Chapter 13 Give Me Custody of the Two Children
William's breath caught in his throat. "What are you talking about?"
Sophia replied calmly, "We need to talk about the kids' custody again."
The atmosphere became tense, almost suffocating.
William stepped closer, his handsome face hard as stone, his cold, piercing eyes locked onto hers, radiating a silent but terrifying intensity.
Sophia, having been his partner for five years, knew his emotions better than anyone.
He was holding back immense anger.
Anyone else would have been scared stiff by his demeanor.
But Sophia held James firmly in her arms, not showing any sign of fear.
She had made up her mind and looked at William with steady resolve.
"It's too sunny out here; the kids can't handle it. Let's talk inside."
Sophia carried James, while Lyra held Emily, and they headed towards the hotel.
Michael walked over and took William's hand, following them.
Alice quickly grabbed Michael's other hand, trying to portray a warm family image.
But this time, Michael pulled away!
It was the first time Michael had seen James cry so hard. Being twins, they had always shared a deep emotional bond.
James was really upset.
Was it Alice's fault? Have I been too close to her? Michael wondered.
Just then, Alice reached out to hold his hand again, and Michael hesitated.
Alice's face turned pale, her fingers clenched tightly.
The hotel was right next door.
The check-in process was quick.
Lyra's invited friends and family were all from Empire City's social circle.
Many had seen the Smith family's treasured twins.
Seeing James clinging tightly to Sophia, they curiously observed her.
Sophia's beauty was undeniable.
Even in the entertainment industry, filled with various styles of beauties, Lyra had never seen anyone more beautiful than Sophia.
She had a classical elegance, like a flawless gem, captivating everyone just by standing there.
In the elevator, Lyra sneaked a glance at William.
He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, with perfect features and a cool aura that created a sense of distance.
To be fair, Sophia and William were a perfect match in terms of looks!
Lyra looked down at the sweet, soft Emily in her arms and couldn't resist kissing her cheek.
Though William might be a lousy husband, his genes were excellent.
Both James and Michael, as well as Emily, were incredibly good-looking.
Sophia had met Lyra after her divorce. Though they hadn't known each other long, they understood each other's personalities well.
Seeing her glance at William while holding Emily, Sophia immediately understood her intentions and warned her not to speak out of turn.
Lyra gave her a reassuring look.
Emily was so adorable; she wouldn't tell the jerk that she was his daughter.
She leaned in close to Sophia, winking and whispering, "Hey, once you get custody of James and Michael, can I be their godmother?"
She couldn't have three such beautiful children herself, but that didn't stop her from asking.
A godmother was still a mother.
Sophia looked at her helplessly, while James, on her shoulder, curiously watched her.
The elevator chimed.
Sophia led the way to her room, with Lyra carrying Emily close behind.
Before entering, she glanced at the persistent Alice.
"Ms. Rivera, this is a matter between us parents and our children. No matter how far you've gotten with William, it's not appropriate for you to be involved in this, right?"
Alice looked pitifully at William, her eyes filled with grievance.
Hearing Sophia's last words, William instinctively frowned. What nonsense was she talking about?
But Sophia was right about one thing: this was their family matter, and Alice was an outsider.
William said, "Alice, you should head back to your room."
Alice didn't want to miss this chance to create tension, but William had already taken Michael into the room.
The door closed in front of her, making her almost drop her gentle persona. She glared at the door before reluctantly returning to her room.
Lyra had arranged a suite for Sophia, and the luggage had already been delivered.
Sophia first settled James and Emily in the bedroom, taking out toys and snacks from the suitcase, all the latest models and favorites of the children.
She gently touched James's head, speaking softly, "James, stay here and play with Emily for a while, okay? Mommy and Daddy need to talk. I'll be back soon, alright?"
James nodded obediently.
Seeing the worry in his eyes, Sophia hugged him tenderly.
Though she didn't want to defend William, she didn't want James to be stuck in the awful scene from earlier.
She hoped they would always be happy.
Sophia took him to the bathroom, grabbed a clean towel from the suitcase, soaked it in hot water, and gently wiped away James's tears.
"Earlier, Daddy was wrong. Mommy will talk to him for you."
"James, you're such a good boy, not impolite at all. Mommy knows you pushed Emily to protect her. You're a brave and good brother."
James was comforted by her words, the warm towel soothing him, and he finally stopped crying.
After calming James, Sophia turned to comfort Emily.
Emily, being younger, forgot quickly.
With Sophia's coaxing, she soon smiled brightly, pulling James to play with the new toys.
Michael peeked in from outside, relieved to see they weren't crying anymore.
James invited him to join in.
Michael hesitated, glancing at Sophia, but she didn't spare him a look, making him feel abandoned and sad.
Lyra wanted to stay and look after the kids, but it wasn't appropriate, so she left the space for Sophia and William and returned to her room.
In the living room.
Sophia sat on one end of the sofa, able to see the three children with a glance.
William sat opposite her, his lips tightly pressed, his black attire accentuating his cold and noble demeanor.
Sophia broke the silence, looking at him calmly, "William, you and Alice are getting serious, right?"
William's eyes darkened, and he scoffed, "I'm not like you. I don't treat relationships the way you do."
She took deep breaths, reminding herself not to get angry with this blind and deaf jerk!
What if he hid the children?
The most important thing now was to settle the custody of the children.
Sophia looked up at him, accidentally locking eyes with his deep gaze, seeing emotions she couldn't decipher.
Before she could look closer, William had already shifted his gaze.
She spoke with the same distance as when they first met, "Mr. Smith, I know you were forced to marry me, so you haven't liked seeing me for all these years."
"If you give me custody of the two children, I'll take them abroad, ensuring we stay far away from you, never crossing paths again."
"If you want children, you can have more with Alice."
Sophia had decided that if William and Alice got married and had children, even if he wasn't biased, Alice might be.
In the end, the two children would inevitably suffer.
William's face turned icy, and he coldly retorted, "Do you think I'll agree to let you take my sons to live with your current husband?"