Chapter Fifty Three

Sophie’s eyes fluttered open with a low, painful moan. Pain pulsed through her skull. She looked around, blinking through the fog in her vision.

She was in an empty room—bare walls, cold air, and the only light slipping in through a single narrow window.

She couldn’t even remember how she got here. One moment, she was by her car… then came a rustling sound behind her—then darkness. And now, this.

The creak of a door startled her. She snapped her head toward the sound. A man in a black tracksuit stepped in, a cap pulled low, hiding half his face.

Sophie squirmed in the chair as he slowly approached. Her breath caught when he stopped right in front of her, staring down in silence. She wanted to look at his face, but fear pinned her gaze downward.

Who was he? What did he want?

“Wh-who are you?” she stammered without looking up. “What do you want from me?” The man squatted down. Sophie gasped, her heart thudded wildly.

Then, slowly, he pulled off his cap.

Sophie’s eyes widened. “You?!”

Ryan tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. “You know me?”

“Ryan?” she scoffed. “You worked for Alex, didn’t you?”

A sly smile tugged at Ryan’s lips. “Since you seem to know who I am, how much do you know about Alex?” He leaned closer. “You dropped that invitation card at his doorstep, didn’t you?”

Sophie ran a hand through her hair and let out a shaky breath. “I left it there. I know everything—everything about him… because I’m his sister.”

Ryan’s brow furrowed. He stared at her for a moment, then let out a low laugh, covering his mouth with one hand.

“You’re what?” His brows shot up.

“I should tell you this—Alex lost his sister seve—”

“And I’m the sister who got lost seventeen years ago,” Sophie cut in. “I came back to find our parents burned to ashes, and Alex—” she paused, her voice shook, “—he’s not the man I used to know. Everything has changed about him.”

Ryan looked away, rubbing a hand over his face. When he turned back, his finger pointed at her, disbelieving. “You’re Alex’s sister?” His head tilted.

“Then why didn’t you tell him? You two worked in the same—”

“Tell him?” Sophie drew in a trembling breath. “I don’t even know how to reach him anymore.” Her smile turned bitter.

“Uncle Khalid turned him into a shadow of himself. And you—” she glared at Ryan “—you supported everything he did. Even now. Why?”

Ryan laughed, shaking his head. “Why?” he echoed.

“They burned your parents alive. That fire deformed Alex. And you’re asking why?” He opened his mouth, closed it without a word, and dragged a hand through his hair. “Don’t you feel anything? Don’t you want revenge? For your parents? For Alex?”

Of course I do! I hate them all. I want to kill them!

Sophie bit her lip and shook her head. Tears welled in her eyes.

“You already got your revenge. You killed the ones responsible. So why include the innocent? Does watching them suffer make you happy? Does it make Alex feel better?”

Ryan clicked his tongue. “I don’t know why I’m even having this conversation.” He stood.

“I’ll keep your secret. I won’t tell Alex anything. Just keep pretending you don’t know him.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Okay?”

“I can’t do that anymore!” She looked straight into his eyes. “Alex has his eyes on Isa.” Her voice broke into a bitter laugh. “And you want me to act like everything is fine? Until he kills her too—like he killed Stacy?”

Ryan’s face hardened. He grabbed her chin, squeezing it.

“Then what?” he whispered with a sinister smirk. “What will you do?” He leaned in closer.

“Listen. Chris will never find happiness… not as long as Alex suffers.”

“Then why kill the innocent?” Sophie snapped. “Was Stacy responsible for Alex’s pain? Was Isa?”

“Anyone close to Chris is,” Ryan threw her chin back. “You’re staying here until we settle things.”

He brushed an imaginary speck off his chest and turned to leave.

“Fine,” Sophie nodded as he placed his hand on the knob.

Ryan paused.

“I’ll wait to hear about your ‘success’ this time.”

Ryan looked over his shoulder and smirked.

Thanks for reading. Love to hear your thoughts.