Chapter 86 Sophia Defies Her Father

Chapter 86 Sophia Defies Her Father
“Why did you do that?” her sorrowful gaze locked intensely onto Ariana, and then tears spilled down her cheeks, overflowing with emotion.
“You’ll regret it, Ariana. People always say that behind my back.”
Sitting beside the hospital bed Sophia still occupied, Ariana offered a gentle smile.
“You missed your flight because of me. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
“I can leave anytime. Don’t blame yourself like this.” Ariana pulled her into a careful embrace, wanting to express her affection.
“Sophia, I may not be able to take you with me when I return to Germany, but this is the only thing I can do to stay with you a little longer. To take care of you until you recover.”
From a corner of the room, Anne watched the scene through her clear glasses, her expression as serious as ever. She had just informed Ariana,
 “We missed the flight. I also canceled any further bookings to Germany until further notice, as you instructed. Are you absolutely certain you don’t want to reconsider? If possible, today we could...” her sentence was abruptly cut off by Ariana’s firm voice.
“Anne, enough.” She shook her head decisively before answering. “There’s nothing else for you to do. Today's over. Thank you, Anne.”
Letting out a resigned sigh, Anne replied politely, “Yes, ma’am.”
“I’m causing you trouble again. I wish I'd just stay with you.” Sophia’s voice came out muffled against Ariana’s shoulder.
Ariana stroked her small back, intending to comfort her, but the girl only cried harder.
“He loves you. You’re the only thing he has. How could I take you away from your father?”
Suppressing the ache in her heart, Ariana forced a small laugh and returned Sophia’s embrace affectionately.
Without realizing it, she had already spent several days at the hospital, staying with Sophia while also spending time with her son and Edward, who had generously offered to take turns helping her.
Strangely, not a single member of the Matheus family had come looking for Sophia.
“Is she really being neglected in that family?” she wondered in confusion. “If they truly didn’t care, shouldn’t Christian at least be searching for her?”
“I don’t know if that’s true or not,” Sophia answered, her voice hoarse and caught in her throat. “He only spends his time working. I only have Maria. The other servants ignore me because I’m the future heir. They say I need to be independent and disciplined.”
The moment those words left her mouth, Ariana’s heart sank.
“Is Christian neglecting Sophia because of work?”
Her chest tightened as her mind raced. She glanced sadly at the little girl resting her face against her shoulder.
Her lips trembled bitterly. “Sophia.”
Sophia lowered her gaze, staring at her fingers twisting the edge of her hospital gown.
“Yes? Jenson and Bertha already scolded them, but they can’t be fired because they were Nana's chosen servants,” she explained between sobs.
There was nothing Ariana could do except remain silent. Suddenly, painful memories from her days as a servant resurfaced. She flinched.
Her body weakened, and Sophia immediately grabbed her trembling hand, holding it tightly. Ariana blinked hard and looked into the little girl’s eyes, which were filled with sadness.
“Ariana, will you ever forgive my dad someday?”

“Are we just going to stand here, sir?” Lorne whispered from directly behind Christian, who was standing outside another patient’s room.
Both of Lorne’s hands were occupied with Sophia’s favorite stuffed animals and fruit.
“Ariana didn’t see us, did she?”
Christian’s voice dropped to a whisper. He had been about to enter Sophia’s room when he suddenly turned around and faced the wall after spotting Ariana heading toward the cafeteria with Lucas.
“Mom, is it really okay to leave Sophia alone?” Lucas looked up at her, concern flickering in his eyes as he glanced toward the room.
Ariana smiled gently, understanding her son’s hesitation.
She lightly ruffled his hair while bending slightly, one hand resting on her knee.
“We won’t be gone long. Besides, Sophia just fell asleep.”
“I don’t think so. Everything’s clear, sir,” Lorne replied, glancing back toward where Ariana had been standing.
Christian instinctively let out a relieved breath. His sharp eyes followed the retreating figures of his wife and son as they walked farther away.
The longing in his gaze was impossible to hide. He nearly ran after Ariana and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“When can we be together again, Ariana? I miss you and our son so much,” he murmured in his deep baritone.
Only then did he make his way toward Sophia’s room. He knocked gently on the door.
“Sophia, wake up.” His footsteps drew closer. “Stop pretending to sleep.”
“Dad?”

“Stop coming here. Haven’t I already told you that?”
Unlike the obedient little girl Christian was accustomed to, Sophia’s clear eyes now flashed with unmistakable anger and defiance.
Sliding one hand into his pocket, he studied his daughter carefully. The corner of his rigid mouth lifted slightly as he spoke with calculated amusement.
“Why do you keep rejecting your own father? Are you still upset that I found you here too quickly?”
“Yes, exactly!”
Sophia clenched her fists tightly. Her breathing turned rough, and her eyes darted repeatedly toward the door.
Noticing this, Christian deliberately followed her gaze.
“You've plenty of work to do, right? Then hurry back to the company. I really don’t need you visiting me all the time, Dad.”
Her words sounded both urgent and cruel as she gently but firmly pushed against Christian’s solid frame, trying to drive him away.
It was as if she feared someone would walk in and catch them together.
Watching from nearby, Lorne unconsciously sighed, once again witnessing his employer’s childish behavior.
Sophia’s eyes widened when her father casually dropped into the chair beside her hospital bed.
“Dad... what are you doing now?” she asked, her voice rising in surprise.
Christian chuckled slyly, as though he were facing a rival. Crossing one leg over the other.
He said, “She’s my wife. Why are you trying to steal what belongs to me by hiding here?”
Sophia held her breath until her chest swelled.
“No! She doesn’t belong to you. Ariana is mine! She’s my substitute mother.”
Christian rubbed his chin, his amusement growing. “If I’d known you’d turn out like this, I never would’ve let you find out about Ariana.”
He picked up a piece of fruit from the basket on the table, one that Ariana had most likely bought, and bit into it without hesitation. Sophia immediately reached for it, trying to snatch it away.
“Don’t let her go back to Germany.”
“Why should I do that? I don’t want to!”
Completely unfazed by her attitude, Christian continued enjoying the apple in his large hand.
“You’ll be discharged in two days. Bring both of them back to the mansion with you.”
Sophia’s eyes widened further in outrage. “I already told you, I don’t want...” her sentence was cut short when Christian interrupted.
“Your grandmother is about to report you missing to the police. Tell me, how many minutes do you think it would take for the police to find you and arrest Ariana for kidnapping you, hmm?”