2024-09-09 16:12:33"What a small world! This is the fate between us, Sophia" Elijah murmured to himself.
He never expected that the woman he had been searching for had just slept right beside him the night before.
"Sophia, you saved me ten years ago. Now, it's my turn to save you!" Thinking of her difficult situation, Elijah resolved in his heart to make her the happiest woman in the world.
"Doug, head to the Donald family!"
"Yes, Dragon Marshal!"
... ...
Sophia walked up the steps to the Donald family mansion, her legs feeling like lead.
Her heart pounded in her chest, dread settling in her stomach like a stone.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside, only to be met with a room full of angry faces.
Her fiancé, Alan Shaw, stood at the front, his arms crossed, staring at her, like a predator sizing up its prey.
The rest of the family members filled the room, their eyes like daggers, full of judgment and contempt.
At the head of the table was Ethan Donald, who's the family patriarch and Sophia's grandfather, his face set in a deep scowl.
"Sophia," Ethan’s voice boomed, his tone harsh and unforgiving.
"Where were you last night?"
Sophia’s breath caught in her throat.
She hesitated, her eyes darting around the room. feeling the pressure of their stares.
"I… I went to a bar," she said timidly, her voice trembling.
Alan snorted, a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"She's Alan's fiancée. How dare she go to a bar and stay out all night?"
"Her behaviors will implicate us and offend the Shaw family."
"That's it. She's really a disgrace of the Donalds." "......"The room filled with murmurs of disapproval and contempt.
Those whispers were like daggers piercing her heart.
Sophia’s mother, May, stepped forward, her face twisted with anger, her eyes filled with disappointment.
"Sophia, why did you stay out all night?" she snapped.
"We’ve told you before, your only job is to marry Alan. But you cannot even do this right!"
Sophia’s eyes watered, her body trembling under the pressure of those accusations.
"So—sorry mum, I got drunk," she stammered.
"I ended up staying at a hotel."
"Just staying at a hotel? Is that all?" Alan's mouth twisted into a cruel smile.
He immediately pulled out several photos and tossed them onto the table.
Sophia's heart sank as she saw those pictures. She saw herself in the photos, leaning intimately on a man at the bar.Her face went pale, and her heart was full of dread.
"Can you explain it?" Alan asked, his voice dripping with mockery, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"I... I don't know him..." Sophia stuttered, her hands trembling, her mind a blur of panic and confusion.
"Enough!" Ethan’s voice thundered, slamming his hand on the table angrily.
"Sophia, kneel down!"
Sophia fell to her knees, her body shaking with fear.
"Who is this man?" Ethan demanded, pointing to the photos, his voice cold and unforgiving.
Tears streamed down Sophia's face, her vision blurring.
"I swear, I don’t know!" she cried, her voice desperate.
"I was drugged—I don’t really know what happened."
"Shame on you! You’re nothing but a disgrace to this family!" May cursed and slapped Sophia's face.
The sound echoed in the hall, a sharp crack that left Sophia’s cheek stinging, tasting blood.
Sophia bit her lip, trying to hold back her sobs.
Bob, Sophia’s father, looked at her with disappointment in his eyes.
"My daughter, you're ruining the reputation of the Donalds." He muttered, his voice low and pained.
"You’ve embarrassed us all. You freak! Who would drug an ugly person like you?" Reno, her cousin, taunted her loudly.
The room buzzed with mocks, which hurt Sophia repeatedly.
When Alan heard that the Donald family didn't believe Sophia, he felt a sense of satisfaction within himself.
He was the mastermind behind drugging Sophia!
Unwilling to fulfill his engagement to her, he had devised this plan to frame her, forcing the Donald family to terminate the engagement.
"Grandpa Ethan, I want to terminate the engagement to this shameless woman," Alan said indifferently.
Ethan Donald's face turned red with rage.
He hadn't expected Alan to demand this for real. His mind raced, thinking of the consequences.
"Alan, there must be some other way," he pleaded, his tone turning desperate.
The engagement is crucial the Donald family.
The old man’s voice quivered with a hint of fear—fear of losing their alliance with the Shaw family.
Alan scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, his expression smug.
"I won’t marry such a shameless woman. She's a disgrace!"
Sophia trembled on the floor, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"I didn't…”
"Shut up!" Alan snapped, not even glancing at her, his voice laced with irritation.
"You guys should feel lucky that I haven’t exposed it to the public."
His words stung, and Sophia felt the weight of her shame pressing down on her.
Ethan gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his composure. His face was flushed with a mix of anger and desperation.
"This engagement is important for our relationship with the Shaw family. Are you sure about this?" he asked, his voice tight, almost trembling with the weight of their family's future hanging in the balance.
Alan smirked, enjoying the power he held over the Donald family.
"Very sure. If you want to salvage your reputation, end this now."
He turned away, his lips curling into a sneer.
"And keep her out of my sight."
Ethan's shoulders slumped. His eyes darted around the room, searching for another way out, but he found none. He had no choice.
"Fine," he muttered, his voice barely audible, weighed down by defeat.
"The engagement is off."
Alan didn't bother to look back. He left the room with a triumphant smile on his face.
"Good luck with your granddaughter," he said over his shoulder, his tone mocking, dripping with false sympathy.
"She's all yours now."
Sophia's heart sank further, her whole body going numb.
She knew what was coming next.
Ethan's eyes bore into her, filled with fury and betrayal.
"You've humiliated this family, Sophia!" he shouted, his voice cracking with anger.
"You brought shame on us!"
Sophia bowed her head, her heart beating wildly in her chest.
She tried to speak, but her voice was weak and faltering.
"Grandfather, I swear—"
"Silence!"
Ethan roared, his voice booming through the room.
"You broke our trust. And now, you will face the consequences."
His words were like a death sentence, final and unyielding.
May stepped forward, her face twisted with anger, her eyes blazing with fury.
"She deserves to be punished, Father! She has ruined everything!" she cried out, her voice shaking with frustration.
She had always been hard on Sophia, but now her resentment had turned into a seething rage.
Ethan nodded, his expression hardening into a cold mask.
"By the family rules, you'll pay for this disgrace, Sophia. Guards, bring the whip!"
His voice was stern and commanding, with no room for argument.
Sophia's face went pale. She tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Her heart pounded in her chest like a trapped bird.
The guards moved closer, and one of them handed the whip to Ethan, who grabbed it with a cruel glint in his eyes.
His hand shook slightly with anticipation as he raised the whip high, the leather curling in the air.
The whip cracked with a sharp "Snap!", sending a wave of dread through her.
The leather lashed against her back, and the pain shot through her like a thousand needles.
"Ahh!" Sophia cried out, collapsing to her knees, her groan filled with pain and despair.
She knew there was no escape.
And the torture seemed endless. Her whole body ached with every lash, each strike a reminder of her isolation.
She was seeking mercy, but she knew none would come.
Suddenly, the front door burst open with a loud crash.
Elijah strode in, his eyes cold and unyielding. His presence was like a storm entering a calm room, instantly shifting the atmosphere.
Behind him, the Donald family's guards lay scattered on the ground, groaning in pain.
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323. The Chase Begins
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322. Breaking Point
“Do you see it now, Sophia?” The Warden’s voice was calm, almost soothing. “This is who you are meant to be.” Sophia gasped, her body trembling. The air around her pulsed with raw energy, crackling like a storm barely contained. The sterile white chamber seemed to shift, bending under the sheer force radiating from her. “No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “This… isn’t me.” The Warden watched her with a knowing smile. “But it is.” Sophia’s breaths came shallow and fast. Moments ago, she had been strapped to a machine, her mind forced into visions—visions of fire, destruction, and a power beyond her control. She had seen herself standing atop a ruined city, people kneeling before her in fear. Her hands curled into fists. “You forced this,” she spat. “You’re making me see what you want.” The Warden folded his hands behind his back. “I only unlocked what was already inside you.” Sophia wanted to deny it. To scream that he was wrong. But the lingering heat in her veins, th
321. The Ruins of Truth
“There it is,” Cassian muttered, lowering his scope. “Or at least, what’s left of it.” Elijah stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing down at the ruins below. The lost research facility lay in shambles, half-buried under rubble, its structure barely holding together. Wind howled through the broken metal beams, carrying the scent of dust and decay. Doug stepped forward, his expression tense. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s been here for years, Sir.” “That’s what worries me,” Elijah said, his eyes narrowing. “If The Warden didn’t bother to salvage this place, then either it’s worthless… or it’s too dangerous.” Cassian adjusted his gloves. “Either way, we need to get inside.” The descent was rough, loose debris making every step a potential hazard. When they reached the entrance, they found their first obstacle—massive steel doors, rusted but still intact. A faint red light flickered on the control panel beside them. “Security’s still active,” Doug noted. Elijah glanced at Cassi
320. Sophia’s Chains
“You’re wasting your time,” Sophia said, her voice steady despite the cold metal restraints biting into her wrists. The Warden sat across from her, calm, composed, his piercing eyes studying her like a specimen in a lab. “Am I?” he mused, tilting his head. “I think, in time, you’ll see things differently.” Sophia forced a smirk. “I wouldn’t count on it.” The room around her was stark white, devoid of warmth, devoid of life. A single monitor flickered to the side, filled with images—visions of destruction, cities in flames, people bowing before a figure she barely recognized—herself. The Warden leaned forward. “Look at them, Sophia. This is your destiny. A world free of weak rulers. A world that kneels only to true power.” She turned away. “You call that a future? Looks more like a nightmare.” He sighed, as if disappointed. “You resist because you’re afraid. Afraid of what you could be.” Sophia glared at him. “No, I resist because I have a choice.” The Warden’s lips twi
319. Shadows of the Past
“Keep moving,” Elijah ordered, his voice firm. The wind howled through the wasteland, carrying the scent of ash and decay. The land before them stretched endlessly, a graveyard of forgotten battles. Crumbling watchtowers, rusted weapons, and scorched earth told the tale of past wars—wars that had shaped the world they now struggled to survive in. Doug tightened his grip on his weapon as he scanned the ruins. “Sir, this place… it feels wrong.” Cassian nodded. “Too quiet. Someone’s watching.” Elijah didn’t need to be told. He felt it too—the weight of unseen eyes, the tension of an ambush waiting to happen. He glanced at his men, weary but determined. They couldn’t afford to turn back. Night fell fast in the wasteland, wrapping them in thick darkness. They set up camp within the broken remains of a collapsed building, the crumbling walls offering minimal protection from the cold. “Elijah,” Cassian muttered, crouching beside him. “We should set extra watches. If I were The Wa
318. The Hunt for Answers
“Elijah, you need to see this,” Cassian said, his voice tense. Elijah turned from the dim lantern casting shadows on the stone walls. Cassian held the decrypted data chip, his expression grim. Doug stood nearby, waiting. The flickering light barely reached the edges of the battered war table between them, but the weight of what they had just uncovered made the space feel suffocating. “What did you find?” Elijah asked, stepping closer. Cassian inserted the chip into the old projector, and a series of documents flashed onto the cracked surface of the wall. The text, though worn with age, was clear enough to read. ~Sophia Donald. Subject 09. Genetic Anomaly Detected. Experimentation Status: Approved.Elijah’s jaw tightened. He had expected something like this, but seeing her name in black and white made his stomach churn. “They’ve been monitoring her for years,” Cassian muttered. “Maybe since birth.”Doug exhaled sharply. “Sir, this isn’t just about Sophia. Look here.” He point
317. Fire in the Dark
“Move! We don’t have much time,” Elijah ordered, his voice sharp over the crackling of distant flames. Cassian was right beside him, gripping his weapon. “No resistance so far. That’s not a good sign.” Elijah nodded grimly. The underground facility stretched before them, dimly lit corridors twisting into darkness. They had expected guards, alarms, a fight—but instead, the silence was unnerving. The rebels, moving in disciplined formation, exchanged uneasy glances. Doug tightened his grip on his sword. “Marshal, this feels like a trap.” “I know,” Elijah muttered. “Stay sharp.” They advanced deeper into the facility, their boots echoing off the metal floors. Then, without warning, the lights flickered. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the corridor. Cassian tensed. “What the hell was that?” The answer came in the form of a shadow lunging from the darkness. It wasn’t a man—it was something else. Twisted. Unnatural. The creature’s body was humanoid but grotesquely alte
316. A Prisoner’s Defiance
“You look tired, Sophia.” Lando’s voice echoed in the dimly lit chamber where Sophia sat, her hands resting on her lap, her expression blank. She didn’t acknowledge him. She had stopped dignifying his words with a response days ago. Lando sighed and leaned against the cold metal table. “I know you hate me. But you need to understand—I’m the only one keeping you from complete ruin.” Sophia finally turned her gaze to him, her eyes sharp. “I don’t need saving, least of all from you.” Lando let out a dry chuckle. “You’re stubborn. I’ll give you that.” She was more than stubborn. She was determined. Every moment in this facility, she studied her surroundings—the routines of the guards, the placement of surveillance devices, the way The Warden operated. She wasn’t waiting for rescue. She was planning her own escape. The door hissed open, and The Warden entered. His presence was suffocating, commanding, as if the air bent to his will. “Sophia,” he greeted smoothly. “How are you
