chapter 150
Elena's POV:
The crack of Rose's palm against Sophia's cheek echoed through the room like a gunshot, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze.
My heart pounded as I watched Sophia stumble back, her perfectly manicured hand flying to her reddening face, eyes wide with genuine shock.
In all the years I'd known of Sophia Black—through gossip, through glimpses at social events, through Nicholas's carefully neutral mentions—I'd never seen anyone dare to strike her.
Rose stood there, her whole body trembling with barely contained rage, her chest heaving as if she'd just run a marathon.
The hand that had delivered the slap was still raised slightly, fingers splayed, and I could see it shaking—whether from adrenaline or the effort of holding herself back from doing worse, I couldn't tell.
The transformation was breathtaking. Gone was the composed doctor, the woman who'd spent the entire evening carefully managing her emotions and maintaining her dignity.
In her place stood a lioness, ready to tear apart anyone who threatened her cub.
Sophia's shock was rapidly morphing into outrage. "How dare you—" she began, her voice shrill, but Rose cut her off with a laugh that held no humor.
"How dare I?" Rose's laugh was bitter, almost unhinged. "You called my child a mongrel. My beautiful, brilliant daughter who has more grace in her little finger than you've shown in your entire privileged life."
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, one hand unconsciously moving to my swollen belly.
The tension in the room was suffocating, and I found myself wishing desperately for Sebastian's presence. Or Nicholas's. Or anyone who could defuse this before it escalated further.
"You always were trash," Sophia spat, her composure cracking to reveal the ugly core beneath. "Playing at being better than you are. At least now everyone can see what you really—"
"That's enough."
Sebastian's voice cut through the room like a blade, and I nearly sagged with relief. He stood in the doorway, his presence immediately commanding, those gray eyes taking in the scene with calculating precision. Behind him, I caught a glimpse of Marcus, alert and ready.
But Sophia, riding high on her own indignation and the sting of the slap, wasn't done. She whirled toward Sebastian, her eyes bright with unshed tears of fury. "Did you see what she did? This... this nobody struck me! In my own family's home!"
"I saw," Sebastian said, his tone deceptively mild as he stepped into the room.
His gaze flickered to me first—a quick assessment that I was unharmed—before settling on Rose. "Though I'm curious what could have provoked our usually composed Dr. Mitchell to such action."
"She called Lily a mongrel," I said quietly, unable to keep silent. "A... a bastard mongrel, specifically."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Sebastian's expression didn't change, but something shifted in his stance, a predator recognizing another predator's transgression.
Sebastian countered smoothly. "I'd say that makes you even, though personally, I think you got off light."
Sophia's face flushed an even deeper red. "You're taking her side? This nobody who trapped my brother—"
"Choose your next words very carefully," Sebastian warned, and there was something in his voice that made even Sophia pause.
Rose had been silent during this exchange, but I could see the way her body was slowly unknotting, the adrenaline beginning to fade and leave exhaustion in its wake.
She looked smaller suddenly, as if the burst of protective fury had drained something vital from her.
"I should go," Rose said quietly, her voice steady but tired. "I need to find Lily and—"
"You're not going anywhere."
Nicholas's voice from the doorway made us all turn. He stood there with Lily in his arms, the little girl's face buried in his neck. His expression as he took in the scene—his sister's reddened face, Rose's defensive stance, the electric tension in the air—was thunderous.
"Daddy?" Lily's small voice was muffled against his shoulder. "Why is everyone upset? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, sweetheart," Nicholas said, his voice gentling immediately. "You didn't do anything wrong. Some adults just forgot how to behave properly."
His eyes found Sophia's, and I saw her actually take a step back. "Outside. Now."
"Nicky, she hit me—"
"I said now, Sophia."
There was something in his tone that brooked no argument. Sophia's mouth opened and closed like a fish before she spun on her designer heels and stalked out, her exit somewhat ruined by the way she had to squeeze past Nicholas in the doorway.
Nicholas shifted Lily in his arms, murmuring something in her ear that made her giggle softly despite the tension. Then his eyes found Rose, and his expression softened into something almost painful to witness.
"Are you all right?" he asked quietly.
Rose nodded, though I could see the way her hands were clenched at her sides. "I'm fine. But we should go. "
Nicholas watched them with an expression I'd never seen on him before—a mixture of longing and regret and fierce protectiveness that made my heart ache.
"Rose," he said softly. "What happened? Marcus said there was a disturbance—"
"Your sister happened," I interjected, unable to keep the anger from my voice. "She said some truly vile things about Lily."
Nicholas's face darkened. But before he could respond, Lily's small voice piped up from his arms.
"Daddy, why did Aunt Sophia say mean things about me?" She turned her big eyes toward him, then back to her mother. "She made Mommy cry and said bad words. I don't like her. She's mean."
The innocent honesty in her voice made the situation even more heartbreaking.
Just then, the door burst open, and Sophia swept back in, but this time she wasn't alone. Nicholas's mother, Grace Black, entered behind her, her imposing presence immediately filling the room.
She surveyed the scene with cold, calculating eyes.
"I heard there was an assault in my home," Grace said, her voice dripping with aristocratic disdain. Her gaze landed on Rose, and her lips curled slightly. "Though I can't say I'm surprised, given the... company."