Chapter 32 Testing

Chapter 32 Testing

Samuel's face darkened, regret and anger battling on his face. He hadn't imagined that one careless slip of the tongue could become a weapon Emma would wield against Sophie.

The air around the table turned to ice.

But Sophie, in the eye of the storm, was unexpectedly calm. She looked at Emma, her clear eyes holding no anger—only a detached understanding that seemed to see straight through everything.

"This is my child. I'll take responsibility for him." Each word was deliberate, steady. "As for the problems you're worried about, I've already thought them through. I'm not giving up my career. Raising a child costs money—I know that better than anyone."

The mask of warmth finally slipped from Emma's face, revealing a sneer. "You've thought it through? Easy to say. How much do you make in a month? Kids are a bottomless pit. How long do you think your salary will last?"

"I recently received a substantial project bonus." Sophie's voice remained level.

A project bonus?

Emma's pupils contracted sharply, jealousy flaring sharp and sudden in her chest.

She'd worked at the Carter Group before. She knew the compensation structure inside and out.

A secretary's position, no matter how big the project, could never earn a bonus that large—it went against every company policy.

There was only one explanation.

Sebastian's cold, chiseled face flashed through her mind.

Of course. It had to be him. He'd broken company rules for Sophie, slipped her that money under the table.

Why her? Because of the baby she was carrying?

It never occurred to Emma that Sophie had earned that bonus through her own skill—by solving a project everyone else had given up on.

In Emma's mind, Sophie was just a pretty secretary who'd gotten where she was through underhanded means.

This woman had been seducing Sebastian all along.

Watching the jealousy and fury flicker across Emma's face, Mireille felt a spark of satisfaction. She straightened her shoulders and declared proudly, "That's right! Sophie can support herself. And even without that bonus, she's got us! Raising a kid? The three of us together can handle one little baby, no problem."

She hooked her arm around Sophie's, pulling her into a firm, protective hug, making her stance crystal clear.

"Sophie, don't listen to her. We've got your back. No one's going to mess with you or this baby."

Mireille's embrace was warm and solid, a shield against the cruelty of the outside world.

Samuel chimed in, his voice thick with remorse. "Exactly! We're here for you! Anyone tries to talk trash, they'll have to go through me first!"

Looking at the two friends rallying around her, Sophie felt a flicker of warmth thaw the ice around her heart. She glanced back at Emma, catching the jealousy and contempt still lingering on her face before it could fully fade.

The fragile harmony shattered for good.

Then, suddenly, Emma took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for something.

The sharpness and resentment in her eyes vanished, replaced by heavy sorrow and guilt.

"I'm sorry." She stood, humbling herself completely toward Sophie, her voice cracking with suppressed tears. "Sophie, I'm so sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn't have said those things."

She lifted her head, tears brimming in her eyes, looking fragile and sincere. "I was just… scared. I was afraid you'd make the wrong choice, afraid you'd regret it someday. I forgot that you've always been stronger than me, more sure of yourself. I projected my own narrow thinking onto you and said all those hurtful things. I'm sorry."

The tearful apology caught Mireille and Samuel off guard.

Sophie watched her quietly. She'd come here tonight to give them both a chance—to see if this friendship, once so precious, could still be salvaged.

And now Emma had humbled herself completely.

"Emma," Sophie finally spoke, her voice calm and measured, "I just need you to understand—this is my choice, and I'm willing to take responsibility for it. I don't need anyone's pity. And I don't want my child to be seen as a mistake from the moment he's born."

"I know. I get it now." Emma nodded frantically, stepping closer and tugging gently at Sophie's sleeve like a child who'd been scolded. "Can we go back to how things were? Sophie, I don't want to lose you as a friend."

Looking at her reddened eyes, Sophie let out an imperceptible sigh.

Maybe she'd been overthinking it. Maybe Emma had just been blinded by jealousy. Maybe she wasn't a bad person at her core.

"Let's sit down and eat. The food's getting cold." Sophie didn't answer directly, but her tone had softened.

Samuel seized the moment, raising his juice glass with a grin. "Alright, alright! As long as we can talk it out, we're good! Relationships are complicated, you know? Come on—let's toast to Sophie's pregnancy and to our friendship lasting forever!"

Mireille rolled her eyes but smiled, lifting her glass as well. The awkward tension dissolved under his lighthearted teasing.

The four of them slipped back into what felt like old times, chatting about work stories and venting about nightmare clients.

Halfway through the meal, Emma suddenly perked up, as if remembering something. She turned to Sophie, her eyes bright. "Oh! When's your next checkup? Can I come with you? I'd love to see the baby. I want to share in that joy with you."

Her tone was full of enthusiasm, as if she genuinely looked forward to the new life coming into the world.

The wariness Sophie had just started to let go of crept back in.

She glanced instinctively at Mireille.

"Oh, great idea!" Mireille jumped in quickly, reading the room. "I'm free that day too. Let's all go together! I've never been to a prenatal appointment before. I'm so excited!"

All of them together was better than Sophie being alone with Emma.

Sophie nodded, her voice soft. "Okay."

The dinner ended under a fragile veneer of harmony.

As they left Mireille's place, Emma offered, "Sophie, let me drive you home. I haven't been back to that neighborhood in forever. It's on my way anyway."

By "that neighborhood," she meant the apartment they'd once shared, near where Sophie lived now. Back then, their friendship had been at its closest.

Sophie didn't refuse.

The city glittered under the night sky, lights blazing. Soft music played in the car. Emma drove in silence for a long while before speaking, her tone casual.

"Sophie, I've been thinking… are you really not going to terminate the pregnancy?"

Sophie leaned against the window, watching the neon lights blur past, and said nothing.

When no answer came, Emma pressed on, her voice laced with what sounded like genuine concern. "I'm not trying to pressure you. I just think it's so unfair to you. You're carrying the whole burden alone. And… have you thought about what happens if the father comes back later and tries to take the child?"

Her words pricked like cold needles, each one aimed at Sophie's deepest fears.

Sophie whipped her head around, her gaze sharp and cutting. "What are you trying to say?"

Emma flinched under the icy stare, quickly waving her hands, her expression shifting to flustered innocence. "I—I didn't mean anything by it! I'm just worried about you! Sophie, don't misunderstand me. I'm only saying this because I care!"

Her eyes welled up, her voice trembling with hurt. "When I think about everything you'll have to face, I can't sleep. I just… I just think that maybe ending the pregnancy now would be a relief. For you. For the baby who hasn't been born yet."