Sophia stared at her phone, watching it buzz repeatedly on the table. A wave of exhaustion washed over her, the weight of everything pressing down hard on her shoulders. The last thing she wanted was to deal with the Hawthornes, but she couldn’t ignore the call. With a heavy sigh, she answered.
"Mrs. Hawthorne, this is the butler. Old Master Hawthorne requests your presence at the family house immediately," came the familiar voice, so stiff and formal. Sophia winced. I can't deal with them today. She rubbed her temples, trying to muster the energy for one more interaction. “Please tell Mr. Hawthorne I’m sorry, but I can’t make it today. I’m very tired.” There was a brief silence, then the butler’s voice returned, softer but insistent. "Mrs. Hawthorne... I must insist. Old Master... well, he won’t take it well." Sophia leaned back against the couch, closing her eyes, letting the quiet of the room settle around her. I don’t owe him anything. I don’t owe any of them anything anymore. She pressed her lips together, taking a deep breath. "I’m sorry, but I can’t. Please tell him, no." The butler hesitated, and then reluctantly acknowledged her request. “I will inform him, Mrs. Hawthorne.” Sophia hung up, the feeling of that name, Mrs. Hawthorne, still heavy and repulsive on her tongue. It was as if the title itself had become a prison, tying her to a family that had never truly accepted her. As she tossed her phone back onto the couch, it buzzed again. This time, the call was from an unknown number. She almost didn’t answer, but a gut instinct told her it was important. "Hello?" she answered, her voice steady but cautious. “Where are you?” came a low, enraged voice that made her blood run cold. “I want you here right now.” Sophia recognized it instantly. Raphael. Old Master Hawthorne. She had known this conversation was coming. "I’m sorry, Mr. Hawthorne," she replied, trying to keep the exhaustion from seeping into her voice. "I’m really tired. I can’t come today." The line was silent for a long moment before Raphael’s voice crackled through again, laced with fury. "Are you being unfilial now? What are you busy with? Doesn't Marcus provide everything for you? What’s so important that you can’t obey me?" Sophia’s stomach tightened. She had dealt with enough of this for years. The constant disrespect, the way they viewed her as a mere extension of their son—nothing more. She wasn’t about to back down now. "I’m busy with my mother. I’m trying to figure everything out. This has nothing to do with Marcus." Raphael’s voice shifted, becoming sharper. “So it’s about that woman, is it? Your mother.” The sneer was almost palpable in his words. “Sophia, you just need to be a good daughter-in-law to our family. Stop bothering us with these... unnecessary needs.” Sophia’s pulse quickened. She could feel her blood rising to her face, and she clenched her fist. Unnecessary needs? She bit her lip to steady herself. "That woman you’re referring to is my mother. And I’m not going to apologize for taking care of her." Her voice was cold and steady, the anger just below the surface. "And what does that have to do with you?" Raphael scoffed as if she were beneath him. "She is not your—" Sophia cut him off, her voice rising. "She’s not what? What did you just say?" There was a moment of shock on the other end of the line. Raphael seemed to realize he had misspoken. A heavy silence followed, and she could almost hear the gears turning in his mind as he tried to recover. He cleared his throat, his tone now more calculated. "I meant... she’s not our responsibility. You, as a part of the Hawthorne family, should not burden us with people who aren’t even... part of the family." Sophia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He thinks this is how it works. She took a deep breath, her voice icy. "So, Mr. Hawthorne, you mean to tell me that once a person marries into your family, they should forget about their own? Forget about their own flesh and blood?" She let the silence hang in the air, her words sinking in. Raphael’s rage flared again. “How dare you speak to me like that! What did you just call me?” Sophia raised an eyebrow, her heart pounding. "Mr. Hawthorne, of course. Oh, didn’t your precious grandson tell you that we’re divorced?" The silence that followed was deafening. Sophia could almost hear the shock in Raphael’s breath. “What?” he rasped, clearly struggling to process what she had just said. "Why didn’t you come to me first before signing the divorce papers?" Sophia didn’t flinch. “What does our marriage have to do with you? And shouldn’t you be asking your grandson that question instead?” Raphael, momentarily speechless, fumbled with his words. But Sophia didn’t wait for him to find them. Before he could speak again, she hung up the phone, cutting the conversation short. Her heart was racing, but a sense of relief washed over her. I’m done with them. I’m done with all of them. She stood up, taking a deep breath, feeling the weight of the Hawthornes finally lifting off her shoulders. For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt a small glimmer of freedom. Sophia didn’t want to be affected by the Hawthornes anymore. She was done being their puppet, done being their Mrs. Hawthorne. Whatever came next, she was ready to face it head-on. And if they came crawling back, she'd be the one in control this time. The following morning, Sophia went to the hospital. She was worried about her mother and even if Alexander promised to sort everything, she still wasn't sure if he did. Before anything, she went to confirm first, and true to his word, he had arranged and settled everything. The hospital staff confirmed that her mother's surgery was scheduled for later that day. Sophia felt a wave of relief wash over her for the first time in days. She will not have to watch her mother suffering in the hospital helplessly anymore. This was something good to give her relief and hope. Ethan, her brother, arrived at the hospital soon after. He was juggling between his studies and a part-time job to support their family. He appeared tired, but when he saw their mother resting peacefully in her hospital bed, waiting for the operation, his eyes lit up. “How did you manage to gather the funds, Soph?” He asked, unable to hide his concern and worry etched on his face. Sophia hesitated as she glanced at their mother. She pulled Ethan outside to the hospital corridor. “I made a deal with someone. It's complicated, and I can't explain it right now. What's important is that mom's surgery is taken care of. Ethan furrowed his brows slightly but he didn't want to stress his sister. He wrapped his arm around her, “Okay, I won't ask more questions, as long as mum is okay. But promise me you will be fine too.” Tears swelled in Sophia's eyes as he promised her brother, “Don't worry I know what I'm doing.” Ethan nodded before saying, “You look exhausted, you should go home and have some rest. I will stay with Mum.” Sophia smiled weakly, touched by her little brother's thoughtfulness. She hugged him, “Thank you, Ethan.” Sophia went to her apartment to have some rest. The last few days had left a toll on her. The next day, she woke up feeling lighter and rejuvenated. She wanted to relax more when a black sedan car pulled up outside her apartment. She went out curious to see who the unexpected visitor was.Elsewhere, in a well-hidden pub, Jessica walked into a dimly lit room with a mask and a scarf covering almost all her face.A man was sitting in a corner, watching her nervously as she sat opposite him.“Let's make this quick. There's enough money here to spend however you want for the rest of your life,” she said nonchalantly, slipping a card toward him.“What's the meaning of this, Miss Jason? I don't care about your money!” the man panicked and hurriedly pushed the card back.“Just do as I say. Leave the country and forget about me. It's for your own good,” she said impatiently.She knew even if Alexander had promised not to investigate the matter, he was always a cautious man and would sooner or later look into it.That is why she wanted to make sure no loose ends were left untied.It didn't matter who it was; she could sacrifice anyone just to achieve her goal.“What about what we had? I really love you, Miss Jason. Please don't do this to me,” the man begged frantically.“Stop b
“Me? No! What nonsense are you talking about?” she asked, pointing at herself as her thoughts wandered to that awkward phone call.“Did Mark reach out to you?” Sophia asked again, eyeing her.“Yes…” she replied, but before she could continue, she saw the look on Sophia's face and added quickly, “I mean no! Why would he do that? I’m not talking to you anymore. I’m going to the washrooms.”She stood up and ran outside, her face blushing but still, she couldn't help but stomp her feet in frustration. That Mark called just once and hasn’t done it again. What is wrong with him? she thought, feeling like he had made a fool out of her.Sophia smiled and shook her head as she watched her walk away.That evening, Sophia was ushered into the villa where her family was staying by a bodyguard.“My dear, welcome back. Why didn't you tell me you were coming?” Catherine welcomed her, standing up from the couch with a gentle smile.“Hey Mom, I missed you guys and decided to drop by,” Sophia replied,
Over the next few days, Sophia was busy finalizing her drafts for the competition. Alexander got busy with his work too, and surprisingly, he hadn't heard from Jessica since that night. He had done a lot in cornering Gerald, making it hard for him to make a move. On this day, he was standing by the window of his office, his eyes cast over the view of Eldridge City. He could see almost three-quarters of the city from his office. But his mind was consumed with other matters. The city view didn’t catch his attention at all. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in,” he said, still looking outside. Mark, his able assistant, walked in with an iPad in hand. “Boss, the investigation about Larry is done and the information has been compiled. Should we send it to him?” Mark asked, scrolling through the data. Alexander turned around, tucking his hands in his pants pockets. “There’s no rush. Wait for the right time,” he said, walking back to his desk. “Alright, boss,” Ma
Once inside, Nina saw an elegant looking young woman, probably in her twenties, adjusting her makeup in the washroom mirror.She looked like the kind of woman who never checks price tags because everything about her screamed wealthy.She was dressed in a silky white blouse tucked neatly into caramel-colored trousers that hugged her just right.Her heels were sharp, shiny, and expensive. Even her designer handbag, resting by the sink, looked like it had its own security detail.Her makeup was impossible to miss; long lashes, bold red lips, heavy eyeliner, and skin so smooth it looked airbrushed.Her black hair hung straight and sleek down her back, parted perfectly in the middle.She didn’t need to say anything. Just standing there, fixing her lipstick in the mirror, she looked like someone who was used to getting her way.***Meanwhile, in the tallest building in Eldridge City, the Evans Tower, Alexander sat at his desk as he listened to Mark deliver the financial reports.After Mark
After a brief chat and a few hugs, Alexander and Sophia walked off toward their car. A man in black opened the door for them as the sleek vehicle purred to life and pulled away slowly.Amelia and Michael remained behind watching their car until it disappeared.“You missed your chance to score a hug,” Michael teased.Amelia rolled her eyes. “And you missed your chance to shut up.”“Okay, ma’am. Your ride is waiting. Shall we?” he said, leading her to the car.Amelia didn’t object. She nodded and followed him.Sophia arrived at Allure Fashion at 10 AM, and after catching up with her colleagues, she dove into work immediately.Nina watched her silently from her desk, but Sophia could tell she didn’t plan to cause any more trouble. At least not for now.Relieved, she focused on polishing her pending designs.Lunchtime arrived so fast before she could realize it.It was Emily who approached her desk, reminding her cheerfully."Hey girl, let's go grab something. You can't focus with an empt
“What is it?” He turned around, eyeing her vigilantly.“Can you promise me that no one will ever find out about this, please? Not even Sophia,” she requested.Alexander paused, overwhelmed with guilt. If he had been more careful, none of this would have happened.“Okay, you have my word,” he promised and left the room.As the door clicked shut, Jessica’s trembling lips slowly curled into a cunning smile.“And the game has just begun. Sophia... I hope you’re ready, darling,” she whispered, wiping away her fake tears.By the time Alexander settled, it was already past 1 AM. He checked his phone and was shocked to find several missed calls from Sophia.“Oh no, I forgot to update her!” he mumbled, his muscles tensing as he raked a hand through his hair.It was too late to call her now!With a heavy sigh, he sent her a text:‘Hi honey, I hope you’re doing well. Sorry, I had an emergency to deal with and I couldn’t answer your calls. Talk tomorrow. Goodnight. I love you!’After that, he dia