Sophia stood in the doorway of Leon's study, her fingers curled into fists at her sides. The audacity. The sheer, infuriating smugness of this man.
"You can't be serious," she said, voice tight.
Leon leaned back in his chair, utterly unbothered. "I usually don't joke about things like this."
She inhaled sharply, biting back the stream of expletives bubbling in her throat. "So, what? You're just going to leave me out here all night?"
"Unless you'd rather share a bed with me," he mused, tapping his fingers against the polished wood of his desk.
She nearly lunged at him. "You're impossible!"
"And yet, I'm the one holding the keys," he pointed out smoothly.
Sophia's patience snapped. She spun on her heel, marching back down the hallway, determined to find a solution that didn't involve strangling her new husband. But as she stalked through the massive corridors of the mansion, frustration only mounted. Every door she tried was locked. Every path led to another reminder that this place wasn't hers.
She wasn't his wife. Not really. She was just another possession in his perfectly curated world.
The thought made her chest tighten.
Fine. If Leon wanted to play dirty, she could play, too.
She turned on her heel and headed straight for the living room. If she couldn't sleep in a bed, she'd take the couch.
But the moment she stepped inside, her gaze landed on a very specific object near the fireplace.
A key rack.
Her lips parted. Was she really about to—?
Yes. Yes, she was.
She scanned the room for security cameras. Finding none in sight, she padded toward the rack, heart hammering. Several keys hung there, some labeled, some not. She snatched the ones labeled "Guest Wing," hoping they'd be the right ones.
With the keys hidden in her palm, she made her way back toward her room, glancing over her shoulder every few steps. When she finally reached her door, she tested the first key. No luck. The second. Nothing.
The third clicked.
Relief flooded her as the door creaked open.
"Finally," she muttered under her breath.
She slipped inside and shut the door with a quiet click, sagging against it. God, what a night.
She should be celebrating. She had married into wealth, hadn't she? No more overdue rent. No more nights spent wondering if she could afford her next meal.
So why did she feel like she had just locked herself in a different kind of cage?
With a sigh, she peeled off her dress, changing into the silk pajamas that had been left for her. The bed was ridiculously soft, but sleep didn't come easily.
Instead, her mind replayed the way Leon had looked at her. Calculated. Amused. Like he was waiting for her to break first.
Not happening.
If Leon Cheng thought she was just another woman who would fall in line, he was about to be very, very disappointed.
Sophia lay on the massive bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind too restless for sleep. The events of the day replayed over and over again like a bad dream she couldn't wake up from.
She sighed, reaching for her phone. If there was one person who deserved to know what she had done, it was Lu Xinyi.
After a deep breath, she pressed call.
The phone rang a few times before a groggy but irritated voice answered.
"Sophia? Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Sophia winced. She hadn't even checked. "Uh… late?"
"No shit. It's almost midnight! Why are you—wait." Lu Xinyi's voice sharpened.
Sophia hesitated. "That's… actually why I called."
There was a beat of silence. Then— "Sophia Lin. What did you do?"
Sophia exhaled. "Okay, just… don't freak out."
"You saying that makes me want to freak out."
"I got married."
Silence.
A long, painful silence.
Then—
"YOU WHAT?!"
Sophia yanked the phone away from her ear. "Xinyi—"
"No. No, no, no. You did NOT just say what I think you said."
"I did."
"Sophia. Lin. WHO THE HELL DID YOU MARRY?!"
Sophia winced. "Leon Cheng."
Another moment of deafening silence.
Then, "WHO?!"
Sophia sighed. "Leon Cheng. That's his name"
" WHO THE HELL IS THAT AND WHY DID YOU MARRY HIM?"
"It was… a business arrangement."
Lu Xinyi inhaled sharply, and when she spoke again, her voice was dangerously low. "Explain. Now."
Sophia rubbed her forehead. "It's not a real marriage. Just a contract. He needed a wife, I needed financial security. That's all."
"That's all? That's ALL? Sophia, you MARRIED a man you barely know for money?"
Sophia groaned. "Don't say it like that! It's not like I had other options, Xinyi. My bills were piling up, we are about to lose the apartment, and this… opportunity came up."
Lu Xinyi didn't speak for a long moment. Then—
"Divorce him."
Sophia's eyes rubbed her temple in frustration . "What?"
"Divorce. Annulment. I don't care what you call it—just undo it. You don't even know this man!"
Sophia clenched her jaw. "It's not that simple."
"Yes, it is! Rip up the damn papers and walk away before it's too late!"
Sophia let out a humorless laugh. "And then what? Go back to struggling? Watching my life fall apart?"
Lu Xinyi's voice softened. "Sophia, I get it. I really do. But this? This isn't the answer."
"It is for me."
A frustrated sigh crackled through the speaker. "Fine. If you won't leave, I'm coming over tomorrow."
Sophia sat up. "Xinyi, that's not—"
"Not up for debate. I need to see with my own eyes that this man isn't some kind of lunatic. Text me the address."
Sophia hesitated, then exhaled. "Fine."
"Good. And Sophia?"
"Yeah?"
"You're an idiot."
Sophia smiled despite herself. "I know."
Lu Xinyi let out a dramatic groan. "Ugh. See you tomorrow."
The call ended, leaving Sophia staring at the screen.
She had known Xinyi wouldn't take it well, but still—this was the path she had chosen.
And there was no turning back now.
—
The Next Morning
Sophia woke up to an empty house. Or at least, that's what it felt like.
When she stepped into the hallway, the grand mansion was eerily silent, save for the faint sound of birds chirping beyond the open balcony doors.
She made her way downstairs, drawn by the smell of coffee. The dining room was empty, but a steaming cup sat on the table alongside a neatly plated breakfast—freshly baked croissants, eggs cooked to perfection, and slices of fruit arranged with almost obsessive precision.
Leon was nowhere to be seen.
Sophia hesitated, half-expecting this to be some kind of trap, but hunger won out. She dropped into a chair and took a bite of the croissant.
She hated how good it was.
Halfway through her meal, a voice interrupted her.
"You're up early."
She turned to see Leon stepping into the room, dressed in a crisp, tailored suit. He looked freshly showered, his dark hair styled with careless perfection.
Sophia swallowed her bite and set her fork down. "I'd say good morning, but I'm not sure you deserve one after last night."
His lips twitched. "I see you managed to get back into your room."
She lifted a brow. "What gave it away?"
"The fact that you aren't sprawled across my couch."
Sophia rolled her eyes and returned to her coffee. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"
Leon took a seat across from her, idly scrolling through his phone. "I enjoy a lot of things, Sophia. Watching you adapt to this life might be one of them."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't test me, Leon."
He smirked. "You should eat. We have an event to attend later."
She blinked. "Excuse me?"
Leon leaned back in his chair, watching her. "A charity gala. You'll be coming with me."
Her stomach twisted. "I told you, I don't want to make public appearances with you."
"And I told you," he said calmly, "this isn't up for discussion."
Sophia clenched her jaw.
This man.
Arrogant. Unyielding.
She met his gaze, refusing to back down.
Fine. If he wanted her to attend this event, she would.
But she would do it her way.
"I have a few conditions."
Leon Cheng barely turned his head, but his sharp eyes flickered toward her. "Conditions?"
"Yes," Sophia said firmly. "If you want me to play my role, then we do this on my terms."
A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Your terms?"
"You heard me." She folded her arms. "I'll attend private galas and closed-door events with you when necessary. Dinners, business meetings, things that won't make headlines. But anything public—any event with the press, cameras, or the risk of our faces being plastered all over the internet? I'm out."
He leaned back slightly, the faint hum of the car engine filling the space between them. "And why is that?"
"Because I don't want the world knowing about this marriage," she said, her voice steady. "At least, not for the first year."
For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, he tilted his head slightly. "You want to keep it a secret?"
"Yes."
His fingers drummed lazily against his knee, his expression unreadable. "And what exactly do you think that will accomplish?"
"It gives me time," she said. "Time to adjust, to understand what I've just gotten myself into. I don't want to wake up tomorrow and find my name tied to yours in every newspaper, every blog, every business article dissecting our marriage like a spectacle."
He let out a quiet hum, as if considering her words. "You agreed to this arrangement, Sophia. You know who I am right?"
Her hands clenched into fists. "No. I only know that I was married a wealthy businessman.
His smirk widened. "That changes things for you?"
"Of course, it does," she snapped. "I just became a target. The media, investors, socialites—they'll all want a piece of me. Some will want to destroy me just for existing. And I refuse to be dragged into that world overnight."
Leon tapped his fingers together, watching her with a gaze so intense it made her feel like he was peering straight through her.
"And what if I refuse?" he asked finally.
"Then I won't go tonight. Or to any event after that," she said without hesitation. "I will do my part in this marriage, but I won't be paraded around like some trophy wife for the world to scrutinize."
His smirk faded, replaced by something more thoughtful. He held her gaze for a long moment, then exhaled.
"Fine."
Sophia blinked. "Fine?"
"You'll attend private events when required. The rest stays under wraps for a year." His voice was smooth, controlled. "But after that, Sophia, there will be no more conditions."
She swallowed, gripping the fabric of her dress. "Deal."
Leon's lips twitched. "Then get ready. The gala awaits."