Chapter 167 Malicious Heart
Sophie walked in.
She wasn't dressed in her usual flashy, glamorous style today. Instead, she wore a simple, light-colored outfit, her long hair hanging gently over her shoulders, her face bare of makeup. She looked calm and sincere.
There was no grievance, no playing the victim, no deliberate attempt to gain sympathy through looking haggard—just a sense of genuine peace that comes from truly letting go.
I suppressed my surprise and asked her first, "What's this important matter you mentioned?"
"Nothing, I made it up. I just really wanted to see you," she explained, then spoke rapidly, "I'm sorry! I came to apologize. I shouldn't have sabotaged you during the horse race."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she bowed deeply, her head lowered toward the ground. "I let my competitive drive get the better of me, I let jealousy influence me. I can't deny that I hurt you, and I'm sincerely apologizing to you. I'm sorry."
Beyond surprise, I felt uncomfortable. Why had Sophie suddenly changed her attitude so drastically?
"Lucas, I like you—not just as a friend," Sophie straightened up and suddenly confessed her feelings to Lucas. "I didn't dare tell you before. Isabella was right—I'm a coward. I shouldn't use our friendship to demand your forgiveness. I'll take responsibility for my mistakes alone. I don't want to affect your friendship with Richard and the others."
"That's all I wanted to say!" Sophie wiped her tears with the back of her hand, turned around, and immediately headed out.
"Wait," Lucas called after her.
Sophie stopped but didn't turn around.
Lucas looked at me. I shook my head to indicate I didn't want to say anything, so Lucas said flatly, "Good that you've come to your senses. We won't keep you. You can go."
Sophie left, her soft crying gradually fading away.
In the afternoon, Lucas's camp suddenly became lively—Richard, Lionel, Fiona, and Loris arrived, with Sophie walking at the back. She seemed relaxed, chatting and laughing as usual, showing no trace of her previous hostility toward me.
Richard and Lucas exchanged a few words, and neither brought up the matter of ending their friendship.
I was somewhat curious about them. Although Jonas had a good relationship with Lucas, it wasn't quite as close as theirs.
Lionel seemed to like me and told me many stories from their childhood.
Each of them had their own struggles within their respective families. Although Lionel's parents spoiled him, his father Grant wasn't valued by the family, and Lionel was a "fool" who wasn't good at anything, often excluded by his peers in the family. That's why he became friends with Lucas and the others.
Lucas was the first person to affirm Lionel, though when this was mentioned, Lucas said he didn't remember it anymore.
Sophie had a very strict grandfather. Lionel told me that because she lost her qualification in the horse race, Sophie's family had to pay a huge sum of money, and Sophie was severely punished by her family.
I had no reaction after hearing this. Sophie had planned to knock me off my horse first, so I fought back. And I thought I'd shown mercy—at least I didn't let her get trampled to death by the horses.
Everyone chatted harmoniously in a pleasant atmosphere. Lucas sat beside me, his fingertips lightly resting on the back of my chair, his posture relaxed.
I casually poured half a cup of tea for both him and myself. Sophie reached for some pastries at the corner of the table. Her movement was natural and ordinary—no one paid attention.
I happened to glance down and noticed that the previously clear tea in front of me had darkened slightly. There was a bit of brownish residue at the bottom of the cup, and strangely, tiny bubbles were rising from it.
I frowned and picked up the cup to examine it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sophie's expression seemed somewhat tense.
"Cole," I called Cole over and handed him the cup. "Take this, don't spill it."
"Yes, ma'am." Cole held the cup with both hands while the others looked at me in confusion.
I grabbed Sophie's hand. She cried out and struggled hard. I raised my hand and slapped her across the face!
Sophie fell to the ground from my blow. Richard jumped to his feet, his chair toppling over. He shouted angrily, "Isabella, you're going too far!"
I ignored him, gripping Sophie's hands tightly and calling Lucas and Adrian to help me.
Richard kicked the fallen chair aside. "Lucas! You can't let her bully Sophie!"
Lucas said calmly, "Bella wouldn't hit someone for no reason. She must have a reason."
I grabbed Sophie's right hand and showed everyone her fingernails. Under the nails of her index and middle fingers was a bit of dark brown substance that looked like dirt.
"What is this? Dirt?" Lucas reacted quickly, glancing at the cup in Cole's hands. Cole understood too. "There's the same powder in the cup!"
"What does that mean?" Lionel was stunned. Richard frowned deeply. "Isabella, are you saying Sophie put dirt in your cup?"
His tone clearly showed disbelief. Lionel, Fiona, and Loris exchanged glances, thinking this kind of prank was too childish.
Fiona said, "Could this be a misunderstanding?"
Lionel asked in confusion, "Sophie, why aren't you saying anything?"
Yes, it was so strange—why wasn't Sophie defending herself?
A gleam flashed in my eyes. I used a clean cotton handkerchief to wipe her fingers, collecting the strange powder and bringing it to my nose to smell.
Lucas disapproved and stopped me. "What if it's poison?"
"How could it be poison?" Richard stamped his foot hard. "Lucas! How could Sophie poison Isabella? You're thinking of her as too evil!"
My sensitivity to drugs, poisons, micro-expressions, and scents had long been ingrained in my bones, becoming an instinct.
"It is poison," I looked at Sophie and asked sharply, "Do you admit it?"
Sophie was sweating profusely. Anyone could see something was wrong.
"It can't be," Richard said in disbelief. "Sophie, deny it quickly!"
I glanced at Richard and continued speaking to Sophie. "It doesn't matter if you don't admit it. I'll send this tea and powder for testing, and we'll have results within a day. But during that day, you can't go anywhere."
Richard anxiously tried to persuade her, but Lucas's eyes turned cold. He grabbed Richard's shoulder and pushed him aside, then asked me nervously, "Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Sophie! Did you only poison the cup?"
Sophie showed a pale, bitter smile, her eyes filled with resentment and malice. "It's not poison."
Richard breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I knew it was a misunderstanding."
"It's not a deadly drug, just something that will make a woman never able to have children again." As soon as Sophie finished speaking, Lucas kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying.
Lucas's eyes burned with fury that could consume everything.
Sophie crashed hard into a tent pole and fell to the ground, curling up in pain, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
The kick was swift and brutal. Everyone was shocked.
Richard instinctively ran toward her, but his steps grew slower and smaller, stopping two steps away from Sophie. He roared in anguish, "Are you crazy? Why would you do this? Say something!"
My fingertips turned ice cold.
Lucas held me, kissed my forehead, and gently patted my back to comfort me.
Children—the eternal wound for Lucas and me.
Sophie's heart was too malicious.