Chapter 4 Surprise

Sophia sat on her bed, her phone resting in her lap as she stared blankly at the message she had just typed. 

Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions—guilt, regret, fear. She had gone over it a hundred times, trying to figure out another way, but no matter how hard she thought, this was the only solution that made sense. 

The weight of her father's expectations, the burden of her family's legacy, and Ross's threat—everything had led her to this moment.

With a deep breath, she pressed send.

"Let's break up, Mark. I've fallen in love with someone else. I'm sorry."

The message flew through the digital void, and within seconds, her phone buzzed violently in her hand. Mark was calling. 

Her heart clenched as she hesitated before answering, dreading what she was about to face.

"Sophia? What the hell is this?" Mark's voice was sharp, a mix of confusion and anger. She could almost picture him pacing his room, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process the bombshell she had just dropped. 

"You can't be serious. This is some kind of joke, right?"

Sophia swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. "I wish it was a joke, Mark," she said softly, but the sadness in her voice was unmistakable. "But it's not. I've… I've fallen for someone else. You deserve better than this."

"Better?" Mark's voice cracked. "We've been together for four years, Sophia. We had plans. We were going to travel after graduation, move in together, get married one day… You told me you loved me. What happened?"

His words stung, cutting deep into her heart. She had meant everything she said to him at the time. Mark was good to her—kind, loving, devoted. 

But none of that mattered now. Not with the weight of her family hanging over her head. Not with Ross's threat looming in the back of her mind, pushing her toward a decision she hated making.

"It's complicated," she whispered. "I never wanted to hurt you, Mark. But I have to do this."

Mark let out a bitter laugh. "Complicated? That's all you've got? After everything we've been through, you're just going to walk away because things got complicated?"

His voice grew more desperate, as though he was grasping for any shred of hope that this was a nightmare he could wake up from. "Is this really about someone else? Or is something going on? Just… talk to me. Tell me what's really happening, and we can work it out. We always do."

Sophia bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn't tell him the truth. Couldn't explain the pressure she was under, the way her family's legacy rested on her shoulders. 

Her father had always been so good to her, providing everything she ever needed. Now, he needed her. And she couldn't fail him.

"I'm sorry," she choked out, her voice barely audible. "You'll find someone better than me, Mark. You deserve someone who can give you what you want. But I can't be that person anymore."

The silence on the other end of the line was deafening. She could hear his ragged breathing, the pain in his voice as he tried to hold himself together. 

"Sophia… don't do this," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. "We were happy. We were perfect. How can you throw that all away for… for someone else?"

Her heart shattered at his words. She wanted to take it all back, to tell him she didn't mean any of it. But she couldn't. This was the only way. She had to let him go.

"Goodbye, Mark," she whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. Without waiting for a response, she hung up the phone and quickly blocked his number, knowing that if she didn't, she would cave. 

She couldn't allow herself that weakness. Not now.

Sophia stared at the screen, her vision blurry as the tears flowed freely. Mark's name was still there, but the connection between them was gone. 

Four years, gone in an instant. Her hands trembled as she set the phone down, the silence in the room suddenly suffocating.

Her father had always been there for her, guiding her, protecting her. Now, it was her turn to repay that debt, no matter the cost. This was for her family. It had to be.

But the weight of her decision crushed her all the same, leaving her to wonder if she had made the right choice—or if she had just lost the one person who had truly loved her.

Torn between duty and love, Sophia curled up on her bed, the enormity of her sacrifice settling over her like a dark cloud. 

Tomorrow, she would face the consequences. But tonight, all she could do was mourn what could have been.

***

Morning arrived, the sunlight filtering through Sophia's bedroom window, but it brought no warmth or comfort. 

She stared blankly at her phone, the weight of her decision pressing down on her chest. With trembling hands, she typed out her answer to Ross, sealing her fate with a simple message.

"Fine. I'll do it."

It wasn't long before Ross's reply came through, his words as cold and calculating as ever.

"You are indeed wise, Sophia. I knew I hadn't misjudged you. I'll be waiting for you at the school entrance."

The confidence in his message made her stomach churn, but there was no turning back now. 

She had made her choice—for her family, for herself, for the price Ross demanded. 

She placed her phone down and stared at the ceiling, feeling the overwhelming sense of finality wash over her.

Sophia moved through the motions of getting ready like a machine, her mind numb, her body running on autopilot. She couldn't bring herself to eat breakfast, couldn't focus on anything but the sinking dread in her chest. 

By the time she stepped outside, the world around her seemed distant, as if she were walking through a fog. The noise of cars and people on the streets barely registered, and her steps felt heavy, like she was dragging herself toward an inevitable fate.

Arriving at the school felt surreal. The usual bustling campus, the groups of students laughing and chatting—none of it seemed to reach her. 

She moved through the crowd like a ghost, her mind elsewhere, her body feeling weightless yet unbearably heavy at the same time. 

Her heart pounded in her chest as she neared the school entrance, knowing that Ross would be waiting for her.

When she saw him, her stomach dropped. There he was, leaning casually against the gate, his eyes locking onto her the moment she came into view. His lips curled into that same self-assured smirk, as if he had already won. And in a way, he had.

She felt like a puppet being dragged closer, her feet moving without her mind's consent. Her heart raced faster, but her body refused to stop. 

Before she could fully process the moment, Ross stepped forward, closing the distance between them with an unsettling ease.

"You're here," Ross said softly, his voice smooth, as if this were just another casual encounter.

Before she could respond or even gather her thoughts, he reached out and pulled her close, pressing his lips against hers in a kiss right there in the middle of the campus. 

Her breath caught in her throat, the sensation jolting her back to reality. The shock of the kiss—the sudden, public display of ownership—was enough to wake her from her daze.

The world around them blurred, the busy campus fading into the background as Ross's presence overwhelmed her. 

She heard the murmur of students around them, some whispering, some staring, but it all felt far away. The kiss was brief, but it sent a clear message: she belonged to him now. There was no going back.

Sophia pulled away, her heart still racing, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger. She wanted to say something, anything, but her throat felt tight, the words stuck. 

Ross looked down at her with a satisfied smile, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

"Don't look so surprised," he said with a chuckle, his voice low. "This is what you agreed to, isn't it?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, she simply nodded, her mind spinning, trying to come to terms with the reality of what she had just agreed to. 

She had made her choice, but now that it was unfolding in front of her, she wasn't sure how to feel—trapped, humiliated, and yet strangely resigned.

Ross's eyes glinted with amusement as he leaned in closer. "Let's go, then. There's much more to discuss, and I'd rather not waste any more time out here in the open."

Sophia followed him without a word, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. The students around them parted as they walked, whispers following in their wake, but none of it seemed to matter anymore. 

Her life had just taken a sharp, irreversible turn, and the only thing she could do now was keep moving forward, even if it felt like she was walking toward her own undoing.