Chapter 44: Let's Talk

Chapter 44

I snapped at him: "I have no obligation to help Amelia."

James looked confused: "Everyone knows when to let things go. Why do you insist on holding onto this with Amelia?"

I smiled and said, "Who's really holding onto whom? Don't you know?"

It's always been Amelia causing me trouble. I've never schemed against her.

James pinched the bridge of his nose, looking tired: "Amelia is a widow with a child. We need to look after her for Jasper's sake."

I didn't hold back: "What does her being a widow have to do with me? I didn't kill Jasper."

James gritted his teeth: "Sophia, do you have to be so harsh with me?"

"Am I?" I didn't notice anything wrong with how I was acting.

I used to give in to James everywhere, and what did I get? Him hurting me even more. I'm not that stupid anymore.

There was a knock at the door.

I rubbed my face, trying to look less cold.

"Who is it?" James asked coldly.

Juliet said, "Mr. Smith, Mrs. Indigo Smith sent me to tidy up your room. I wanted to check if it's convenient."

"It's fine, go ahead and clean."

Juliet's footsteps faded away.

James was about to say something more, but I lowered my head: "I still have things to do. Please leave and don't disturb me here."

He said nothing and left.

I stayed hiding in the study to avoid going out and feeling sick at the sight of James and Amelia, that cheating pair.

Juliet brought lunch up specially and asked, "Mrs. Smith, did you and Mr. Smith fight?"

My heart jumped. Was it that obvious?

I quickly smiled: "Why do you ask?"

"Mrs. Indigo Smith said you're not even coming down for lunch, so you must have fought with Mr. Smith and don't want to see him."

I sighed softly. I guess I was being too obvious.

"No, I'm just busy with work."

Juliet didn't seem sure whether to believe me: "Well, you keep working. I'll get back to my tasks."

I acknowledged her.

In the evening, to keep Indigo from worrying, I left the study and went downstairs for dinner.

But the seats next to James had already been taken by Amelia and Isabella.

Isabella happily grabbed James's arm: "Daddy..."

Indigo's face darkened: "Didn't I teach you not to call people that?"

Isabella's small body flinched. She hid in James's arms and soon started sobbing.

James held her protectively: "Grandma, Isabella is still young."

Indigo wasn't going to spare James's feelings: "Children need to be taught from a young. Without rules, they'll just embarrass us in front of others."

Amelia lowered her eyes: "You're right, Grandma."

"Isabella, stop making a scene. Come here."

Though Amelia said this, her face was full of resentment. I could see the intense hatred in her eyes.

Amelia must hate Indigo completely by now. Who knows what tricks she might pull behind the scenes? I need to watch her and not give her any chance to harm Indigo.

I walked over and cleared my throat: "Grandma."

"Sophia's here." Indigo's face immediately changed to a smile as she gestured for me to sit next to James. "You're husband and wife, you should sit together."

Amelia's butt seemed glued to the chair. She didn't move.

Indigo frowned: "Amelia, what are you still sitting there for?"

Amelia bit her lip, eyes reddening: "Grandma, this seat is convenient for reaching the dishes."

Indigo wasn't buying it: "If you want to reach something, just turn the lazy Susan."

Amelia reluctantly gave up the seat next to James, and I sat down with a smile.

Throughout dinner, I chatted and ate with Indigo, feeling quite pleasant.

Isabella kept clinging to James, asking him to serve her food and to serve Amelia food too. I pretended not to hear any of it.

Indigo did cough a few times as a warning, though.

Amelia called Isabella's name once, and Isabella pouted: "Grandma, I'm small and can't reach the dishes. Can't I ask uncle to help me?"

Indigo kept a stern face: "You have so much food in your bowl already. Isn't that enough?"

Isabella was about to cry again.

I pretended to be concerned: "Isabella, your great-grandma is just worried about you, afraid you'll eat too much and feel sick. Don't take it the wrong way."

With one sentence, the tears on Isabella's lashes hung there, not quite falling, and her misty eyes were full of hatred.

I pretended not to notice and continued in an elder's gentle tone: "Isabella, wasting food is shameful."

Isabella has always looked down on me. Now that I said this, her little mouth pouted high, very defiant: "You bitch..."

Amelia quickly covered Isabella's mouth and, before she lost control completely, said apologetically: "Grandma, Isabella might be too full and feeling uncomfortable. I'll take her out for a walk."

Indigo snorted coldly: "I don't know how you're raising this child every day. To raise her like this, I'm so disappointed."

Amelia lowered her head, not daring to argue back.

"Grandma, Amelia is taking care of Isabella alone. She's already exhausted. Understandably, there are some gaps in the child's education."

See, whenever Amelia has a problem, James comes out to protect her.

He does this even in front of Indigo. He's probably forgotten the agreement he made with me.

Since he's not keeping his promise, why should I care so much?

I deliberately spoke up: "There are plenty of servants at home to look after Isabella, and you often help them too. How can she still be overwhelmed?"

Amelia couldn't hold back and retorted, "Sophia, you've never raised a child. You don't know how hard it is."

I showed a hurt expression and said softly: "That's true. I've never given birth and raised one myself, so naturally I don't know the hardship."

I once had a chance to have my own child, but Amelia ruined it.

The hatred in my heart grew like wild vines, wanting to break free from this body's constraints and tear Amelia apart.

My nails dug hard into my palm, desperately suppressing this overwhelming hatred, trying to stay rational.

James saw my increasingly pale face. He remembered the child we couldn't keep, felt a pang in his heart, and guilt appeared on his face.

His voice turned cold and stern: "Amelia, you shouldn't have said that."

I knew James had also remembered how that child died.

Amelia's tears fell in big drops: "I'm sorry, Sophia. I spoke without thinking. Please don't be angry."

Seeing her cheap tears, I felt irritated: "I'm full. I'm going upstairs to rest."

I said softly to Indigo: "Grandma, take your time."

Indigo didn't know what had happened, but she knew I was angry now. She didn't say much, just gave James a look.

James followed behind me. We entered the room one after the other.

Once in the room, I didn't look at him. I just took off my clothes and went to wash up. After coming out of the bathroom, I lay on the bed with my eyes closed to rest.

"Sophia, can we talk?"

I had my back to him and said nothing.

Seeing me like this, James got a bit angry, but then he thought about what just happened and knew I was in a bad mood. He just let out a long breath and said:

"I'm sleeping in the bed tonight too, so Grandma won't notice anything's wrong."

After washing up, he also got into bed, with his back to me.

It was like the Milky Way lay between us.

The wind lifted the curtains, and morning light shone through the glass onto two people sleeping in each other's arms.

I was awakened by the light, feeling something restraining me. I opened my eyes and looked down to see a pair of strong male arms tightly wrapped around my waist.

I felt a gaze from above my head. I didn't need to think to know who it was.