Chapter 0016 +25 BORUS William’s POV : In the days that followed Sophia’s last text , I agonized over the mystery surrounding it . I wracked my brain , trying to understand who could have possibly forced Sophia out of the city , or why they would target such a wonderful woman . She had no fame or fortune . By all means , she seemed to be just a normal girl who was sweet to everyone who knew her . Alongside the mystery of her disappearance , I also struggled in figuring out just what I felt for Sophia . Her love confession was like a dagger through my heart , and I found myself wondering if what I felt for Sophia was love , too , or if I was just too distraught by her fate . During my grief , there were times where I asked myself : was it my fault ? Maybe she had gotten in trouble for loving me ? I was a rich and powerful person , after all , and my family had no shortage of enemies . A few days following that final text , as I was stewing in my regret for the things I’d never said , I got a call . I answered without sparing a glance towards the caller ID . “ Sophia ? ” The woman on the other end spoke with surprise . “ No , it’s Caroline , ” she replied , her voice melodic and soft . “ Oh … Caroline , ” I greeted , overcome with disappointment . “ What can I do for you ? Is everything alright ? ” “ Yeah , everything’s perfectly fine ! ” she said , her tone upbeat . “ Although , I wanted to talk to you about something . Something important . She had a serious edge to her voice that piqued my curiosity . “ What is it ? ” I inquired . The next time Caroline spoke , it was with hesitation . “ I want to tell you over dinner , if that’s alright with you . Would you be okay with coming to that Italian restaurant down on 4th Street tonight ? ” The request left me puzzled . What kind of important information would need to be said over dinner at a fine restaurant ? The restaurant she was referring to was hardly a casual ven her father was a eatery , after all . In fact , it was the most upscale restaurant in town . fairly wealthy businessman , the price was nothing for her , but the choice in location was still odd all the same . The signs of what was to come were in my face , but I remained ignorant to them and agreed to go anyway . “ Sure . I’ll meet you there . That night , I donned a luxurious suit and headed down to the restaurant Catoline had chosen for us . I was quite fond of the eatery , and with how well Caroline knew me , it was no surprise that she picked this place out for us . We’d been friends since we were young , as our families had been close business partners . Chapter DOT Caroline had always been like an adorable younger sister to me , always knowing what to say or do to make me laugh or smile . Our friendship was a treasure to me , so I was curious to know what she wanted to tell me so urgently Upon stepping into the building , I was surprised to find a table waiting for me in a private room . Stepping inside , I felt like I’d entered into a romance movie . The walls were adorned with flowers and there were people on standby , ready to cater to my every need as soon as I sat down . The table was covered in rose petals and lit by fresh candles , and standing beside it was Caroline , as beautiful as ever in her stunning red dress . Although I’d realized by that point that this was no ordinary conversation , I still sat down anyway , visibly confused . As soon as Caroline eated herself across from me , a man wielding a violin presented himself to us with a smile . With deft fingers , he began to play a tune that was slow and heartfelt . “ Caroline , what’s all this about ? ” I inquired after placing my order , though I had a feeling already knew the answer . It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together . Caroline’s only response was a shy smile . It wasn’t until a waiter came to pour us a couple glasses of rich red wine that she finally answered . “ William , ” she began , looking up at me as though I had hung the stars , “ I’ve come to realize that I … I have strong romantic feelings for you . I was stunned by the confession . She loved me ? Just how long had she felt this way ? My mind failed to supply a response , so I just let her continue . “ I’ve had these feelings for you for a while now , ” Caroline admitted , a deep red dusting over her cheeks . “ I wanted to know if , maybe , you would be interested in starting a relationship with me . As more than friends . When we were young , Caroline used to say she loved me so much that she wanted to be my wife . She’d been too young to understand love then , so I had never taken her seriously until now . With a bow of her head , Caroline awaited an answer . I took the opportunity to search my racing thoughts . This was all happening so fast and was straight out of left field . How was I expected to process this when Sophia was still missing ? The world seemed to stop on a dime as my thoughts wandered back to Sophia . Images of her kneeling in front of Caroline’s father returned to me , and at that moment , I knew + exactly what was happening . It was no coincidence that Caroline confessed to me directly after Sophia’s disappearance . Tom must have wanted me to marry his daughter to boost business relations between our families . He intentionally got Sophia to leave the city so there would be no one standing in between me and his daughter . As far – fetched as it may seem , it was the only explanation . that made sense . Chapter 0010 Now I sat before his daughter , forced into a choice by a greedy manipulator . Just the thought of being used like some pawn in a game made anger bubble in the pit of my stomach . Thomas West was going to pay for disposing of Sophia like she was garbage . +25 BONUS Did Caroline know about it ? Was she in on it , too ? Either way , she was not innocent in this ordeal . She was the reason Sophia was forced out , and I had to mentally restrain myself so as to not shout out and lose my temper . With Caroline’s eyes cast downward , she couldn’t see my expression fell into indifference . What I felt in that moment was not love ; far from it , in fact . I only felt bitter hatred for her father and what he’d done to Sophia . Well , if Tom was going to sabotage the people I loved , then two could play that game . I mustered up a forced smile , reaching forward and taking Caroline’s hands into my own . I would love to be with you , ” I lied through my teeth . I didn’t love Caroline , and I swore that I never would . At that moment , I didn’t feel anything other than contempt for her . Tears of happiness brimmed in Caroline’s eyes , but I couldn’t find it in me to care . The kiss Igave her was cold and loveless , but she didn’t even notice . Tom would suffer for what he’d done to Sophia and I , and if that meant utilizing the marriage he had forced me into , then so be it . Today’s Bonus Offer