Chapter 97
Chapter 97
In high sprits. Sophia headed downstairs to see Charlotte off
As they stepped into the elevator, Charlotte couldn’t help asking. “Sophia, have you thought about moving out?” she honestly falt everyone in the Chandler family was downright insane.
Sophia nodded. “I’ve thought about it, but living alone would bore me to death. It’s way more fun at home”
Sophia thought, ‘The thing is, if I lived alone, I wouldn’t get to watch all this juicy family drama!
Suddenly, Sophia felt like she truly had Dorian’s love for drama. Sitting there with front–row seats to the spectacle. She thought, “Who cares if it is good for me or not? I’m happy.
What made it even more entertaining was that she got to be the one dishing out the drama herself.
Charlotte opened her mouth but said nothing more. After all, this was Sophia’s personal choice.
At the hospital entrance, Sophia said, “Charlotte, things have been quite chaotic at home lately. Dinner’s on me next time.”
Charlotte didn’t care about the dinner. She just had a faint, nagging worry.
Seeing Charlotte’s hesitation, Sophia gradually became serious.
“Charlotte, have you ever considered that maybe all of Sean’s suspicions were right?” Sophia said.
Charlotte froze. She hadn’t expected Sophia to voice it so bluntly. A helpless smile crossed her face.
Charlotte said, “Three years ago, I handled a case. A woman came to the police station, covered in wounds, her spleen ruptured, her face disfigured, crying as she reported her husband missing.
“The investigation revealed her husband was an alcoholic who would physically abuse his wife and child when drunk. All those injuries to her were inflicted by him.
“She had to raise her child, work to support the family, and even buy her husband alcohol. Most people couldn’t understand why wouldn’t she just file for divorce?
“Her husband threatened that if she divorced him, he’d kill her whole family, including their child.
“Later, we found her husband’s body in the river. On the day the case was closed, that woman broke down completely. She cried like her whole world
had ended.
“Honestly, there were still a lot of loose ends in that case, but we chose not to dig deeper.
“Sophia, if her husband treated her so horribly, why do you think she was still crying so bitterly?” Charlotte asked.
Sophia raised an eyebrow and retorted, “How can you be so sure she was crying out of grief?”
It was liberation–a survivor’s smile. Charlotte met her gaze, and the two exchanged a knowing smile.
After seeing Charlotte off, Sophia reconsidered and decided to give her fellow drama enthusiast a chance, so she unblocked Dorian.
Sophia: [Hey, want some fresh gossip at the hospital? Come quick before it goes stale!]
The emergency room light still burned when Sophia returned. Heather had stopped her outburst and now sat slumped on the bench, breath ragged, her face etched with sorrow, eyes hollow and numb, all her tears spent.
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Chapter 97
Jonathan stood beside her, whispering explanations under his breath.
Sophia walked over, pulled out her phone, and started playing some dramatic funeral music to set the mood, then added her own sareallic e
“True heartbreak isn’t loud quarrels, nor is real despair measured in tears.
“Jonathan, you’ve broken Heather’s heart. She’s completely given up on you. You’re on your
own now,” Sophia said.
Jonathan’s body ached all over from the beating with the expandable baton. Seeing her approach, he seethed with rage, ready to explode
But when Jonathan faced Sophia’s eyes radiating a tangible chill, the words on his lips died in his throat.
“Fine, just please, stop talking, and don’t make things worse. I’m begging you here, okay?” Jonathan said.
Sophia grinned. “Begging? That’s cute, but I’m not really interested.”
Jonathan thought to himself, ‘Fine, I’ll just leave her be for now.’ Turning to Heather, he said, “Heather, about Wilbur…”
Heather cut him off sharply. “Don’t you dare mention that name in front of me! I don’t want to see you right now. Get out!”
Jonathan frowned. “Howard’s still in there. Who knows how he’s doing?”
Heather sneered and shot Jonathan a fierce glare. “Oh, so you actually remember your son is in there fighting for his life? Jonathan, I don’t want to talk to you. Whatever you say, my answer is no.”
Jonathan tried to reason with her patiently. “Heather, I admit what completely innocent.
happened back then was a mistake made in a moment of impulse, but Wilbur is
“For all these years, I never even knew he existed. He had such a hard life. Now that I finally know the truth, what exactly do you expect me to do about it?” Jonathan said.
Heather turned her face away sharply. “Get the hell out of here.”
Jonathan’s face darkened instantly. He snapped, “Did you really think I didn’t know you sent her away behind my back all those years ago? I only pretended ignorance to put your mind at ease.”
As soon as Jonathan brought it up, Heather flew into a rage, and the couple broke into a heated argument right there in the hospital corridor. Sophia walked up to Wilbur and nudged him with her elbow. “Did you catch that? You’re just a mistake he made in a moment of weakness.”
Wilbur kept his eyes downcast, saying nothing.
Sophia said, “Don’t let him fool you. He just thinks you’re useful and wants you to back up Sean. Let’s face it. Everyone else in the Chandler family is completely useless, except for me, of course.”
While Sophia was busy fanning the flames, she didn’t forget to pat herself on the back.
Wilbur turned to glance at her. Though her words sounded cocky, he had to admit she wasn’t wrong. Sophia was undoubtedly the sharpest mind in the entire Chandler family.
With a light smile, Sophia said, “Just watch, Jonathan is going to give up Howard in no time.”
Wilbur whispered a warning, “Ms. Sophia Chandler, watch your words.”
Sophia scoffed at him, “You need to watch your mouth. You’re here for revenge. If you want payback, you need to master the art of playing both sides. Act weak when it suits you, and strike hard when the time is right.
“This is your moment, Go on, I’ve got your back,” she urged.
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Chapter 97
Wilbur thought to himself, ‘Showing up now would only make me a target. Sean was right. Sophia is completely unhinged!
Wilbur decided it was better to keep his distance from someone like her. He subtly shifted a little farther away.
Sophia scoffed. “Do you want me to help you again?”
Wilbur snapped his head around, eyes widening in shock. “You-”
Wilbur thought, ‘She’s the one who’s been tipping me off and giving me advice all along?”
Sophia tilted her head with a mischievous grin. “That’s right. It was me all along. Surprise! Bet you didn’t see that coming, did you?”
Wilbur was so stunned he couldn’t even speak. A chill ran down his spine and cold sweat broke out all over him. “This was anything but a pleasant surprise,” he thought.
Wilbur realized Sophia was the brilliant kind of insane. People like her were the most dangerous type one would never want to cross.
One has no idea what she’s capable of when she loses it. That’s the last thing one would ever want to see.
Sophia narrowed her eyes menacingly. “Hey, don’t tell me you’re planning to bite the hand that feeds you and covet Chandler’s family’s wealth and status.”
She pointed at the still–quarreling couple. “Jonathan’s little ‘moment of impulse‘ cost your mother her whole life, Wilbur.
“Heather disregarded your mother’s wishes and forcibly sent her away. They’re both the real culprits behind your mother’s death.
“Your mother was merely a pawn in their warped little game.
“After all these years of hard work, wasn’t revenge what you were after? If you give up now, how could you ever face your mother? And what about all those years you held on?
“Wilbur, I truly misjudged you. What a massive disappointment,” Sophia said.
Wilbur stared ahead, starting to question his life. ‘Did I commit some unforgivable sin?‘ he wondered.
AP
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