Sophia was exhausted. The past twenty-four hours had been a circus.

She flopped onto the massive bed, groaning. So much for leaving—now she was stuck here, forced to “play nice” with the Kanes.

A knock came at the door. She sat up fast.

“Come in,” she said, clearing her throat.

Mr. Howard, the butler, entered with a neatly folded stack of clothes.

“Miss Cole, these are from Mr. Kane,” he said.

Sophia nodded.

Then came the dagger:

“Mr. Kane also asked me to remind you—teachers should look the part. Please avoid… unprofessional attire that might affect the young master’s aesthetic sense.”

Mr. Howard gave a polite bow and left.

Sophia’s face flamed red. She looked down at the conservative, high-necked blouses he’d sent. Insufferable man. Insulting her without a single curse word.

By the time she came downstairs, wrapped tightly in one of the dull blouses, only Ethan was in the dining room. He didn’t look up, didn’t greet her, didn’t acknowledge her existence.

“Where’s your father?” she asked before she could stop herself.

And immediately regretted it.

Sure enough, Ethan’s glare snapped toward her. “Still scheming? Forget it—Dad’s not interested in you, you pathetic woman!”

Sophia didn’t bother getting angry. She smiled slyly.

“Oh honey, don’t say that. I already told you—I like you, remember? So young and fresh.”

She threw him a deliberately exaggerated wink.

Ethan recoiled, disgusted. “You’re insane!”

He stormed off, muttering under his breath. Sophia smirked. “Rookie,” she said softly, settling into her chair. “Don’t challenge the pro.”

Finally alone, she was about to enjoy breakfast when heavy footsteps sounded behind her.

Ethan again—this time carrying textbooks, face set in grim determination.

“Eat fast,” he said. “You’re tutoring me after this.”

Sophia sighed, instantly losing her appetite. Right. Private tutor. Great.

Back in the study, she flipped through his prep materials and exhaled in relief. The content wasn’t too difficult—middle school history, mostly. Whoever his previous tutor was had made decent notes, though clearly lacked direction.

She might not have been a teacher in years, but she was still a top student once. Picking this up was child’s play.

Ethan sat stiffly, radiating annoyance. Sophia laid three practice exams on the table.

“What’s this supposed to be?” he snapped.

“Tests,” she said sweetly.

His expression twisted. “You’re taking revenge, aren’t you?”

“Can’t handle it?”

Her voice was light, teasing. He looked ready to explode.

Sophia reached out and pinched his cheek lightly. “Still so soft,” she murmured.

“Don’t touch me!” He slapped her hand away, face burning.

“What, never had a girl pinch your face before?” she teased. “Or maybe no girl’s dared come close?”

Ethan went silent, fists clenched. His expression—cold, brittle, painfully proud—was a perfect echo of his father’s.

“Too much,” he muttered.

Sophia laughed. “Then stop acting like such easy prey.”

She checked the clock and her tone shifted.

“Alright, focus. Finish before dinner.” She handed him a pen.

When he hesitated, she added lazily, “If you don’t, I might have to ask your dad for extra lessons. Who knows, maybe we’ll ‘bond’ over your progress.”

That did it. Ethan grabbed the pen like it was a weapon.

Over my dead body.

Sophia smiled in satisfaction and tapped his back lightly with a ruler. “Sit straight. You’ll ruin your eyesight.”

He glared at her but obeyed.

She yawned, half-watching as he scribbled furiously. The servants brought fruit and milk throughout the afternoon, all of which she happily devoured.

Sometimes, when she thought no one was watching, her fingers twisted together unconsciously—an old nervous tic.

From the security feed in his office, Alexander Kane saw it all. His gaze softened almost imperceptibly.

She reminded him of someone. Someone he shouldn’t still be seeing in every shadow.

With a quiet sigh, he pressed a button on his desk.

His assistant entered.

“Dig up everything on her,” Alexander said flatly. “More thorough than last time.”

“Yes, Mr. Kane.”

After the assistant left, Alexander Kane rubbed his temples and cut the video feed, beginning his day’s work.

Meanwhile, Ethan Kane had tried rebelling several times, only to be firmly subdued by Sophia Reed. His expression began to change — even the way he glanced at her carried a faint trace of curiosity.

When Ethan started Sophia’s first practice test, the questions were ones he already knew. The second test pushed him a little, and by the third, every problem was a twisted challenge.

By the time he reached the final reading comprehension, Ethan had to admit — he was starting to see her differently.

During all that tutoring, Sophia hadn’t once seen Alexander again — whether by coincidence or design, she wasn’t sure. But the fact alone eased the tension that had been pressing on her chest.

Truthfully, she still couldn’t be herself around him — not when she wore Vanessa Cole’s identity. Every time she thought of the days she’d been Alexander’s kept woman, her stomach twisted.

Ethan, growing restless, suddenly shoved the test paper aside.

“You sigh more than the turtles in the Central Park fountain. It’s distracting.”

Sophia blinked, then smirked. “At least those turtles have a stable job — I don’t even qualify. Do you?”

He huffed, cheeks puffed, and went silent. That earned him a quiet laugh from Sophia. The kid was prickly, but interesting.

When the session ended, Sophia graded his papers, marked key sections, then stretched out on the bed upstairs. Ethan lingered over the red ink on his pages.

Something about her handwriting… it looked familiar.

Could people’s writing really change that much?

No — it looked exactly like her handwriting.

Was she imitating it on purpose?

A mischievous grin spread across Ethan’s face. Being a tutor at the Kane Estate wasn’t bad — good food, good pay, and a student who was bright enough to make it entertaining.

Later, Sophia lounged comfortably in bed scrolling through her phone. She deleted every file and message related to Alexander Kane. Those were things Vanessa Cole would have needed — not her.

No one knew Alexander like she did. That man’s heart was made of ice and razor wire.

Just as she cleared the last file, her phone buzzed violently. She answered on instinct — and a man’s furious roar exploded through the speaker.

“Useless trash! You still haven’t finished the job?”

It took her a few seconds to realize it was Nathan Cole, this body’s brother.

“You worthless fool! You’ve got the looks, but can’t even seduce a man properly?”

Nathan’s insults came one after another, vicious and relentless. Sophia tried to interrupt, but he never gave her the chance.

Finally, he snapped, “Tomorrow afternoon. Be home to sign for the package.”

Then — click.

The line went dead.

Sophia stared at the dark screen. Whether or not he called, she’d already been planning to find him. She wasn’t about to throw her life — or Vanessa’s — away for some twisted scheme involving Alexander Kane.

The next day, Sophia pulled on a white T-shirt and light blue jeans, heading downstairs to tutor Ethan. Just as her hand touched the doorknob, it turned — and she froze.

Standing there was Alexander Kane himself, cold and devastatingly handsome.

“Mr. Kane,” she greeted, forcing calm.

He barely glanced at her. That look — detached, distant — she knew it all too well.

Sophia lowered her gaze, saying nothing more. But when he stopped beside her, she tensed, fingers twisting together nervously.

From behind them came a voice. “Dad?”

Ethan stood halfway down the stairs, expression uncertain.

Sophia’s mind raced. Great. Now the kid thinks I’m flirting again.

“Ethan, wait downstairs,” she said evenly.

But Ethan frowned. “Maybe the tutor should go first.”

Sophia forced a smile. “You’re right, Ethan. If Mr. Kane doesn’t need me, I’ll go ahead and prepare for the session.”

Without waiting for permission, she practically bolted.

Alexander watched her retreating back — and for a moment, something strange stirred in his chest. He turned toward his son.

“Didn’t you say you hated her?”

Ethan shifted uncomfortably, mumbling, “I just think… she explains things well.” Then he slipped away.

Alexander’s gaze lingered, dark and thoughtful.

Later, during the lesson, Ethan seemed sharper — and pricklier. No matter what Sophia said, he found a way to argue. Finally, she turned it into a challenge.

“If you don’t focus, I might just marry your father and become your stepmom.”

That did it. Ethan scowled and finished every problem in record time.

By evening, Sophia felt like she’d fought a war. As she was about to rest, Mr. Howard, the butler, appeared with a small package.

“Miss Cole, this arrived for you.”

Her heart dropped. The delivery.

Thanking him, she slipped into a quiet corner to open it. Inside was a small glass vial. She picked it up, and her face instantly flushed red.

An aphrodisiac?!

Nathan Cole really had lost his mind. Did he think she could actually drug Alexander Kane — and live to tell about it?

Sophia destroyed the box but kept the vial, staring at it for a long time before tucking it into her pocket.

She’d find another use for it — one that didn’t involve dying.

What she didn’t know was that Alexander, standing on the upstairs balcony, had seen everything. His expression was unreadable — lips pressed in a tight line.

That night at dinner, Mr. Howard summoned her:

“Mr. Kane requests your presence in the dining room.”

Sophia entered to find both Alexander and Ethan at the table, both watching her intently.

Alexander’s fingers interlaced calmly as his gaze dropped — precisely — to the pocket where she’d hidden the vial.

Sophia’s heart skipped.

Then came his low, commanding voice:

“Where is it?”

Where is it?

Sophia’s pulse raced. God, does he know?

She forced a smile, voice steady. “Mr. Kane, I’m not sure what you mean.”

Her lashes lowered demurely, posture composed, but inside she was in chaos. Her fingers fidgeted unconsciously — a tell she’d once had in the past.

Alexander’s eyes narrowed. That gesture, that tone — it was identical to how she used to lie to him.

Ethan noticed too. His gaze sharpened, trying to pierce through her facade. Who exactly is she?

Sophia, realizing she had to sell the act, tugged her pocket outward — nothing there but fabric. Alexander’s jaw tightened.

“You’d better not be hiding anything from me, Miss Reed.” His tone dropped dangerously low. “Or you’ll regret it.”

He didn’t need to say more. The sharp slice of his hand across his throat made the message clear.

Sophia smiled sweetly, calm on the surface — and that infuriated him even more.

Once Alexander was gone, teaching Ethan became almost easy. The boy grumbled, but he did his work. When he got lazy, Sophia simply doubled his assignments.

“Come on, Ethan,” she teased. “Be a good kid.”

“Don’t call me that,” he snapped. “That nickname isn’t yours to use.”

Sophia arched a brow. “Why not? It’s just a name.”

But in her mind, a memory flickered — years ago, she’d told Alexander she wanted to name their future child something with ‘boat’ in it, as a symbol of finally finding safe harbor.

And now his son’s nickname was “Little Boat.”

Of course it was.

Annoyed, she tossed him another set of problems.

Days passed. Alexander didn’t appear again, and Sophia’s life at the Kane Estate slipped into monotony — teaching, reading, daydreaming of freedom.

One morning, standing at the massive front door, she sighed dramatically.

“Oh, blue skies — when will I ever be free?”

“Miss Cole?” came a voice behind her.

She jumped — Mr. Howard again, silent as ever. But this time, he brought good news.

“Mr. Kane said you’re permitted to go out once a week.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really?”

After confirming it twice, she raced upstairs to grab her wallet — only for her phone to ring. Seeing the name on the screen, her blood ran cold.

“Brother…” she murmured.

Nathan’s voice blasted through. “You useless brat! Still haven’t done it? Do you even have a brain?”

Sophia flinched, pulling the phone away until his rage subsided.

“Café Verona. This afternoon,” he said darkly.

“…Got it.”

Her brief moment of freedom was already tainted. But she had no choice — she needed to learn more about Vanessa’s supposed “family.”

That afternoon, she sat at Café Verona for nearly thirty minutes before Nathan finally arrived. His delay was deliberate — intimidation through inconvenience.

When he saw her sipping tea calmly by the window, his jaw tightened with rage.

“Plenty of people watching,” she said smoothly before he could speak. “If you’ve got business, say it.”

“Bitch,” he hissed under his breath.

Sophia lowered her gaze, voice trembling just enough. “Brother, I can’t stay out too long.”

He blinked, momentarily thrown, then sneered. Sitting beside her, he grabbed her hand and pressed something into it.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“Just a few pretty outfits.”

She peeked inside the small paper bag — fishnet stockings, pink lace, and something that looked like a black hook. Her face flamed.

Pretty, right.

Nathan leaned closer, his tone turning cold. “Do the job this time. Or you’ll never see your family again. And remember — take photos as proof.”

He left without another word.

Sophia sat there, gripping the bag tightly.

If she wanted any chance of finding Vanessa’s family, she’d have to play along — just enough to survive.

When she returned to the Kane Manor, both Alexander and Ethan were at the dinner table, waiting.

She froze mid-step.

Ethan smirked. “What’s the matter? You look guilty. Think we’re dead or something?”