[SOPHIE]
He turned back to Sophie, his expression a storm of anger and disappointment. "Do you know what you've done?" he barked, his voice slicing through the tense air.
Sophie flinched, her lips trembling, but she said nothing. She couldn't.
Unable to contain his frustration, Sullivan did something he hadn't done since Sophie was a child—he struck her. The sharp slap echoed in the sterile room, leaving Sophie stunned and silent.
Sophia gasped, rushing to her daughter's side, but she didn't dare rebuke her husband.
"If you hadn't been so clumsy and useless," Sullivan growled, his voice low but seething, "we wouldn't be in this position. We could have a chance. But now?" He shook his head, his expression one of utter despair. "Now, we're the ones paying for your foolishness. And for what? To end up bankrupt and begging my father to take us back into his fold?"
Sophie's tears spilled over, but they did little to soften her father's fury. She had hoped her misstep could somehow be overlooked, that her parents would shield her like they always had. But this time, the consequences were too great.
Sophia cradled Sophie's tear-streaked face, her own eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "It's not her fault! She's only a child!" she pleaded, her voice breaking.
Sullivan stood rigid, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. His jaw worked as if chewing over the bitterness of their predicament. "She's not a child anymore!" he roared, his voice sharp and biting.
"She's eighteen! Old enough to understand her responsibilities. She was supposed to be our chance—our only chance—to secure Cole, and she couldn't even manage that with all the money we wasted on her dresses, jewelry, and that damn party!"
He turned away, pacing furiously before whipping back to face them, his eyes blazing. "If this continues, I'll have no choice but to arrange a marriage between her and one of the children of our potential investors. At least that way, she'll serve some purpose to this family."
"What? No!" Sophie cried, her face pale with shock. "I don't want anyone but Cole!"
Sullivan's patience snapped. His voice thundered through the room like a whip. "Cole doesn't want you! Wake up, Sophie! He's infatuated with Eve. Everyone on that yacht saw it—the way he looked at her, the way he ignored you!"
Sophie's breath hitched, her lips trembling as she stared at her father, disbelief clouding her tearful gaze. "No! You're wrong!" she protested, shaking her head as though she could erase his words.
Sullivan pointed an accusatory finger at her, his rage unabated. "You're better off marrying someone from another wealthy family who can actually help us with our business. This is not up for debate!"
"I won't do it!" Sophie shouted back, her voice shrill with desperation. "If I can't marry Cole, I won't marry at all!"
Sullivan's anger boiled over, his face red with frustration. His fist shook at his side as he thundered, "You have no choice in this matter! As long as you live under my roof, eat my food, and waste my money on your lavish lifestyle, you will do as I say!"
With that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard it rattled the walls.
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The deafening silence that followed was broken only by Sophie's anguished sobs. She crumpled into her mother's arms, clutching her tightly. "Mom, please . . . I don't want anyone but Cole," she whispered, her voice raw with sorrow.
Sophia stroked her daughter's hair, her heart aching for her. But even as she held Sophie, her mind raced with the reality of their situation. The truth was plain for all to see—Cole didn't like Sophie. His every glance, every word, every movement on that yacht had been reserved for Eve. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but one that could not be ignored.
"Sophie, my darling," Sophia began gently, her voice trembling with a mixture of pity and resignation. "We'll make sure your partner is just as rich and handsome as Cole. There are many eligible men out there—"
"No! Not you too, Mom!" Sophie cried, pulling away from her mother. Her tear-streaked face twisted in betrayal. "If you hadn't put that bitch in my place to begin with, Cole's affection would have been mine! He wouldn't have met that damn girl at all! Cole was supposed to be in love with me! You ruined it, Mom! I shouldn't have been the maid! I was meant to be the lady of the Rosette!"
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Sophia said softly, her voice heavy with regret. "You know why we have done it. We needed to protect you. But your father is right. We need investors right now. We need money to rebuild what we've lost. Once we're back on top—once we've secured our future—you can have the freedom to choose whoever you want. You can divorce that man. Who knows, by that time, Cole will finally be yours."
Sophie bit her lip so hard it nearly drew blood. Her parents' logic was cold and merciless, prioritizing their ambitions over her happiness. In their eyes, she wasn't a daughter to be cherished but a pawn to be played.
Her nails dug into her palms as a dark thought took root in her mind. If Cole couldn't be hers, then he wouldn't belong to anyone else.
"If I can't have Cole," she murmured to herself, her voice trembling with quiet fury, "then no one will."
Her tears dried, replaced by a steely glint in her eyes. She would find a way—no matter what it took. She didn't care about her parents; they were the ones who had put her in this miserable position to begin with.
Sophie believed that everything Eve had achieved—especially Cole's affection—should have been hers.
After all, she was the real Rosette, not Eve. If she had been the lady from the start instead of disguised as the maid, she would have gotten close to Cole, not Eve.
She harbored a deep hatred for both her parents and Eve. To her, Eve was the root of everything wrong in her life.
'I guess it's time to call for reinforcement . . . ,' Sophie thought, an evil smirk thug at her lips.