Chapter 97 Engagement Gift
Benjamin gently ruffled Sophia's soft hair, his deep eyes full of tenderness.
"Sophia, you've been through so much."
He had long known that Sophia wasn't treated well by the Brown family.
But hearing the venomous curses in the audio still made Benjamin's heart tighten uncontrollably.
"I'm fine, it's all in the past."
Sophia buried her face in Benjamin's strong chest and said, "You know me, I wouldn't let myself be taken advantage of."
True enough.
Benjamin's furrowed brow slowly relaxed. He turned to Hayden and Olivia, his voice cold with sarcasm, "The Brown family sure raised a wonderful daughter."
Benjamin's voice was deep and full of mockery.
Meeting Benjamin's intense gaze, Hayden and Olivia's faces turned awkward.
They hadn't expected Isabella to be like this behind the scenes.
Olivia, who usually doted on Isabella, quickly tried to defend her, "There must be some misunderstanding. Aren't there those voice synthesis apps nowadays? Could this be fabricated?"
Hayden quickly nodded in agreement, feeling a bit relieved.
"You're right, that's a possibility."
Hayden glanced coldly at Sophia and said in a low voice, "Sophia has tried to frame Isabella multiple times. This could very well be another setup."
The guests around them had initially thought Hayden and Olivia were reasonable people.
But hearing this, everyone was stunned.
Could parents really say such things?
If they remembered correctly, Sophia was the Brown family's biological daughter, while Isabella was adopted from an orphanage.
They had never seen parents willing to hurt their biological child to favor an adopted one.
The murmurs grew louder, and everyone pointed at Hayden and Olivia.
Even Zander and his mother, Nora Adams, looked at Hayden and Olivia differently.
The engagement between the Stewart family and the Brown family was originally set for Zander and Sophia. It was only after Sophia went missing that Isabella took her place.
Nora had watched Isabella grow up and always favored her.
Even after Sophia was brought back to the Brown family, Nora never considered changing the engagement.
After all, Sophia had lived in the countryside for over a decade and wasn't seen as suitable compared to the pampered Isabella.
But now, it seemed Isabella might not be as pure and kind as she appeared.
Nora frowned, suddenly hesitant about the engagement.
Isabella struggled to get up from the floor, her eyes filled with hatred as she looked at Sophia.
She knew Sophia would never let this go!
It was one thing in private, but today, Sophia had released those audios publicly, trying to ruin her engagement ceremony.
No!
She wouldn't allow it!
Isabella staggered toward Zander, her steps unsteady.
"Zander, you have to believe me. I didn't say those things... Sophia has always had feelings for you. Seeing us get engaged, she must be jealous." Isabella cried, leaning into Zander's chest.
"I know I'm not the Brown family's biological daughter and don't deserve you, Zander. If you want to call off the engagement, I..."
The more Isabella spoke, the more she cried.
Zander looked at Isabella's pitiful face, feeling a pang of sympathy.
Regardless of the engagement, Zander's heart had always belonged to Isabella.
With that thought, Zander quickly reached out to gently pat Isabella's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Sophia, I know you've always been jealous of Isabella, but my heart is with her. You should just let it go."
Sophia let out a frustrated laugh at his words.
She couldn't help but roll her eyes dramatically and turned to Benjamin, "Honey, do you think they're hard of hearing or just plain dumb? As a doctor, I can't tell."
Benjamin chuckled softly, ruffling Sophia's hair again, "Maybe they're beyond help."
Sophia laughed, not expecting Benjamin to be so humorous.
She shot a cold glance at the Brown and Stewart families, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Some people only believe what they want to believe. No matter how many times I explain, it won't make a difference. Since that's the case, let's go."
She had clarified countless times that she wasn't interested in Zander.
But Isabella stubbornly believed that whatever she liked, others would too.
"One last piece of advice: you might have a persecution complex. I suggest getting checked at a hospital."
With that, Sophia took Benjamin's hand and walked away without looking back.
Chase quickly pulled out the USB drive and followed Benjamin.
Before leaving the Stewart villa, Chase waved the USB drive, "Ms. Brown, just a friendly reminder: the audio and transaction records in here will be trending tomorrow morning. Consider it a wedding gift from Mr. White."
He sneered, then turned and left.
After Sophia and Benjamin left, Isabella's legs gave out, nearly collapsing.
She glared at their backs, wishing she could burn holes through them.
The guests looked at Isabella, shocked by the rage and malice on her face.
Was this really the sweet, gentle actress Isabella?
No way.
Seeing Isabella's reaction, everyone silently agreed that the audio must be real. Who knew Isabella could be so vicious?
Hayden and Olivia's favoritism also left everyone astonished.
Nora noticed the sympathetic and disdainful looks around her.
Nora: "..."
She pressed her lips together, usually composed, but now showing a hint of anger.
Chase was one of Benjamin's most reliable assistants. If he said something, he would definitely follow through.
So the audio and transaction records would definitely be all over Silverlight City by tomorrow morning, known to everyone.
By then, it wouldn't just be Isabella's reputation ruined, but also the Stewart family's.
Nora's mind raced, but she quickly regained her composure.
With a polite smile, she addressed the guests, "Everyone, there was a small incident today, so the engagement ceremony is temporarily canceled. We have some family matters to attend to. Please, everyone, go home."
Cancel the engagement?
The guests widened their eyes in disbelief, looking at Nora.
Though shocked, they realized it made sense.
Isabella wasn't just anyone; she was a popular celebrity.
If these matters were exposed, Isabella would likely be unable to stay in the entertainment industry.
The Stewart and Brown families had invited several well-known media outlets. Those audios and transaction records were probably already captured.