Chapter 10.

Sophia sat rigidly in the corner of the room, her eyes darting over the sparse yet elegant surroundings. Damon had directed her here after their meet up the other day.

A well known and influential businesswoman was looking for an apprentice like her- a single mother, who was barely surviving and he thought Sophia could apply. They didn't say anything about the pay but he promised her that if she could pay the price and learn she would be exposed to the world of business.

The location for the interview was far away from the chaos of her daily life, but her mind was anything but calm. The room felt cold, sterile even, as if every inch of it had been carefully curated to maintain control, much like the woman she was about to meet. Sophia felt her fingers shake a little as she held them together, trying to calm the nervousness inside her.

The sound of heels clicking down the hallway got louder until Isabella came into the room with a confident presence that couldn't be ignored.

Impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit, her sleek dark hair pulled back into a severe bun, Isabella's mere presence seemed to suck the air out of the room. Without a word of greeting, she crossed the space and sat opposite Sophia, her piercing gaze immediately locking onto her.

The silence was heavy, oppressive, until Isabella broke it with an abrupt question.

"I've heard about your... situation," Isabella said, her voice calm but cutting. "But tell me—what makes you worth my time?" Sophia swallowed hard, the question hanging between them like a challenge.

She paused, not sure how to respond, thinking about all the tragic things that had happened in her life. Eventually, she started talking, relating all the events that had brought her to this point. She talked about the lies, the tricks, Alexander leaving her, and the loss of one of her child. She shared everything in a rush of words and Isabella paid close attention, her face showing no emotions as she listened to Sophia. When Sophia stopped talking, her voice was filled with emotion, but Isabella's expression remained blank. "You've suffered," Isabella said coldly, her words devoid of sympathy. "But suffering isn't enough. I want to know if you can turn that pain into something useful."

The challenge in her tone made Sophia's stomach twist. Isabella's strong presence made her nervous, but she knew that this was an opportunity to start fresh and improve her life. She clenched her teeth and sat up straight, determined to make the most of the moment. "I'm confident I can manage anything you give me," she stated firmly, even though she still doubted her self. Isabella's eyes quickly shifted, showing a hint of something mysterious, before she leaned in closer. "I'll give you a chance. But it will not be easy, Sophia. You'll be pushed to your breaking point. There will be no hand-holding, no praises''.

"In my world, you have to survive or you won't make it," she said firmly. Sophia felt the sharpness of her words cutting through her doubts. They sat in silence, feeling the tension between them. Isabella's presence weighed heavily on Sophia, but she stood her ground. Then Isabella stood up, looked at Sophia and said, "If you don't succeed," "you'll lose even more." Sophia felt her heart racing as Isabella walked out of the room, leaving her to deal with what she had said. Yes, Sophia had said yes to being mentored, but it seemed more like she had made a pact with the devil already.

The next few weeks was hectic for Sophia, she moved into the company's apartment and immediately started up as an apprentice for Isabella. Each day was a whirlwind of relentless tasks. From dawn to well past midnight, Sophia was thrown into a world she barely understood. Complex business challenges piled up on her desk, each more confusing than the last. Isabella never offered guidance, only scathing feedback whenever Sophia faltered. Every mistake was highlighted with brutal clarity, and every victory was met with silence. It was as if Isabella was testing not just her skills but her will to survive. Thankfully her baby was tended by a nanny, Isabella ensured of it, else she wouldn't have been able to give full concentration to the job.

Soon, Sophia quickly realized that the version of herself she had known—the kind, soft-hearted woman who always tried to please—was gradually fading away. Under Isabella's tutelage, she was transforming, her edges hardening, her heart becoming more calculating. She found herself working longer, thinking sharper, growing more determined with every passing day. But with the growth came frustration, a deep-seated anger at Isabella's unyielding demeanor.

One night, after a particularly grueling day, Isabella told her to correct the figures in a contract yet again, without telling her where there were errors. She was so exhausted and fed up, so she decided to confront Isabella. As Sophia stormed into Isabella's office, the harsh fluorescent light reflected off the glass walls, making everything feel even colder. "Why are you treating me like this?" Sophia demanded, her voice trembling with exhaustion and frustration. "This is supposed to be a mentorship, not torture!"

Isabella glanced up from her desk, her eyes narrowing. "You think success comes from comfort?" she asked, her tone biting. "This isn't a fairy tale. If you can't handle the pressure now, you'll crumble the moment you're truly tested. I'm preparing you for a world that doesn't care about your feelings."

The words stung, but Sophia couldn't deny their truth. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. This wasn't the time to break. Isabella was right—if she wanted to survive, she had to be stronger.

She knew Isabella's techniques were tough but she couldn't ignore the fact that it had helped her to grow and make better decisions. Yet something gnawed at her, an unshakable feeling that Isabella's interest in her went deeper than just business. The way Isabella sometimes watched her, the way her eyes lingered, as if she were studying something more than just Sophia's work ethic—it left her uneasy.

Weeks passed, and Sophia continued to grind through the apprenticeship. Her frustrations grew, but so did her resilience. She pushed herself harder than she ever thought possible, fueled by a mix of desperation and anger.

One evening, as they reviewed some paperwork, Sophia unconsciously talked about how the Sinclair's enterprise almost dominated the business sphere in Los Angeles and she immediately noticed Isabella's reaction-‐ a twitch in her hand, and a brief flicker of something in her eyes before she quickly masked it. Sophia felt her pulse quicken. "Do you know the Sinclairs?" she asked, her tone casual, but her eyes sharp.

Isabella didn't even look up from the papers. "Everyone in our world knows them," she said dismissively, flipping a page as if the question were inconsequential.

But Sophia wasn't fooled. She had seen the crack in Isabella's armor, however small it had been. Something was there—something Isabella didn't want to discuss. And that only made Sophia more determined to find out what it was.

Since that day, the tension between them continued to simmer, unspoken but ever-present, until one night, everything shifted. It was late, well past midnight, and they were working through another mountain of paperwork when a knock at the door interrupted the quiet.

A man dressed in black handed Isabella a sealed envelope without saying a word. Sophia watched as Isabella opened it, her expression carefully controlled. But as she scanned the contents, something changed. For the first time since Sophia had met her, Isabella's composure faltered. Her face darkened, her jaw tightened, and a flash of fear crossed her features before she quickly hid it.

Sophia felt her heart beating fast. "What is that?" she whispered softly. "It's nothing," Isabella replied in a cold tone, pushing the envelope into her desk drawer and locking it. Her tone was final, but the crack in her usually impenetrable facade was glaring.

Sophia decided not to ask more questions, but as she went back to work, she couldn't stop thinking about what Isabella had seen in the envelope and why it had upset her so much. Sophia was scared when she saw a hint of vulnerability in the usually strong and untouchable woman.

As the night dragged on, there was tension in the air. Sophia couldn't stop looking at the locked drawer, feeling curious and anxious. Whatever had been in that envelope, enough to rattle even someone like Isabella Donovan must be something dangerous.