One evening, after staying late at work, Sophie Lin stepped out of a small café near her office, a tired sigh escaping her lips. She wrapped her hands around a cup of warm tea, letting the steam soothe her fingers as she took a slow sip. It had been a long, draining day filled with back-to-back meetings, and all she wanted was to go home—to Leonard. Just the thought of him waiting for her brought a bit of comfort to her worn-out mind.
But as she stepped onto the quiet, dim street, a voice suddenly called out behind her—sharp and familiar. "Sophie."
She froze. Her stomach turned as she slowly turned to see Lucas Wei standing by the café door, hands buried in his coat pockets, his face unreadable.
Sophie's expression shifted to polite but firm, though she gripped her cup tighter. "Lucas. What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone calm but cautious.
Lucas stepped closer, his eyes dark and intense in a way that made her nerves stir. "I want to talk. Just us," he said quietly, like he'd been planning this moment.
Sophie's instincts kicked in—something felt off. She didn't like the look in his eyes. "I don't think that's necessary," she said, keeping her voice steady. "I've already said everything I needed to."
Lucas scoffed and stepped closer, his jaw tight with frustration. "No, you didn't," he said, voice rising. "You walked away before I could tell you how I really feel."
Sophie let out a sharp breath and took a step back, putting space between them. "Lucas, whatever you want to say—don't. I'm married. I love my husband," she said clearly, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
But Lucas didn't stop. His eyes were filled with something desperate. "Do you really love him… or are you just telling yourself that?"
Her patience snapped. "Yes, I do. And you need to respect that," she replied, her voice cold and firm.
Still, he pushed on, stepping toward her again. "Sophie, I've been thinking about you since the reunion. Seeing you… I realized I was wrong back in university. I should've been with you."
The weight of his words hung between them, but Sophie didn't flinch. She shook her head, her voice edged with frustration. "Lucas, stop."
She stepped back again, heart pounding as she scanned the empty street, wishing someone would appear to break the tension. But it was just the two of them. Her grip on the cup tightened.
"This isn't okay," she said firmly. "I'm married. Whatever you think you're feeling doesn't change that. I love Leonard. I'm not looking back."
Lucas' smile faltered, frustration flickering across his face before he forced it away. "Sophie, I'm not asking you to leave him," he said, voice tight. "I just needed to tell you how I feel. I regret not seeing what I had back then."
Sophie shook her head, her patience running out. "Lucas, you're not hearing me. This isn't about your feelings. It's about my choice—and I chose Leonard. That's not going to change."
Her voice was firm, her message final. But Lucas didn't back off. Instead, his desperation shifted into something heavier, darker. Sophie's chest tightened. Her instincts screamed at her to leave, to get far away.
He stepped closer, ignoring her clear discomfort. His hands clenched. "I asked around," he said bitterly. "I know you are forced to marry Leonard."
Sophie's heart pounded, anger flaring in her chest. She met his gaze, unshaken. "No, I truly like Leonard"
Lucas let out a harsh laugh. "No—you're lying to yourself." He moved closer, his presence suffocating. "Amelia told me everything," he added, voice low, like he was delivering a secret.
Sophie's breath hitched. "What?"
"She said you married Leonard out of duty. That you only did it to take her place. That deep down… you still have feelings for me."
Sophie's stomach turned. Disgust and disbelief rose in her chest. "Amelia lied," she snapped. "And if you believe her, you're a fool."
Lucas didn't back down. His smirk returned. "So you're saying you feel nothing for me?" he asked, as if daring her to prove him wrong.
Sophie didn't flinch. Her voice was sharp and sure. "I feel nothing for you, Lucas. The only man I love is Leonard."
Lucas' face darkened. His hands curled into fists, his breathing turning rough. "You're lying," he growled, stepping closer. Sophie's heart pounded, but she stood her ground. "I'm not."
His expression twisted, desperation turning into something more dangerous. "No. I won't accept that," he snapped, lunging forward. Sophie turned to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist—hard.
"Let go of me!" she cried, yanking her arm, but he didn't budge. Instead, he dragged her toward a nearby alley and shoved her against the cold brick wall.
Sophie's breath caught, her eyes wide with panic. "Lucas, what are you doing?!" she shouted.
His grip tightened. "You don't get it, Sophie. I've wanted you for years," he muttered, his voice shaky and twisted. "It should've been me."
Sophie pushed at him, struggling. "Let me go!" she yelled. But Lucas pinned her wrists above her head, leaning in with a dark smirk. "No one's here. Just stop fighting. I can make you forget about him."
Terror surged through her. She kicked wildly, but he held on. Her mind raced. She had to escape.
Then—she bit him. Hard.
"ARGH!" Lucas roared in pain, jerking back.
In that instant, Sophie shoved him with all her strength and bolted. Her legs carried her down the street, heart pounding, breath ragged, one name screaming in her mind: Leonard. She needed him now.
Before Sophie could get far—before she even reached the end of the alley—a voice cut through the darkness like a knife.
"Keep your hands away from her!"
Cold. Sharp. Deadly.
Sophie froze. Her breath caught in her throat as she turned. Leonard stood at the alley's entrance, his tall frame cast in shadow, eyes blazing with fury. He looked nothing like the gentle man she knew—his expression was stone-cold, his presence radiating danger.
Lucas spun around, going pale the moment he saw Leonard. The arrogance vanished from his face.
Sophie whispered, "Leonard…" Her voice shook.
Leonard's gaze flicked to her. He saw her tangled hair, the red marks on her wrists, her torn dress. And in that instant, something inside him snapped.
His fists clenched. His jaw tightened. When he looked back at Lucas, it was with pure, burning rage.
He stepped forward slowly—controlled, lethal. Lucas backed up, panicked. "Mr Yan, I—"
He didn't get to finish.
In a flash, Leonard grabbed him and slammed him against the wall, hard enough to rattle the bricks. His forearm pressed against Lucas's throat, pinning him.
"You touched her," Leonard growled, his voice low and deadly. Lucas gasped, choking, his hands clawing at Leonard's arm.
"I—I didn't mean—" he wheezed, but Leonard's glare only darkened.
Leonard leaned in, his face inches from Lucas's, voice cold as steel. "I should break your hands," he hissed. The threat was sharp and deadly, hanging thick in the air. Sophie had never seen him like this. This was someone dangerous. Someone who would destroy anyone who hurt her.
Lucas gasped for breath, his face turning red. "I—I was just—" he stammered.
Leonard's grip tightened, cutting him off. "If you ever come near my wife again," he said in a low, terrifying whisper, "I will ruin you." His words weren't a threat—they were a promise.
Then he shoved Lucas away. Lucas crumpled to the ground, choking and shaking, his body trembling in fear.
Sophie stood frozen, heart pounding, unable to look away from Leonard. He turned to her, his breathing heavy, rage still simmering in his eyes—but it faded the moment he saw her.
He stepped closer, his voice softer now. "Sophie, are you okay?"
She nodded, her voice shaky. "I'm okay, Leonard."
But inside, her heart was still racing—not just from fear, but from the weight of what she'd seen. Leonard would go to any length to protect her. It scared her—but more than that, it made her feel safe. Truly safe.
The car ride home was quiet, the engine's low hum filling the silence. Leonard's grip on the steering wheel was tense, his knuckles pale, but his other hand rested on Sophie's lap, his thumb slowly circling—his silent way of reassuring and telling her that he's there and she's safe with him.
Leonard noticed. "Are you cold?" he asked softly. Sophie shook her head. no" she murmured.
He was quiet for a moment. Then, still focused on the road, he asked, "Do you regret going to the reunion?"
She paused before answering. "No. I don't regret it. But… I didn't think it would end like this."
Leonard's jaw tightened. "I didn't expect Lucas to act like an idiot," he muttered. "If I knew he had intention to touch you, I should've dealt with him sooner."
That made Sophie turn to him, her brows drawing together. "What would you do?" she asked, a hint of unease in her voice.
Leonard's jaw tightened slightly as he kept his eyes on the road. "I had someone look into him after the reunion," he said, his voice calm but edged with tension. "I had a feeling he wouldn't back off so easily."
Sophie's chest tightened. "You… already knew?" she whispered.
He glanced at her, then looked forward again. "I suspected. And I was right."
The way he said it—so controlled, so certain—made Sophie realize just how much power he quietly held. She had always known Leonard was capable… but this? It was a side of him she was still learning to understand.
She bit her lip. "What… are you going to do to him?"
Leonard exhaled slowly, loosening his grip on the wheel just slightly. "Nothing too harsh. But I won't let him off easy."
"What does that mean?" she asked, her voice shaky.
"I will make sure he won't come near you again," Leonard said, tone firm and final.
Sophie's heart pounded. "Leonard…" she started, unsure what to say.
He turned to her then, his dark eyes softer, searching hers. "Are you afraid of me?" he asked quietly, a rare vulnerability in his voice.
Her answer came without hesitation. "No." And she meant it.
Leonard looked at her for a long moment. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter. "I only go after people who deserve it, Sophie."
She swallowed. "And how far would you go?"
Leonard gently tilted her chin so she couldn't look away, his touch steady and warm. "As far as I have to… to protect you." His voice was low and intense.
Leonard wasn't just making a promise—he meant it. And as Sophie met his eyes, she finally understood: he would go to any length to protect her.
*****
The next morning, Sophie made her way to the dining room and found Madam Yan seated at the head of the table, sipping her tea with a satisfied smile as she scrolled through her phone. There was a quiet buzz in the air, like everyone already knew something she didn't.
Sophie sat down slowly. "Mother, what's going on?"
Madam Yan glanced up, her smile widening. "You haven't checked the news?"
Frowning, Sophie pulled out her phone. Her eyes widened as the headline appeared:
BREAKING: Lucas Wei's Sudden Fall — Major Deals Pulled, Reputation in Ruins
Her heart thudded as she scrolled through the article. Lucas' family business had collapsed overnight. Contracts terminated, partnerships dissolved, investors fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. In a single night, he had gone from an industry darling to a pariah.
Sophie slowly turned to Leonard, who sat calmly at the table, sipping his coffee as if the world hadn't just shifted.
"…Leonard, you did this?" she whispered.
At last, he met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "I warned him."
Sophie's hands trembled slightly as she set down her phone. "You didn't… hurt him, did you?"
Leonard's lips curled into a faint smirk. "No. I didn't have to."
She exhaled, tension easing from her shoulders. There was relief—deep, undeniable relief—that he hadn't used violence. But also awe. Because what he had done, with nothing but quiet influence and strategic moves, had crushed someone's career overnight.
"I just made a few calls," Leonard said casually. "In our world, reputation is everything. No one will risk trusting him again."
Sophie looked down, absorbing the weight of what that meant. "That's... a lot."
Leonard leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but firm. "He tried to take something that didn't belong to him. This is the result."
Madam Yan let out a soft, dramatic sigh. "Honestly, that boy got off easy. If Leonard had truly wanted to end him, he wouldn't even have a company left to his name."
Sophie glanced between them, her chest tightening. In their world, power wasn't loud—it was quiet, precise, and absolute. Violence wasn't needed when you had wealth, reputation, and power on your side.