Upon waking the next day, I saw a shadowy figure in my blurred vision, startling me into an abrupt sit-up. we both exclaimed simultaneously as my head collided with her chin. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was Sophie.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, furrowing my brows.

"Did you sleep well last night?" she sneered, a glint of mischief flashing in her eyes.

I didn't want to engage with her. This woman had a way of always unsettling me.

"Good intentions don't go unrewarded. You bumped into me so early in the morning." She rubbed her chin and said in a wronged tone.

I continued to gaze at her, my curiosity unresolved, still awaiting an explanation for why she was there.

"Your godmother sent me," she finally explained.

"Ah, godmother?" The memory of last night rushed back—the emotional chaos of her son's death, and how I had ended up accepting her as my godmother.

"She told me to tell you, if you ever find yourself in any trouble, don't hesitate to reach out. She will help you," Sophie said, her tone laced with subtle disdain, though her expression carried a certain complexity.

"Where is she?" I asked urgently, unease beginning to creep in.

"Off preparing the agreement," Sophie replied, her voice casual.

"Why aren't you with her?" I questioned, my tone tinged with frustration.

"Why, because of you," she said with a light-hearted air, the faintest smile curling at the corners of her mouth.

"We are no longer indebted to each other," I said, recalling my words from yesterday, attempting to end this endless entanglement.

"Don't talk nonsense. You owe me, and you'll never be able to repay it," she retorted, dismissing my words without a second thought.

"I told you yesterday—it's over. We owe each other nothing," I tried to explain, but she refused to listen.

"I never agreed to that," she said coolly.

"I brought back the order!" I said, my voice rising slightly in frustration.

"It was mine to begin with. What do you mean, you brought it back?" she scoffed, a glint of mockery in her eyes.

I seethed with a mixture of anger and helplessness."Why are you like this?"

"I am who I am. You don't like it? Tough luck. You owe me—don't think you can avoid it," she pressed on, emboldened by her position.

I clenched my fists, fury surging within me, threatening to boil over.

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"Do you want to hit me? Go ahead. You've always wanted to hit me, and I'll let you hit me this time. Go ahead, hit me." She put her head in my arms and said provocatively, with a hint of disdain and provocation in her eyes,"If you don't hit me, you won't have another chance."

I took a deep breath, striving to control the storm of anger inside me. I released my fists with a cold snort."move aside. I'm getting up."

"Get up, then," she said dismissively, as if the matter were of no consequence, her tone dripping with disdain, as though speaking of something utterly trivial.

"I'm naked. Don't you think you should leave?" I said deliberately, attempting to force her out. In truth, I was somewhat apprehensive, unsure whether she would take the hint and leave.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before." She said nonchalantly, but her ears started to turn red. She still had that nonchalant expression on her face, but I noticed that her ears had started to turn red, and it was obvious that she was not so calm.

In truth, I had not undressed the previous night; I had simply collapsed into bed and drifted into slumber. I secretly felt a sense of satisfaction, thinking that my little trick had worked rather well."Sophie, your audacity grows ever thicker."

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?" she countered with a raised brow, a glint of cunning in her eyes. Her response caught me off guard, leaving me with an underlying sense of helplessness.

I muttered, unwilling to continue the conversation, though I felt a twinge of helplessness within. She always managed to stir my emotions with such ease, leaving me unable to genuinely be angry.

"Are you going back to Eldoria today, or are you going back with me in a few days?" She suddenly changed the subject with a hint of coercion in her tone.

"I'll return today," I responded almost instinctively, my answer coming out before I had fully thought it through. My mind was simply eager to free myself from her incessant entanglements.

Her expression darkened, as if the very air had thickened with her anger."Is it so undesirable to be with me?" Her voice was low, tinged with both hurt and fury.

"You're the big boss, and I'm just an employee. Every day I stay here costs you money," I attempted to explain, striving for a calm and rational tone, hoping to justify my decision with work-related reasons.

"You're coming back with me. If you think of leaving early, that's not going to happen." She said with a cold laugh, her eyes flashing with a look of resolute determination.

I looked at her, an expression of innocent bewilderment in my gaze.

She scoffed, curling her lips in disdain."In the end, wherever I am, you'll be there too."

"Should I follow you even to the bathroom, then?" I couldn't help but tease, hoping to lighten the mood.

"You're really disgusting now," she said, wrinkling her brow, her eyes flashing with distaste.

"Then why are you being so domineering?" I shrugged helplessly, trying to express my own innocence.

"Isn't it because of you?" Her voice held a note of grievance.

"Don't place everything on my shoulders," I retorted, feeling slightly exasperated. The blame was being thrown around too freely.

"I told you, you wouldn't understand." She rolled her eyes, clearly doubting my capacity for comprehension.

I glanced at the time, hoping to shift the subject."Shouldn't you be getting back to work?"

"Then you better get up," she said, pulling me by the hand with a firm determination, clearly unwilling to grant me any opportunity to escape.

"I said it was you." I muttered, reluctantly following her lead, wondering how the day would unfold.

"What do you want to do again?" she asked, suspicion lacing her gaze, her eyes wary.

"I just wanted to take a walk," I said cautiously, hoping to offer a little respite.

"No need for that! You'll have plenty of time to wander later. Today, are you coming to work with me?" Her voice was final, unmistakably commanding.

"What do you mean,'plenty of time'?" I asked, confused, unable to grasp her meaning.

"Yes, from now on, wherever I am, you have to be there. I will spend a lot of time here." There was a hint of pride in her tone, as if she had seen through my thoughts.

It dawned on me—she truly meant to bind me here. I sighed deeply."I don't want to be here; no place is better than home."

Her gaze softened slightly, and her tone became gentler, tinged with a touch of tenderness."So, do you still want to pay off the debts of your family?"