Chapter Forty-Three: The Price of Truth

Sophie's POV

I'd never seen Marcus this angry.

The massive front doors slammed against the walls with enough force to rattle the paintings. His thunderous footsteps echoed through the foyer like approaching doom. Even from the top of the stairs, I could feel the rage radiating off him in waves that made my wolf want to roll over and show her belly.

"Upstairs. Now." The command sliced through the air, his voice pitched low enough to raise every hair on my neck.

My feet carried me up the grand staircase before my brain could even process the order. Behind me, chaos erupted. The footsteps and panicked voices filled the halls as the staff scrambled to comply.

"FIND HER!" Marcus's voice vibrated through the walls. "WHERE IS VICTORIA?"

I collapsed against my bedroom door, sliding down until I hit the floor. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. What had I done?

Think, Sophie, think. My mind raced through every interaction with Victoria since that first night at the dining room. Her intimate knowledge of my mother. Her strange behavior lately. That nickname - "little Soph" - that my supposed cousins had used. The same one that had slipped from Victoria's lips when we looked at those old photos. Those unguarded moments when something deeper than mere affection flickered in her eyes.

Holy shit. Was Victoria actually related to me? Had she known who I was this whole time?

More importantly - had Marcus not known?

The sound of breaking glass echoed up from below, followed by Marcus's snarl: "Search every room! Every corner of this fucking property!"

Hours crawled by. The mansion's usual warmth bled away, replaced by an atmosphere thick with dread. My stomach chose that moment to remind me I hadn't eaten since breakfast. Great timing, body. Really stellar work there. Maybe if I was really quiet, I could sneak down to the kitchen...

The halls were deserted, which was fucking creepy considering how many staff usually bustled around. My bare feet didn't make a sound on the hardwood floors as I crept downstairs. The kitchen looked like it had been abandoned mid-prep - vegetables half-chopped on cutting boards, pots still warm on the stove.

That's when I heard it. A muffled scream from somewhere below, my blood turned to ice water in my veins.

The basement. Where Marcus kept his "special" rooms.

Another scream, this one definitely Victoria's voice. But this wasn't about pleasure . This was punishment. Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god.

I stumbled backward, my vision blurring. Bile rose in my throat as another scream tore through the silence. My legs gave out halfway up the stairs, and I crawled the rest of the way to my room.

Hours passed in a haze of panic and guilt. Every creak of the house sent fresh terror through me. I huddled in my window seat, watching darkness claim the grounds while my mind tortured me with images of what might be happening below.

Victoria had been the only one who showed me real kindness in this gilded prison. She'd guided me, protected me, made me feel less alone. And now she was suffering because I couldn't keep my stupid mouth shut.

The soft click of my door opening sent me scrambling backward, a scream building in my throat.

"Sophie?" Victoria's whisper stopped my heart.

She stood in my doorway like a beautiful ghost. Bruises marred her porcelain skin, darkest around her throat. But her eyes - goddess, her eyes still held that same maternal warmth.

"Victoria..." My voice cracked. Tears spilled over as I rushed to her, hands hovering uselessly over her injuries. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault-"

"Shhh." She caught my trembling hands in hers. "Help me sit down?"

I guided her to my window seat, noting how she bit back a wince with each movement. Up close, the damage was worse. Finger-shaped bruises wrapped around her wrists. A cut on her lip had recently stopped bleeding.

"I should get you ice, or bandages, or-"

"There's no time." She squeezed my hands. "Listen carefully, Sophie. I'm leaving tonight."

"What? No, you can't! You're hurt, you need-"

"What I need is for you to survive." Her voice hardened. "Everything changes after tonight. Marcus will be watching you even more closely."

Fresh tears fell. "Because of what I said about the cousins? I didn't mean to cause-"

"You didn't cause anything, sweet girl." She brushed my tears away with gentle fingers. "I knew this day would come from the moment I saw you in the dining room. Your face... just like her."

The world tilted sideways. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I knew you were my niece the second I laid eyes on you." Her smile was sad but fierce. "Your father's cousin. The one who helped your mother escape that night..."

My head spun. "All this time... you knew? You were protecting me?"

"Of course I was." She touched my face like she was memorizing it. "But now you'll have to protect yourself. Marcus may seem civilized, but you've seen what lies beneath that facade. Never forget what you heard tonight. Never let your guard down."

I clutched her hands. "Please don't leave me here alone."

"Oh, my darling girl." She pulled me close and brushed away tears I hadn't realized were falling. "You're so much stronger than you know. But you have to be smart. Keep your head down. Play the game. And remember - I'll be watching over you, even if you can't see me."

"What do you mean?"

"There's something very important I need to do." She pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Something that might change everything."