The bodyguard reached for the man’s knee before Sebastian even blinked. His men moved silently, surrounding the two thugs before they could grab me. “We’ll take it from here, Miss,” one of them said, his eyes cold. I barely acknowledged them.
A flicker of irritation crossed my face. Trouble kept finding me tonight. “Who are you? ” Sebastian asked, stepping closer, his voice low and sharp.
I turned to face him. His shirt was still stained, blood drying in the creases, but his eyes were fierce, alive. There was something commanding in the way he stood, even wounded. “Someone who has no interest in your questions,” I said.
“I’m Sebastian Knight. I owe you my life. You saved me, then you left me a pill and a name I’ve never heard before. ”
“Yancy,” I said, watching his expression.
“The miracle doctor. ”
His jaw tightened. “The miracle doctor is a woman. You.
”
“Is that a problem? ”
“It’s a revelation. ” He studied me, looking for cracks, for lies. He found none.
“You were at the auction. The jade. ”
“You outbid me,” I said, my tone flat. “I’ll give it to you.
Consider it a thank-you for the treatment. ”
I raised an eyebrow. “The jade is worth millions, Mr. Knight.
”
“And my life is worth more. The second session is in two weeks. I want you to do it at my villa, in private. My uncle Michael is hunting for the doctor.
He wants me dead. The only person I trust is you. ”
I considered him. His pride, his stubbornness, his refusal to beg.
He was dangerous in the way that powerful, untouchable men are dangerous—not because they are cruel, but because they always get what they want. “Fine,” I said. “Your villa. Two weeks.
Bring the jade. ”
He nodded, a small, satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “You have my word. ”
I turned and walked away, feeling his gaze on my back.
Somewhere behind me, Benjamin whistled low. “That’s the girl who saved you? She’s terrifying. ”
“She’s incredible,” Sebastian said quietly.
—
Alexander called me as I was leaving the hospital zone. His voice rang with excitement. “Sophia, the Emerald Ball is next week. It’s the most exclusive social event of the year.
I want you to come with us—the whole family. It’ll be your grand introduction to Greenville society. ”
I hesitated. The Heart family was still new to me.
Formal events meant Chloe scheming, Victoria glowering, and Isabella trying to crawl back into my orbit. “I’ll come,” I said. “But I plan to disappear early. ”
Alexander laughed.
“Not a chance. You’re going to own that room. ”
The next day, Chloe found out about the ball. She cornered me in the hallway, her face tight with forced pleasantry.
“Sophia, I have two invitations to the Emerald Ball. You haven’t been to a lot of high-society events. You should go with me, or you’ll embarrass the family. ”
I almost laughed.
“I already have an invitation, Chloe. ”
Her smile faltered. “Oh. Who gave it to you?
”
“Alexander. ”
She blinked, then recovered quickly. “Well, I hope you have a dress. Moda Style is sending over their new collection.
I picked out the pink one. ”
“I’m wearing white. ”
Chloe’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t say another word, but I saw the storm brewing behind her gaze.
That night, she called Victoria. “I told her about the ball,” Chloe whispered into the phone. “She thinks she can walk in and steal everything. But we both know what happens to people who get in our way.
”
Victoria’s voice came through cool and smooth. “Let her try. I’ve known Sebastian since we were children. She’s just a temporary distraction.
”
—
The day of the ball arrived. I stood in front of the mirror in a white gown Alexandre had arranged from Moda Style. It was simple, with a fitted waist and delicate embroidery along the hem. No sequins, no glitter.
Just clean lines and quiet elegance. Emma walked in, tears pooling in her eyes. “Mommy, what’s wrong? ” I asked.
“You look just like I imagined you would,” she said, hugging me tightly. “My little girl, all grown up. ”
“I’ll be back before midnight, Mom. ”
She laughed through her tears.
“Just don’t forget me when you’re the talk of the town. ”
At the entrance to the Emerald Ball, the Hart family stepped out of the Rolls-Royce in matching black and gold. Chloe wore a crimson dress that clung to her like a second skin, her hair twisted into an elaborate updo. She looked polished, flawless, and completely forgettable next to my plain white gown.
Isabella and Margaret were standing near the entrance, trying to blend in with a crowd of socialites. Isabella spotted me and her face went pale. “Sophia? ” she whispered.
I walked past her without a glance. She had no business being here, and I had no interest in acknowledging her existence. Behind me, I heard Margaret hiss. “Did you see that dress?
She’s wearing Moda Style. How does she afford that? ”
“Mom, shut up,” Isabella hissed back. “She’s a Heart now.
Everything can be afforded. ”
Inside the grand ballroom, chandeliers glittered overhead, casting golden light across the marble floor. Classical music drifted through the air. Chloe was already surrounded by a group of socialites, laughing at something I couldn’t hear.
When she saw me, she excused herself and walked over. “Sophia, you’re late. I was starting to think you’d gotten lost. ”
“I got lost in the entrance.
The place is bigger than the Reed mansion. ”
Chloe’s smile twitched. “Well, don’t worry. I’ll introduce you to everyone.
Just follow my lead. ”
She led me to a cluster of women whose silk dresses and diamond necklaces screamed old money. They looked at me with polite curiosity. “This is my sister, Sophia,” Chloe said, her voice dripping with sweetness.
“She just joined our family recently. She spent most of her life in a rural town, so please excuse her if she seems a little, ah, out of place. ”
The women laughed gently, the sound condescending and practiced. “How sweet,” one of them said.
“You must be so confused by all of this. ”
“Not really,” I said, meeting her gaze. “I’ve seen larger rooms. ”
The laughter stopped.
Chloe’s fake smile tightened. She was about to speak when Victoria appeared, resplendent in a deep blue gown that complimented her cold beauty. “Chloe, darling,” Victoria said, kissing the air next to Chloe’s cheek. “And you must be Sophia.
I’ve heard so much about you. ”
“All good things, I hope,” I said. Victoria’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh, I’m sure there are some good things.
You saved Sebastian’s life, didn’t you? That’s very noble. ”
“I did what anyone would do. ”
“Anyone wouldn’t have the skill to find the antidote,” Victoria said, her voice dropping to a whisper.
“But I suppose we all have our little secrets. ”
Before I could respond, the music shifted, and Sebastian stepped into the ballroom. He was dressed in a tailored black suit, his dark hair swept back, his presence pulling the room’s attention like gravity. Victoria moved toward him, but he bypassed her completely, crossing the floor to stand beside me.
“You look breathtaking,” he said, his voice low and intimate. “You look like you run the city. ”
He smiled, the corner of his mouth lifting. “I do.
But you’re the one who owns my heart. ”
Victoria’s eyes turned to ice. She watched us, her hands clenched at her sides, a flush of anger creeping up her neck. Chloe, standing a few feet away, saw everything.
She excused herself from her group and walked over, her voice dripping with false concern. “Sophia, don’t you think you’re being a little too familiar with Mr. Knight? The entire room is watching you.
”
“Let them watch,” Sebastian said, his gaze never leaving my face. Victoria stepped forward, placing a delicate hand on Sebastian’s arm. “Sebastian, come. The host is expecting us.
”
“He can wait,” Sebastian said, not moving. Victoria’s smile strained. She looked at me, her eyes sharp and predatory. “Sophia, would you excuse us?
There are some business matters to discuss. ”
I nodded, letting them go. Sebastian glanced back at me once, a question in his eyes. I gave him a small shake of my head.
I could handle Victoria. He nodded and followed her, his stride reluctant. Chloe sidled up to me, her voice low and venomous. “You’re playing with fire, Sophia.
Victoria is the Hayes family’s most precious daughter. You’re nothing to them. ”
“I’m not playing with anything,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “I’m just living my life.
You should try it. ”
Chloe’s laugh was brittle. “Oh, I am. I’m going to enjoy watching you burn.
”
I turned away from her, scanning the room. A moment later, I saw Isabella dragging Margaret toward me, pulling them both into a corner near the bar. “Sophia! ” Isabella hissed, her face flushed with desperation.
“You have to help us. The Reed Group is collapsing. Dad is losing everything. You owe us—we raised you.
”
“I don’t owe you anything,” I said, my voice level. “You drugged me, accused me of theft, and threw me out of your house with your own hands. ”
“That was a misunderstanding,” Margaret said, her voice wheedling. “You were always such a sensitive girl.
Come back, Sophia. We’ll make it right. ”
I laughed, a single, dry sound. “Interesting.
You want me to bring you back now that I’m a Heart. You didn’t want me when I was just Sophia White, the girl with no money and no connections. ”
“But—you have the Hart name now,” Margaret said, frantic. “You can save us.
Just a few million to keep the company afloat. Please. ”
“The Reed family’s failures are not my problem,” I said. “You cut me off, remember?
‘Take this money and go find your real parents. ’ So I did. ”
Isabella’s expression twisted with hatred. “You ungrateful bitch.
You’re just a fake. You’ll never be one of them. ”
I let the words wash over me without reaction. I was used to people like Isabella, women who believed that wealth was the only measure of worth.
I walked away before she could say more, finding a quiet terrace where the night air cooled my anger. A figure joined me. Sebastian. “Trouble?
”
“The past,” I said, sighing. “It has a way of following you. ”
“Let it follow,” he said, leaning against the balustrade. “You’re not the girl they threw out anymore.
You’re Sophia Hart. And you’re extraordinary. ”
“You don’t even know me. ”
“I’m getting there.
” He paused, studying my face in the moonlight. “Tell me something real. Something no one else knows. ”
I considered him, this man who had just saved me from a lifetime of misery, who had given me his trust without knowing who I truly was.
I decided to give him a piece of truth. “I wasn’t always talented,” I said slowly. “When I was young, I had a mentor. A woman who lived in the countryside.
She taught me everything: medicine, martial arts, art, languages. She told me that the world would try to make me feel small. She was right. Now I’m making sure it doesn’t work.
”
Sebastian’s expression softened. “She sounds like a remarkable woman. ”
“She was. She’s gone now.
”
“I’m sorry. ”
I shook my head. “She gave me everything I have. I honor her every day.
”
A silence settled between us—not uncomfortable, but natural. Two people who had seen the worst of the world and learned to survive it. “Come,” Sebastian said, holding out his hand. “I have something to show you.
”
I followed him into the ballroom, where the dance floor had cleared. He led me to the center, and the orchestra, seeing his gesture, struck up a waltz. “Dance with me,” he said. “I don’t dance.
”
“I think you can do anything,” he said, pulling me closer. “Let’s find out. ”
The music swept us across the floor. I hadn’t danced in years, but my body remembered, moving with him as if we’d practiced for weeks.
The crowd watched, their whispers quiet. Chloe’s face was a mask of barely contained fury. Victoria stood near Victoria’s mother, his eyes cold and calculating. When the song ended, the room erupted in applause.
Sebastian bowed to me, his eyes shining with something I hadn’t seen before. I didn’t know its name yet. After the ball, I walked with Emma toward the car. She laughed, her cheeks flushed with joy.
“Everyone was talking about you, Sophia. You were the star of the ball. ”
“I just did what came naturally, Mom. ”
“That’s what makes you magnificent,” she said, squeezing my hand.
Chloe was already waiting in the car, her face sour, her nails digging into the leather seat. She didn’t speak to me the entire ride home. That night, I sat in my room, the silk of my gown sliding over my skin. My phone buzzed.
A message from Alexander. “I’ve spent my life hearing about the arts. Tonight, I watched you glide through that ballroom like you owned it. I think you were born here, Sophia.
Heart or not. ”
I smiled, a rare warmth spreading through my chest. But the expression faded as my phone buzzed again. A new message, from an unknown number.
“Sophia Heart. You’ve survived everything thrown at you. But the next battle just started. ”
The sender was anonymous.
The words echoed in my mind, cold and cryptic. “Meet me at the old clock tower at midnight. Come alone. ”
I stared at the message for a long time.
The night air was still, the mansion silent. But the message wasn’t a suggestion—it was a summons. And I was done running. I left the house without a sound, moving through the shadows like I’d been trained all my life.
In the quiet distance, the old clock tower stood tall against the moonlit sky. Someone was waiting for me there, hidden in the dark. I steadied my breathing, walked forward, and opened the door.
