Chapter 126: She Was Like a Maid and a Pet Dog

"Charlotte, you are sisters. How can you speak like that?"

A familiar, noble, yet harsh voice reached Sophia's ears.

Sophia's eyes widened as she looked past Charlotte and saw a woman standing behind her, about fifty years old, dressed in a white dress, her face and figure well-maintained.

Kimberly Bennett, Carter's ex-wife, had been a nightmare for Sophia from her childhood.

Since learning about Evelyn and Sophia's existence, Kimberly would often bring bodyguards to cause them trouble at home.

When Sophia was a child, Evelyn shielded her, and she rarely had to confront Kimberly directly.

But after turning fifteen and officially becoming a daughter of the Roberts family, Sophia was starved on her first day at Roberts Villa.

Sophia parted with Evelyn at the front gate, and after Carter brought Sophia into the Roberts Villa, he left her to fend for herself.

At fifteen, she stood alone in the living room, bewildered like a kitten new to a home, warily observing her surroundings.

Kimberly approached, lifted her chin forcefully, and scrutinized her.

"You've grown more beautiful, just like that wretched Evelyn."

"You're the wretched one. Don't you dare insult my mother!" Sophia, protective since childhood, could not tolerate any slander against Evelyn.

Slap...

Kimberly slapped Sophia hard across the face.

Sophia, never hit by Evelyn, didn't know how to react or protect herself.

She fell to the floor, cradling her stinging cheek, curled up in fear and confusion.

"From today, you'll be the daughter of the Roberts family when you behave. And when you don't, you're worse than a maidservant."

Kimberly elegantly wiped her palms with a clean silk handkerchief.

"Kenneth."

The butler, Kenneth Worthington, approached respectfully, "Madam."

Kimberly commanded, "Take her down to the basement. She can eat once she learns to behave."

"Yes, madam," Kenneth nodded.

Sophia was locked in the basement for two full days soon after her arrival at Roberts Villa.

She endured hunger and psychological torment in the dark, silent room.

Regaining her composure, Sophia slowly helped Laura up, straightened her back, and faced Kimberly calmly.

"Mrs. Roberts, long time no see."

Kimberly forbade her to call her "Mother."

In Kimberly's eyes, Sophia was not a daughter of the Roberts family but merely a servant or a silent pet dog.

Kimberly smirked, her smile radiating nobility and grace.

"It's been five years. You seem to have grown calmer."

She gestured to her bodyguards, "Collect everyone's phones from the villa."

"Yes, madam!" The bodyguards obeyed and began collecting.

The phones from everyone at Oakleaf Estates were confiscated and neatly stacked on the living room coffee table.

Sophia and Kimberly sat facing each other across the coffee table. Charlotte stood behind Kimberly like a maid.

"Mrs. Roberts," Sophia paused, remembering Kimberly and Carter had divorced. Then she asked provocatively, "Is it still appropriate for me to call you Mrs. Roberts after your divorce from my father?"

"Sophia, how dare you speak to my mother like that!"

Charlotte raised her voice, glaring fiercely as if ready to flay Sophia.

"Charlotte." Kimberly reprimanded with a warning tone.

Charlotte clenched her teeth and looked away in frustration.

Sophia smirked slightly.

She knew this hypocritical woman valued her image above all.

Kimberly always pretended to embrace her husband's illegitimate daughter in public and never showed her disdain openly.

She had thought Kimberly, who valued her reputation and was so forbearing, would never divorce Carter, but she had underestimated Harper.

Laura came by with tea and pastries.

She kept the tea warm on a ceramic stove to prevent it from cooling.

"Just call me Mrs. Roberts. After all, you aren't worthy of calling me by my name. Calling me 'Mom' would disgust me even more," Kimberly stated bluntly.

Laura poured three cups of tea, "Mrs. Roberts, please have some tea."

Kimberly glanced at the cups dismissively, "No, thank you."

She wouldn't drink such inferior tea.

"I came here with only one purpose."

Sophia's eyes landed on Charlotte, who looked much worse than a month ago, pale and gaunt as if she had been suffering from a long addiction.

So, Kimberly brought Charlotte and these bodyguards here to cause trouble.

Sophia scanned Oakleaf Estates.

The black-suited guards who were frequent before had disappeared. They were probably dismissed by Benjamin.

He was always busy with pointless actions.

"You were given 2% of the Summit Bank's shares when you married," Kimberly went straight to the point, "do you still have those shares?"

Shares?

Why would Kimberly inquire about this? Was she back in the country for the Summit Bank?

"I don't remember," Sophia replied indifferently as if truly forgetting the existence of such assets.

Kimberly scoffed, not buying Sophia's feigned forgetfulness.

Her investigators hadn't found any record of those shares being sold. They were likely still with Sophia.

"Go back and find the share transfer document. Once you find it, we can make a deal."

Sophia sat up straight, gripping the arms of her chair.

"So, you came here today wanting to buy the shares I hold?"

"Buy? Why would I buy?" Kimberly laughed elegantly. "Sophia, those were never yours to begin with."

Sophia realized Kimberly intended to seize the shares outright.

"You've been away from the Roberts family too long and might not understand the situation. The shares were compensation given to me by Carter when he sold me."

The shares were rightfully hers.

Moreover, she had already given those shares to Benjamin.

"That's shameless, Sophia," Charlotte scoffed.

"The Summit Group is built by my parents. What right do you have to shamelessly take our family's shares?"

"Then you should reflect on yourself," Sophia retorted with a fierce smirk, "Why didn't Benjamin choose you when our families arranged the marriage? It forced Dad to use the shares of Summit Bank as my dowry to marry me off to Benjamin."

"Sophia, you bitch..."

Charlotte was again provoked to curse by Sophia, and Kimberly sharply glanced at her, silencing her with a stern look.

Charlotte clamped her mouth shut, standing rigidly with discontent.

Kimberly sighed slightly, her demeanor calm, "From what you say, marrying Benjamin was quite a grievance for you."

"Indeed, a grievance!" Sophia acknowledged bluntly.

If she could go back three years, perhaps she wouldn't be so foolish.

Sophia stood up from the sofa, her posture erect as she looked down at Kimberly.

"Mrs. Roberts, I received very little from the Roberts family since childhood. I won't give you what you want. Please leave."

Charlotte had always revered her mother, but Sophia's repeated insolence today was too much for her.

"You men," Charlotte commanded the bodyguards, raising her finger at Sophia, "go hold down this vile woman!"

The bodyguards moved toward Sophia.

Laura quickly stepped in to protect Sophia.

"You can't do this! Breaking into a house is already illegal. Do you also want to cause harm?"

Charlotte approached Sophia and Laura and picked up the boiling pot of tea as she passed the crystal coffee table.

"Don't block the way!" She hurled the scalding tea at them.