The night had a strange stillness to it, like the silence before a coming storm. Sophie Hart sat by the wide glass window of her bedroom, legs pulled up, robe loosely tied around her silk nightgown. From the outside, she looked like any young wife wrapped in luxury—but inside, her chest tightened with memories she could no longer ignore.
Her phone buzzed.
Tina.
She hadn't heard from her stepsister in weeks—since the public humiliation at the charity gala, where Sophie's grace had made headlines, and Tina's hissed insults had been caught on a hot mic.
> "You'll never be more than a pet in that palace, Sophie."
The message read:
"If you want to know what Aiden's hiding, meet me at the Carlton rooftop. Come alone."
She stared at it. Her heart knocked once, hard.
She knew Tina well. Poison wrapped in pearls. But still—Sophie couldn't ignore the sting in her gut.
---
Downstairs, Aiden was in his study. 6'3, lean, built like a swimmer beneath custom-tailored suits. His sleeves were rolled up, eyes scanning confidential files. His fingers tapped against a whiskey glass—untouched.
He sensed Sophie before he saw her. Her perfume—jasmine, with a hint of bergamot—always gave her away.
"I'm going out," she said casually, grabbing her coat.
"Where to?" His voice was calm. Too calm.
"Just air. I need it."
His dark gaze lifted to meet hers. "You need air, and heels?"
She didn't answer. The tension crackled, unspoken.
"You still don't trust me, do you?" Aiden finally said.
She froze.
"No," she replied. "Not when every day feels like a test. And I'm tired of guessing."
---
Carlton Hotel Rooftop – 10:47PM
The city glimmered below. Lights stretched like stars caught on concrete.
Tina was already waiting, draped in a red trench coat over black leather pants. Her lips, a cruel shade of plum, curled into a smirk as Sophie stepped out of the elevator.
"Well, well," Tina purred. "The President's daughter-in-law still answers her phone."
Sophie didn't waste time. "What do you want?"
Tina took a slow drag of her cigarette, then flicked it over the edge. "Did you know Aiden proposed to me first?"
Sophie didn't blink.
"He was forced to marry you. But that's not the good part." She pulled out a flash drive and waved it. "This… contains records of Aiden's private bank accounts. Offshore. Untraceable. Why would your darling husband need those, Sophie?"
Sophie's fingers tightened on her clutch.
Tina leaned in. "Ask him what Project Novus means."
Before Sophie could react, a security guard stepped forward. "Ma'am, we have to clear the rooftop. There's been a threat call."
Tina's smirk deepened. "Careful, Sophie. You're playing a game where love gets you killed."
---
Back at the Hart Residence
Sophie didn't sleep.
The drive was silent. The city lights blurred past her, but her mind was stuck on two words: Project Novus.
At 2:00 a.m., she stood in Aiden's study doorway. He was still at his desk, jacket gone, tie loosened, the top buttons of his shirt undone, revealing the light scar on his chest—one she never asked about.
"Aiden," she said, voice quieter than she meant.
He looked up, surprised.
"Tell me about Project Novus."
His face didn't change.
She stepped inside, the flash drive clutched in her palm. "And don't lie. I want the truth. All of it."
There was a beat of silence.
He rose slowly, walked toward the cabinet, poured himself a drink—and finally met her eyes.
"It was an operation," he said. "Classified. Coded under my name. A ghost fund… created to trap Senator Voss. But it's not clean. People got hurt. Things happened."
"Were you part of it?" she whispered.
"I led it."
The room spun.
She turned to leave.
"Wait." His voice was sharp.
She paused.
"I didn't choose you because of Project Novus," he said. "But loving you? That wasn't part of the mission either."
Sophie swallowed hard.
"I don't know who to believe anymore," she said, and the door clicked softly behind her as she walked away.
---
Later That Night – Another City
In a dimly lit apartment, Senator Voss watched the news on mute as a woman placed a folder on his desk.
"She knows about Novus," she said.
Voss didn't look up. "Good. It'll break them faster than any bullet."
He lit a cigar and smiled.
Because Sophie wasn't just Aiden's weakness.
She was now the most dangerous variable in the war to come.
---