SMITTEN BY HER (unedited)

........You're not like anyone

Sophia closed the door to Mr. Lee's office behind her, her mind a whirlwind of questions and emotions. His parting words replayed in her head: "Perhaps because you're the only one who might understand."

They lingered, wrapping around her like an invisible chain she couldn't escape.

---

By late evening, the office had grown quiet, the hum of activity replaced by a heavy stillness. Sophia found herself alone in the break room, staring blankly at her untouched coffee.

The world felt like it had tilted on its axis since stepping into Mr. Lee's orbit, and she couldn't tell if she was spiraling or ascending.

The faint click of footsteps pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to find Mr. Lee standing in the doorway. His presence consumed the room, every shadow seeming to stretch toward him like they were summoned by his will.

"Still here," he said, his tone unreadable as he stepped closer.

Sophia straightened, unsure whether to be unnerved or intrigued. "I could say the same about you."

His lips quirked, though his smile didn't reach his eyes. "This place doesn't sleep. Neither do I."

° Oh Sophia what have you put yourself into°

The faint flicker of vulnerability in his words startled her. Before she could respond, he moved closer, the sharp lines of his face illuminated by the dim, flickering light. His eyes-dark, endless-bore into hers, as if searching for something she wasn't sure she could give.

"Why do you linger, Sophia?" he asked, his voice low, almost a whisper. "Most would run."

"Because I need to understand," she replied, her voice firmer than she expected. "Whatever this is... whatever you are... I won't look away."

The air around them thickened, charged with an intensity that made her pulse quicken.

He reached out, his fingers brushing against her wrist. The touch was cold, yet it sent a searing heat through her skin, as if frost and fire had collided in that brief contact.

"Careful," he murmured, his gaze never leaving hers. "Curiosity has a price, and you might not be willing to pay it."

Sophia swallowed, her breath hitching. "You don't get to decide that for me."

For a moment, the world seemed to shrink to just the two of them. The flickering light above them dimmed, casting shadows that twisted and danced as if alive.

His touch lingered, light yet commanding, until he finally stepped back, his expression guarded once more.

---

The next morning, Sophia walked into the office to find the atmosphere unusually tense. Penelope hovered near Mr. Lee's office, her expression smug and triumphant.

When Penelope caught sight of her, the smirk widened. "Good morning, Sophia. I hope you're not too busy. Mr. Lee will want to discuss the... arrangements with Samantha soon."

Sophia's stomach clenched. She forced herself to nod, refusing to give Penelope the satisfaction of a reaction. "I'll be ready."

Penelope's laugh was soft, mocking. "It's such a shame, isn't it? All this effort, and yet Samantha's the one walking down the aisle."

Sophia's fists tightened at her sides. Before she could retort, Kai appeared, his presence cutting through the tension like a blade.

"Morning, ladies," he said cheerfully, though his eyes flicked between them with sharp awareness. "Penelope, shouldn't you be... I don't know, doing your job?"

Penelope shot him a glare before retreating, leaving Sophia and Kai alone.

Kai turned to her, his easygoing smile softening. "You okay?"

Sophia shook her head, feeling the cracks in her armor. "I don't know, Kai. This whole thing with Samantha... with Mr. Lee... it feels like I'm watching something unravel, and I don't know where I fit."

Kai placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You'll figure it out. And if not, you've got me to help you navigate all this insanity."

His warmth was a balm, but it couldn't dispel the cold that settled over her when she thought of Mr. Lee. The man was an enigma-one she couldn't seem to walk away from, no matter how much she tried.

---

Later that evening, Sophia found herself in Mr. Lee's office once more. The blinds were drawn, and the room was dimly lit, the faint glow of the city outside casting an ethereal light across his desk.

He stood near the window, his silhouette sharp against the night sky.

"You wanted to see me," she said, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

He turned, his gaze heavy with something she couldn't name. "Yes. Sit."

Sophia obeyed, her heart pounding as he moved closer, his movements deliberate and predatory.

"The contract with Samantha is finalized," he said, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "She and I will be married by the end of the month."

Her chest tightened, though she kept her expression neutral. "Congratulations."

He studied her, his eyes narrowing. "You don't mean that."

Sophia met his gaze, refusing to back down. "It doesn't matter what I mean, does it? You've made your choice."

Mr. Lee leaned down, his face mere inches from hers. The air between them felt electric, every breath a struggle. "Do you think this is what I want?" he asked, his voice a whisper, laced with something raw and unguarded.

"I don't know what you want," she admitted, her voice trembling despite her resolve. "You never let anyone close enough to find out."

For a moment, the mask slipped. His eyes softened, and she saw a flicker of pain, of something vulnerable and human. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the icy exterior she'd come to know.

"You're right," he said, stepping back and straightening.

"This isn't about want. It's about need. Samantha serves a purpose. That's all."

"And me?" she asked, standing and facing him. "What purpose do I serve?"

He didn't answer right away, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch.

"You're not like her," he said finally, his voice softer, almost reverent. "You're not like anyone."

The weight of his words hung in the air, their meaning unclear yet undeniable. Sophia felt the pull of his presence, the magnetic force that kept her tethered to him despite everything.

As she left his office that night, her mind raced with questions. She didn't know what game Mr. Lee was playing, but one thing was clear: she was already too deep to walk away.

And the closer she got to him, the more she realized that whatever secrets he was hiding, they were far darker-and far more dangerous-than she could have ever imagined.