C27 I didn’t do anything

Sofia's POV

My nose wrinkled as the sharp, sudden smell of alcohol, heavy perfumes whiffed through my nostrils.

"Why are you looking like that?" He asked, his grip tightening around my wrist.

"N—nothing," I muttered, my words rambling as pain shot through my wrist from his grip on it.

"You look like you're about to puke, straighten your spine, and act like the reason you were bought for," He snapped and I nodded, taken aback by his words.

The grip around my wrist tightened again, and I bit back a wince, my nails digging into my palm to keep myself from reacting. He always hated it when I reacted.

"Straighten up," he hissed under his breath, his lips barely moving, yet the command laced with venom only I could hear.

I lifted my chin slightly, my pulse hammering against my throat as he dragged me through the grand hall.

And then an almost perfect smile plastered on his face at the sight of a man ahead of us.

"Mr. Rhysand," He greeted, extending his hands out for a handshake.

"Nice to see you Holmes,"The latter greeted, his eyes darting to me.

"Who's this damsel, I don't think I've seen her anywhere?" Rhysand asked, holding his hands out to shake mine. i held my hands out with a small smile, bowing curtly at him.

"She's my wife, Sofia,"Alex responded, his sickening smile still plastered on his face as he smiled at Rhysand.

"She looks like a goddess, beauty at its peak," Rhysand said, holding his hands out to shake mine again.

I held my hands out, oblivious of the raging Alex beside me.

"Excuse me, baby, I need to use the restroom," he said, and I felt my body shuddering at his words. I was supposed to react with a smile but they stilled instead.

"I brought you here tonight to be my wife Sofia, not to be blaring your teeth and show casing your boobs to him,". He leaned in to kiss my cheeks, whispering with a tone that I knew spelt rage.

"Yeah, sure," I replied, putting up a tense smile as he walked away.

"Wanna have a seat?" Rhysand asked, leading me onto a seat.

I settled into the seat across from Rhysand, my hands resting stiffly in my lap. My fingers trembled slightly, the phantom sensation of Alex’s grip still lingering on my wrist. I could feel his eyes on me even in his absence—like an unseen force pressing down on my shoulders, warning me not to step out of line.

“You seem tense,” Rhysand said, swirling the whiskey in his glass as he stared at me.

“Do I make you uncomfortable, or is it something else?”

I forced a polite smile. “Of course not, that's not the case I promise, I'm just not used to… all of this,” I murmured, vaguely gesturing to the lavish ballroom, the glittering chandeliers, the swarm of powerful men and women in tailored suits and flowing gowns.

Rhysand chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Understandable. These events can be suffocating if you’re not used to them.” His gaze flickered over my face, lingering a second too long that I thought he could see beneath all the make up on my face.

I stiffened under his scrutiny, shifting slightly in my seat.

Before he could say anything else, a shadow loomed behind me. The hairs on my arms stood on end, my stomach twisting in knots. I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

Alex.

“What a lovely conversation you two seem to be having,” Alex said, smoothly running his hands on my hair though his voice carried an unmistakable edge.

I felt the possessive weight of his hand settle on my shoulder, fingers digging in just enough to send a warning.

“Your wife is quite the delight, Holmes, I didn't think you'd mention how captivating she is, she's a good company to keep," Rhysand said, his tone lazy as he twirled the glass in his hands.

Alex’s grip tightened on my shoulders—so briefly that anyone else might’ve missed it, but I felt it. I swallowed hard, keeping my expression composed.

“She is,” Alex replied, his tone dripping with false warmth.

"I'll take my leave now and leave you two love birds," Rhysand said before getting up to leave.

Alex nodded with a small smike before dragging my off the chair, my feet scraping through the table edge.

"Fuck," I muttered, my eyes wet from the pain that shot through my feet.

Alex gave no hoot about whether I was dying or not, and he only continued dragging until we reached the end of an empty hallway.

"Alex... please, let me..." I barely said, when his fist plunged into my waist.

A strangled gasp left my lips as pain shot through my side, my body curling in on itself. I gripped the wall for support, my knees wobbling beneath me.

“Did I not make myself clear, Sofia?” Alex’s voice was a deadly whisper, his breath hot against my ear. “I told you to act like my wife, not some desperate little whore batting her lashes at Rhysand.”

“I wasn’t—” My voice cracked, and I winced as another sharp jolt of pain coursed through me.

“Shut up.” His fingers dug into my chin, forcing me to meet his cold, furious gaze. “Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to watch you giggle like some clueless little girl in front of another man? Do you enjoy embarrassing me?”

I clenched my jaw, my hands trembling at my sides. “I—I didn’t do anything, Alex.”

His lips curled into a sneer. “You think I’m stupid?”

I flinched as his grip on my chin tightened, my skin stinging under his hold. My heart pounded against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat of fear and helplessness.