SMITTEN BY HER (unedited)

This is inevitable.

The grand hall was alive with opulence and a sense of foreboding. Flickering candlelight played off the towering chandeliers, casting shimmering patterns across the polished marble floor.

The wedding of Mr. Lee and Samantha was a masterpiece of cold perfection, but beneath the surface, it felt like a masquerade-a performance everyone participated in, yet few believed.

Sophia stood near the edge of the crowd, a glass of champagne in her hand, though she had barely taken a sip.

She watched as Samantha moved gracefully through the throng of guests, her ice-white gown glittering with the precision of diamonds. At her side, Mr. Lee was the perfect image of stoic elegance, his sharp suit fitting him like armor.

Yet, even as he engaged with the crowd, Sophia felt his presence-an unspoken tension that tethered them across the room.

---

Penelope sidled up to Sophia, her emerald-green dress shimmering like envy incarnate. "Quite the spectacle, isn't it?" she said, her voice sweet but barbed. "It must sting, watching him marry someone else."

Sophia's gaze didn't waver from Mr. Lee. "Why would it sting? It's not my wedding."

Penelope smirked, sipping her champagne. "Oh, darling, denial is such a boring color on you. Everyone can see the way you look at him."

"And how does he look at me?" Sophia countered, turning her sharp gaze on Penelope.

Penelope faltered for just a moment, her confidence cracking. "Like a distraction," she said finally, though her tone lacked conviction. "One he'll tire of soon enough."

Sophia smiled faintly, the kind that carried more bite than kindness. "Then you've got nothing to worry about, do you?"

Before Penelope could reply, a shadow loomed over them. Mr. Lee stood there, his presence so commanding it made Penelope shrink slightly.

"Penelope," he said, his voice smooth yet dismissive. "Why don't you find someone else to bother?"

Penelope's jaw tightened, but she plastered on a saccharine smile. "Of course, Mr. Lee." She shot Sophia one last venomous look before disappearing into the crowd.

Mr. Lee turned to Sophia, his dark eyes holding hers. "You looked like you were about to devour her."

Sophia raised an eyebrow, swirling her untouched champagne. "Would you have stopped me?"

His lips curved into the faintest smirk. "I might've enjoyed watching."

Sophia tilted her head, a challenge dancing in her eyes. "And what would Samantha think about that?"

His smirk disappeared, replaced by a flash of something darker. "Samantha isn't your concern."

"And yet here you are," she murmured, stepping closer. "While she's over there, playing the perfect bride."

His hand brushed against hers-a fleeting, deliberate touch that sent a jolt through her. "Careful, Sophia. You're playing a dangerous game."

"So are you," she whispered, her voice low enough that only he could hear.

---

The Ceremony

When the time came for the vows, the tension in the room was palpable. Samantha stood at the altar, radiant yet detached, her smile more rehearsed than genuine. Mr. Lee's expression was unreadable, his usual confidence tempered by something colder.

Sophia, seated toward the back, felt every word of the ceremony like a weight pressing against her chest. She hated the way her heart twisted when Mr. Lee slipped the ring onto Samantha's finger. Hated the way her fingers tightened around the edge of her chair.

And yet, she couldn't look away.

---

After the ceremony, as the guests transitioned into the reception hall, Sophia slipped away, her emotions a swirling storm. She found herself in the estate's vast garden, where the cool night air did little to calm her racing thoughts.

The sound of footsteps behind her made her tense. She turned, expecting Crystal or Kai-but it was him.

Mr. Lee stood there, his tie loosened, his dark suit blending into the shadows. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"You shouldn't be out here alone," he said finally, his voice softer than she expected.

Sophia crossed her arms, her gaze defiant. "And you shouldn't be here at all. Shouldn't you be with your wife?"

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "You're angry."

"I'm not angry," she snapped, though her voice betrayed her. "Why would I be angry? This isn't my life. It's yours."

"And yet you care," he said, his tone maddeningly calm.

Sophia laughed bitterly, the sound sharp in the quiet night. "Careful, Mr. Lee. You're starting to sound like you want me to admit something."

He moved closer, his hand brushing against hers. "Maybe I do."

Her breath hitched, but she held her ground. "Then you'll be waiting a long time."

His lips twitched into a faint smile. "I'm a patient man."

She shook her head, stepping back. "This is insane."

"No," he said, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "This is inevitable."

---

Before she could reply, the sound of voices from the house cut through the moment. Mr. Min and Reginald were arguing, their words carrying across the night.

"You're a fool if you think he'll share anything with us," Reginald was saying. "This marriage changes nothing. He's still the same arrogant bastard."

Mr. Min's voice was colder. "Then we make him share. By force, if necessary."

Sophia glanced at Mr. Lee, whose expression was carved from stone. "Your family's lovely," she said dryly.

He didn't respond immediately. When he did, his voice was a razor's edge. "Stay out of it, Sophia."

She narrowed her eyes. "And if I don't?"

His gaze locked onto hers, intense and unyielding. "Then you'll regret it."

For a moment, the air between them crackled with unspoken tension.

Then, without another word, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving her alone with her thoughts-and the growing realization that she was in far deeper than she had ever intended.

As she watched his figure retreat, a quiet voice in her mind whispered what she didn't want to admit:

She wasn't just playing the game anymore.

She was a part of it. And it was only just beginning.