Chapter 5 Courting Death?
"My teacher always said, 'No one in this world is indispensable to anyone else. Begging for affection is just too cheap.'" Sophia would never beg for affection!
The Browns thought she lived out in the sticks, unloved and uncared for.
Bringing her back to be the Brown family's daughter was supposed to be the highest honor.
They expected her to be grateful, humble, and eager to please.
But what they didn't know was that Sophia never cared about what they were so proud of.
In just a short while, Benjamin's perception of Sophia had flipped completely.
Most people, when bullied like this, would either fight back or swallow their pride for the sake of family.
But Sophia seemed to do neither.
Everyone thought she couldn't live without the Brown family, but little did they know, she didn't care about them at all.
Benjamin raised his hand and awkwardly ruffled Sophia's fluffy hair. "From now on, you can eat whatever you want, do whatever you want, no worries."
"If anyone dares to mess with you, just tell me. I've got your back."
Benjamin's face was dark, his aura cold and chilling.
The Brown family?
Fine, he'd remember them.
Finn, sitting in the front passenger seat, appeared calm but was actually listening intently to the conversation behind him.
Hearing Sophia's words, his heart sank.
He had heard rumors that the daughter of the Brown family had recently been found was spoiled, arrogant, and even a bit slow.
At the time, he had secretly thought it was a pity.
But someone who could decisively cut ties with the Brown family couldn't possibly be slow.
It seemed the Brown family members were not only foolish but also had poor judgment.
Finn shook his head inwardly, already putting the Brown family on his blacklist.
Soon, the car slowly pulled up to a villa.
Sophia leaned against the window, curiously looking outside.
The villa had a unique style; upon entering the yard, one could see a large flower garden and a big fountain.
In the center stood a giant sculpture.
Entering the living room felt like stepping into a palace, the luxurious decor exuding understated opulence.
"Is this our home?" Sophia ran to Benjamin's side, imitating Finn's gesture to support him.
Benjamin looked down and met Sophia's bright eyes.
The words of denial stuck in his throat, and eventually, Benjamin nodded.
Sophia's interest was piqued immediately, and she quickly pulled Benjamin forward. "Where's your room? I want to check it out."
She stopped and looked up at him, her eyes full of sincerity and anticipation.
Who could refuse that?
Benjamin rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, and casually pointed toward a direction on the second floor.
Finn watched Benjamin's resigned and indulgent demeanor, secretly astonished.
The second floor was Benjamin's private domain, and apart from the cleaning staff, no one was allowed in.
Even Preston and Alaric rarely ventured there.
Yet Benjamin agreed so easily to let Sophia in today?
It seemed Sophia held a special place in Benjamin's heart.
Finn couldn't contain his excitement, eager to share this good news with Preston and Alaric.
But Benjamin gave him a look, a silent warning.
Finn smiled, trying to keep his excitement in check, and quickly moved to support Benjamin. "Mr. White, please."
"Mr. White, watch your step."
Benjamin's lips pressed into a thin line, his cold gaze sweeping over the butler. He had explanations ready, but chose to remain silent.
He sighed, "Alright, let's go take a look."
Up on the second floor, Sophia wandered around until she found Benjamin's room at the end of the hallway.
Benjamin's room was even simpler than the one she had at the Brown Villa.
It was stark and cold, not at all like a place someone actually lived in.
Besides a bed, a wardrobe, and a nightstand, there was almost nothing else.
The only decorations were two minimalist European-style paintings on the walls and a lamp on the nightstand.
The spacious room felt particularly empty.
The wide bed had blue sheets and bedding.
The balcony was bare, with nothing on it.
Sophia held the railing, instinctively looking out, catching sight of a large flower garden.
Most of it was filled with green plants meant to ward off evil, with a small section of red roses.
The fiery red roses, surrounded by green, gave off a strange sense of discord.
Sophia watched intently, leaning out further.
In the next second, someone grabbed her collar, pulling her back.
Sophia stumbled, instinctively closing her eyes.
But the expected pain never came; instead, she fell into a solid chest.
The scent of pine mixed with a hint of medicine filled her nose, and Sophia instinctively opened her eyes, meeting Benjamin's deep gaze.
Benjamin's eyes narrowed slightly, a cold light flickering at the bottom, like the depths of an unfathomable sea. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
His deep voice carried a hard edge, mixed with a barely perceptible anger.
Sophia shrank her shoulders, a soft smile spreading across her face.
She said confidently, "No way! Honey, you'll protect me!"
Looking at her sincere expression, Benjamin's stern face softened for a moment.
Though his expression didn't change, the anger in his heart dissipated considerably. "Finn, get someone to add another layer of protection on the balcony tomorrow."
Finn was overjoyed and quickly agreed, "Yes! I'll arrange it right away."
As he left the room, Finn lowered his gaze, wiping away the wetness at the corner of his eyes.
He had watched Benjamin grow up.
Over the years, Benjamin's indifferent nature was due to his health.
So, he rarely made requests.
Yet today, he broke his usual rules for Sophia.
After Finn left, the room was quiet, with only Sophia and Benjamin.
Sophia blinked, her eyes filled with joy.
Such undisguised affection left the usually indifferent Benjamin at a loss. "You can stay here for now. The prenuptial agreement is clear; if you change your mind, you can annul the marriage anytime."
After registering their marriage, Benjamin had started to regret it.
He seemed too selfish.
Sophia was gentle and had no defenses against him.
But he selfishly dragged her into the abyss.
There were better ways to protect Sophia.
"Honey, do you not like me anymore?" Sophia looked up, her eyes quickly reddening.
Did Benjamin not like her?
Why did he always want her to leave?
Facing those tear-filled eyes, Benjamin suddenly felt a pang of guilt.