Chapter 84
"Mom, I gotta figure out a way to get Sophia outta this city, or I'm gonna lose it," Veda snapped, clearly upset.
Seeing her daughter so worked up, Hazel felt uneasy. "Veda, your dad just blew up at us today. It's not the right time to mess with Sophia. Let's wait until things calm down a bit, then we can deal with her together. Sound good?"
After being married to Hayden for so long, Hazel had never seen him this angry. Something big must've gone down with the Brown Group, and they really needed a deal with the Smith Group. Otherwise, Hayden wouldn't be acting like this.
Veda was shocked by her mom's suggestion. "Mom, how can we wait? If we do, Sophia's just gonna get more full of herself. Didn't you see her today? She was unbearable."
Just thinking about Sophia's smug look, hiding in James's arms with that innocent face, made Veda's blood boil. She'd always been above Sophia. When did Sophia get the nerve to show off in front of her? Sophia was just a nobody. How could she rise above her? The thought was unbearable for Veda.
Hazel took Veda's hand, trying to calm her down. "Veda, I get that you're mad. Sophia really crossed the line today, but let's not lose our heads. We should let your dad cool off first. After that, we'll handle Sophia. I'm not saying we should let her off easy."
"You're my only daughter. If she dares to mess with you, I'll make sure she regrets it," Hazel said firmly.
Hearing her mom's strong words, Veda felt a bit better. "Mom, as long as you're with me, I'm okay. I don't know what's up with Dad lately. He's dead set on working with the Smith Group, and Chase can't help us with this."
Today's events made Veda realize that Chase couldn't help her make a name for herself in Emerald City. If she wanted to be on top, she needed to become James's wife. Only James's status could make her dreams come true.
Meanwhile, James had brought Sophia back to the hospital, gently laying her on the bed with a slightly annoyed look. "Who told you to leave the hospital without permission?" he demanded.
Sophia didn't feel scared. Instead, she felt oddly safe around James, especially after he had come to her rescue at the press conference. "I didn't want to go. I hate those events, all that fake smiling and sucking up."
James frowned. "If you didn't want to go, then why did you?"
Sophia shrugged, feeling a bit helpless. "Not everyone has it as easy as you, with everything handed to them. Some of us are just pawns, forced to do things we don't want to."
James felt a twinge of guilt at her words, sensing her frustration. "Who made you go to that press conference? Was it Hayden? What's she up to?"
Sophia looked down, feeling a bit downcast. She hadn't planned on dragging James into her mess, and if he found out Hayden used her to lure him to the press conference, he'd be even more furious. Sophia just wanted to marry into the Smith family, claim the inheritance Ava left her, and cut all ties with the Brown family. She wanted nothing more to do with Hayden and her manipulative daughter.
"It's nothing. I was bored at the hospital, so I went. I just didn't expect to run into them," Sophia said, keeping the details to herself. She hoped today's incident would make them think twice before messing with her again.
Seeing Sophia's dejected look, James felt a deep sense of unease. He took her hand. "Sophia, don't worry. I'll find a way to deal with the Browns."
Sophia shook her head gently and lay back on the bed. "No need, thanks. I'll handle my own problems. I'm tired. Can I rest now?"
She just wanted James to leave so she could have some peace. The ongoing battle with the Browns was wearing her out. Mia's surgery was still pending, and now she was injured. She didn't know when she'd be discharged. The Browns were always causing trouble, and she feared they might target Mia next.
Sophia considered asking James to look after Mia, but she already owed him too much. She couldn't bear to owe him more. She just wanted him to leave so she could figure things out on her own.
Seeing her exhaustion, James didn't push further. He gently brushed her hair back and left the room.
Once he was gone, Sophia grabbed her phone and called her best friend, Evelyn. Loud music blared from the other end as Evelyn answered. "Sophia, where've you been these past few days? Did you go back to the Brown Villa? You don't need to deal with their crap. You can stay at my place anytime."
Sophia frowned slightly. She hadn't told Evelyn about her injury, and she knew Evelyn was likely working at the bar. "I know, Evelyn. I've just been busy. But I need a favor."
Evelyn's voice was cheerful and carefree. "Sophia, anything you need. Just tell me. Your problems are my problems."
Sophia hesitated briefly before speaking softly. "When you have time, could you check on my mom at the hospital? I haven't been able to visit her, and I'm worried about how she's doing."