Ryan braced his hands on either side of her.
His imposing frame loomed over her.
Yet when he lowered his gaze, his eyes resembled those of an abandoned stray.
"Sophia... may I?"
His voice trailed off, husky and low.
Like a hook scraping against her heart.
Sophia Sullivan looked up.
His shirt collar was slightly open, revealing sharp collarbones.
Lean muscles traced the contours of his chest.
A belt cinched his narrow waist.
His wolf-cut hair brushed his shoulders, silver earring glinting.
The young man was a natural-born clothes hanger.
Yet his expression was as docile as a house-trained dog.
As if he'd wag his tail if she patted his head.
The way he said "Sophia" carried an intimate weight.
This hidden corner was no place for such familiarity.
"Ryan Lawrence, you've crossed a line."
Sophia tightened her grip on his tie.
Her lips curved in a smile, but her fingers held dangerous pressure.
The knot constricted his throat.
Air grew thin.
"If you don't want to stay in The Decagon, I'll replace you right now."
She handled him like taming a wild hound.
And Ryan thrived on it.
Panic flashed across his face.
"Boss, don't cast me aside."
The suffocation paled compared to his fear of abandonment.
After years abroad, she was the only warmth he'd known.
Sophia was his moonlight in the darkness.
His lashes trembled.
"That serpent necklace... it's too glaring."
He'd been too impatient.
Seeing Ethan Sullivan and Ian Gallagher near her had sparked irrational jealousy.
He'd forgotten their relationship was strictly professional.
"Punish me. Choking or whipping—I'll take it all."
His dark eyes reflected only her.
The young man's eyes reddened, voice shaking.
Like a trapped beast begging for mercy.
Sophia released his tie.
"I told you I wouldn't discard you."
She massaged her temples with a sigh.
She'd initially valued his defiance and talent.
Never expected him to become this clingy after being tamed.
That night his claustrophobia flared—
The tremor in his call still echoed.
Boss, don't throw me away.
The scars of parental abandonment ran bone-deep.
Ryan clung desperately to every shred of light.
"Who that necklace belongs to isn't your concern."
Her tone was ice.
"You're young. It's easy to mistake dependence for love."
She'd once confused crisis-born warmth for affection.
Three years of marriage shattered that illusion.
Sophia walked to the sofa.
Her mask tapped against the coffee table.
"The Decagon deals in business, not personal affairs. I detest secrets."
All business, no emotion.
Yet Ryan froze.
Nothing infuriated him more than being treated like a child.
"I'm twenty. I know exactly what I want."
His pupils shimmered with unshed tears.
His voice feathered softly.
"Even if you marry, I don't care about status."
"Just let me stay by your side."
Sophia said nothing.