Chapter 166 You Have Overstepped
After James got through on the phone, Michael also leaned over. His eyes lit up when he saw William and Sophia together.
"Dad, did you go after Mom?"
Unlike James's understanding of Sophia's future partner, Michael firmly hoped in his heart that his mom and dad would get back together.
William didn't answer right away.
He glanced at Sophia, who was now speechless, then at Benjamin, and softly replied, "Yes."
To prevent Michael from asking any more difficult questions, Sophia took his personal phone and walked to a quiet spot on the other side to continue the video chat with James and Michael.
James said the kindergarten was holding a parent-teacher conference that required both mom and dad to attend, and asked if Sophia had time.
Hearing James's words, William's nerves tensed for a moment, he looked at her meaningfully.
Sophia hesitated slightly.
After all, she and William were divorced now. If they attended the parent-teacher conference together, it might invite unnecessary speculation. But seeing the anxiety in James's eyes, she still smiled and nodded.
Sophia said, "Mom will definitely come to the parent-teacher conference on time."
Benjamin clearly felt William's body tense for a moment.
Only when he heard her answer did William relax.
Sophia leaned her hands on the balcony railing, holding William's phone, looking tenderly at James and Michael on the screen. Her profile was delicate, and even with her hair simply pulled back, she was still stunningly beautiful.
At this moment, he strongly realized that there was just too much separating him from her.
A gap of more than ten years was hard to bridge..
And in between, William had occupied her most important five years.
Hearing Sophia's answer, Michael and James looked at each other, their eyes full of unconcealed joy.
Michael excitedly said, "Mom, when you come to the parent-teacher conference, can you wear your prettiest dress?"
Sophia asked curiously, "Why wear a dress?"
Michael hurriedly explained, "Because Juan's desk mate said his mom is the most beautiful mom in the world, but James and I think you're the prettiest, Mom!"
James nodded shyly beside him. He also thought his mom was the most beautiful mom in the world.
While Sophia was amused by Michael and James, Benjamin was also asking William, his voice gentle and unhurried, soothing.
"Mr. Smith, you sent those files to Dwayne, didn't you?" He didn't even explain who Dwayne was, certain in his heart that William knew.
Dwayne was quite capable, but collecting so much information in just two days didn't add up.
This matter was related to Sophia, and she herself was unwilling to have any more involvement with him, so those files definitely weren't provided by her.
Looking at the people around her, the most capable and most likely person was William.
When Benjamin brought this up, seeing that William didn't deny it, he was already certain that William had done it.
"Mr. Smith, I don't understand." Benjamin looked at him, puzzled. "If you care so much about Sophia, why did you get tangled up with another woman back then?"
The sudden question brought William's thoughts back to the past. His heart trembled slightly, and his sharp, knife-like gaze fell on Benjamin.
"Mr. Franklin, you should deal with the Franklin family's matters first."
Unlike his coldness, Benjamin's expression remained gentle. He smiled bitterly, "I will give Sophia an explanation, but before that, I also have something to say to you."
"Given Sophia's personality, if you hadn't pushed her too far, she wouldn't have divorced so decisively. She..."
At this point, Benjamin paused.
"She actually longs for a complete family more than anyone."
Even though he was questioning William on Sophia's behalf, Benjamin's tone remained calm and gentle.
He knew he had no right now to judge the marriage between William and Sophia, but just thinking about how she, who longed so much for family warmth, ended up leaving Empire City alone, his heart ached.
If only he could have returned to the country earlier.
William heard the concern for Sophia in his voice and kept his gaze on the woman video chatting with James and Michael.
His cold voice rang out, "This is between her and me."
William withdrew his gaze and looked directly into Benjamin's eyes, his expression cold as he said, "Mr. Franklin, you're overstepping."
Benjamin couldn't see through William.
His words and actions seemed to show no love for Sophia, yet he appeared by her side again and again, and showed obvious displeasure toward other men around Sophia.
Very contradictory, making it impossible to see through his thoughts.
Benjamin couldn't help asking, "Did you ever really love her?"
In the end, he never heard an answer from William, because Sophia had finished her video chat and was walking toward them.
She placed the phone on the high table on the balcony, avoiding contact with William's fingers, nodded at Benjamin, and turned to leave.
Inside the balcony door, Joe leaned lazily against a pillar. As he opened the door for her, his gaze swept over the two outstanding men outside.
He moved closer to Sophia and lowered his voice, saying that the person who had castrated Justin had been found, and they'd gotten the full story.
A year ago, Justin had ruined that man's sister's innocence, causing her to jump into the river in despair. He had been looking for a chance to get revenge.
After William's men knocked Justin out and put him in a sack, that man happened to see it. Wanting to avenge his sister, he cut off Justin's "manhood" with scissors and threw it, along with the scissors, into the river where his sister had jumped.
Joe suddenly smiled and continued, "He also rubbed salt into all of Justin's wounds after he passed out."
When Logan found him, Justin had already fainted from the pain several times.
Just imagining that scene was painful, but thinking of the crimes Justin had committed, he got off easy.
Hearing Joe say that if Logan knew the truth, he definitely wouldn't let the "the attacker" go, Sophia shook her head.
She said as she walked, "Logan may not be unaware."
As the king of Forton County's underground forces, with power spanning the area for years, if they could investigate it clearly, Logan couldn't possibly not know.
Sophia continued, "Besides, someone like Logan, even if he really cares about Justin, he would never show it."
People who live by the sword—once they expose the relatives they care about, all that awaits them is revenge from their enemies.
Joe's eyes flickered, "You mean Logan did it on purpose?"
Deliberately exposing his own concern for Justin, letting opponents use Justin as leverage against him—beatings, kidnappings, threats... these were probably already routine for Justin.
He could even use Justin to hide the person he really wanted to protect. Thinking about it this way, Logan was truly ruthless.
Sophia reminded Joe, "Have someone keep an eye on Logan. I always feel his real purpose hasn't revealed itself yet."
She thought to herself: 'Logan is far smarter than he appears.'
Joe agreed.
The two returned to the banquet hall.
People were still talking about William's heroic rescue earlier. Sophia wasn't interested, chatted briefly with others, and left early, returning to her hotel room under bodyguard escort to rest.
When she entered the elevator, there was already someone inside.