Chapter 3 Confrontation

At the sound of his voice, both Sophia and Noah turned to Alexander standing in the doorway

Alexander's face darkened with anger. Hearing them discuss divorce and traveling abroad together had ignited a sense of betrayal and fury within him.

"You're home early," Sophia said coldly, addressing him as if he were a stranger.

Her indifference only fueled Alexander's anger. He had rushed home worried about her condition, only to find her having an intimate conversation with another man?

He strode across the room and glared at Sophia before turning his intimidating gaze to Noah. "Who gave you permission to enter my place?"

Noah stood up, maintaining his composure. "Mr. Kensington, I heard about what happened tonight. I was concerned about Sophia, so I came to check on her."

"Check on her?" Alexander's laugh was cold and bitter. His head felt unusually hot, and barely controlled rage burned in his eyes. "It's none of your business! She's my wife."

"But you're planning to divorce soon, aren't you?" Noah retorted. "Besides, I think we both know how you've treated Sophia these past two years."

The way Noah addressed Sophia made Alexander's blood boil.

Alexander turned to Sophia. His angry voice dropped to a commanding whisper, "Get him out."

Sophia looked at Alexander with eyes devoid of emotion. "Alexander, he's my friend. You have no right to throw him out."

Alexander laughed viciously. "'No right'? This is my house."

"Your house?" Sophia's laugh was equally cold. "And what am I in this house? What exactly?"

They stared at each other, filling the air between them with tension.

Noah, sensing the growing hostility, quickly intervened. "Sophia, I should go. I'll see you tomorrow."

Sophia nodded and started to rise. "I'll walk you out."

"You're not going anywhere." Alexander grabbed her arm firmly. "He's a grown man. He can find his own way out."

Noah frowned, giving Sophia a concerned look before reluctantly leaving.

Sophia bit her lip as she realized that Alexander's hand was burning hot against her skin, almost scorching.

She quickly recognized something was wrong and tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.

"Alexander, what's wrong with you?"

"Sophia." He looked down at her. His voice turned gruff from the drug's effect, "Are you that desperate for a man?"

Anger and jealousy amplified the drug's effects, causing him to lose control of his emotions. His entire body felt like it was on fire.

Sophia stared at him in alarm, noticing his flushed face and the dangerous desire in his eyes.

"You've been drugged," she stated.

"And who else would be constantly thinking about drugging me if not you?" Alexander sneered.

With that, he suddenly pushed Sophia down onto the bed. His tall frame pinned her beneath him, rendering her immobile.

Sophia cried out in surprise.

"Two years of marriage, and I never touched you. What, now that you want a divorce, you're in such a hurry to find a new flame?"

Sophia's nightgown was roughly torn open, exposing her full breasts to Alexander's gaze. The sight made him burn with even more intense desire, causing his movements more urgent.

Sophia fought back desperately. Cold sweats beaded on her forehead, and her lips lost their color. With all the strength she could gather, she pushed him and shouted, "Alexander, stop it! I'm not Lily! You're hurting me!"

Her nails dug into Alexander's arms, leaving several angry red marks.

Under the influence of the drug, Alexander barely registered the pain. Though Sophia's resistance brought him a moment of clarity, it wasn't enough to break the drug's hold.

In that brief moment of hesitation, Sophia's eyes caught sight of the glass diffuser on the nightstand. She reached for it and brought it down hard against Alexander's forehead.

A sharp crack broke the tension.

Intense pain shot through Alexander's forehead, and warm blood trickled down his temple. The lavender scent from the broken diffuser filled the air as the oil splashed onto the sheets and their skin, its fragrance growing stronger.

The diffuser's calming, sleep-inducing properties helped clear some of the fog from Alexander's mind. He breathed heavily, and the lavender scent gradually brought him back to his senses.

His vision slowly cleared, and his deep blue eyes registered a rare moment of shock.

Why had he been so angry? Where had this feeling of loss and resentment come from?

Blood mixed with the fragrant oil continued to trickle down his temple, making Sophia's heart race with fear.

"I..." Her eyelashes trembled as she began to panic. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

At her words, Alexander merely furrowed his brow, fixing her with a dangerous stare for a moment before moving away from her. Breathing heavily, he left the room without a word and slammed the bathroom door shut.

Sophia finally exhaled in relief.

She wasn't surprised to hear the sound of running water from next door.

The following morning, Sophia was shocked to find Alexander still in the living room. She quickly recovered and walked to the desk, retrieving the divorce papers she had prepared in advance.

She didn't requested any division of assets; she simply wanted to end this marriage.

After signing the final page, she placed the agreement in front of Alexander.

Alexander glanced at the papers before scoffing and tossing them into the trash can.

"What are you doing?" Sophia asked, anger rising within her.

Alexander raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Sophia, do you think playing hard to get will make me fall in love with you?"

Hearing this, Sophia almost laughed in disbelief.

"Mr. Kensington, our marriage was always a transaction," Sophia's voice was soft but firm. "And now that transaction has expired. It's time we ended this marriage."

Alexander's expression darkened further. "When did I ever say the transaction was over?"

"I'm busy, I'm not in the mood, and I don't have time for this nonsense," he said, picking up his briefcase. "The company needs me. I don't have time for your games."

With that cold statement, he walked out without looking back.

As Sophia watched his retreating figure, her brow furrowed in confusion.

That afternoon, Sophia's best friend Victoria Grant invited her out for drinks.

They sat in a quiet, secluded bar in downtown Emerald Harbor.

Victoria listened silently as Sophia recounted the events, then took a serious sip of her cocktail. "Alexander is such a jerk. He's flirting with Lily while wanting control over you, making you work for him like some servant."

Sophia thought Victoria's words sounded harsh, but she had to admit there was truth to them. She nodded in agreement.

"Take a firmer stance while dealing with him," Victoria continued. "Otherwise, who knows what that man will put you through next?"

Just then, the Osborne siblings entered the bar and overheard Victoria's words.

When Lily remembered the aphrodisiac she had slipped into Alexander's drink the night before, her face darkened with anger.

Damn that Sophia, stealing what should have been hers!