CHAPTER 163: CHAPTER 163 WHAT’S OUR NEXT MOVE

Sophie’s POV

I froze in my seat, heart pounding like a jackhammer as Kane stared me down. The shattered glass still sparkled across the floor, wine dripping down the wall like blood.

"What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? You were so talkative a minute ago," Kane sneered, his wheelchair suddenly seeming less like a sign of weakness and more like a throne. "Sophie Hart, you’re quite something."

The tension in the room was suffocating. I swallowed hard, my eyes darting to the other wine glass on the table. My mind raced frantically.

I grabbed the bottle with trembling fingers and poured him a fresh glass, offering it with exaggerated deference.

Kane gave me a calculating look before accepting the glass. He always did appreciate quick thinking and survival instincts.

"Mr. Blackwood, please, you’ve misunderstood. It’s not what you think," I said, forcing my voice to steady while my brain worked overtime looking for an escape route.

Kane waved his hand dismissively, cutting off my pathetic attempt at damage control.

"I know exactly what you’ve done. You’re working with Lucian West, aren’t you?"

My body trembled involuntarily. Fuck. My heart plummeted, feeling like it had dropped into an ice bath.

"Don’t worry," he continued, swirling his wine lazily. "I won’t tell Ryan about this little betrayal. But getting me to do your dirty work while you’re actually Lucian’s puppet? That seems rather backwards, don’t you think?"

I shook my head frantically, forcing my eyes to water as I slipped into victim mode. It had always worked before.

"Mr. Blackwood, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m actually being coerced. Lucian knows about my history with Ryan and is using that to manipulate me," I sniffled dramatically. "When you think about it, Lucian shares the same goal as you do."

As I spoke, a new strategy began forming in my mind. I looked up suddenly, allowing a spark of inspiration to show in my eyes.

"What if... what if you and Lucian joined forces against Ryan? You’d be unstoppable together."

Kane scoffed, taking a slow, deliberate sip of his wine until the glass was empty.

I immediately leaned forward to refill it, playing the perfect servant.

"Or perhaps you could let them fight each other while you reap the benefits afterward," I suggested, desperation leaking into my voice despite my best efforts.

"Now that," Kane mused, "is slightly more interesting. Continue. What else is going on in that devious mind of yours?"

I finally exhaled, relief flooding through me as I regained my footing.

"From what I understand, Lucian has some interest in Serena Quinn. Why not let him drain Ryan’s resources first? Then you can step in when the time is right."

"I’ve been loyal to you all this time, Mr. Blackwood. With Lucian, it’s just a performance—a means to an end," I added with a sickening smile.

After several more minutes of shameless flattery, Kane’s expression softened considerably.

"You seem to understand the situation quite well."

"Of course I do. I know your capabilities," I simpered. "This is New York. The Blackwoods have always ruled here. Once Ryan falls, you’ll be the rightful leader of the family empire. Lucian is just an outsider who doesn’t belong."

Kane chuckled softly, nodding with satisfaction. My obsequious attitude seemed to please him—no need for further discussion.

"Bring me the files," he commanded his assistant, who immediately left to retrieve them from upstairs.

My eyes lit up with undisguised triumph. I’d guessed correctly—Kane really did have information on the suburban project.

Minutes later, the precious documents were placed before me. I flipped through them eagerly but couldn’t immediately make sense of what I was seeing.

What I didn’t know was that Kane had already altered these files, though the changes were subtle enough that an untrained eye wouldn’t notice.

Kane tapped his fingers impatiently against the polished mahogany table.

"Give these to Lucian. You probably can’t understand what you’re looking at anyway."

"Just remember this—Ryan’s parents were responsible for the deaths of Lucian’s family. That’s what matters."

Shock rippled through me. "So that’s why Lucian is so obsessed with this project?"

Kane nodded curtly. "Just deliver the files to him. The rest is no longer your concern."

"I understand completely."

"And one more thing—don’t come here unannounced again. If you need something, call first."

"I can’t stand being disturbed. It irritates me," he added, his tone dangerous.

I clutched the files to my chest, nodding rapidly. Frankly, I was more than happy not to visit this unpredictable, wheelchair-bound tyrant again.

"Of course, Mr. Blackwood. I’ll leave you to your evening."

I walked out of Kane’s mansion clutching those documents like they were pure gold. My hand was still trembling slightly, but I’d managed to turn the situation around. Barely.

"Something wrong, Sophie?" Kane’s assistant called after me as I rushed down the steps.

"Nothing at all!" I chirped back, my smile so fake it hurt my cheeks.

Jesus Christ. My heart was still pounding like I’d run a marathon. When that glass shattered against the wall, I thought I was done for.

"Get it together, Sophie," I muttered to myself, straightening up and checking my makeup in the rearview mirror. My mascara had smudged slightly from the stress sweat. Great.

I opened the folder sitting on my passenger seat, flipping through documents that meant nothing to me at first glance. Old property records, financial statements, signatures... What was I supposed to do with this jumble?

I closed the folder with a snap and started the car. Whatever was going on, I was in far deeper than I’d anticipated. But I wasn’t about to back out now. Kane thought I was just a pretty puppet to be manipulated, and Lucian probably thought the same.

They were both wrong. I’d use them both to get what I wanted.

then my phone rang, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Unknown number. My finger hovered over the screen before I answered.

"Did you get it?" Lucian’s smooth voice came through immediately.

"Hello to you too," I said sarcastically, turning onto the highway. "Yes, I got your precious documents. And a whole lot more than I bargained for."

"Good work," Lucian said, his voice calm. "Where are you now?"

"Heading back to my apartment. Why?"

"I’ll meet you there in an hour. Don’t look at those documents anymore. And Sophie?"

"What?"

"Make sure you weren’t followed."

He hung up before I could respond. Great. Now I was in some kind of spy thriller. I checked my rearview mirror obsessively for the rest of the drive, my nerves shot to hell.

Back in my apartment, I poured myself a large glass of wine and kicked off my heels. The documents sat on my coffee table like a ticking bomb. What was in there that was so important?

The knock on my door came precisely an hour later. Lucian stood there in a perfectly tailored black suit, looking more dangerous than usual. His green eyes scanned my apartment the moment I let him in.

"Did anyone see you come here?" I asked, closing the door behind him.

"No one who matters," he said cryptically, heading straight for the documents. "You didn’t look through these, did you?"

"I skimmed them, but they’re just a bunch of old records. Nothing made sense."

Lucian sat down and began to methodically go through each page. His face gave nothing away, but I noticed his fingers tightening on the edges of the paper.

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about?" I asked, sitting across from him.

His eyes flicked up to meet mine—cold, sharp, and unreadable.

"This doesn’t concern you," he said flatly.

I shut my mouth, biting back the retort on my tongue. There was no point. Not with that tone.

Without another word, he pulled out a check and slid it across the table toward me.

"Your compensation."

I stared at it for a moment, then slipped it into my bag without looking at the number.

Lucian gathered the documents and stood up. "These confirm what I’ve suspected. There’s enough evidence here to destroy the Blackwood name completely."

"So what’s our next move?" I asked, following him to the door.

He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "I’ll be in touch. In the meantime, act normal. Go to work, smile at your colleagues. And Sophie?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful around Kane. He’s not as powerless as he appears."

After Lucian left, I refilled my wine glass and stared out at the city lights. Something wasn’t adding up. Why would Kane give me those documents if he knew I was working with Lucian? What game was he playing?

One thing was clear - I was now trapped between two powerful men with their own agendas. And somewhere out there, Ryan was with Serena instead of me.

I took a long sip of wine, feeling the burn down my throat. Let them all play their games. In the end, I’d be the one standing beside Ryan.

Even if I had to burn everything to the ground first.