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?”

Sophia Reed stood perfectly straight, flipping her hair deliberately. Just when Ethan Kane thought she was about to argue again, she merely smiled.

“Of course not. I just didn’t want to interrupt your dinner.”

Her gaze drifted to the half-eaten meal on the table.

“Have you eaten?”

Alexander Kane suddenly asked. Sophia’s smile froze for a moment before she exhaled lightly and kept her composure.

“I already had dinner with a friend outside. Please, carry on.”

With that, she turned and went back to her room.

She paced for a while, thinking hard until finally an idea sparked. Glancing at the clock, she knew Alexander would be in his study by now—just like every night.

In the kitchen, she prepared a cup of pour-over coffee, steadied her breath, and gently knocked on the study door.

A cold, emotionless voice came from within, as always. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

The study was spacious but dim; only the desk lamp cast a warm halo across the room. The sight softened Alexander’s sharp profile, making him look almost… human. That eased Sophia’s nerves. She inhaled subtly, then put on her practiced, calm smile.

“Mr. Kane,” she said softly, “I brought you some milk—and I thought I’d give you an update on Little Boat’s recent progress.”

She set the cup on his desk.

Alexander finally lifted his deep, unreadable eyes. Seeing her conservative outfit and the way she stood awkwardly with her fingers twisting together, his brows furrowed slightly.

That gesture—it was just like her, the one who had died. Every time that woman had been nervous, her eyes would dart away, and her fingers would fidget uncontrollably. She’d thought she was hiding her feelings, but every move had betrayed her.

Trying to sound casual, Sophia continued, “Warm milk helps you sleep better—it’s good for the nerves. You’ve seemed tired lately, Mr. Kane. Maybe you should try some?”

She smiled brightly as she nudged the cup closer to him, though inside she was tense.

Nathan Cole had warned her this stuff was strong. One wrong move and she would be the one in trouble.

All she needed was the photo—just enough to keep that bastard in line—and then she’d disappear.

Alexander’s frown deepened. Irritated, he picked up the cup and took a sip.

A second later, his piercing eyes locked onto hers, suddenly burning with intensity.

Sophia stiffened. Oh, hell no. Don’t tell me it’s working already? She’d barely used a drop! But that look—too familiar. No one knew better than her what Alexander Kane looked like when desire hit.

As his expression darkened, Sophia felt the pressure in the room build.

“I’ll head back now,” she muttered, turning to leave.

But before she could take two steps, his hand clamped around her wrist. Without a word, he dragged her into the bedroom. The door slammed shut behind them.

For a split second, memories from that other life—their nights together in that distant Hamptons villa—flashed through her mind.

Her face went pale. She stumbled backward until her knees hit the bed frame. Alexander moved toward her suddenly, pressing her down.

“Ah—wait!”

Her small gasp filled the room. She pushed at him with trembling hands—only to find, when she finally managed to free herself, that he’d gone completely still.

Asleep.

Sophia clutched her pounding chest, half in relief, half in disbelief. Then, seeing him soundly asleep, she couldn’t resist studying him up close.

Even in slumber, the man was unfairly beautiful.

“Mr. Kane? …Mr. Kane?” she whispered, waving a hand in front of his face. Nothing.

“Well,” she murmured smugly, “told you my little ‘sleep aid’ works wonders. You’ve had a long week—rest up, boss.”

She carefully guided him to the bed. Up close, she had to admit—Alexander Kane was infuriatingly perfect. The sculpted abs, the chiseled lines—sin made flesh.

Her cheeks heated. God, pull it together, Sophia.

This wasn’t the time to get distracted. Heaven had given her a second chance at life—not so she could fall for the same man again.

Pushing the thought away, she pulled out her phone, leaned in close, and snapped several intimate-looking photos—her arms draped around him, his shirt half open. Then she sent them straight to Nathan Cole.

A few minutes later, his reply came:

[Good work.]

[That’s just step one. Don’t stop there—you need to make him yours, Sophia. Become Mrs. Kane.]

Sophia snorted under her breath. Mrs. Kane? Not a chance. All she wanted was her family back—nothing more.

As her phone slipped from her grasp, her heart clenched. She turned to the sleeping man once more, eyes full of complicated emotions. Years had passed, yet Alexander hadn’t changed—if anything, he’d only become more composed, more dangerous.

He was a man she could never afford to desire again.

She took one last look and slipped quietly out of the room.

But the moment the door clicked shut, Alexander’s eyes opened. Confusion flickered in the dim light.

What on earth was that woman playing at?

He sat up slowly, gaze narrowing. Ever since she’d brought that milk, something about her actions had seemed off. But this was the Kane Manor. Whatever game she was running—how bad could it really be?

That was why he’d drunk it anyway.

And when he noticed the harmless, staged photos later, he couldn’t decide whether she was cunning or just plain foolish. In an age of deepfakes and AI edits, even if those photos spread, one call from the Kane Corporation’s legal team would bury every rumor.

Still, when she had fallen into his arms—he had hesitated.

But what was I expecting?