Chapter 140
SOPHIA’S POV
The man was almost on me. The machete was raised high.
I turned and saw his face twisted with rage. I had nowhere left to run, no way to defend myself.
My heels caught something and I tripped, falling to the floor. I landed hard, wincing in pain. I felt my ankle twist.
“You bitch!” the man spat.
He pointed the machete at me as he ran. I tried to get up but the pain was too much. This man would be on me in seconds.
This was it. This was how I died.
But then a blur of motion came from my left. It was Zade, moving with alpha speed and power. His foot connected with the man’s ribs.
The attacker went flying sideways. The machete flew from his grip, landing in the pool.
The man tried to scramble to his feet, but Zade was already on him. Zade punched the man in the face, over and over again, until the man stopped struggling and just lay there groaning.
Zade pinned him down with a knee in his back. Zane’s hands twisted the man’s arms at an angle that would break them if he tried to fight back.
“Stay down,” Zade growled. His voice carried full alpha command. “Or I’ll break every bone in your body p>
Security guards were finally arriving. They rushed across the lawn with radios crackling. They took over holding the attacker while Zade stood.
Then he turned to me.
I managed to stand up. My legs were trembling so badly I couldn’t move. My whole body was shaking as the adrenaline, fear, shock all hit me at once.
My knees gave out.
Zade caught me before I hit the ground. He held me against his chest and lowered us both to sit on the grass.
His arms came around me. He used one hand to press my head against his shoulder while the other rubbed soothing circles on my back.
“You’re safe,” he murmured. His voice was gentle now “You’re safe, Sophia. I’ve got you. You’re safe p>
But I couldn’t stop shaking. I couldn’t catch my breath. I couldn’t process what had just happened.
I’d almost died. That blade had been inches from my throat, from ending everything.
“Breathe,” Zade whispered “In through your nose, out through your mouth. That’s it. You’re doing great. Just keep breathing p>
I focused on his voice, on the steady rhythm of his breathing, on the warmth of his body against mine. I breathed like he said I should.
Slowly, gradually, my panic started to recede.
But I was still shaking.
Through the shattered French doors, I could see into the ballroom. Police had arrived, paramedics were checking on injured guests.
And there, near the grand staircase, I saw Damien.
He was carrying Tiffany in his arms. She had her arms wrapped around his neck. Her face was buried against his shoulder.
He was taking her to safety. He was protecting her, making sure she was okay.
Which was fine. That was what he should do.
But as I watched him walk past the broken doors, past the security team that had just subdued my attacker, past the very garden where I sat shaking in another man’s arms p>
He never looked back.
He didn’t even glance around to see if I was safe. He never even paused to check. The fact broke my heart.
Minutes passed. The police were taking statements from witnesses, the paramedics were treating minor injuries, and somewhere in the distance I could hear sirens as more emergency vehicles arrived.
But Damien didn’t come back. He didn’t call. He didn’t send anyone to check on me.
He’d seen me exposed when that vase broke the door. He’d seen the attacker change direction to come after me instead of Tiffany. He must have known I’d been in danger.
But once Tiffany was safe, I ceased to exist.
The realization felt like a knife to my already bruised heart.
“He’s not coming, you know.” Zade’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. He wasn’t looking at the ballroom. He was looking at me. “He’s too busy with her to care about you p>
“I know,” I said quietly.
“Do you? Because you keep waiting for him to choose you but he won’t, Sophia. He’s shown you who he is. Believe him p>
“I do believe him.” My voice was hollow.
“Aren’t you?” Zade’s thumb traced my jaw gently, turning my face toward his. “Then why do you look so hurt that he didn’t come back for you p>
The question was too hurtful.
Zade sighed “You deserve better than someone who only remembers you exist when it’s convenient for him p>
I wanted to argue, to say something, but I couldn’t. Because Zade was right.
If the situations had been reversed – if Damien had been the one attacked and I’d been safe – I would have checked on him immediately.
But he couldn’t offer me the same basic concern.
“I chose the wrong man,” I heard myself say.
“Yes,” Zade said simply. “You did p>
A police officer approached us, asking if we needed paramedics. I shook my head. I was a doctor, I’d assess myself later.
I gave them a brief statement about what had happened.
When they finally let us go, Zade walked me to his car.
“I’ll take you back to Stone Manor,” he said.
“You don’t have to p>
“I want to.” Zade opened the passenger door for me. “Let me do this one thing. Please p>
I was too tired to argue. So, I got in his car and let him drive me back.
The ride was quiet. Zade didn’t push for conversation, didn’t ask probing questions, didn’t try to take advantage of my vulnerability.
He just drove in silence and I was grateful for that.