Chapter 7

Sophia stood frozen until the bar's music switched to the next track, finally snapping her back to reality.

She looked down, her fingertips touching Benjamin's suit jacket still draped over her shoulders, carrying his body warmth. That sharp sandalwood scent enveloped her again, so vivid it made her heart race.

Picking up the document folder from the table, she stood and left.

The night breeze swept over her as she pulled the jacket closer, hailing a taxi and giving the driver the address from the property deed inside the folder.

Skytop Mansion—one of Silverlight City's most exclusive residential districts.

The car stopped at the heavily guarded entrance. After Sophia presented the access card, security verified her identity before allowing entry.

The apartment was a nearly 3,000-square-foot penthouse with a minimalist black, white, and gray design—expensive yet sterile, lacking any warmth. Just like Benjamin himself, it radiated an untouchable, aloof atmosphere.

Sophia slipped into the pristine slippers by the entrance and collapsed onto the plush living room sofa, feeling completely drained.

From the moment she found out her arranged marriage partner was Benjamin, to their whirlwind wedding, then running away from home, and finally being publicly defended by him… everything that had happened today was so overwhelming that her mind was almost on the verge of shutting down.

She pulled out her phone and dialed her best friend, Evelyn Thomas.

The call was answered on the first ring, with deafening music and Evelyn's boisterous voice blasting through, "Hey! Sophia! You finally remembered I exist? We were supposed to hit the clubs together—where the hell are you!"

"Evelyn," Sophia's voice sounded distant, "I... I have this friend..."

"Stop right there!" Evelyn's end immediately went quiet. She seemed to have moved somewhere secluded, her voice instantly turning wary. "That opening line is dangerous. Spill it—did your 'friend' commit murder or accidentally get pregnant?"

Sophia let out a bitter laugh. "Neither. My friend... she got married today."

"Married?" Evelyn's voice shot up an octave. "Has she lost her mind? To whom?"

Sophia took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady. "She thought she was marrying her arranged fiancé, but when she got to City Hall today, she found out it was his uncle instead."

Dead silence on the other end for a full ten seconds.

"My God!" Evelyn finally exploded. "Your 'friend'... that's you, isn't it? Sophia! Tell me the truth!"

Sophia closed her eyes and quietly hummed an acknowledgment.

"So you thought you were marrying Ethan Williams, but ended up with his uncle—the legendary Financial Devil, Benjamin?"

"Yes."

"My God, has the universe finally taken notice of you? No wait—did Lady Luck herself descend from heaven!" Evelyn was practically incoherent with excitement. "Quick! You need to dump that cheating bastard Daniel immediately! Oh, wait, you already did. What about that bitch Alice? Does she know about this? Is her surgically enhanced face going to crack from rage?"

Sophia gave a brief recap of tonight's bar incident.

Evelyn cheered enthusiastically throughout, finally erupting in delighted laughter. "Brilliant! Mr. Williams is wonderful! I wish I could've seen Daniel's face!"

After her laughter died down, Evelyn grew serious again. "Something's off, though, Sophia. Why would Benjamin arrange a marriage with you? The Taylor family is respectable, sure, but compared to him, you're in completely different leagues."

That was exactly what Sophia couldn't figure out either.

She hesitated, then lowered her voice as if confessing a dark secret, "Evelyn, I think he might be... from two years ago..."

She told Evelyn everything about that wild night two years ago, the identical sandalwood scent on Benjamin, and the secret about the birthmark.

"So," Sophia's voice trembled slightly, "He mentioned Taylor family information, but I don't believe it. He has to be that man from back then, right?"

This time, Evelyn's silence lasted even longer.

"Sophia," she said slowly, each word weighted with gravity, "If Benjamin really is the man from two years ago, then this isn't just some business arrangement. He's been plotting for two years just to get you. This man is terrifying."

Sophia's heart sank.

"So what are you going to do now? Run?" Evelyn asked.

Run? Where could she possibly go? She had no idea how far Benjamin's reach extended. Besides, she'd already signed the papers—she was legally his wife now.

"I don't know," Sophia stared blankly at the ceiling. "He told me to wait for him at home tomorrow morning at ten."

"Wait for him? For what? Sex?" Evelyn's mouth had no filter.

Sophia's cheeks instantly burned red. "Don't talk nonsense!"

"Okay, okay, no more jokes." Evelyn cleared her throat. "If you can't run, then you fight. Right now, get online and research everything about Benjamin! His preferences, his taboos, his dating history... everything! I'll help you dig, too!"

After hanging up, Sophia opened her tablet and typed Benjamin's name into the search bar.

The results were all identical, business news and interviews.

In every photo, he wore impeccable suits with cold, sharp expressions, his gaze so piercing it seemed to cut through the screen. His resume was flawless—rising from among the Williams family elders at a young age to control Williams Group, using ruthless methods and deadly accurate instincts to multiply the company's market value several times over in just a few years.

As for his private life? Complete blank.

No scandals, no reports about his preferences, nothing. Clean as a whistle.

"Find anything?" Evelyn called back. "Same here—aside from him being a workaholic, he's like he's not even human. I can't even find out if he prefers coffee or alcohol!"

"Same on my end," Sophia said, deflated.

"Don't give up," Evelyn encouraged. "These types of men are the most challenging. Listen to me—tomorrow when he comes, don't be scared. Treat it like you're going into negotiations, not groveling. Remember, you're Mrs. Williams now, his legal wife. You've got leverage."

"What leverage?"

"You are the leverage, dummy!" Evelyn was exasperated. "He's invested all this time and money for a reason. Until he gets what he wants, he won't hurt you. Use this opportunity to figure out what the hell he's after!"

They talked until dawn broke, and Sophia finally hung up.

She'd barely slept, her mind replaying Evelyn's words and Benjamin's unfathomable dark eyes.

At nine AM, Sophia selected a champagne-colored silk slip dress from the massive walk-in closet.

The design was simple with no unnecessary embellishments, but it perfectly highlighted her figure and elegance.

She applied subtle, sophisticated makeup and loosely pinned up her long hair, exposing her slender, pale neck and the necklace Benjamin had personally placed around her throat.

She didn't want to appear eager to please, nor did she want to seem timid.

As Evelyn had said, she was going to a negotiation, not a submissive date.

At 9:58, she sat on the living room sofa with perfect posture, spine straight, like a swan ready for battle at any moment.

At exactly ten o'clock, the doorbell rang.