Chapter 6
Jonathan went silent, holding his breath so tight he couldn’t even inhale. He took deep breaths to calm his frayed nerves.
420)
Yvette chimed in gently, “Dad, just chill. Let’s talk after dinner, alright?” Her words worked like a charm–Jonathan’s anger melted away instantly.
After speaking, Yvette turned to help Heather up. Sophia had scared the daylights out of Heather; Heather felt like her soul had left her body. Her legs trembled, and when she finally stood, her dress was damp with sweat.
Yvette wrinkled her nose in disgust but stayed quiet. She shot Sophia a suspicious look, deep in thought.
Seeing Yvette staring, Sophia smirked, carefree, and even raised an eyebrow playfully.
“Mom, let’s head upstairs,” Yvette said, looking away and supporting Heather to change clothes.
Sophia’s smile vanished. She lowered her eyes. After several regenerations, she’d learned a thing or two.
She couldn’t just go hurting Yvette in the storyline—a few slaps were pushing it. But she could go after the people around Yvette.
Sophia twirled the knife in her hand, making a few casual slashes. The blade sliced through the air with a menacing whoosh.
With a loud clang, Howard turned white, slid off his chair, and knocked it over in the process.
Sophia put down the knife and glanced over.
Howard’s eyes were glued to the shiny blade, and he swallowed nervously: “Sophia, murder’s illegal.”
Sophia sneered, “Kill you? Please. I wouldn’t dirty my hands on a coward
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like you.”
The kitchen knife actually got a tiny nick on the blade after she took a whack at the dining table. It was not as sharp as the dagger she’d had on her last go–around. But she’d make do.
Sophia walked upstairs, still holding the knife.
“Dad… she’s going upstairs. Do you think she’s gonna… you know… go after Mom and Yvette with that thing?” Howard said nervously to Jonathan. To be fair, Sophia looked terrifying with that knife.
Jonathan rubbed his temples. The shocks Sophia had thrown at him these past two days were too much. His head was pounding.
“You’re a grown–up. Use your brain,” Jonathan snapped at Howard. “No matter how crazy Sophia gets, she won’t hurt her own family.”
Howard rubbed his neck and muttered, “She almost strangled me before.” He’d been choked and hit by Sophia, and that suffocating feeling still haunted him. Seeing her swing that knife at their mom had left him deeply shaken.
Jonathan had planned to head to the office, but the pain on his face said otherwise. Half his face was swollen; he couldn’t show himself in public.
*****
Heather had showered, changed, and was still patting her chest to calm
down.
Yvette held her hand. “Mom, Sophia-”
“Don’t mention her.” Heather cut her off. The moment Heather thought of Sophia, she remembered the knife at her throat.
Then Heather realized her tone was harsh. “Yvette, I didn’t mean to snap.
It’s just…” Heather said, guilt written all over her face. “Stay away from her. I’m scared she’ll hurt you if she loses her mind.”
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Chapter 6
じゅ
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Yvette’s eyes filled with tears, her face twisted with struggle. “Mom, I’m sorry. If it weren’t for me, Sophia wouldn’t be like this.”
Heather’s heart ached. She hugged Yvette. “How is this your fault? It’s that rebellious girl, Sophia. Don’t worry, Mommy’s got you.”
Tears slid down Yvette’s face, her expression sorrowful. “Mom, why did Sophia suddenly… What was she like before?”
Heather froze. She looked lost, unable to recall what Sophia was like. “She was… quiet, a bit gloomy. She didn’t even call us Mom and Dad. Just ignore her, alright?”
Back then, Sophia was barely there. They’d sometimes forget she was in
the house.
Yvette didn’t ask more. When she’d first met Sophia, it was just like Heather had said. Sophia didn’t talk much, wouldn’t even address others by name, and was easy to overlook. She was like a ghost in the family.
Yvette had popped into Sophia’s room once, trying to play nice. She found the place packed with books and realized that Sophia was a genius. Her memory was sharp as a tack.
Yvette had grabbed a random book, flipped it open, and read a line. Sophia had just rattled off the book title, the exact page, and even the notes she’d scribbled in the margins.
Yvette was stunned–and a little jealous. They were both Chandlers, but Yvette had spent eighteen years away from the family. She believed that if she had grown up with the Chandler family, she’d outshine Sophia, no contest. That thought took root in her mind.
Yvette didn’t want anyone to notice how amazing Sophia was. Sophia had been the family’s afterthought before. She could stay that way. One standout daughter was enough in this family–and that was Yvette.
*****
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Chapter 6
Back in her room, Sophia tossed the knife on the table and fired up her laptop to check the latest gossip.
She found nothing juicy about the Shelton family yet. But she found a few crumbs of the Lynn and the Foley families. Someone was clearly trying to bury the dirt, so only a handful of people knew.
Sophia smirked, her fingers flying over the keyboard. Thirty minutes later, she sent the files to a sketchy–sounding site called JuicyNewsHere.
She hit the bathroom, and by the time she got back, they’d already replied. JuicyNewsHere: [Everything you sent checks out?]
Sophia shot them the buried links about the Lynn and the Foley families. She texted: [If you’re chicken, don’t run it.]
JuicyNewsHere: [You misread us. We just want to confirm it’s legit. If it is, we’re all over it.]
JuicyNewsHere: [Thanks for the tip. We’ll dig deep.]
Sophia replied: [I expect a story in thirty.]
JuicyNewsHere: [We’ll try.]
Sophia closed that chat window in a jiffy.
The site she had chosen had some major pull behind the scenes and a mysterious background. They would go all in on reporting things that would make others break a sweat, as long as the facts were as solid as a
rock.
People used to think it was official. It wasn’t. Sophia knew exactly who ran
the show.
“Sophia, you called the cops yesterday. They’re here. Open up!” Howard’s. smug voice came from outside.
Sophia shut her laptop, grabbed her bag, and marched out.
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Howard leaned against the staircase, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Called the cops, huh? Didn’t see this coming, did you?”
Sophia rolled her eyes. “Idiot.”
Howard rubbed his neck, jutting his chin out to flash the bruise Sophia had left. “If I tell the cops you almost choked me, you think you’ll avoid jail?”
Sophia raised an eyebrow, unbothered. “Go ahead. Call them.”
Howard, expecting her to panic and beg, froze. He gritted his teeth. “Sophia, just you wait!”
“What a chatty idiot,” Sophia muttered, heading downstairs.
Heather, just like Howard, wore a smug, dumb grin. “Finally, someone’s paying for hitting their own parents.” She hoped they’d lock Sophia up and throw away the key.
Jonathan shot Heather a look. Always the public face, he put on a
concerned act and said to the police, “My daughter’s young. She called the cops impulsively yesterday. Give her a break, please.”
The police–a young dude and a chick–exchanged a glance, frowning.
Sophia, who’d just reached the bottom step, burst out laughing. “A break? Oh, Jonathan. I’m just here to help with the investigation, but you’re making it sound like I committed a heist.
“You’re the head of the Chandler family. But you don’t know the law? That’s sketchy.” Sophia smirked. “Maybe read a book on basic legal stuff. Running a big company without knowing the law? That’s a recipe for disaster…”
Sophia’s face suddenly turned serious. “Cops, I think the Chandler Group might be dodging taxes.”
The two officers froze, looking at each other in puzzlement.
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Chapter 7
