Chapter 2

 

Elijah felt a sharp pain pierce his heart as Sophia’s words sank in. His face tightened with disbelief and anguish. "I disgust you? How, Sophia? Didn’t I try my best to do everything you requested?" he asked, his voice trembling with a mix of confusion and hurt.

 

Sophia scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Requested? Try hard my foot. Are you the one taking care of me, or am I the one taking care of you, Elijah? Bold of you to think I'm in love with you." She sneered, her words biting. 

 

"I'm 25, and you're just 20. You're a kid, Elijah. Do you think I would ever be proud to point to a low, poor kid like you and call you my boyfriend? I'd be ashamed."

 

Elijah stood there, stunned, each word cutting deeper than the last. He had known he was younger than Sophia, but he thought they had loved each other. After all, they had been dating for months, and she kept telling him his age never mattered—didn't that mean something? How she was keeping herself till they got married first. Wasnt that also something?

 

Sophia noticed his silence and continued with a cruel smirk. "Have you ever thought about why I never let you get close to me? If I loved you, don’t you think we would’ve shared more than just chores?”

 

 No, Elijah. I only needed someone to do the chores. I mean, a slave—and you fit the criteria perfectly." She laughed coldly, her eyes flicking toward Damian as she pointed at him. 

 

"He is my boyfriend. The love of my life. You? You’re nothing compared to him. Just a poor, good-for-nothing person who disgusts me more than you’ll ever know.”

 

Elijah stood there, his body trembling as Sophia’s words echoed in his head, shattering the image he had built of their relationship. His chest tightened, and for a moment, he felt like the air had been knocked out of him. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, the raw pain in his heart quickly giving way to anger.

 

He blinked back tears, his voice breaking as he spoke. "How could you say that, Sophia? I thought... I thought we were in love. I gave you everything I had, everything I could offer! I would’ve done anything for  you." His voice grew quieter, filled with anguish. 

 

"You used me? All this time? You just used me like I meant nothing?”

 

As Sophia’s words echoed in his mind, Elijah's thoughts flickered back to the moments he thought had meant something—the late-night talks, the laughter, the way he thought she looked at him. But now, it all felt like a cruel mirage.

 

Tears welled in his eyes, but he blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. His hands shook as he looked from Sophia to Damian, his heart pounding furiously. 

 

"You... you ruined everything!" Elijah’s voice broke, the anger boiling over before he could stop himself. Without thinking, he lunged at Damian, fists flying, trying to defend the last pieces of his shattered pride.

 

But Damian was ready. He caught Elijah’s punch with ease, smirking as he pushed him back effortlessly. Elijah stumbled but charged again, swinging wildly, his emotions overwhelming him.

 

Bang! 

 

Damian dodged his strikes, then delivered a hard punch to Elijah’s stomach, doubling him over in pain.

 

"You think you can fight me, kid?" Damian taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. He shoved Elijah to the ground, and before Elijah could get up, Damian landed another blow to his face, sending him sprawling.

 

Ahh!

Elijah groaned, trying to pull himself up, but his body was too weak, too drained. He lay there, bruised and defeated, his heart breaking more than his body ever could. 

Tears finally escaped, mixing with the pain, the humiliation, and the overwhelming sense of betrayal. He glanced up at Sophia one last time, hoping for any sign of remorse, but she only stood there, watching, her face cold and indifferent.

Sophia crossed her arms, looking down at Elijah with indifference and annoyance. "Get out, Elijah! She said coldly. 

"I have unfinished business with Damian. Unless, of course, you want to sit here and watch us make out.”

 

Elijah's stomach twisted, his heart sinking even further, but before he could respond, Damian strode over to Sophia, wrapping his arms around her waist. With a smug grin, he pulled her in and kissed her deeply, right in front of Elijah. The kiss was intense, meant to break whatever dignity Elijah had left. Damian broke away from the kiss, glancing at Elijah with a cruel smirk.

 

"See that, kid?" Damian taunted. "You never had a chance. She’s mine." He turned back to Sophia, laughing softly. "You should just sack him from this house. After all, it's yours. Why keep him around like some sad, pathetic pet?”

 

Sophia looked at Elijah with a cold, detached expression. "You heard him, right? I’ve housed you, a poor orphan, for long enough. I think it’s best if you leave my house now. Just go, Elijah."

 

Gulping, Elijah stared at her in shock. "Leave your house? I don’t understand... why should I leave?" His voice wavered as he tried to grasp what was happening.

 

Sophia stood up, her tone sharp. "You should leave because I own this place. This is mine, not yours.”

 

As she stepped in front of him, for the first time, Elijah saw something darker in her eyes. It wasn’t just disgust—it was the pleasure she took in holding all the power, in watching him squirm and beg for what little he had left.

 

He frowned, his heart sinking deeper. "Sophia, in case you’ve forgotten, every time I went out to work, I brought the money to you to help with things. So what do you mean I should leave?"

 

Sophia smiled, but it was cold, devoid of any warmth. "Those peanuts you brought were just a thank-you for letting you stay in my house. You should be lucky, Elijah. A rich woman like me, stooping so low to even entertain someone as poor as you. Do we look compatible?" She crossed her arms, her words sharp. 

 

"Compared to the money I make to the life I live, are you a match? You’re nothing. Now, go out yourself, or I’ll have the security throw you out.”

 

Elijah shook his head, a bitter smile creeping onto his face. "It’s raining heavily, Sophia. Let me stay for the night and leave tomorrow. I can’t go out in this weather— I have nowhere else to go tonight. Please, just until the morning."

 

But Sophia cut him off, her voice hard and final. "I don’t care, Elijah. I want you out now. So leave.”

 

Elijah, feeling the weight of the situation, tried to salvage whatever dignity he had left. He walked over to the wardrobe to gather his things, hoping to leave quietly. But as he reached for the door, Sophia stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

 

He frowned, confused. "What are you doing, Sophia? I’m just getting my things."

 

Sophia crossed her arms, her expression icy. "You’re not touching anything," she said firmly.

 

Elijah blinked, stunned. "What? Why not?"

 

"Because I bought those," Sophia snapped. "Everything in this house is mine. Even the clothes you’re wearing, I paid for. You don’t get to take anything with you."