The Bond That Even Gods Cannot Break

An auditorium filled with over hundred students and dozens of teachers watched her speak, but Sophia delivered her speech with the same ease as a casual conversation. Since waking up, Sophia felt as if someone had struck her skull with a hammer. Each of her words aimed to captivate and motivate the students, but to Sophia, it felt like spitting blood. 

As she stepped onto the stage and had to act like a perfect, flawless student once again, there was nothing she wanted more than to escape with all her might. 

(I want to get out of here)

When she finished her speech, thunderous applause erupted. The lights that had been focused on her finally dimmed, allowing her to descend from the back of the stage. 

(What was that noise?)

Amidst the cacophony of clapping and cheering, Sophia managed to distinguish a sound completely different from the others. 

N-no, it couldn't be; did she really hear that back then? 

Melissa, watching everything through Sophia's eyes, stammered. 

“Miss Sophia, is something wrong?” Noticing that Sophia had suddenly stopped walking, a teacher accompanying her asked. 

“Before I return to my seat, would it be alright if I used the bathroom?” 

Without waiting for permission from the teacher, the girl headed to the back of the building instead of entering through the door that led to the auditorium seats. 

The interior layout was simple, and the number of rooms from which that noise could have originated was very small. 

In just a few moments, she found herself in front of the storage room for sports equipment. The door, still locked from the outside, didn't appear to have been broken into. Carefully, Sophia unlocked the door and entered. It didn't take long for her eyes to find the back of a brown-haired girl desperately trying to organize various items that had fallen on the floor. 

“What are you doing?” 

Although she was wearing a sleeveless red sweatshirt, the girl still had her school uniform on, so the chances of her being a thief were slim. 

When the girl slowly turned towards her, Sophia finally saw her face. 

Even beneath a messy brown mane, it was possible to see a delicate face with striking features. Sophia felt the fierce expression, reminiscent of a cornered beast, intensifying as sharp amber eyes began to scan her body from top to bottom. 

“Snow curls...” 

The first words she managed to distinguish coming from the girl's mouth were strange. 

“Are you insulting me because of my hair? That's funny coming from the girl who couldn't even be bothered to fix hers.” 

Her weary mind couldn't even maintain the facade she was forced to show to others. 

“You have a high opinion of yourself for a rich girl with so little confidence that you need to plaster your face with makeup!” 

Melissa, who could only observe, immediately understood the weight of those words on the girl at that moment. 

“At least my makeup didn’t make me arrive late, unlike someone who just snuck in, right?” 

“I just got lost on the way to the auditorium and opened the window to air this place out a bit.” 

Watching the girl shrug and walk away, Sophia raised the set of keys she had just used to unlock the door.

“I'm going to refrain from asking how you managed to get lost in a locked room from the outside.” 

As she watched the girl run away without looking back, a faint laugh escaped her lips. 

(Wait, why am I laughing?)

Without Sophia even realizing it, her headache had vanished. For the first time in her life, after a brief encounter with a wild girl, she felt a glimmer of hope for the future. 

“Ms. Sophia, what do you dislike about that girl to fight with her so much?” 

The question came from a group of boys passing by while she sipped her tea alone in the cafeteria. 

Hearing those words, Sophia replied calmly, 

“Absolutely everything...” 

Throughout her three years in high school, the delinquent girl refused to connect with anyone. Whenever exam season came around and Melissa scored poorly, Sophia had to convince her to study in the library. When teachers weren’t paying attention, the rebellious girl would sneak out of class to hide in some corner of the school. 

Sophia felt that Melissa was like a rabbit; just when she seemed within reach, she would hop away. 

“Ms. Cosmos, you can’t just submit the form and leave like that!” 

It was Sunday afternoon, and even though she was a student, the girl still had to go to school to fulfill her responsibilities as student council president. 

(I know coming on a Sunday seems bad, but if she doesn’t submit her career sheet correctly, she’ll be in trouble.)

Giving up on searching the classrooms, Sophia sighed heavily before looking at the paper in her hands. 

Melissa didn’t even need to see through the girl’s eyes to know why she was upset. 

Back then, I submitted the form blank, didn’t I? 

When forced to write about her college or job choices for the future, Melissa simply filled in her name and handed in the blank paper before running away. 

Sighing again, and deciding she’d sort it out tomorrow, the girl finished filling out her own form before calling her driver and heading home. 

The sun was already on the horizon when the elevator in her building finally stopped at her floor. 

However, the moment she entered her apartment after entering the electronic code, Sophia froze. Because at that moment, she realized she wasn’t alone. 

Sitting at the living room table, fiddling with his laptop, the middle-aged man noticed her entrance and turned his gaze toward her. 

Sophia didn’t even recognize this man’s face but knew exactly who he was. 

“Welcome back, esteemed father.” 

It was the first time in over ten years that she had encountered her father. Fixing her gaze on the floor, she didn’t dare look above his knees. 

Not stopping his typing, he opened his mouth slightly, and a short phrase came out. 

“Did something remarkable happen?” 

“Everything is going perfectly; I’ve become the president of the student council and maintained my grades at the absolute maximum. Tomorrow we will begin preparations for the-” 

“Sophia.”

The man's voice wasn't loud, but it projected so firmly that it made her go silent instantly. 

Sophia felt her face pale, her arms trembling almost uncontrollably. 

Ignoring her state, the man put his laptop away in a folder before walking over to Sophia. His hand, wrapped in a black glove, rested on her shoulder, a cold light burning in his eyes. 

“As soon as you graduate, we will begin preparations for your wedding.” 

Wedding? 

Melissa couldn't process the words she had just heard. 

“It will be with the CEO of Quantum Industries. We've been market rivals for years, but we will finally set aside our differences. Once our assets merge, we will officially be the largest company in the country and will finally have a foothold in politics.” 

When Melissa heard that name, her worn-out mind was engulfed in horror. Even someone as naive as her knew that the CEO of that company was over fifty. 

This can’t be... no! This has to be a joke; that man is at least thirty years older than her! 

“Fortunately, that man has no heirs. The moment a descendant is born, we will ensure that all shares of the CEO's company are transferred to the child. We will own most of the shares and seize legal control.” 

The plan, already formulated and decided, was explained slowly. In the end, came the question that struck her hardest. 

“I can count on you, right?” 

“Yes, esteemed father.” 

The instant she spoke those words, the man left the house, and her body collapsed to the floor. 

Sophia immediately realized that, since her mother could not have a male heir for the company, she was the one chosen to fulfill that role. 

(What does my effort mean to them? What does my life signify for them!?)

It was as if her chest had gone empty and her heart shattered. 

Her breathing became heavy, and Sophia stared at the career form with her name still in her hands. Tears smeared with makeup fell onto the paper as she read and reread her three college choices. 

Walking to her room, Sophia picked up a pen and crossed out the entire form. Her resigned face, now covered in tears, finally understood her fate. 

(In the end, the girl raised to be a substitute would finally be used as a disposable pawn.) 

Melissa watched everything in shock. No matter how much she screamed, her words never reached the girl who cried all night before her. 

As Sophia walked through the school corridors, issuing orders to her entourage, she executed her tasks with mastery. To any observer, it seemed like Sophia was speaking as always, but only Melissa knew the girl was on the brink of collapse. 

Arriving at the last task on her list, Sophia headed to the sports court. Her final task was to check the integrity of the lighting system and then return to the student council room. 

As she climbed the stairs, her gaze finally rested on the girl lying on the platform.

“Tsch, here comes the goody-two-shoes spoiling the fun.” 

(Why did you run away again...) 

Sophia couldn't understand why Melissa refused to participate in any activities. Her words had tried to persuade the girl to join in the events and preparations, but once again she was met with rejection. 

“Are you done?” Melissa commented with indifference. “What does my future have to do with you, Snow Curls?” 

(Your future has nothing to do with me, but you won’t have one if you give up now!)

“What’s best for me? How the hell would you know that? Just leave me alone and go back to pretending to be the rich student council president you always were!” 

(Unlike me, your career form doesn’t need to be handed in blank; you can still have a future! You can still change your life!)

From the moment she was born, Melissa had known that kindness was always direct. Only malice needed to be cloaked in ambiguous pretense. 

Why? Why didn’t I realize that she truly cared about me!? 

Sophia's soul cries hit her heart like a lightning strike. 

Sophia! 

Melissa felt a bitterness spreading from the depths of her being; she knew exactly what was about to happen. 

Stop, Melissa, don’t provoke her anymore! 

Her words didn’t reach herself. Melissa could only watch the inevitable clash unfold. The clattering of metal drowned everything before the light began to fade. 

Once again, Melissa contemplated the darkness.