Chapter 213

There was a sharp click as the iron chain snapped shut, sealing Sophia's fate.

Sophia yanked at the chain around her neck, her eyes locked on William. "You..."

"Don't give me that look. You pushed me to this," William said, gently covering Sophia's eyes with his hand. "Just cooperate. Once you stop running, I'll take you back home."

William leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Sophia's ear, his tone and actions tender, as if she were a beloved partner.

Sitting on the sofa, Sophia felt the warmth and familiar scent, her body trembling uncontrollably.

She was trapped, feeling like a caged animal. Sophia tugged at the chain, the pain stinging her skin.

Humiliation washed over her.

As William removed his hand from her eyes, Sophia gazed at him coolly. "Is this your idea of punishment?"

"Yeah, are you enjoying it?" William retorted.

Sophia scoffed, eyeing William as if he were a stranger. "I regret it all. I wish we'd never crossed paths."

William shook with emotion, his eyes blazing. He punched the wall, blood oozing from his hand. Clenching his jaw, he said, "Regret won't change a thing."

It was too late for everything.

Chained and helpless, Sophia felt paralyzed. She huddled on the sofa like a discarded doll, tears tracing silently down her cheeks.

William, a lost cause, a man consumed by madness.

Closing her eyes, Sophia turned away from him.

William dressed silently, his heart aching at the sight of Sophia's trembling form. He left without a word.

In a corner, he found Ava hidden away. "Are you asking for trouble?"

"No, Mr. Johnson. I just wanted to check on Mrs. Johnson, and make sure she's okay. She really cares about you and treats you well. Please, don't make things hard for her, okay?"

Sophia cared about him?

William grinned, motioning for Ava to follow him into another room.

After Ava entered and scanned the room, not finding Sophia, a flicker of disappointment crossed her face. "Mr. Johnson, where's Mrs. Johnson?"

"Do you really care about her?"

"Yes, Mrs. Johnson has always been good to me. She's always had my back, no matter what."

Just a servant, yet deserving of protection.

While Sophia treated him with icy detachment.

The urge to flee, to break free.

William shut his eyes briefly, then turned to Ryan beside him. "Got a girlfriend?"

Ryan nodded, a rare blush coloring his typically stoic face.

William shot him a sharp look. "You love her?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Ryan scratched his head, caught off guard. "We've been together for ages, we get each other, and it just feels right."

William smirked cynically. "Ages, huh. Does she treat you right?"

The questions kept coming.

Ryan pondered for a moment before answering honestly, "She's good to me. Gets me gifts on holidays, picks out clothes, cooks for me."

He rambled on.

Too much noise.

William waved his hand. "Enough."

Silence filled the room once more.

Ava spoke up urgently, "Mr. Johnson, listen. All the things Mrs. Johnson does for you. She values peace, and avoids socializing, yet she runs your business, organizes data, maintains your connections, and does so much for you."

"And the child, Mrs. Johnson risked her life to bring a healthy heir into this world for you. These are all the things Mrs. Johnson has done for you."

Another chatterbox.

William's expression darkened as he listened, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

Indeed.

In less than a year, Sophia had made significant contributions to him.

She helped him get into the company, expand his connections, and secure his position as the heir.

But why did Sophia want to bolt?

William's gaze turned steely. "She's done so much for me, why would she want to leave?"

"Well, maybe because you're not treating Mrs. Johnson right."

Oops, she said the wrong thing.

Ava quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, but the words had slipped out, irretrievable. She cautiously lifted her head, meeting William's intense stare, attempting to placate him. "Mr. Johnson, now that you're the heir, you can have any woman you want. Just let Mrs. Johnson go."

Before she could finish, Ava was forcefully ejected.

She hit the ground hard, blood spilling from her mouth.

William strolled over casually, stepping on Ava's head. "You are asking for trouble."

His voice was frigid.

In that moment, William's eyes turned glacial, a tempest brewing within, sending shivers down the spine.

Ava trembled, wiping the blood from her mouth. "Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Johnson is Safe's mother, you..."

"Am I not treating Mrs. Johnson well?" William interjected abruptly, cutting off Ava's words.

Ava averted her gaze, clearly fearful of speaking the truth.

"Speak."

With a forceful gesture, Ava winced in pain. She spoke as if she had nothing to lose. "Are you really treating Mrs. Johnson well? Do you even know what she likes to eat? What she enjoys, what music she listen to?"

Three pointed questions.

William stood rooted to the spot.

Ava pressed on, "Since you've been with Mrs. Johnson, she's learned all about your likes, dislikes, eating habits—everything revolves around you. But have you ever bothered to understand her?"

"Mrs. Johnson doesn't have family nearby, so she treasures those around her even more. She's always wanted to gather mementos from her family's past. Dash didn't stay long when he visited the country, but he helped Mrs. Johnson find many things. What have you done?"

He was clueless. William's knowledge of Sophia was like a blank canvas.

"And?" William prompted, signaling her to continue.

"Most importantly, Mrs. Johnson feels anxious around you, like she can't be herself, always treading carefully."

Walking on eggshells, William chuckled, his fingers twitching. "She doesn't like eggs?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Johnson prefers a simple diet, avoiding heavy, oily, salty, or spicy foods."

The words echoed in his mind.

But William couldn't process any of it.

It was his fault.

He had never truly grasped Sophia.

He didn't understand her fears, her worries.

William raised his foot, his gaze intense on Ava. "Starting today, you don't need to fear me."

Ava wiped the blood from her forehead, confusion clouding her eyes.

William reiterated, "Don't be scared of me. I'll be more approachable from now on."

He couldn't be soft, but he wouldn't be as intimidating as before.

Ava looked puzzled. "What about Mrs. Johnson?"

"We'll figure it out. Let's go." He needed some time alone. William sat down, shutting his eyes.

Sophia's distant expression kept haunting him.

He would make up for his oversights, he would make things right.

They had to get back to how they used to be.

It was imperative.