Chapter 137

This can't be happening!

Liam Sterling had intended to show Sophia Montgomery just how cruel he could be today, but in the end, he proved to be no better than his cousin Ethan Blackwood.

Liam stared at Sophia with a venomous smirk twisting his lips.

Her voice trembled as she spoke. "I'm sorry, Mr. Sterling. I won't do this anymore. I was wrong to confess to you. I'll never bother you again. Goodbye."

She turned to leave.

But after only two steps toward the door, she realized it wouldn't open.

Sophia spun around in horror, meeting the mocking, twisted faces of everyone in the private room.

Liam chuckled darkly. "You know what they say—easy to get in, hard to get out."

"Oh?" Sophia's expression suddenly turned eerily calm. Then, without warning, she lunged at Liam.

"Changed your mind already?" Liam taunted.

Sophia closed the distance in seconds. In her hand, a syringe glinted—filled with a deep, unsettling shade of purple-red liquid.

She pressed the needle to Liam's throat, her voice icy. "This game is much more fun."

Liam froze, his voice cracking. "W-what's in that?"

Sophia smirked. "Guess."

"Y-you—don't mess around!" Liam collapsed back onto the sofa.

The others scrambled away, pressing themselves against the far walls. Several women shrieked in terror.

"Got any antidote?" Sophia sneered.

Liam swallowed hard. "..."

"No?" Her smile widened. "Perfect."

"D-don't—Sophia, please! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you! Just—just stay back!"

Tears welled in Sophia's eyes. "Liam, I always knew you'd never love me. You treated me like a toy. But I still gave you my heart. Do you know why?"

She took a shuddering breath.

"Because since I was twelve, living under the Thorntons' roof, I've known nothing but coldness. No one cared about me. Then, in prison, Aunt Victoria showed me kindness. But she died too."

Her voice broke.

"You were the only one left who made me feel warmth. I thought—even if I had to be your pathetic little pet, I'd take it. But you betrayed me too."

She exhaled sharply. "But it's fine. I owe you nothing now."

Her grip on the syringe tightened. "Open. The. Door."

Liam stammered, "Y-you don't want the money anymore?"

Sophia raised the needle higher.

"FINE! I'll let you go!" Liam shrieked, then snapped at Noah Whitmore, who stood frozen in fear. "Noah! Turn the handle three times left, seven right—just open it!"

Noah fumbled with the door. Sophia bolted out, tears streaming down her face, the syringe still clutched in her hand.

Once outside, she barely made it to the elevator before her legs gave out.

The tears wouldn't stop.

Liam had been the last flicker of warmth in her life—and he had crushed it.

At the trash bin outside, she tossed in the syringe—filled with nothing but chicken blood—and ran.

The moment she stepped into the night air, nausea hit. She doubled over, retching into a shadowed flowerbed.

Then, a voice cut through the darkness.

Sophia turned.

A man in black stood in the shadows, phone pressed to his ear. "Holloway, you sure the Blackwood kid's in the VIP room?"

She couldn't hear the response—but the man's next words sent ice through her veins.

"I can breach the door in seconds. Don't worry. It'll be clean. Just make sure the payment hits my account."

Sophia's blood ran cold.

The man finished his call, adjusted his jacket, and checked his tools.

Without thinking, Sophia sprinted back inside.

She took the elevator up, heart pounding, and hammered on Liam's door. "Open up! Mr. Sterling, OPEN THE DOOR!"

Inside, the group had just recovered from their earlier scare. One man laughed. "Liam, you really fell for that? That blood was fake! Unless she's actually sick—and if she were, prison would've quarantined her years ago!"

Liam scowled. "Damn it. That country girl played me."

Then—the banging.

Hearing Sophia's voice, Liam smirked. "See? She's back. Can't resist me after all. Well, if she's begging for it..."

Noah frowned. "Liam—"

But Liam was already yanking the door open.

Sophia stood there, breathless.

Liam sneered. "Thought you were some virtuous saint?"

"Mr. Sterling, come with me—NOW!" She grabbed his arm, pulling him into the hall.

"What the hell? Let go!"

"There's no time—just MOVE!"

Before she could finish, the man in black appeared at the end of the corridor—dagger gleaming.

He lunged.

"Liam, WATCH OUT!"

Sophia threw herself in front of him.

The blade slashed across her arm. Blood sprayed.

Liam stumbled back, stunned.

The assassin struck again—Sophia blocked with her other arm.

Liam, usually so arrogant, stood frozen. If not for her, he'd be dead.

Gritting through the pain, Sophia gasped, "RUN!"

He ran.

The assassin chased.

Sophia collapsed to the floor.

"Sophia! SOPHIA!" Noah dropped to his knees, cradling her. Tears spilled down his face. "Why would you do this, you idiot?!"

Her voice was weak. "Mr. Whitmore... tie my arm... stop the bleeding... I'm pregnant... can't lose the baby..."

Then—darkness.

Noah roared at the gawking crowd. "CALL AN AMBULANCE!"

He scooped her up and ran.