Without thinking, she turned and hurried toward the stairs, planning to avoid him instead of facing him.
But just as she reached the top of the staircase and was about to go up, Magnus stepped in from the opposite direction, blocking her path.
They almost collided.
Both of them halted at the very last second, standing only inches apart.
Sophia gasped softly, taking a small step back. Her heart slammed violently against her ribs.
Magnus looked slightly startled too, his brows lifting briefly before his expression returned to its usual calm.
They stared at each other in awkward silence.
Sophia instinctively took a small step back. Her fingers brushed against the railing for support. She looked at him briefly, then looked away, then back at him again.
He was the first to break the silence.
“I want to have dinner. Come with me,” he said, his voice even, steady, as his eyes rested on her face.
She blinked.
Her brows slowly drew together.
Her lips parted slightly, and irritation flickered in her eyes. ‘All he ever does is order me around.’
Seeing the conflicted look on her face, Magnus cleared his throat lightly.
“I just meant… have dinner with me,” he said, his voice lower this time. “If you eat, then I’ll eat too.”
He glanced toward the dining room. His shoulders shifted slightly, tension hiding beneath his calm exterior.
“Timothy told me the maids made your favorite dishes tonight.” His eyes lingered on her face. “Rosemary lemon chicken. Truffle potatoes.”
For a brief second, Sophia forgot everything.
Her eyes widened slightly.
“Really?” she asked, already turning , her steps hurriedly moving in the direction of the kitchen.
She began to walk with him.
But then— her gaze fell on his neck.
There, against his skin, under the warm light of the chandelier, was a bold red smear. Lipstick. Not faint, not something that could be misunderstood. It was the unmistakable mark of someone’s mouth pressed against him.
Everything inside her went cold.
The warmth drained from her face, leaving her pale. The image of him with Celia at the hotel flashed through her mind, and all the softness that had begun to rise in her chest shattered in an instant.
Her body turned rigid.
It was replaced by something tight, burning, unbearable.
Magnus noticed the sudden silence. He turned toward her, eyebrows pulling together, confusion flickering across his features.
“What?” he asked.
She lifted her eyes to him.
