Chapter 393

The dress clung to her frame, transforming her into something ethereal—a delicate university student untouched by the harsh realities of the world, as if she had just stepped out of an ivory tower. Pure. Radiant.

Sophia caught herself and nearly laughed.

Was she really admiring herself like this?

And then—

No.

She couldn’t let herself get lost in this moment.

Her thoughts immediately snapped to Noah.

Where was he now?

Was he safe?

The mere thought of him darkened her expression. She had sworn never to think of Liam Sterling again, especially after the humiliating whispers at work, the way Olivia Kensington had sneered and called her a gold-digger.

But right now, she wanted to see Liam.

She needed to ask him—had he found any leads on Noah?

He had promised, after all.

Lost in thought, she stepped outside, her movements sluggish.

She didn’t see Ethan waiting for her.

But she heard his voice—cold, cutting through the air like a blade.

"I don’t want you thinking about another man." His tone left no room for argument. "If your mind wanders, I’ll make sure everyone you care about disappears."

Sophia spun around.

Ethan stood there, dressed in mechanic’s overalls.

The loose fabric should have looked sloppy, but on him, it was different.

It clung just enough to emphasize the raw power of his frame—broad shoulders, a tapered waist, the kind of presence that demanded attention.

Sophia’s breath hitched.

"Wh-what do you mean?" she stammered.

A slow, dangerous smirk curled his lips.

"Remember our last driving lesson?" His voice dropped, low and rough. "How I stopped before things went too far?"

Her face burned.

"This time," he continued, stepping closer, "there’s no one around for miles. Just us. And this field."

Sophia’s pulse skyrocketed.

"We’re here to practice driving," she snapped, cheeks flaming.

Ethan’s laugh was dark.

"Oh, we will."

She huffed, storming toward the car and yanking the door open.

But then—

She froze.

She didn’t even know how to start the damn thing.

Ethan slid in beside her, his hands covering hers on the wheel.

"Focus," he ordered.

"I’m scared," she admitted.

"There’s nothing to be scared of." His voice was steel. "The road is clear. I’m right here. Drive."

She hated this.

Hated that he was the one teaching her.

What kind of instructor skipped theory and went straight to practical?

What kind of instructor threatened to—

No.

She wouldn’t think about that.

By the end of the morning, though, she had improved.

She could reverse.

She could turn.

It was almost… impressive.

Until—

"I’m done," she declared, slumping back in the seat.

"No."

"I’m hungry."

Ethan glanced at his watch.

"Fine."

She perked up.

"Can we go home?" she asked hopefully. "I want real food."

The food outside was terrible, and she was exhausted.

All she wanted was a hot meal, a bath, and sleep.

Ethan studied her for a long moment before nodding.

"Home it is."

Meanwhile, hidden in the trees…

Cassandra Wilson narrowed her eyes.

"That’s her," she hissed.

Her boyfriend frowned. "Who?"

"Sophia Montgomery. The new designer at Chase Office. She’s already the favorite, and she’s only been there two weeks."

The bitterness in her voice was palpable.

Her boyfriend scoffed. "She must be something special if she gets the whole driving range cleared for her."

Cassandra’s lips curled.

"Special? Please. She’s just Julian Montgomery’s latest toy."

She pulled out her phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking pictures."

"That’s illegal."

"Not if it’s just her back."

The camera clicked.

And just like that, Sophia had no idea she’d been caught in someone else’s crosshairs.

Again.