Chapter 181
SOPHIA’S POV
The air in the banquet hall changed the moment Zade stood in front of us. It was strange how one person could shift an entire room without raising his voice.
My wolf rose fully inside me. His presence made her alert.
Zade walked through the room like he owned it. That was the only way to describe it.
The conversations that had paused when he entered didn’t fully resume. People watched him the way wolves watched dominant energy moving through a room.
He stopped in front of Damien.
“Stone,” Zade said.
Damien’s expression stayed neutral. “Morrison p>
Zade’s eyes moved to me. He looked me up and down. I watched as his eyes took in my dress, the hair, and everything else on my body.
Then he looked back at Damien.
” Since Sophia is only your secretary tonight, perhaps you won’t mind lending her to me for a while.” he said with a smile.
The table that had been listening went very still.
“She is not an item to borrow,” Damien said coldly.
Zade smiled “Then introduce her properly p>
The silence that followed was loud.
I looked at Damien. He could have ended it with one sentence – She is my wife.
That was all. But he said nothing.
I looked at Zade with narrowed eyes.
“I’m standing right here,” I said.
“I know,” Zade said, still looking at Damien. “I’m asking him because he’s the one who needs to admit he’s wasting what he has p>
Damien said nothing. His wolf energy, which had been controlled all evening, came out a little. His jaw tightened.
But before he could respond, the air shifted again.
Tiffany came in first. She was wearing an ivory dress. Her hair was perfect as usual. Simon was behind her, then Peter. Two others I recognized from previous Stone gatherings followed them.
Damien’s attention moved. He immediately walked over to Tiffany to hold her. He said something low near her ear. She smiled.
My wolf didn’t even flinch.
Zade, beside me, watched it too. Something moved through his jaw.
“Sophia-” he started.
“Don’t,” I said quietly.
Peter stepped closer to me. He had a drink in his hand.
“You clean up well,” he said, looking me over in a way that made my skin crawl. “Too bad no one here is interested p>
My wolf bared her teeth inside me.
I looked at him without blinking.
“You should worry less about who is interested in me,” I said calmly, “and more about why decent women need to be forced into rooms with you p>
The smile dropped from his face. Simon let out a low whistle.
Peter’s eyes darkened. “Watch your mouth p>
“Why?” I asked, tilting my head.. “Truth offends you p>
He stepped closer. I could smell the liquor coming from his mouth.
“You think you’re above everyone because Damien married you p>
I almost laughed.
“No,” I said plainly. “I think I’m above you because I have standards p>
A few nearby guests coughed to hide laughter.
Peter’s face flushed red. Tiffany stepped forward with a soft, wounded expression.
“Sophia, why are you always so hostile?” she asked gently. “We’re all just trying to enjoy the evening p>
There it was – the innocent voice, the victim’s face. She always acted like she was the wronged one. My wolf hated her on principle.
I looked directly at Tiffany.
“Because fake sweetness smells worse than poison,” I said. “And every room you enter eventually rots p>
Everyone gasped.
Tiffany’s eyes widened. Tears rolled from her eyes instantly. She was talented, I would give her that.
“Damien she whispered.
He turned to her at once. He held her hand, trying to soothe her. Then, he turned to me.
“Enough, Sophia,” he hissed p>
I stared at him, not because he defended her, but because he did it so quickly. He did it so naturally.
Peter straightened, encouraged by Damien’s reaction.
“You hear that?” he said smugly. “Know your place p>
Something in me snapped.
“My place?” I said. “I’m still trying to figure out yours. Parasite? Coward? Failed man living off borrowed status p>
The room went silent. Peter lunged a half step forward. He raised his hand like he wanted to hit me.
Before he reached me, a body moved between us.
Zade.
He stepped in front of me so smoothly that I barely saw it happen. One second Peter was in my space, the next Zade stood there blocking him completely.
Zade didn’t raise his voice but when he spoke, the room listened.
“Take one more step,” he said quietly, “and you’ll regret attending tonight p>
Peter froze. Even Simon’s smirk faded for a second.
“I’ll be taking her from you, Stone,” he said. This time, it wasn’t to Peter but to Damien.
Tiffany’s expression shifted. I watched it happen. She misread the statement. I saw the pride in her eyes.
She smirked proudly.
She thought Zade was referring to her.
Her eyes moved to Zade’s profile, looking him up and down.
She thought he meant her. She thought the statement about taking someone from Damien was aimed at her – that Zade Morrison, having met her briefly at previous events, had arrived tonight with some interest in pursuing her.
Damien looked at Zade, then he looked at Tiffany beside him.
Damien placed his hand on Tiffany’s back and walked toward the inner dining room without a word.
Simon looked at Zade.
“Impressive entrance,” Simon said to Zade. “Though I’d work on your aim. Whatever you think you’re doing-” He glanced toward the door Damien and Tiffany had just walked through. “Tiffany’s not available and Damien’s not threatened. Better luck next time, Morrison p>
Then he followed them inside.