Chapter 2

Sophia POV

Late at night, the villa was silent.

After Adrian fell asleep, I quietly got up and went to the study.

I installed a micro camera in the most concealed corner of the bookshelf, the lens pointed directly at Adrian's desk.

After finishing, I returned to the bedroom and lay down beside Adrian. The man habitually pulled me into his arms, chin resting on the top of my head, breathing evenly.

I kept my eyes open until dawn.

The next day, after Adrian left for the company, I claimed I wasn't feeling well and stayed home. I opened my laptop and connected to the study's surveillance feed.

At ten in the morning, the study door opened.

The person who entered wasn't Mary the maid, but Vivian.

Vivian was the adopted daughter of the Sterling family, and nominally my sister. She wore a flamboyant red dress and high heels, walking straight to Adrian's desk and opening his computer with practiced ease.

Before long, the door opened again. Adrian had returned.

In the surveillance footage, Adrian showed no surprise whatsoever. Instead, he locked the door behind him.

Vivian draped herself over him like a boneless cat, hooking her arms around his neck and pouting. "Adrian, didn't you say you had a morning meeting? How'd you get back so fast?"

Adrian naturally wrapped his arm around her waist, lowering his head to kiss her lips, his voice husky.

"I missed you, so I came back."

The two kissed shamelessly in the room, the image so piercing I could barely breathe.

I stared at the screen, nails digging deep into my palms.

When the kiss ended, Vivian leaned against Adrian, playing with his tie, her tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction. "When are you finally going to divorce that woman? I'm tired of sneaking around."

Adrian gently stroked her hair, his eyes holding a coldness and calculation I'd never seen before. "Soon. Her sense of smell is already deteriorating. Once she completely loses it and can't create new formulas, I'll have her committed to a psychiatric hospital. Then everything from Sterling Enterprises, plus all those top-secret core formula patents in her hands, will be yours."

Vivian's eyes lit up. "Really? What about that 'First Snow' formula she's been developing..."

"Already copied to your flash drive." Adrian pulled out a silver flash drive from his drawer and handed it to Vivian. "Next week's International Perfume Competition. This will be your entry. I'll pave the way for everything, make you a legitimate master perfumer."

Vivian excitedly took the flash drive, standing on tiptoe to kiss Adrian's cheek. "Adrian, you're so good to me! But... what if Sophia finds out?"

"Finds out?" Adrian laughed coldly, his tone contemptuous. "She's like an idiot now, completely obedient to me. So what if she finds out? She's been drinking that tonic for so long, her nerves are already damaged. Who's going to believe what a crazy person says?"

In front of the screen, my whole body turned ice cold, as if I'd fallen into a frozen lake.

So that was it.

All his tenderness and consideration over these three years. It was all for Vivian. He not only wanted to destroy my career, but also my body, and even drive me insane!

The love I took such pride in was nothing but a premeditated slaughter.

I shut down the laptop. I didn't cry or make a scene. My tears had already dried up last night.

I pulled out my phone, looking at the countdown on the calendar.

Fourteen days left.

I stood up, walked to my vanity, and removed the expensive jewelry Adrian had given me piece by piece, throwing them in the trash.

Since he wanted my formulas, wanted my life, then before I left, I'd play a good game with them.