Chapter 5 Time To Fulfill

Morning light slipped through the apartment windows, washing the rooms in a quiet gold. Sofia had barely slept, but something in her expression had shifted. Her resolve was fragile, yet it held firm, like glass that refused to crack.

Catalina remained curled up on the sofa, still lost in sleep, and Sofia could not bring herself to disturb her. Before everything changed, there was one conversation she could no longer postpone.

She retreated into her bedroom, closed the door, and inhaled slowly. Then she dialed the number she had memorized since childhood.

The line rang longer than she expected. Finally, her father's deep, steady voice came through.

"Sofia? What's going on, sweetheart?"

Her throat tightened as she gripped the phone with both hands.

"Dad... Mom... I need to tell you something. It's important."

Almost immediately, her mother's voice joined, sharp with concern.

"Sofia? Are you alright? Did something happen?" Alicia asked, her instinct always too accurate.

"I'm okay," Sofia replied, though tension threaded her words. "Nothing has happened to me. But I need you both to listen carefully. And I need you to promise you won't stop me halfway."

Silence settled across the call.

"Alright," Alessandro answered, calm but alert.

"I've made a choice. I know it might sound sudden, even confusing, but I didn't do this blindly. I need you to trust me for now. I can't explain everything yet, but I need you to understand one thing clearly. No one forced me into this. This is something I decided on my own."

She could hear a faint shuffle from her father's end, the sound of someone weighing words he wasn't quite ready to say.

"I'm getting married," Sofia remarked, the words spilling out stronger than she expected. "And I'm asking you-no, I'm begging you-not to stand in my way. Don't try to stop it, don't reach out to anyone, don't dig for details. I just need your support."

Silence stretched on the line, heavy and bottomless.

Her mother spoke first, her voice soft and uncertain, as if she couldn't quite believe what she'd heard. "What do you mean, you're getting married?"

"It's what I want, Mom."

"Who is he?" Alessandro asked, his tone edged with authority he couldn't quite hide.

Sofia squeezed her eyes shut.

"I can't say yet-not now. Just know it's someone you never would have guessed. I only need you to trust me. You always taught me to stand on my own, to choose for myself. This... this is my choice. Please."

A muted conversation carried over the line-her parents murmuring to each other, maybe exchanging a look that said everything they couldn't say out loud.

At last, Alessandro's voice came through, low and careful.

"Are you certain about this?"

"Yes." Sofia's answer came out clear and sure.

"Alright then. We'll step back. But if you ever want out... if you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask. We'll be here, no questions."

Emotion tightened in Sofia's chest.

"Thank you," she murmured. That's all I want. Just have faith in me. Please wait for me. I know I can handle this.

Alicia's voice trembled as she spoke up. "We believe in you, Sofia. Even if this makes no sense to us, our love won't change."

When the call ended, Sofia slumped onto the bed, still clutching the phone. One tear slipped down her cheek-not for sorrow, but for the weight that had lifted from her heart.

She'd made it through the first trial.

The apartment buzzer sounded, jarring her back to reality.

A cold prickle of anxiety ran through her as she opened the door.

A tall man dressed all in black waited outside. He wore dark sunglasses and a tailored suit, a single earpiece marking him as security. His face revealed nothing as he spoke, each word clipped and firm.

"Miss Sofia Morgan. I have been sent by Mr. Naven Fort. You are to accompany me to the hotel, where Mr. Fort awaits. Afterward, we will proceed directly to the Civil Registry."

There were no questions, no drawn-out explanations. Only the bare essentials were given.

Sofia steadied herself with a slow breath. She grabbed a notepad, scribbling a hurried message, her hand barely steady, and passed it to Catalina, who had woken and was watching with anxious eyes.

"I'm going to the Civil Registry. Don't worry about me. I'll contact you as soon as I can. Thank you for always being there."

With that, Sofia turned away, refusing to look back. She followed the silent bodyguard down to the black car waiting at the curb.

This was it-the point of no return for the life she'd always known.

There would be no wedding procession, no flowers, no music, no family gathered around.

Only paperwork, two signatures, and the inescapable reality of the Fort name, echoing in her mind as the car sped through the city.

The presidential suite where they brought her was silent and cavernous. Luxury was everywhere-sleek black marble, golden edges, artwork set just so. But Sofia saw none of it. She perched on a chair by the window, hands knotted in her lap, posture tense. More than two hours ticked by as she waited.

They had told her Mr. Fort would arrive soon.

Mr. Fort. Naven. The words twisted together in her thoughts.

A weary sigh escaped her lips.

Her eyes flicked to the door again and again, nerves jangling. The silence inside the suite pressed in, the low drone of the air conditioning sounding impossibly loud. She rose from the sofa, pacing in a tight circle. Pausing before the vanity mirror, she smoothed her hair and drew in a long, steadying breath. Then she returned to her seat, hands clenched in her lap.

Time crawled by, each minute stretching painfully. At last, the doorknob turned with a soft click.

To Sofia, the sound was deafening.

To Sofia, the gentle swing of the door roared through the suite like distant thunder.

Naven stepped in, each movement calm and certain, dressed in a charcoal suit with no tie, the top button of his shirt casually undone. Though he had no coat, the crisp bite of Madrid's morning seemed to follow him inside. He shut the door behind him with practiced ease.

Sofia rose from the sofa at once.

"Good morning," she whispered, her greeting barely above a whisper.

He gave no reply. Instead, he made his way to the minibar, poured himself a glass of whiskey-neat-and took a drink, not once meeting her gaze. Only after a moment, his back still half-turned, did he speak, his voice low and distant, sending a shiver through her.

"Are you aware of everything this agreement requires? Do you understand what today means for both of us?"

Uncertainty clouded Sofia's face as she searched for the right words.

"I think... it means we'll be living together. Showing ourselves as a couple in public. Acting like husband and wife, at least where people can see us," she replied, her voice wavering.

There was no anger in his face. Only a glacial distance, as if he had built walls no one could breach.

"This isn't a game, Sofia. It isn't for show, or some romantic story. Every clause in this agreement will be binding."

Sofia gave a slow, measured nod.

"I understand."

Naven set his glass down with practiced care, stepped closer, and produced a sleek black folder from his jacket. He placed it on the table, flipping it open to reveal a stack of meticulously organized documents. Sofia's throat tightened as she looked them over.

"These are the terms," he said. "A full medical check is required. There will be no obligation for physical intimacy. You are not permitted to access my finances, except where specified. You may not leave Madrid without my approval. You may not leave Madrid without my approval. Our arrangement must remain confidential. And you are not to become pregnant."

The last stipulation made Sofia's eyes widen.

"That's included here?" she asked, disbelief coloring her voice.

"It's all written here," Naven responded evenly. "Break any of these terms, and the agreement dissolves. You'll owe a penalty."

"What sort of penalty?"

"A million euros."

Sofia felt her breath catch in her throat.

"And if you break the contract?"

"I won't," he responded flatly, leaving no room for discussion.

It was as if there were no other outcome, no possibility he would ever be the one at fault.

Her eyes dropped to the documents on the table. Each page was immaculate, the terms spelled out in perfect detail. Her own name was already typed into several places, needing only her signature and a few personal details.

"I have to fill in my information," she muttered quietly.

Naven produced a pen from his pocket and placed it before her. She took it, feeling her hand tremble as she wrote out her name.

Sofia Morgan.

The room fell into silence again. Naven watched her, unmoving. But as her pen paused on the page and the surname came into focus, something flickered across his

face-a moment's recognition.

Morgan. The name carried weight. Only now, hearing it spoken, did he truly pay attention.

He mentally repeated the surname. Of course he knew it. Anyone operating at his level did. But he hadn't expected it here, tied to this woman-someone who seemed so out of place in his world.

"Morgan?" His voice was flat. "Tell me-who are your parents? What family do you come from?"