Ethan Lancaster froze slightly when he realized—he wasn't holding Emily.
He was holding the maid.
His dark brows drew together imperceptibly.This was the second time he'd mistaken the wrong woman.
Just then, a maid's voice came from outside."Young Madam."
Emily was here.
Panic surged through Sophie.
Ethan's large hands were still firmly on her waist.She instinctively reached up and gripped his wrist, trying to push him away."Sir, please let go. Your wife is coming."
His wrist was cold and firm under her fingers, the expensive steel watch biting into her palm.The chill of the metal only made her more nervous.
Ethan finally released her.
As Sophie turned to leave, her hand brushed against a thorn on a rose stem."Ah—"
She hissed in pain. A thin line of blood welled up at her fingertip.
Ethan's gaze landed on her immediately.
She looked frightened—nervous, submissive, always avoiding eye contact.But he remembered her eyes from last night—clear, watery, alluring. Eyes that could haunt a man's dreams.
His voice dropped, low and rough."Where did you hurt yourself?"
"It's nothing. Thank you for your concern, sir."
Sophie gently placed her bleeding fingertip into her mouth, instinctively trying to stop the bleeding.
Ethan's gaze dropped to her lips.
That soft, cherry-colored mouth… naturally flushed, moist, and unpainted.
His eyes darkened.
Right at that moment, Emily entered the room.She froze when she saw the two of them standing close together.
Her smile cracked."Sophie! What are you doing just standing there? Go to the kitchen!"
"Yes, Madam." Sophie lowered her head and quickly left.
Emily turned toward Ethan with an overly sweet smile."Darling, let's go have breakfast."
Ethan didn't respond. He simply walked past her into the dining room.
In the kitchen, Sophie pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.
She had been terrified.For a moment, she truly thought Ethan had recognized her.
Thankfully, he hadn't. He thought she was just the maid.
All she wanted now was to save her grandmother and stay far, far away from this dangerously powerful man.
"Sophie, bring out the milk."
She walked into the dining room carrying the milk—only to overhear Emily's voice dripping with venom.
"Darling, that Sophie girl is from the countryside. A complete joke. People lose their appetite just looking at her ugly face. I only kept her around because I'm too kind to throw her out."
Sophie's expression didn't change. She had heard worse.Emily loved stepping on her to boost her own image.
Sophie looked up—at the man at the head of the table.
Ethan Lancaster, in his early thirties, sat with a folded English business newspaper in one hand.Sharp suit. Clean lines.The elegant coldness of a man born with power and trained to rule.
He gave no indication of having heard Emily's cruelty. His face was unreadable.
Sophie exhaled quietly in relief.
She glanced sideways at Emily's carefully sculpted face.Plastic perfection.She might be the one with a flawless mask, but face to face—true ugliness had nothing to do with scars.
During the day, Sophie attended classes at T University.When school ended, she left campus and walked to the roadside to hail a taxi back to Lancaster Estate.
But car after car sped past.
She was about to give up when a Rolls-Royce Phantom glided to a halt in front of her.
The world-class luxury car shimmered under the sunlight.As the rear window rolled down, it revealed a devilishly handsome young man.
"Joker girl," he teased, grinning. "Trying to get a taxi? Get in—I'll give you a ride."
Everyone at school called her Joker Girl.
This boy was Jude Lancaster, Ethan's nephew and the most notorious heartbreaker at T University.A walking storm of charm and arrogance.
Sophie hesitated. But there were no other taxis.
"…Thank you."She opened the back door and slid in.
The moment she did—she regretted it.
Because the driver was Ethan Lancaster.
This was his car.
Before she could react, Jude leaned over and smirked."Let me introduce you—this is my uncle."