Chapter 144 She Is My Junior
Sophia's fair, delicate face showed an unhealthy pallor.
Her lips trembled slightly, and her whole being radiated an indescribable fragility, like a porcelain doll about to shatter.
Alaric's breath caught sharply. An absurd thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and his heart sank to rock bottom.
Sophia... was she poisoned too?
Matthew let out a mocking laugh, his cold eyes looking like they wanted to devour Alaric completely.
"Those medicines—I worked so hard to collect them to treat Sophia's illness. But she gave them to Benjamin without a second thought."
"How do you know all this? You and Sophia..." Alaric asked uncertainly.
Matthew lowered his eyes, a touch of tenderness flashing through them. "Sophia is my junior apprentice. I've watched her grow up since she was little. Sophia married Benjamin to repay a childhood debt. Now, a life for a life—the debt is paid. From now on, I don't want the White family bothering Sophia anymore."
He tightened his hold on Sophia and turned to leave.
As he reached the doorway, he turned back around.
Amelia was startled by his sharp gaze. Before she could react, she heard him say, "The clothes Sophia is wearing are mine. Our Sophia may not come from a wealthy family, but as long as I'm around, I will never let anyone humiliate her."
With that, Matthew left without looking back.
Alaric watched the direction Matthew and Sophia had gone, his heart suddenly sinking.
Benjamin and Sophia had been kidnapped together as children.
Benjamin had two types of poison in his body.
One he was born with, the other from an injected drug.
And Sophia had been injected with the same drug.
"No wonder... no wonder Matthew went to such lengths to collect those medicines, refusing to back down no matter how much Grandpa and I begged him. So that's why." Alaric's legs went weak, and he suddenly stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
A feeling called panic suddenly spread through his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Amelia was also in a state of shock, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.
Sophia... was actually Matthew's junior apprentice?
Although she had barely paid attention to business circles these years, she had still heard Matthew's name.
She'd heard that Matthew didn't come from a wealthy family, yet through his own efforts, he'd trampled countless elite families in Silverlight City under his feet.
The Lumina Group's strength could now rival the White Group.
Benjamin had developed and strengthened the White Group building on what came before.
But Matthew had started from nothing.
How could such a person be ordinary?
What had she just said?
She had actually called Matthew Sophia's lover and used that to humiliate Sophia repeatedly.
Amelia's mind went blank, not knowing how to react for a moment.
The entire first floor of the villa fell eerily quiet.
Both Alaric and Amelia sank into silence.
One filled with regret, the other with shock and helplessness.
Alaric glared at Amelia with bloodshot eyes, his voice choked with emotion. "Mom, are you satisfied now?"
"How can you talk to me like that!" Amelia's eyes flickered, and she felt an inexplicable sense of grievance.
Her own son was questioning her over an outsider!
A surge of anger suddenly rose in her heart, and she said indignantly, "Who knows if what Matthew said is true? Maybe he and Sophia really are having an affair!"
Amelia refused to believe that Sophia would risk her life for Benjamin.
They'd only known each other for just over two months—how could they have developed such deep feelings?
Besides, people are selfish by nature.
She didn't believe Sophia would go this far for Benjamin.
Moreover, weren't they just some herbs?
Even if they were gone now, couldn't they just look for more later?
Matthew was a junior after all, yet he dared to speak to her like that!
Simply outrageous! No manners!
"Mom! Have you said enough? We all know how deep the feelings between Sophia and Benjamin are. Must you use the dirtiest thoughts to judge them?" Alaric couldn't believe these words were coming from his own mother's mouth.
The Martinez family had always valued upbringing and manners, never gossiping behind people's backs.
Yet Amelia had slandered and defamed Sophia again and again.
"Dirty?" Amelia's eyes widened as she looked at Benjamin, full of shock. "Alaric, you're actually using that word to describe your mother?"
Alaric lowered his eyes, filled with pain.
He didn't want to use such words to describe Amelia, but everything she did left him utterly disappointed.
"Mom, please stop making trouble, okay? Sophia isn't that kind of person. She would never do anything to betray Benjamin." Alaric pleaded in a low voice.
"Alaric, how can you say that to your mother? How can you say such things to Mom because of Benjamin, that cursed child?"
Amelia slowly crouched down, hugging her head tightly with both arms. Those eyes so similar to Alaric's flickered with pain and endless torment.
"Mom, I'll call a psychologist for you. Go back to your room first." A sense of helplessness suddenly rose in Alaric's heart.
He knew that once certain beliefs were formed, they couldn't be easily changed.
It had to be done gradually.
Otherwise, the collapse of her beliefs would bring devastating consequences to Amelia.
At that moment, Magnolia, who had been hiding in the corner watching the drama unfold, finally emerged.
She quickly walked to Amelia's side, held her in her arms, and gently comforted her.
"Amelia, what's wrong? What happened?"
"Alaric, Amelia's health isn't good to begin with. Why are you still upsetting her?" Magnolia looked up at Alaric, her eyes full of accusation and resentment.
Alaric let out a cold laugh and warned in a low voice, "This is the White family's private matter. It has nothing to do with you."
Magnolia's eyes reddened slightly, a flash of grievance in them. "How does it have nothing to do with me? I'm part of the White family too, and Amelia treats me like her own daughter."
"So you knew everything all along. Since the White family has been good to you, why would you repay kindness with betrayal, repeatedly sabotaging Benjamin and Sophia's relationship?" Alaric laughed coldly, mercilessly exposing Magnolia's true face.
Magnolia's expression stiffened for a moment, and she explained in panic, "No, Alaric, you're wronging me. I never wanted to sabotage Benjamin and Sophia's relationship... It's Sophia who doesn't know how to cherish what she has. I was just standing up for Benjamin."
"Standing up for him?" Alaric was confused.
Magnolia nodded emphatically and explained in a low voice, "You saw what just happened. Sophia has been entangled with another man all along. She doesn't care about Benjamin at all."
Bringing this up, Magnolia instantly became furious, her eyes full of resentment and unwillingness.
Alaric's brow furrowed tightly, sensing something was off. "Magnolia, why are you so certain that Sophia is involved with another man?"