Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
Sofia
T he penthouse was breathtaking—a gilded cage of polished marble and panoramic views that seemed to stretch endlessly over the city. Every inch of it screamed wealth and power, but to Sofia, it felt like a prison dressed in gold.
She wandered through the expansive space, trailing her fingers along the smooth walls, the cold surface grounding her as her thoughts spiraled. The ache in her chest hadn’t dulled since the wedding, a constant reminder of the life she’d been thrust into.
Each room revealed more of Viktor. The bar in the corner was meticulously stocked, its dark wood gleaming under the dim lights. Heavy bookshelves lined one wall, filled with titles she didn’t recognize. It wasn’t the type of collection that spoke of a love for reading—it was too curated, too strategic. Even the furniture told a story: leather and steel, all sharp angles and bold colors. Everything seemed deliberate. Everything screamed control. It was a reflection of him—dominant, unyielding, and meticulously measured.
Sofia stopped in front of a window, her reflection staring back at her. The face that looked back was pale, tense, and unfamiliar. She touched the glass as if trying to reach through it. This was her life now—a bride trapped in a world she’d never chosen, tied to a man she couldn’t boss around but refused to submit to.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. She turned to see Nina leaning casually against the frame, a playful smirk curling her lips.
“Tell me this place isn’t gorgeous,” Nina said, clasping her wrists and strolling into the room with a dancer’s grace. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, the kind Sofia envied but couldn’t summon in herself. “I swear I could live here forever.”
Sofia scoffed, brushing a lock of brown curls behind her ear. She wished she could have the same kind of enthusiasm Nina had for this place but she couldn’t bring herself to feel that way. “A beautiful prison if you ask me.”
Nina tilted her head, the smirk fading as she stepped closer. “Sofia.” Her voice was softer now, probing. “What’s really going on?”
Sofia hesitated, biting her lower lip before folding her arms tightly across her chest. “Everything here feels... wrong. Like I’m walking through someone else’s life, and every step I take, I lose a piece of myself. I don’t even know who I am in this place.” Her voice broke, but she quickly turned away, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. “Maybe I’m being dramatic.”
“You’re not,” Nina said firmly, stepping beside her. “You’re scared, and you’re hurt. Anyone would feel the same.”
Sofia let out a bitter laugh. “You don’t. You look like you belong here.”
“Because I’ve learned how to pretend,” Nina admitted, her gaze dropping. “But it’s not real. None of it is. These walls, the glamour—it’s all a facade. Underneath, it’s just as cold as it looks.”
“Then why does it feel like you’re handling this so much better than I am?” Sofia whispered.
Nina’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Because I’ve been where you are, Sofia. Maybe not exactly, but close enough. I know what it’s like to wake up and realize your life isn’t your own anymore.” She placed a hand on Sofia’s arm, grounding her. “But you’re stronger than you think. You’re still here. That means something.”
Sofia finally met Nina’s gaze, her voice trembling. “I don’t feel strong. I feel... trapped. Like I’m suffocating in a life that isn’t mine.”
Nina nodded slowly, her voice quieter now. “It’s okay to feel that way. It’s okay to hate this, to hate him. But don’t lose yourself in the hate, Sofia. Don’t let it consume you. Because you’re more than this. More than him.”
Sofia blinked, her vision blurring as tears spilled over. “How do I hold on to myself when everything around me is trying to take me apart?”
Nina’s expression softened, and she pulled Sofia into a hug. “You don’t have to do it alone. I’m here, okay? No matter what happens, I’m here.”
For the first time since the wedding, Sofia let herself cry, her walls cracking just enough to let Nina’s words in. With a deep breath, Sofia met Nina’s eyes. “Thank you, Nina. It means a lot to know I have you by my side.”
“Of course,” Nina said, her smile widening as if some weight had lifted. “Now, let’s figure out how to turn this gilded cage into something a little more… free.”
When they hugged, Sofia felt, for the first time since stepping into this penthouse, she didn’t feel completely alone.
Even after Nina left and Sofia was once again surrounded by silence, her fear of Viktor didn’t feel as overwhelming. Instead, something sharper stirred within her.
She wandered to the bedroom, her mind churning with an idea she couldn’t shake. Slowly, she slipped out of her dress and into a silk robe, the material clinging to her curves and barely brushing mid-thigh. The neckline plunged low enough to make her smirk at her reflection.
When she walked into the living room, she felt his presence before she saw him. Viktor’s deep, measured voice carried from the far side of the penthouse, where he stood near the bar, speaking in low tones over the phone.
Sofia moved deliberately, her bare feet silent against the marble floor. When she stepped into his line of sight, he froze mid-sentence. His sharp gaze swept over her, darkening as it took in the sight of her robe and what it didn’t hide.
He ended the call without a word, slipping his phone into his pocket as he slowly approached her. “Can I help you?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm.
Sofia tilted her head, feigning innocence even as her pulse quickened. “Just getting comfortable.”
His eyes narrowed, their steel-gray depths unreadable but charged. “That’s not comfort, Sofia. That’s a provocation.”
Her lips curled into a small, defiant smile. “Is it working?”
Viktor’s lips twitched into a smirk, though it wasn’t warm or kind. It was the kind of smile that made her spine tingle with equal parts anticipation and unease. “No,” he said simply, but his gaze betrayed him, lingering too long, too intently.
“Then you won’t mind if I stay like this,” she replied evenly, refusing to look away.
He stepped closer, the faintest scent of his cologne reaching her—a mix of cedar and something darker, more dangerous. “The maids would help you with anything you want; don’t look for me. I’ll see you when I’m done with work.”
Her heart hammered against her ribs from his proximity.
Viktor stared at her for a moment longer, the tension between them coiling tighter with every second of silence. Then, just as she thought he might crack, he stepped back, his expression hardening into something impenetrable.
Without another word, he turned and walked away, the weight of his retreat leaving her breathless and frustrated.
Sofia stood there, staring after him, her chest rising and falling as the adrenaline ebbed. She wasn’t sure if she’d won or lost.
Later that evening, Sofia’s wandering brought her to a part of the penthouse that felt different, almost foreboding. The opulence seemed muted here—fewer decorative touches, more shadows pooling in the corners. At the end of a quiet hallway stood a door unlike any she had seen in the rest of the penthouse.
It was plain, unremarkable in its design, but the heavy-duty lock and the keypad affixed to the wall beside it drew her in like a magnet. Her fingers hovered over the handle, curiosity burning brighter than caution. What could Viktor be hiding here?
The suddenness of it made her jump, and she spun around to find Viktor standing just a few feet away. His face was shadowed, but the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable. He moved toward her with slow, deliberate steps, his body radiating authority and a simmering edge of menace.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Nothing,” she said, but a tremor crept into her speech, and she hated how small she felt when he regarded her intently.
“Nothing,” he repeated, his tone mocking as he closed the distance between them. The faint scent of his cologne—spice and something darker—sent a spark through her. He stopped mere inches from her, and she found herself pinned by the force of his scrutiny.
“That door isn’t for you,” Viktor said, sounding deceptively calm, though his eyes betrayed a storm brewing just beneath the surface.
Her defiance flared, emboldened by the raw energy crackling between them. “Why not? What are you hiding?”
His expression darkened, and in a flash, his hand shot out, capturing her wrist in an iron grasp. Before she could react, he pulled her against him, her chest colliding with his. The hard lines of his body pressed against her softness, and the sheer heat of him seemed to seep into her skin.
“You don’t know when to stop, do you?” he growled, low and rough.
Sofia tilted her chin up, refusing to back down even as her pulse hammered in her throat. “Maybe I don’t like being kept in the dark.”
His lips twisted into a smirk, one that sent both fury and an unwelcome thrill coursing through her. “This isn’t about what you like, Sofia.”
With a swift, fluid motion, Viktor pressed her against the wall, his muscular body caging her in. One hand braced against the wall near her head, while the other slid down, fingers trailing along the edge of her robe, threatening to expose her. The silk shifted, revealing her bare breast, her nipple taut and begging for attention.
She gasped, a mix of anger and unspoken lust swirling within her. "Let me go," she demanded, her voice wavering. Viktor's gaze locked onto her exposed breast, her nipple hardening further with each breath.
Leaning in, his lips brushed her jawline, sending shivers down her spine. "Here, my rules prevail," he whispered, his breath hot on her skin. His hand hovered above her hip, fingers stroking the sensitive skin, teasing her.
"I'll uncover your secrets," she challenged, defiance flashing in her eyes. "You just wait."
Viktor chuckled, a deep, seductive sound that sent a wave of frustration and desire crashing over her. "Do you truly believe you can outmaneuver me, my little vixen?"
As he leaned closer, his lips hovered tantalizingly close to hers. The proximity made her head spin, thoughts scattering as desire flared. He teased her, his breath mingling with hers, the tension coiling tighter.
His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You will learn, Sofia. This is my domain, and you will submit to my every desire."
The moment stretched, his lips hovering, a tantalizing torment. Her body ached with anger and unspoken need, her hands clenching into fists, torn between pushing him away and surrendering to the pleasure he offered.
Suddenly, he withdrew, the loss of his touch leaving her reeling and trembling. Viktor's expression remained unreadable, but the triumph in his eyes was clear, a silent promise of more to come. “Stay out of that room, Sofia. Don’t make me teach you the hard way.”
And then he was gone, his footsteps echoing down the hallway, leaving her alone with her ragged breaths and the pounding of her heart.
Sofia pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady herself. Her defiance burned hotter than ever, but so did something else—something she couldn’t name, something that made her knees weak and her resolve feel dangerously fragile.
As she stared at the door, she swore to herself that she’d find out what he was hiding, no matter the cost. And if Viktor thought he could keep her caged, he was wrong. Very, very wrong.