TAMED BY THE BILLIONAIRE

Sophie's pov

The idea was simple, or so I thought. If I was going to take Cassandra Laine down, I needed dirt, real, undeniable dirt. And where better to find it than her own house?

When I finally got her address, I couldn't stop pacing my apartment. My heart pounded like a war drum, every beat screaming, Don't do this. But I ignored it.

"Hannah," I said, dragging my sister into my room. "You're coming with me."

She blinked, confused. "Where?"

"Cassandra's house."

Her jaw dropped. "Sophie, have you completely lost your mind? What are we..robbers now?"

I grabbed her wrist. "It's not stealing. We're… investigating. Now, are you in or out?"

"Sophie, no. I'm not getting arrested because of your crazy plans!"

"I'll pay you," I blurted.

"How much?" she asked suspiciously.

"10 million," I said.

"fifteen," she countered.

"Fine," I snapped.

"Alright, but if I get caught, I'm telling them you forced me."

Her hesitation was brief. That's the thing about Hannah she hates confrontation, but she hates being left out even more.

The ride to Cassandra's house was silent. My nerves were a mess. I kept checking the clock, the streetlights, the rearview mirror. Every shadow looked like a threat.

"Sophie, this is so stupid. What if she has cameras? Or worse dogs?"

"Then you'll distract them while I run," I joked, though my hands trembled on the steering wheel

The house came into view a cold, towering structure shrouded in shadows. Even in the moonlight, it looked menacing.

When we arrived, her house loomed in the darkness, an architectural masterpiece turned ominous by the eerie glow of the moon.

"Let's just leave," Hannah whispered.

I ignored her. We crept up to the front door, and I pulled a hairpin from my pocket.

"You've done this before?" she hissed.

"Watched a YouTube video once," I muttered. My hands shook as I worked the lock. Every creak, every gust of wind sent chills down my spine.

The pin slipped, and I cursed under my breath.

"Hurry up!" Hannah hissed, glancing over her shoulder like someone was already after us.

With a soft click, the door opened.

When the lock finally clicked, we slipped inside.

The house was massive, but it felt suffocatingly quiet. The kind of quiet that made you hear things footsteps, whispers, the sound of your own fear.

Hannah clung to my arm. "I don't like this. Let's just leave."

"Shh," I whispered, creeping forward.

"Hannah, keep watch," I whispered, trying to sound braver than I felt.

She looked at me like I'd lost my mind but nodded, stepping back toward the entrance.

The house was deathly silent, the kind of silence that made your ears ring. Every shadow seemed alive, every creak of the floorboards felt like a scream.

I moved further into the house, my footsteps muffled by plush carpets. The air smelled like lavender and… something metallic.

I tried every door I passed, but most were locked. I felt like a trespasser in a haunted mansion.

Finally, I reached what I assumed was Cassandra's bedroom. The door was locked, of course.

"Figures," I muttered, bending down to inspect the lock.

Then I heard it. A faint creak.

I froze, every muscle in my body locking in place.

"Hannah?" I whispered.

She didn't answer.

I slowly turned around, but the hallway behind me was empty.

"Hannah?" I said louder, panic creeping into my voice.

Still nothing.

I hurried back to the front of the house, only to find her standing there, pale and wide-eyed.

"I heard something," she whispered.

"Where?"

She pointed toward the stairs.

I swallowed hard. "Stay here."

"No way!" she hissed, grabbing my arm.

"Fine," I said. "Stay close."

We crept toward the staircase, every step making the old wood groan beneath our feet.

The second floor was even colder, and the shadows seemed to stretch and move like they were alive.

We checked room after room, but they were all empty.

"See? There's nothing here," Hannah whispered, though her voice was shaky.

Then we heard it a faint click, like a door closing.

We both froze.

"Was that…?" Hannah didn't finish her sentence.

I grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the back of the house.

"We need to go," I whispered.

"No argument here," she said, her voice trembling.

As we crept toward the back door, the tension in the air was suffocating. My breath came in shallow gasps, and every nerve in my body screamed at me to run. Hannah clutched my arm so tightly it hurt, her nails digging into my skin.

The door was just a few feet away, its outline barely visible in the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains. We were so close to freedom, so close to leaving this nightmare behind.

A slow, deliberate click echoed through the house the sound of a switch being flipped.

The entire hallway was suddenly bathed in blinding light, illuminating every crack and shadow. We froze, caught like mice in a trap.

"Going somewhere?"

The voice was cold and sharp, slicing through the silence like a knife. My heart dropped into my stomach as I turned, dread clawing at my insides.

There she was. Cassandra Laine.

She stood at the other end of the hallway, her figure framed by the harsh light. Her dark hair fell in perfect waves, but her expression was anything but serene. Her eyes burned with a predatory glare, and her lips twisted into a cruel smirk.

Hannah whimpered beside me, her grip on my arm tightening.

Cassandra took a step forward, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. "Breaking and entering? My, my. How bold of you, Sophie."

Her voice was eerily calm, but there was an underlying edge that sent chills down my spine.

"We were just leaving," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh, I'm sure you were," she said, taking another step closer. Her movements were slow and deliberate, like a lion stalking its prey. "But you didn't think I'd let you waltz in and out of my home without consequences, did you?"

Hannah tugged at my sleeve, her voice trembling. "Sophie, let's just go."

Cassandra laughed a low, menacing sound that sent shivers down my spine.

"And where do you think you'll go?" she asked, tilting her head. "You think you can just run away from me? You think you're untouchable?"

I swallowed hard, my mind racing for a way out.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Oh, don't play dumb," she snapped, her calm facade cracking. "I know exactly why you're here. And let me tell you, Sophie, you've made a very big mistake."

Before I could respond, she reached into her pocket and pulled out something small and metallic. My heart stopped. It was a knife gleaming and sharp, catching the light like a warning.

"I should teach you a lesson," Cassandra said, her voice dripping with venom.

Hannah let out a strangled sob, and I felt my knees weaken.

"You don't have to do this," I said, trying to sound brave, but my voice betrayed me, quivering with fear.

Cassandra took another step closer, raising the knife slightly. "Oh, but I do. You see, Sophie, people like you need to learn their place."

The air felt heavy, suffocating. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my feet were rooted to the spot.

"Leave her alone!" Hannah suddenly shouted, stepping in front of me.

Cassandra's smirk widened, and she let out another cold laugh. "How touching," she said mockingly. "But loyalty won't save either of you."

And then, without warning, she lunged.

Everything happened so fast. Hannah screamed. I grabbed her arm, yanking her toward the door.

We bolted, our footsteps thundering down the hallway. Cassandra was right behind us, her heels clicking rapidly against the floor.

"Run!" I screamed at Hannah, pushing her ahead of me.

We reached the back door, fumbling with the lock, our hands shaking so badly it was almost impossible to turn.

"Don't even think about it!" Cassandra shouted, her voice closer than I expected.

The door flew open, and we stumbled into the night, the cold air hitting us like a slap. But before we could make it to the car, I felt a hand grab the back of my shirt, yanking me backward.

I turned, and there she was her face inches from mine, her eyes burning with fury.

"You'll regret this ," she hissed as she wanted to punch my face

I screamed.