Chapter 14 You Lied To Me? #2
“My time was precious too,” she snapped, her voice shaking with emotion. “You discarded me like I meant nothing and walked away!”
Magnus’s eyes flashed. “You ran from me!”
“And you let me!” she shot back, her voice rising. “In fact, it was you who forced me!”
Her chest heaved, her face flushed with anger.
“Do you think your actions were good enough for me to stay as your wife?” she demanded. “You were showing up at hotels with other women! Did you really think I wouldn’t care that my husband was in rooms with someone else?”
“I explained that to you!” Magnus snapped, frustration breaking through. “I had nothing to do with that woman. I don’t even remember her name anymore!”
“You explained it when it was too late!” Sophia shot back immediately. “Did you ever once tell me you liked me?”
Her eyes glistened, but her voice stayed sharp.
“We were married by contract,” she continued. “And you made sure to follow it like a rule. So what did you expect me to do? Beg you to extend it? Ask for another contract?”
“To hell with that damn contract!” Magnus roared, his grip tightening on her.
His voice dropped, raw and intense.
“I love you.”
The words hit hard.
“I’ve loved you since the moment I met you.”
Sophia stilled.
Her breath caught.
Her heart pounded uncontrollably against her chest—
But the anger in her eyes didn’t fade.
Her face burned red as she stared at him.
A moment later, the agitation on Magnus’s face slowly faded. His shoulders dropped slightly, and when he spoke again, his voice was lower. Rougher.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
The words came out quieter this time.
“I just… I know it was my fault.” He dragged a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “I should have done better.”
His gaze dropped for a second before lifting back to hers.
“I just wanted to see if you’d get jealous,” he admitted, a bitter frown tugging at his lips. “It was stupid. Childish.”
He let out a harsh breath.
“I was wrong.” His voice turned firm despite the softness. “Please forgive me. I won’t do it again. I promise.”
Sophia swallowed hard.
For a brief second, the sincerity in his face shook her.
But just as quickly, her expression hardened again.
She pushed against his chest, forcing distance between them.
“No,” she said, her voice cold. “I don’t want anything to do with you again.”
Her eyes locked onto his.
“Stay away from me from now on.”
“Sophia—” he started, his face dimming.
“No.” Her voice faltered slightly this time, but she forced herself to continue. She met his eyes, something fragile slipping through for just a second. “Please.”
That one word came out softer.
Then she turned sharply and walked to the door, pulling it open.
“Leave,” she said, pointing outside.
Magnus stood there for a moment, his jaw tight, his fists clenched at his sides.
For a second, it looked like he wouldn’t move.
Then finally—
He turned.
And walked out.
Sophia stood frozen, watching his back as he left. She didn’t move until he got into his car and drove off.
Only then did she shut the door.
The house fell silent.
She leaned back against the door, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her fingers trembled slightly, her heart still pounding hard.
“Hello? Hello?!”
The sudden voice cut through the silence.
Sophia startled and turned toward the table.
Her phone.
Emma was still on the call.
Sophia walked over quickly and picked it up, pressing it to her ear.
“Emma?”
“I’m still here,” Emma said immediately. Then her tone shifted, shocked and dramatic. “But oh my gosh—dude…”
Sophia let out a tired sigh. “Yeah.”
A pause.
Then Emma asked carefully, “You really don’t intend to forgive him?”
Sophia frowned.
A stubborn look settled on her face.
“I don’t give second chances,” she said flatly.
***
Luxe Bar buzzed with music and chatter.
But the VIP section felt like a completely different world.
The man sitting there radiated such dark, suffocating tension that even the waiters hesitated to approach.
Magnus sat slouched back, a glass of whiskey in his hand. His expression was grim, his jaw tight.
Beside him, Harold sat stiffly, clearly uncomfortable.
“Magnus?” he called cautiously.
No response.
Magnus simply lifted the glass and downed the whiskey in one go.
At that moment, Gregory came up from the stairs and walked over to them.
He dropped into the seat across from Magnus, glancing between the two.
Harold met his eyes and subtly gestured toward Magnus, raising his brows.
Clueless.
And slightly scared.
Gregory frowned.
“What the hell?” he muttered, then reached forward and snatched the glass out of Magnus’s hand, slamming it onto the table. “Are you planning to drink the entire damn night?”
Magnus slowly lifted his gaze.
Their eyes met.
“What happened?” Gregory asked, leaning forward.
Magnus’s expression tightened, his frown deepening.
Then finally—
“Sylvia is Sophia,” he said. “My ex-wife.”
Both Gregory and Harold straightened instantly.
“Huh?”
“What?!”
Magnus’s gaze shifted between them before he recounted everything.
By the time he finished, both men were staring at him, stunned.
“Holy shit,” Harold muttered.
“Jesus Christ,” Gregory hissed, leaning back. “So you fell in love with your ex-wife again?”
Magnus frowned immediately. “She’s my wife. Stop calling her my ex-wife.”
His voice turned colder.
“I never gave her a divorce. My mom betrayed me.”
Gregory let out a short laugh, then smirked. “Anyway, you never wanted to marry anyone, right? So if she marries someone else—like Neymar—wouldn’t that clear the path for you?”
Magnus’s head snapped up.
Anger exploded across his face.
Before anyone could react—
He leaned forward and punched Gregory straight in the face.
“Why don’t you let your girlfriend marry him, you bastard?”
Gregory’s head whipped to the side. He sucked in a sharp breath before immediately swinging back.
“I don’t even have a girlfriend!” he shot back, punching Magnus. “But I’d treat her better than you treated your wife!”
Magnus didn’t dodge.
The punch landed hard against his face. Blood split across his lip.
His head snapped to the side—
Then his body went slack.
The next second, he collapsed back in his chair, unconscious.
“What the hell, Gregory?!” Harold shot to his feet, panicked, rushing to Magnus’s side.
Gregory stood up too, shock written all over his face. “I didn’t even hit him that hard! He literally moved into my fist like he wanted to get hit!”
He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.
“This guy’s insane. What the hell is going on in his head?”
“Magnus? Magnus!” Harold shook him, trying to wake him.
No response.
“Shit,” Gregory cursed. “Let’s take him to the hospital.”
***
In the middle of the night, Sophia’s phone rang on the bedside table.
She groaned softly, shifting under the blankets. Her hand fumbled blindly until she grabbed the phone and brought it to her ear.
“Hello…” she muttered sleepily.
“Sophia?” Gregory’s voice came through, tense. “It’s me—Gregory.”
Her eyes snapped open.
She pushed herself upright, brushing her hair back. “Gregory? What’s wrong?” Her voice was rough, still thick with sleep.
“Can you come to the hospital?” he said quickly. “Magnus is injured. He’s in the emergency room right now. I don’t want to worry Mrs. Graves, but I really need—”
“Hospital?” Sophia gasped.
She was already on her feet, her heart slamming wildly against her chest.
“Which—where?” Her words came out rushed, breathless, panic bleeding through.
“I’ve sent a car,” Gregory said. “It’s waiting outside. Just get in and come quickly.”
Sophia didn’t even respond.
She rushed out of the room, not bothering to change. Still in her night clothes and slippers, she ran out of the house.
A car was already waiting.
She yanked the door open and got in immediately. “Go. Drive!”
The car sped off.
Every second felt unbearable. Her fingers clenched tightly in her lap, her mind racing with fear.
When they finally reached the hospital, she pushed the door open before the car had fully stopped.
“Mr. Graves is in room five,” the driver said quickly.
“Thanks,” she muttered, already running.
She rushed inside, her footsteps echoing through the emergency corridor. Her breathing grew uneven as she reached the door.
Without hesitation—
She slammed it open.
The loud bang echoed sharply.
Sophia rushed inside, her chest heaving as her eyes searched the room.
Magnus lay on the bed.
Alone.
Her heart twisted.
She hurried to his side, her trembling fingers reaching for his face.
“Magnus…?” she whispered, her voice filled with fear as she touched his cheek.
The next second—
His hand shot out.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled hard.
Sophia gasped as she was yanked forward, falling onto the bed. In a swift movement, he flipped her onto her back, hovering over her.
Her eyes widened in shock as she stared up at him.
“What…?” she whispered. “You’re not hurt?”
“I was,” he said calmly, pointing to his lip. “See?”
She glanced at the small cut.
Her expression shifted instantly—relief flashing first, then anger.
Her brows tightened.
“You lied to me?” she snapped, shoving at his shoulders. “Was it fun? Scaring me like that?”
But he didn’t move.
Instead, he leaned down—
And kissed her.
The force of it silenced her instantly.
His lips moved against hers again and again, rough, desperate, not giving her time to breathe before pulling her back in.
By the time he pulled away, her breathing was uneven.
“You worried about me,” he murmured, his forehead almost touching hers. “That means you still love me.”
“I don’t—” she tried to argue.
But he kissed her again, cutting her off.
“Then I’ll make you,” he whispered against her lips.
Before she could react, his lips crashed against hers.
His grip tightened around Sophia’s hand, pulling it up and guiding it beneath his t-shirt, pressing her palm against his abs. His muscles flexed under her touch, hard and warm, his body burning with restrained intensity.