Chapter 33: Captivity
Sophia's Perspective
Fabian's accusations were driving me to the breaking point!
If I had known the files were hidden in the Ellis apartment, why would I go to such lengths to have Owen try to steal those documents?
Of course, I wasn't foolish enough to voice these thoughts to prove my innocence.
I argued with them: "Fabian, calm down. There are security cameras on the top floor of the apartment, you can check the surveillance footage! And Theo, stop this immediately—this is my room!"
The two brothers exchanged glances, as if reaching some kind of consensus.
Theo shrugged, his tone mocking: "There's nothing here. I even checked through her underwear. Unless she got what she wanted and then transferred the files to someone else."
As he spoke, he was still holding one of my underwear.
"Bastard! Don't make wild accusations—I don't have do anything!"
I was so angry my chest ached. I stepped over the scattered clothes and books on the floor to snatch my underwear from his hand.
My face burned like fire, filled with shame and fury.
Fabian cursed under his breath: "The apartment's security cameras are broken. Someone put interference devices on them, causing the recordings from the past two days to disappear."
I felt like the entire world was working against me. Recently, inexplicable phenomena kept occurring around us.
First Jason drugging me, now the apartment files being stolen—all fingers pointed at me, while direct evidence mysteriously vanished.
I tried to communicate with them: "When was the last time you saw those files?"
But Fabian wasn't willing to cooperate with me. His gaze was so cold it could freeze me to death. In his mind, he must have already decided I was the culprit.
"Please! I need both of your cooperation!"
I was so anxious I was about to lose my mind, wishing I could crack open their skulls to see what they were thinking!
"Two days ago," Theo answered me.
He slowly walked toward me, his tall figure appearing particularly oppressive in the dim light.
He stared at me: "Sebastian mentioned that day he only sent you to Fabian's office to deliver documents, yet you used the opportunity of bringing lunch to search for things in the office. We checked the company's surveillance and confirmed this."
A chill ran down my spine.
I hadn't expected Fabian to be so suspicious. Perhaps from the very beginning, I had never been able to fool him.
After all this time, he could still uncover the traces I had left behind.
"We have reason to suspect you used the same trick again, and succeeded this time." Fabian's voice seemed to come from hell.
Suddenly, the entire room was filled with intense alpha pressure. Two powerful auras attacked me simultaneously—they were using the most primitive method to force me to surrender and tell the truth.
The pain was so intense I could barely speak. My legs went weak, and I nearly collapsed to the ground.
"Yesterday... yesterday," I fell onto the bed, my breathing becoming rapid and chaotic, speaking with great difficulty, "I wasn't the only outsider in the Ellis apartment. There was also Amy—have you forgotten?"
I looked at Theo pleadingly.
The thick alpha aura in the air finally eased somewhat. My body instantly lost all strength, collapsing limply on the bed as I gasped for air.
Theo frowned, and Fabian also fell into brief contemplation.
I supported myself with trembling arms. It seemed I had to discuss this matter with them openly and honestly.
Suddenly, my phone began vibrating violently. Owen's name flashed on the screen, appearing particularly jarring in this deathly quiet room.
So bad! Why was Owen calling me at this very moment!
I desperately tried to grab my phone to hang up, but the quick-eyed Theo snatched it away.
He glanced at the phone display, his expression growing even darker: "Owen—who is he?"
"My high school classmate who also got into Moonlight College. I ran into him at the library today and we discussed some academic topics."
My fingertips dug into my palms, using the pain to keep myself calm.
I couldn't reveal any more flaws, or I would forever lose the chance to earn their trust.
Theo sneered, but there was no humor in his eyes, only naked coldness: "Sophia, we're men too. Men only call women in the middle of the night when they want to sleep with them."
"Owen isn't that kind of person! Give me back my phone!" I shouted at him.
Theo cruelly pressed the answer button, switching the screen to speaker mode. My heart stopped beating entirely.
"Sophia, I have good news for you—I found a vulnerability in the security system..."
"No, Owen—"
In my panic, I cried out to stop Owen, but Fabian grabbed my throat, silencing me instantly.
Owen on the other end sensed something was wrong: "Damn it! Sophia, what's happening?!"
"She's fine. No need for you to worry."
Theo gave me a meaningful look and ruthlessly hung up the call.
"Why did you stop him from continuing? What unspeakable secrets do you two share, hmm?"
Fabian released my throat. Fresh air rushed back into my lungs, and I immediately began coughing violently, tears streaming from the choking.
Theo continued pursuing Owen's identity: "What security system was he talking about? Tell me the truth."
I finally calmed down, panting as I answered: "I'm taking a computer elective course, and so is Owen. We're working on a project related to building security systems."
I couldn't expose Owen—the Ellis brothers would kill him.
"That's all there is to it."
My voice was firm, but it only provoked stronger anger and dissatisfaction from Theo and Fabian.
"We've been too lenient with you, which is why you keep challenging our authority again and again."
Theo pulled several pieces of clothing from the messy pile on the floor, roughly twisting them into a rope as he strode toward me.
I shrank back toward the corner of the bed in terror, but my hands were mercilessly bound behind my back, leaving me completely unable to move.
Then he roughly tied my wrists with the clothes. The coarse fabric rubbed against my skin, causing a burning pain that made me gasp.
I struggled desperately, my voice nearly hoarse: "Let me go!!"
"We'll give you plenty of time to reflect. Only when you're willing to tell the truth can you leave this room."
Fabian pocketed my phone: "I'll find out exactly who this Owen really is."
"Bang!"
The violent sound of the door slamming echoed throughout the room. After binding me and throwing me on the bed, they left without looking back.
The room instantly plunged into complete darkness. I had completely lost contact with the outside world.