Chapter 324

Chapter 324

Was this Alexander's way of shattering his protection of Sophie?

But what about that scar? What was the real story?

Emily recalled the scar on Sophie's abdomen during her ultrasound. It looked like an old wound. Had Sophie really taken a knife for Alexander?

The probability seemed too low. And if such an incident truly existed, it would complicate many things.

An unborn child might spark Alexander's anger and guilt, but those feelings wouldn't necessarily last.

After all, it was just a fetus, not yet truly alive. But saving his life—that was undeniably real.

This matter...

As she pondered, Emily carefully chose her words.

"So Sophie really took a knife for you back then?" she asked casually, as if merely changing the subject rather than probing deeply.

But who was Alexander?

A man who had navigated the business world for years, his understanding of human nature was exceptionally precise.

Yet in matters of the heart, he remained oblivious.

He glanced at her, not denying it, but instead elaborating on the incident.

"That year, my father closed a major deal, and the Foster family became a target. They eventually focused on me."

"I was cornered in an alley when Sophie happened to pass by and saved me. She was just a freshman in high school then."

His simple narration, especially the mention of Sophie's young age, revealed he still felt some compassion for her.

How could a teenage girl have dared to jump in front of a knife?

If it wasn't out of genuine love for him, how could she have gone that far?

Emily understood those feelings all too well, so she made no comment about his obvious sentiment.

"You both must have been hospitalized for quite a while then?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Being a knife wound, and during summer, recovery was slow. We stayed in the hospital for nearly a month before transferring to a recovery center."

By the time they moved to the recovery center with its premium care, Emily had already returned to school.

With the exams approaching, she couldn't afford to waste time.

Her hand unconsciously drifted to her abdomen. Though she couldn't feel the scar through her clothes, she felt transported back to that bloody summer day.

After saving him, all she received was a card and the driver's condescending mockery.

"Just because you saved Mr. Foster doesn't mean you can climb the social ladder. The money in this card is your payment. Don't show your face around Mr. Foster again."

She had wanted to refuse with dignity.

But she was about to start college, and the children's home needed funds.

In the end, she could only bow and accept the card.

Little did she know that this very action would bring her endless ridicule in college.

Someone had secretly photographed the exchange and spread rumors that she had been beaten by a sugar daddy and then paid off to keep quiet.

Though completely baseless, the story spread like wildfire online, turning her four years of college into a nightmare.

Thinking about it now...

"Alexander!" Her suddenly raised voice startled him.

"Yes?"

"If Sophie saved you and you were grateful to her, would you have been grateful if it had been someone else?"

His brow furrowed, seemingly puzzled by her question, but he quickly answered. "Of course."

Then, apparently feeling his response was too casual, he elaborated. "I've been good to her because she saved my life. Beyond that, there are no other feelings."

"As for childhood sweethearts or first loves—that's all media fabrication."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Fabrication? Then why not clarify?"

Alexander sighed softly. "At first, I didn't care. Later, I did consider clarifying. She said the media had been writing this way for so long that a sudden clarification would raise suspicions about trouble between our families and affect the Laurent Group's stock price."

Given his debt of gratitude, and considering Alexander had been forced to marry Emily, allowing the media to continue their narrative seemed reasonable.

After a while, it simply became a habit.

Having organized her thoughts, Emily returned to her original question. "What if two people had taken a knife for you? Would you have treated them differently?"

"Why do you ask that?"

How perceptive he was.

Combined with everything that had happened today, his suspicions about Sophie had grown profound.

"Could there be issues with how she saved me back then?"

"Perhaps. I'm not certain," she gave an ambiguous answer. "Answer my question first."

Alexander studied her intently before finally speaking.

"You were right about one thing—you have absolutely no trust in me."

"Of course, I brought this on myself by hurting you too many times."

"But when it comes to repaying debts of gratitude, I thought you could trust that I wouldn't discriminate."

His privileged upbringing had made him domineering—after all, he'd never been denied anything—but it had also instilled in him a certain fairness in many matters.

So the man who gave her the card hadn't been sent by Alexander?

As this thought flashed through her mind, Emily realized there must be more hidden secrets to the story, and Sophie was the one who knew the whole truth.

Seeing that he wanted to ask more, Emily deliberately changed the subject. "I won't interfere with the debt between you two. But her plagiarizing my thesis is unforgivable. I want a public apology from her."

"Alright."

A one-word answer, simple and direct.

Could he really make it happen?

Emily thought of Sophie's tearful face and couldn't help feeling irritated. "Alexander, I'm serious. Don't soften when she cries a few tears and then arrange for your company's PR to cover for her."

"I won't."

"I hope so."

Clearly, his credibility with her was low.

Alexander didn't try to explain further. He drove back to the mansion and went upstairs to pack his things.

When Emily leaned against the master bedroom doorframe and saw this, her feelings were complex.

He had been pursuing her for some time, making her instinctively assume he had ulterior motives.

He'd talked about moving out, but she thought it was just a strategic retreat. Was he really leaving?

"You don't need to move out," she pressed her lips together. "This is your house. If anyone should leave, it's me, not you."

His hand paused as he was organizing clothes, then continued packing. "It's better for you to stay here—it's more convenient for your care, and I'll feel more at ease. Taking care of two children alone isn't easy."

At the mention of Maurice and Jasmine, Emily's heart softened, then felt hollow.

She had just told Alexander and Sophie that the children were gone to provoke them.

If he ever learned the truth... Remembering Alexander's reaction earlier, Emily felt dizzy again.

"I'm used to it. Besides, the current situation isn't your fault."

"How is it not?" He gripped the clothes in his hand tightly. "If I had been more rational then, we wouldn't have lost our child. You wouldn't have been disappointed and left me, and you wouldn't have been deceived..."

After a few seconds of silence, Alexander continued through gritted teeth. "Do you hate that man? If you want revenge, I can help you. I'll make sure he suffers a fate worse than death!"