Chapter 179 One Hundred And Seventy Nine

Chapter 179 One Hundred And Seventy Nine
Daniel winced as he stepped out of the cab in front of Sofia’s apartment building.
Every part of his body hurt.
His jaw throbbed.
His ribs burned every time he inhaled too deeply.
One side of his face had already begun swelling badly, dark bruises forming beneath his eye and along his cheekbone.
Kennedy had truly beaten him mercilessly.
Daniel touched the corner of his split lip and cursed under his breath.
Humiliation burned hotter than the physical pain.
The image of Antonia standing there crying while Kennedy threw him out replayed repeatedly in his mind.
He hated it.
Hated how powerless he had looked.
Hated how Kennedy had won.
Most of all, he hated that despite everything, Antonia had still looked at Kennedy with love in her eyes.
Daniel clenched his jaw painfully.
Then he walked toward the elevator.
A few minutes later, Sofia opened the apartment door.
The moment she saw his face her eyes widened in shock.
“Oh my God.”
Daniel brushed past her into the apartment irritably.
“Yeah. Save the dramatics.”
Sofia quickly shut the door behind him.
“No, seriously—”
She stared at him in disbelief.
“Kennedy did this to you?”
Daniel scoffed bitterly.
“What does it look like?”
Sofia stepped closer, examining the bruises more carefully.
There was dried blood near his mouth.
A visible cut along his eyebrow.
And the way he moved told her even his body had taken serious hits.
“Damn,” she muttered.
Daniel sank heavily onto the couch with a groan.
“He completely lost his mind.”
Sofia slowly sat beside him.
For a brief moment, yesterday’s tension between them disappeared.
She disappeared into the bathroom and returned moments later with a small first aid kit.
Daniel watched silently as she opened it.
“You’re lucky nothing’s broken.”
“Feels broken.”
Sofia poured antiseptic onto cotton carefully.
“This might sting.”
Daniel gave a dry laugh.
“Can’t possibly hurt more than my pride.”
She pressed the cotton lightly against the cut near his eyebrow.
Daniel hissed immediately.
“Christ!”
“I warned you.”
Silence settled briefly between them as Sofia tended to his injuries.
But beneath her calm exterior, something darker stirred.
Because hearing that Kennedy had physically attacked Daniel should have disturbed her.
Instead, part of her almost enjoyed it.
The chaos.
The destruction.
The cracks spreading wider inside Kennedy and Antonia’s marriage.
Sofia glanced at Daniel again.
“So…”
Her lips curved slightly.
“What exactly happened?”
Daniel leaned back against the couch heavily.
“He caught us talking.”
Sofia raised an eyebrow.
“Talking?”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Fine. I told Antonia I still loved her.”
Sofia smirked faintly.
“And Kennedy heard that?”
“Yes.”
“Well that explains your face.”
Daniel glared at her.
“Very funny.”
Sofia shrugged unapologetically.
“You knew he was possessive.”
“He nearly killed me.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
Daniel pointed at his bruised face.
“Am I?”
Sofia stared at the swelling again and winced slightly.
“…okay maybe not.”
Daniel rubbed his jaw carefully.
“He completely snapped.”
Sofia continued dabbing antiseptic against the cuts.
“And Antonia?”
Daniel’s expression darkened slightly.
“She defended him.”
Sofia scoffed immediately.
“Of course she did. She still loves him deeply”
The bitterness in his voice was obvious now.
Sofia remained quiet briefly.
“Are you going to sue him?” she said later.
Daniel looked at her.
“What?”
“For assault.”
Daniel let out a humorless laugh.
“And achieve what?”
“Money.”
“I don’t care about money.”
Sofia tilted her head slightly.
“Then what do you want?”
Daniel’s eyes darkened.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
“I want to hurt him. I want to hurt him really bad.”
The words settled heavily in the room.
Sofia stopped cleaning his wound.
Interesting.
Daniel leaned forward slightly.
“He humiliated me.”
“He treated me like trash.”
“And the worst part?”
His jaw tightened again.
“He still gets Antonia.”
Sofia’s own expression hardened instantly at that.
Because that part struck her too.
Kennedy still choosing Antonia.
Still fighting for her.
Still loving her despite everything.
While she, after all her efforts, was left with nothing.
Sofia slowly closed the first aid kit.
“Well,” she said quietly.
“Whatever the plan is…”
Her eyes lifted to his.
“…I’m in.”
Daniel studied her carefully.
“You’re serious?”
“Kennedy has humiliated me enough.”
Her voice turned colder now.
“He rejected me.”
“He blamed me.”
“He threw me away like I meant nothing.”
Bitterness flashed across her face.
“And after everything I sacrificed for him?”
She laughed softly.
Cruelly.
“No.”
Daniel watched her carefully.
“That sounds personal.”
“It is personal.”
Sofia stood up slowly and walked toward the mini bar.
She poured herself a drink.
Then another for Daniel.
“You know what the funny thing is?” she asked quietly.
Daniel accepted the glass.
“What?”
“If Kennedy had just chosen me from the beginning…”
She took a sip.
“…none of this would have happened.”
Daniel scoffed.
“You sound obsessed.”
Sofia smiled slowly.
“Maybe I am.”
The honesty in her tone unsettled even him slightly.
She walked back toward the couch.
“And now?”
Her smile sharpened.
“Now I want him miserable.”
Daniel looked down at his bruised knuckles.
“He already is.”
“Not enough.”
Silence settled briefly.
Then Sofia spoke again.
“So, what exactly are you planning?”
Daniel leaned back slowly.
His mind replaying the look on Kennedy’s face earlier.
The rage.
The insecurity.
The jealousy.
And suddenly, an idea formed.
A very dangerous one.
Daniel looked at Sofia carefully.
“What hurts a man like Kennedy the most?”
Sofia answered instantly.
“His ego.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“And his family.”
A slow smile spread across Sofia’s lips.
Now they were thinking alike again.
Dangerously alike.
Sofia crossed one leg over the other.
“Go on.”
Daniel’s eyes darkened slightly.
“He’s already insecure about Antonia and me.”
“Yes.”
“So what happens if that insecurity grows worse?”
Sofia smiled wider now.
“He starts making mistakes.”
“Exactly.”
Daniel took a slow sip from the drink.
“And eventually…”
“…Antonia gets tired of fighting for a marriage that keeps hurting her.”
Sofia’s expression gleamed with satisfaction.
“Yes.”
“Yes, exactly.”
Daniel looked toward the large window overlooking the city.
“Kennedy Walton thinks he won today.”
His voice dropped lower.
“But this?”
A slow dangerous smile touched his bruised lips.
“This is just the beginning.”
Sofia smiled.
"I am going to take everything he loves the most, and he will beg but I won't listen." Daniel continued.
"Let the game begin." Sofia chipped, and smirked widely.