THIRD PERSON’S POV

The atmosphere inside the villa became tense.

After Sophia’s angry outburst, even the servants standing nearby looked nervous now. Nobody dared making a sound anymore.

The silence inside the living room felt heavy and suffocating.

Declan’s face darkened immediately. No woman had ever spoken to him that way before, especially not someone he considered beneath their family status.

“You little-” he growled.

His expression twisted with rage as he suddenly stepped toward Sophia aggressively.

Sophia didn’t move, not even a bit. She didn’t flinch.

Her wolf remained alert inside her now. Even though Sophia no longer cared much about Damien’s family opinions, insulting her own family still crossed a line she would never tolerate.

Declan pointed angrily at her face “You think marrying Damien suddenly made you important?”

Sophia laughed coldly. The sound carried no warmth at all.

“I’d rather be nobody than become someone like you.” She spat.

Declan completely snapped. His blood boiled with fury.

He suddenly raised his hand toward her. The movement happened fast.

The servants gasped immediately.

Sophia’s wolf moved forward inside her chest. Her body already prepared reacting when suddenly....

Bang!

A heavy force slammed violently into Declan from the side.

Declan crashed hard against the nearby cabinet. The decorative vase above it shattered instantly onto the floor.

Everyone froze.

Damien stood there breathing heavily. His eyes looked terrifying, actually terrifying.

The expression on his face was pure rage while his wolf’s pressure filled the entire room aggressively now. The Alpha aura radiating from him immediately made several servants lower their heads nervously.

Everyone in the room whimpered submissively.

Declan groaned painfully while trying standing again.

“What the hell-” Declan hissed.

Before he could finish speaking, Damien grabbed him harshly by the collar.

“You raised your hand at her?” Damien said. His voice sounded deadly calm now. That calmness frightened people more than shouting ever could.

Declan shoved Damien angrily

“She insulted me first!” Declan screamed.

“And you think that gives you the right touching her?” Damien snapped back

Damien’s expression became colder with every word. His wolf remained dangerously close to the surface now. His wolf was filled with anger after seeing Declan try hitting Sophia.

Even though they were divorcing...

Even though things between him and Sophia had become broken beyond repair...

His instincts still reacted instantly whenever someone threatened her.

Sophia stood silently nearby watching everything unfold.

And strangely enough...she felt nothing.

She didn’t feel any warmth or gratitude. While watching Damien fiercely defend her now, one painful thought kept repeating inside her head.

Where was this protection before?

It was too late.

Declan finally pushed Damien away completely.

“You kicked me over a woman you’re divorcing?” Declan asked.

Damien’s jaw tightened “That woman is still my wife.”

The words echoed heavily through the room.

Sophia’s chest tightened, but not from happiness. She had only bitterness in her heart.

Because now Damien wanted acting protective? Now he suddenly remembered she was his wife? After years of neglect? After allowing Tiffany and Tasha humiliating her repeatedly?

Sophia almost found it laughable.

Declan wiped blood from the corner of his lip as he glared coldly at Sophia.

“You really know how to manipulate men.” Declan said.

That immediately made Damien furious again.

He stepped forward “Watch your mouth.”

Declan sneered “Or what?”

The tension between both brothers became suffocating now.

Before Damien could say something else, Sophia suddenly spoke calmly.

“I’m leaving for work.” She said.

The entire room fell silent. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Throughout the confrontation, Sophia’s expression had remained cold now. She looked emotionless.

She picked up her bag then walked toward the entrance.

Damien immediately turned toward her “Sophia.”

She stopped but never looked back.

Damien’s chest tightened painfully at the emotional distance in her posture now. Even her wolf no longer reacted strongly toward him lately.

That terrified him more than anger would have.

“What?” Sophia asked quietly.

Damien struggled briefly for words. Because honestly...he didn’t know what he wanted to say. He only knew seeing Declan try hurting her had made something inside him snap violently.

Finally, he spoke lowly

“I handled it.”

Sophia slowly turned then. And the coldness in her eyes genuinely unsettled him.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “You did.”

She smiled coldly “But where was this protection before?”

Damien froze.

The question sliced directly through him.

Sophia’s voice remained calm now, but somehow that calmness hurt far more than screaming would have.

“When your mother insulted me repeatedly,” she continued softly. “When Tiffany moved into our lives, when Ashley started rejecting me, when everyone treated me like I didn’t belong here...”

Her eyes hardened further. “Where were you then?”

Damien’s throat tightened painfully. He had no answer.

None.

Sophia laughed quietly “Don’t suddenly play the hero now, Damien.”

Those words hit him brutally. Before he could stop her, Sophia turned away completely. She walked out of the villa without looking back once.

Damien stood frozen there, staring at the space she left. His wolf felt restless inside him.

“Go after her” his wolf growled.

But his body remained rooted in place.

Deep down, he knew she was right.