Part 1 — The Girl Martin Was Never Supposed to Love
Martin × Sophi
Sophi hated rich people.
Not all of them.
Just the ones who believed money could buy everything.
Respect.
Power.
People.
And sometimes...
Love.
Unfortunately, the man standing in front of her was all three.
Martin Valmont.
Billionaire.
Celebrity.
Future King.
And, according to every woman in the country, the most handsome man alive.
Sophi didn’t care.
Not even a little.
She stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the thirty-eighth floor, holding a folder tightly against her chest.
The office was enormous.
Too enormous.
Everything screamed money.
The marble floor.
The expensive furniture.
The city glittering beneath them.
And the man sitting behind the desk.
Martin didn’t even look at her.
He was reading something on his tablet.
Sophi had been standing there for five minutes.
Ten minutes.
Fifteen.
Finally, she lost patience.
“Are you planning to speak to me today?”
Martin slowly lifted his eyes.
And Sophi immediately regretted opening her mouth.
His eyes were cold.
Not ordinary cold.
The kind of cold that made people automatically lower their voices.
His gaze travelled over her.
From her simple black dress...
To her messy hair...
Then back to her face.
“You’re late.”
Sophi blinked.
“I’m two minutes early.”
“You’re still late.”
“According to my watch, I’m early.”
“According to mine, you’re late.”
She stared at him.
“Then perhaps you should buy a better watch.”
Silence.
Martin slowly placed his tablet on the desk.
For the first time, Sophi noticed the faintest change in his expression.
Interesting.
She had annoyed him.
Good.
At least they were even.
Martin leaned back in his chair.
“Do you know who I am?”
Sophi almost laughed.
“Unfortunately.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“You’ve got quite an attitude.”
“And you’ve got quite an ego.”
Something dangerous flickered in his eyes.
Sophi immediately realized her mistake.
Everyone had warned her about Martin.
Don’t argue with him.
Don’t challenge him.
Don’t make eye contact for too long.
And most importantly—
Never make Martin Valmont angry.
But Sophi had never been good at following instructions.
Martin stood.
Slowly.
He was taller than she expected.
Much taller.
He walked around the desk.
Sophi instinctively stepped back.
Martin stopped.
For one second, they simply stared at each other.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Much smaller.
“You’re Sophi Anderson,” he said.
“Yes.”
“The new executive assistant.”
“Yes.”
“You’re replacing someone who worked for me for three years.”
“Apparently.”
“She lasted three years.”
Sophi smiled.
“Congratulations to her.”
Martin’s jaw tightened.
“And you think you’ll last longer?”
“No.”
That surprised him.
Sophi shrugged.
“I don’t think I’ll last three months.”
“At least you’re realistic.”
“I didn’t say I was planning to stay.”
Martin stared at her.
“Then why did you accept the job?”
Sophi’s smile disappeared.
There it was.
The question she had been avoiding.
The real reason.
Money.
Her family’s company was drowning in debt.
Her father’s health was getting worse.
And their house was about to be taken away.
She couldn’t tell Martin that.
She couldn’t tell anyone.
So she simply said—
“I needed the job.”
Martin’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But she noticed.
“Everyone needs money.”
“Then we’re both lucky you pay well.”
“Don’t get comfortable.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good.”
Sophi turned toward the door.
“Am I dismissed?”
“No.”
She stopped.
Martin walked toward her.
His footsteps echoed through the office.
Sophi turned around.
“Then what?”
He stopped only a few feet away.
“There’s a gala tonight.”
“I know.”
“You’ll attend.”
Sophi stared at him.
“I’m your assistant.”
“Tonight, you’ll be my date.”
Her mouth fell open.
“I’m sorry?”
Martin’s expression remained completely emotionless.
“You heard me.”
“No, I definitely didn’t.”
“Sophi.”
“Martin.”
His eyes narrowed.
She smiled sweetly.
“I’m not going to a gala with you.”
“You are.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Sophi.”
“Martin.”
“Stop saying my name.”
“Then stop telling me what to do.”
For the first time...
Martin smiled.
It wasn’t a nice smile.
It was dangerous.
“You’re going to be difficult.”
“I’m starting to think that’s the only reason you hired me.”
“I didn’t hire you.”
“Then who did?”
Martin’s smile disappeared.
“My mother.”
Sophi frowned.
Before she could ask anything else, the door opened.
A woman entered.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Perfectly dressed.
Her heels clicked against the marble floor.
Sophi immediately recognized her.
Jency.
The most famous actress in the country.
Martin’s childhood friend.
His family’s favourite woman.
And, according to the tabloids...
His future wife.
Jency’s eyes immediately landed on Sophi.
Then on Martin.
Then back to Sophi.
Her smile was beautiful.
But there was something behind it.
Something Sophi didn’t like.
“Martin.”
Her voice was soft.
Almost too soft.
Martin didn’t answer.
Jency walked toward him.
She placed one hand on his arm.
Sophi noticed the gesture.
Martin didn’t move away.
Something about it irritated her.
She didn’t know why.
And she didn’t want to know.
Jency looked at Sophi.
“And you are?”
Sophi opened her mouth.
But Martin answered first.
“My assistant.”
Jency smiled.
“Oh.”
The way she said it made Sophi feel like she was something unpleasant stuck to Martin’s shoe.
Jency’s fingers tightened around Martin’s arm.
“Martin, your mother is waiting downstairs.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Now.”
Martin’s gaze hardened.
“Jency.”
She smiled.
“Don’t make me wait.”
Sophi looked between them.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
So this was the famous Jency.
The woman who had been beside Martin for years.
The woman everyone thought he would marry.
Sophi suddenly felt like she was standing in the middle of a very complicated story.
And she wanted absolutely no part of it.
She turned toward the door.
“Since you have company, I’ll leave.”
“You’re coming tonight,” Martin said.
Sophi turned.
“No.”
Martin’s eyes darkened.
“That wasn’t a question.”
“Then here’s my answer anyway.”
She opened the door.
“I said no.”
And walked out.
Silence filled the room.
Jency slowly turned toward Martin.
“Who does she think she is?”
Martin didn’t answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the closed door.
Jency noticed.
Her smile disappeared.
“Martin.”
Nothing.
“Martin.”
He finally looked at her.
“What?”
“Why are you looking at the door?”
“I’m not.”
“You were.”
“You’re imagining things.”
Jency stepped closer.
“She’s nothing.”
Martin’s expression changed.
“Excuse me?”
Jency immediately softened her voice.
“I mean...”
She touched his chest.
“She’s just an assistant.”
Martin looked down at her hand.
Then back at her.
“Don’t.”
Jency froze.
Slowly, she removed her hand.
“Don’t touch me.”
Her face fell.
Martin walked past her.
But before he reached the door, Jency spoke.
“You’re going to regret bringing her into your life.”
Martin stopped.
He didn’t turn around.
“That’s not your decision.”
Jency’s eyes darkened.
“No.”
She smiled.
“You’re right.”
Martin looked back.
Jency’s smile widened.
“Because I’ll make the decision for you.”
THREE HOURS LATER
Sophi stared at herself in the mirror.
She was wearing a black evening gown.
She hated it.
She hated the heels.
She hated the diamonds around her neck.
She hated the fact that Martin had somehow managed to get her here despite her refusing.
And most of all...
She hated that she looked beautiful.
A knock came at the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Martin entered.
Sophi’s heart skipped.
She immediately hated herself for it.
Martin was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit.
No tie.
His hair was slightly messy.
He looked...
Annoyingly good.
His eyes met hers through the mirror.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Martin said—
“You’re late.”
Sophi turned around.
“I’m exactly on time.”
“You’re still late.”
“Do you have an obsession with that word?”
“No.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
Martin walked toward her.
Sophi watched him carefully.
“Why am I here?”
“Because I told you to come.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It is.”
“Not a good one.”
Martin stopped in front of her.
“Tonight, you’re going to pretend to be my girlfriend.”
Sophi froze.
“What?”
“You’re my girlfriend.”
She stared at him.
Then laughed.
Actually laughed.
Martin didn’t.
“Oh, you’re serious.”
“Completely.”
“Why?”
“Because I need you to.”
“No.”
“Sophi.”
“Absolutely not.”
Martin stepped closer.
“Sophi.”
She pointed a finger at him.
“Don’t ‘Sophi’ me.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Listen carefully.”
“No.”
“You’re going to—”
“No.”
“You haven’t even heard the offer.”
“I don’t care.”
“You will.”
Martin reached into his pocket.
Sophi’s eyes narrowed.
He pulled out a small envelope.
He handed it to her.
She opened it.
Her eyes widened.
It was a cheque.
An amount so large that her hands immediately began to shake.
Martin watched her carefully.
“That’s your payment.”
“For what?”
“Six months.”
Sophi looked up.
“Six months of what?”
“Being my girlfriend.”
Her heart stopped.
“You want me to fake date you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because my family is trying to force me into an arranged marriage.”
Sophi stared.
Martin continued.
“My mother believes I’m finally ready to settle down.”
“And?”
“And I need her to believe I’m already in love.”
Sophi stared at him.
“With me?”
“Yes.”
“Why me?”
“Because you hate me.”
She blinked.
“What?”
Martin’s mouth curved slightly.
“You’re the only woman I know who won’t actually fall for me.”
Sophi stared at him.
Then slowly...
She smiled.
“Martin?”
“What?”
“You’re an idiot.”
His smile disappeared.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“About what?”
“I’m not doing it.”
She handed the cheque back.
Martin didn’t take it.
“Sophi.”
“No.”
“Think carefully.”
“I have.”
“You need the money.”
She froze.
Martin’s eyes sharpened.
He knew.
He knew something.
“How do you know?”
“About your father’s company?”
Sophi’s blood ran cold.
“How do you know?”
“Because I know everything about the people who work for me.”
“You investigated me?”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re working for me.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
Sophi’s eyes filled with anger.
“You have no right.”
“I have every right.”
“No, you don’t!”
She pushed past him.
Martin grabbed her wrist.
Sophi froze.
His fingers were wrapped around her wrist.
His eyes met hers.
For one dangerous second...
Neither moved.
Martin’s voice dropped.
“Six months.”
Sophi looked at his hand.
Then at him.
“Let go.”
Martin immediately released her.
Sophi stepped back.
“Six months,” he repeated.
“No kissing.”
“Fine.”
“No touching.”
“Fine.”
“No sleeping together.”
Martin’s eyebrows rose.
“Wasn’t planning to.”
“Good.”
“No falling in love.”
Silence.
Martin stared at her.
Sophi stared back.
Then Martin said quietly—
“That won’t be a problem.”
Something about those words hurt more than it should have.
Sophi hated that.
She picked up the cheque.
“Six months.”
Martin nodded.
“Six months.”
She held out her hand.
“Deal.”
Martin looked at her hand.
Then took it.
The moment their hands touched...
Something changed.
Just for a second.
A spark.
A strange feeling.
Something neither of them understood.
Martin slowly released her hand.
Sophi looked away.
“Let’s get this over with.”
Martin opened the door.
“After you, girlfriend.”
Sophi rolled her eyes.
“Don’t call me that.”
Martin smiled.
“Oh, I think I’m going to enjoy this.”
Sophi walked past him.
“Enjoy it while you can.”
Neither of them noticed the woman standing at the end of the hallway.
Jency.
She had heard everything.
She had seen the handshake.
And she had seen the way Martin looked at Sophi.
Her nails dug into her palm.
Six months.
A fake relationship.
It didn’t matter.
Jency knew Martin better than anyone.
She had loved him for ten years.
And she wasn’t about to lose him to some nobody.
Her eyes followed Sophi.
Then she whispered—
“Let’s see how long you survive, Sophi.”
But Jency wasn’t the only person watching.
Across the street...
Inside a black car...
A man sat silently.
Adrian.
His eyes were fixed on Sophi.
The woman he had once loved.
The woman he had lost.
The woman he had never stopped wanting.
His fingers tightened around the photograph in his hand.
Sophi.
Martin.
Together.
His jaw clenched.
“You’re mine, Sophi.”
A dark smile appeared on his face.
“Even if I have to destroy him to get you back.”
And with that...
The game began.
Martin thought he was entering a fake relationship.
Sophi thought she was accepting a six-month contract.
Jency thought she could destroy their love.
And Adrian thought Sophi belonged to him.
But none of them knew the truth.
The night Martin and Sophi first met...
Their families had already decided their fate.
Because six months from now...
Martin and Sophi were supposed to marry other people.
And that was only the beginning.
