Chapter 136 Slap-Down for the Heartless
Sophie had indeed first come across Amelia's proposal during the board meeting, and while she had offered sponsorship because the event caught her interest, that had never been the full reason. The truth was more personal. She had wanted to meet Amelia.
It had been over a year since Rosie had declared she was retreating from public life, vanishing so completely that not the faintest trace of her remained. Sophie knew Rosie's temperament well—when she said she wanted solitude, it meant she wanted no one knocking on her door, no one trying to pull her back into the noise. So despite the constant ache of wondering how she was, Sophie had respected her wishes, never sending anyone to track her down.
Then, out of nowhere, during a charity auction gala, Rosie had messaged her. The request was as abrupt as it was strange: she wanted a particular ginseng root, no matter the price, and she wanted Sophie to buy it for her. Sophie had gone head-to-head with Michael in the bidding war, her jaw tight, her pulse hammering as the numbers climbed. Fifteen million dollars later, the ginseng was hers.
Only for Rosie to tell her, almost casually, that the root was meant for Michael all along.
It was a bizarre twist, but Sophie had been secretly grateful for it. At least it had forced a line of communication open after all those silent months. Hearing Rosie say she was well in her self-imposed exile had lifted a weight off Sophie's chest. And then… Rosie had disappeared again, leaving no further word.
Last week, at a networking reception, Sophie had run into Ellison. Over drinks, she had mentioned Rosie, asking if he had heard anything. Ellison had told her about a young woman—Amelia. He explained that Rosie had once written him a note, instructing that if Amelia ever needed help in River City, she should present it at Crystal and he would assist her. Ellison had added that Amelia must be important to Rosie, and if Sophie ever crossed paths with her, she should offer her support.
Sophie and Ellison had both been close friends of Rosie before Amelia's rebirth. Neither of them knew that Amelia was, in truth, Rosie herself. But they did know this: Rosie mattered more to them than anyone else. If Rosie believed Amelia mattered, then Amelia was worth their attention.
So when Sophie saw Amelia's name on the board's agenda, she had immediately requested to meet her, offering sponsorship to her team in the process. And when they finally met, there was something in Amelia's calm, unhurried demeanor—an understated grace—that kept triggering flashes of Rosie in Sophie's mind. It was enough to make her feel an instinctive bond, a quiet trust.
Sophie had given Amelia her private cell number, telling her that if she ever ran into trouble in River City, she could come to her as well as to Ellison.
Which was why, moments ago, when Sophie had walked over and overheard Anna sneering at Amelia in front of a crowd, her irritation had been immediate and sharp. How dare Anna speak to her like that? How dare she try to humiliate her?
Watching Anna falter under her first rebuke had not been enough. Sophie's voice turned colder, her words precise as a scalpel.
"Anna," she said evenly, "you run The Williams Group. You should know better than to judge someone by appearances."
"You were born into privilege, and of course you carry yourself with pride. But that doesn't give you the right to belittle those of us who grew up in the countryside."
"You keep talking about how people from different 'levels' can't possibly relate. By your logic, I shouldn't be worthy of speaking to you either, should I?"
Her gaze hardened. "But I'll tell you what I see—a twenty-something woman, standing here in front of a crowd, picking on a high school student with sarcasm and condescension. And I don't see anything high-level about that."
Damn… Sophie's words hit like a punch to the gut. The crowd felt it. Anna had been stripped bare in public, her dignity peeled away for all to see.
It wasn't hard to understand Sophie's anger. Anna's earlier remarks—about how someone from the countryside could never have connections with major business figures, about how Amelia must have gotten sponsorship through questionable means—hadn't just insulted Amelia. They had insulted Sophie as well.
Because in terms of background, Sophie's beginnings were even humbler than Amelia's. She had been an orphan from a remote village, raised with nothing but grit and persistence. Every deal she had ever closed had been earned through sheer effort and skill.
Anna's face flushed with fury at Sophie's blunt words. In their world, reputation was currency. Normally, polite compliments and empty pleasantries were the standard. No one dared to speak to her like this. Sophie had not only called her out, she had done it in front of an audience, branding her as petty and low-class.
And yet, Anna did not dare to fire back. The thirty-million-dollar contract was still on the table. She had already offended Sophie with her earlier jabs at Amelia. If she lost her temper now, she might as well burn the deal herself.
Money or pride? She knew which one mattered more.
So even though her hands trembled with anger, Anna forced herself to take a deep breath and plaster on a brittle smile.
"Ms. Russell, you misunderstand me," she said through clenched teeth. "Your level is, of course, far above mine, and I would never mean to insult anyone from a rural background. I simply speak too quickly sometimes, without thinking. Please don't take it to heart…"
Sophie cut her off without hesitation. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." Her eyes slid toward Amelia.
The meaning was clear—if Anna wanted to apologize, she should do it to Amelia.
Anna's lungs seized. Her fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. Was Sophie serious? She wanted her—the president of The Williams Group, the only heiress of the Williams family—to apologize to an illegitimate girl from nowhere? In public?
The audacity was staggering.
Anna had been treated like royalty since birth, the pampered jewel of her family. She had never once bowed her head in humiliation. Fine, she thought bitterly, she would give up the deal. From now on, she would be Sophie's enemy. Let her see how that turned out.
She was just about to unleash her fury when Amelia's voice cut through the tension, calm and clear.
"There's no need for an apology."
The words hit Anna like a sudden wall, stopping her mid-breath. She inhaled sharply.
At least the girl knew her place, Anna thought with a cold smirk. She was wise enough to refuse the apology, sparing them both the spectacle. Good. Let this end here.
But Amelia wasn't finished.
"There's no need for an apology," she repeated, "because, judging by the symptoms, Ms. Williams is clearly experiencing early-onset menopause."
Her tone was even, almost clinical. "And really… who would hold a grudge against someone who's unwell?" She slipped her arm through Sophie's with quiet grace. "It's ten o'clock. Let's go inside."
The silence that followed was deafening. Then came the ripple of muffled laughter, sharp intakes of breath, and the unmistakable sound of pride shattering.