Chapter 3 A Savior's Gamble

Julian's POV

I watched her from across the room, her slender frame leaning against the railing of my balcony, staring into the city lights. She seemed so small, so fragile. Sophia didn't belong to this world of pain she had been thrust into. And yet, despite her brokenness, there was something about her-a quiet strength hidden beneath her sorrow.

When I first approached her at that café, it wasn't chance. I knew exactly who she was, and I knew the details of her messy divorce. The whispers of betrayal and heartbreak had reached my ears through business circles. I hadn't sought her out as a romantic conquest-at least not initially. She intrigued me because I saw potential in her, a potential she had clearly forgotten about herself.

Now, as she stood there wrapped in the crisp evening air, I wondered if she regretted saying yes to my proposal.

"Are you alright?" I asked, stepping closer.

She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes glassy but steady. "I'm fine," she said softly, though her voice betrayed her weariness.

Fine. A word people use when they're anything but.

"I can tell when someone's lying to me, Sophia," I said, standing beside her. My tone was calm but firm. I didn't believe in sugarcoating the truth. She deserved better than that.

Her lips curved into a bitter smile. "That obvious, huh?"

"It's written all over your face."

She sighed, her fingers curling around the railing. "I just... I don't know how to feel. Everything happened so fast. One minute, I was someone's wife. The next, I was disposable. And now... I'm here, engaged to you. I barely know who I am anymore."

I resisted the urge to touch her, to pull her into my arms. Sophia wasn't the kind of woman you rushed. She needed time to piece herself back together, and I would give her that.

"You're stronger than you think," I said, my voice low. "You survived something most people wouldn't. You're still standing, Sophia. That's no small feat."

She turned to me then, her eyes searching mine, as though she were trying to find some hidden motive. I didn't blame her. Trust was hard-earned, especially for someone who had been so deeply betrayed.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Doing what?"

"Helping me. Offering to marry me. You could have anyone you want, Julian. So why me?"

Her question wasn't unexpected, but it still gave me pause. Why was I doing this? I had asked myself the same thing countless times. I wasn't the kind of man who gave without expecting something in return. My entire life had been a series of calculated risks and well-thought-out moves.

But with Sophia, it was different.

"I see something in you," I said finally. "Something you don't see in yourself. And yes, I could have anyone I want, but none of them are you. You're different, Sophia You don't realize it yet, but you have the power to rebuild yourself into someone unstoppable. I want to be the one standing beside you when you do."

She blinked, her lips parting slightly in surprise. "You make it sound so... noble," she said, a hint of skepticism in her tone.

I smirked. "I'm not a noble man, Sophia. I've done things-things I'm not proud of. But with you... I want to be better. I want to protect you, to give you the life you deserve."

She studied me for a long moment, and I could see the wheels turning in her mind. She was weighing my words, trying to determine if I was being genuine or if I had an agenda of my own.

And I couldn't blame her.

"Alright," she said finally, her voice steady. "I'll trust you. But don't give me a reason to regret it."

I nodded, my respect for her growing. "You won't. I promise you that."

As she turned back to the city, I felt a strange sense of peace wash over me. For the first time in years, I wasn't thinking about business deals or power plays. I was thinking about her-about us-and what the future might hold.

But I knew better than to think it would be easy.

Sophia ex-husband was a fool, but he wasn't harmless. I had seen men like John before-cowards who didn't know what they had until it was gone, only to become dangerous when they realized they couldn't have it back.

If John thought he could come after Sophia, he was sorely mistaken.

I would do whatever it took to protect her, even if it meant going to war.

Because Sophia wasn't just a woman to me. She was my future. And I would destroy anyone who tried to take her away

I remember my past how I have been betrayed by love with some many ladies that I have dated back but with Sophia I think iam heading somewhere.

" Who is your first love " she asked

" Lillian" I said

" So why did she leave " she asked

" She complained about my tight business schedule" I said

" I hope that will not happen with me " she said

" Lillian doesn't love me " I said

" Why did you say that " she asked

" Lillian is materialistic and she was after my money " I said

I moved closer to her and hold her in the waist

" I sacrifice everything I have for her but she was never satisfied" I said

"Some ladies are never satisfied," she said with a hint of frustration, her words piercing through my thoughts. Although that wasn't the major reason why she left me, I knew that Sophia would soon discover the real secret behind my inability to hold onto any lady that I dated.

I had always kept this secret hidden from them during the courtship phase, showering them with attention and affection. But once we were engaged, I would reveal my true nature, and that's when the problems would start. I had a tendency to sacrifice everything for them during the romance phase, but once the commitment was sealed, they would discover the real me, and it would be too much for them to handle.

My track record was dismal - after marriage, they barely stayed for six months. But Lillian was an exception; she lasted a whole year before she finally gave up on me. I couldn't blame her, though. I knew I wasn't the easiest person to be with.

I wondered if Sophia would be any different. Would she be able to see past my flaws and love me for who I truly was? Or would she, too, discover the secret that had driven all the others away?