left him shattered.

Why was she back? And why was she working with Ethan?

Sofia’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Alexander walked in, his tie loosened and a tired smile on his face.

“You’re home early,” she said, forcing a casual tone.

“Meeting wrapped up sooner than expected,” he replied, eyeing her closely. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Just tired,” she lied.

Alexander didn’t push, but she could see the concern in his eyes. As he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, Sofia leaned into him, drawing comfort from his steady presence.

She knew she couldn’t keep him in the dark forever. But for now, she needed time to figure out her next move.

Later that night, Sofia sat at her desk, a notepad in front of her. She began jotting down everything she knew about Ethan and Victoria, connecting the dots and trying to uncover their endgame.

Her phone buzzed with a message. It was from Carmen.

“Meet me tomorrow. There’s more you need to know.”

Sofia’s stomach churned. She was walking a dangerous line, but she couldn’t stop now.

She looked over at Alexander, asleep on the couch. A pang of guilt hit her, but she pushed it aside.

“I’ll protect you,” she whispered, more to herself than him. “No matter what it takes.”