C23 Did you miss us?

Sofia's POV

"Do you need it for anything?" She queried, taking her phone out to take the picture I ordered.

"I cannot fight now Rae, but that doesn't mean I can't fight later on, these are for the future," I explained and she nodded, hurriedly taking pictures of my face before she ran out to request the CCTV footage of my room.

Two days later

I had spent every second of each day preparing for this moment. Not physically—I knew I couldn’t fight back yet—but mentally, I braced myself for what was to come. My hands were tied for now, even if my hope of being united was as bleak as my future in this house.

Rae had done as I asked, taking the pictures swiftly before running off to retrieve the CCTV footage of my hospital room. Proof. Evidence. For the future.

And now, here I was.

Standing in front of the house that had become my prison after the chauffeur had driven me in with a stilling silence, save for the sound of the car moving.

I exhaled shakily, forcing my trembling legs to move forward. My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. Every part of me screamed to turn around and run—but there was nowhere to go, I could only either face my demons or...

The moment I stepped inside, pain exploded in my leg. A sharp kick landed against my shin, and I gasped, stumbling forward before my knees hit the cold marble floor with a sickening loud thud.

Laughter rang in my ears—mocking, cruel, full of satisfaction.

"Well, look who's back," a sickeningly sweet voice drawled.

I clenched my jaw, blinking away the pain, and looked up.

Alex's mistress stood above me, her arms crossed, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against her bare forearm. Her lips curled into a smirk, dark amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Did you miss us, Sofia?" she cooed mockingly. Stepping closer to grab my jaws, her nails pressing into my face.

I swallowed hard, biting back the sharp retort that threatened to spill out. There was no point in fighting now—not when I was outnumbered, not when I had no strength left.

"Aw, look at her," she sneered, stepping closer, her expensive heels clicking against the floor. "You look like shit. Guess the hospital wasn’t as luxurious as you hoped?"

I clenched my fists against the floor, steadying myself as I tried to get up.

She didn’t let me.

Before I could react, she raised her foot and slammed the heel of her shoe onto my hand, pressing down with enough force to make me cry out. "Ahhh," I yelled, pain shooting through my nerves.

"Oops," she giggled, her weight pressing down harder. "Clumsy me."

"Get off," I ground out, biting my lip against the pain.

Her smirk widened. "Make me."

The humiliation burned hotter than the pain.

"That’s enough," a deep voice cut through the air. Alex.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

Slowly, his mistress lifted her foot off my hand, stepping back with an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, come on, baby," she whined, turning to him with a pout. "I was just welcoming her home."

Alex stood near the staircase, his hands tucked into his pockets, his cold gaze sweeping over me. He didn’t look angry. No, that would’ve been easier to handle.

Instead, he looked amused.

Like I was some broken toy he was enjoying watching me struggle.

"She’s already pathetic enough," he said simply, his voice devoid of emotion. "No need to waste your energy."

His mistress scoffed but didn’t argue. Instead, she gave me one last smirk before flipping her hair over her shoulder and sauntering toward him.

I slowly sat up, cradling my throbbing hand against my chest, my breath uneven.

Alex tilted his head slightly, watching me with mild interest. "You took your time," he said.

I swallowed. "I had no choice but to come back, did I?"

His lips twitched like he found my words amusing. "No," he admitted. "You didn’t."

I gritted my teeth. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, suffocating me.

"You have no idea what’s coming for you, Sofia," Alex murmured, his voice soft, almost affectionate. "But don’t worry…"

He stepped forward, reaching down to grip my chin between his fingers, tilting my face up so I had no choice but to meet his gaze.

"I’ll make sure you feel every second of it." Do you remember how that cane lashed on my body, how it felt like, I was writhing in pain while you watched Sofia and I intend to make every single second of your life miserable in this house," he said, my eyes stared into his and there was not even a flicker of sympathy in them, they were just full of hatred, loathe, for the woman who dared to make the whole Alex Holmes fall to his knees.

"Take your shit away," He ordered, glaring at Rae who was already trembling to her roots.

"Rae," I called again, snapping her out of her deep-rooted fear.

She walked close, kneeling before me, to carry me back up.

"Please get on Mrs Holmes," She muttered, loud enough for Alex's mistress to hear.

"Why do you have to be this sluggish, get your smelly selves away from here," His mistress spat, her voice laced with jealousy of the position that she couldn't reach, at least not in the life of Micheal Holmes.

She knew, well enough that her days were numbered, even though the chances of me dying from this torture was slimmer than her being chased out of the house.

"You can drop me now Rae, I can walk to my room," I said, but she shook her head in refusal.

"This is the most I can do for you, so let me do it," She said, heaving out another heavy breath as she pulled the lock to my room.