Chapter 60
Sophie rarely spoke so harshly, and she wasn't one to talk to other women like this. They were both women, after all, there was no need to make things difficult for each other.
But this time, she just couldn't hold back.
Bella stared at Sophie's figure, hatred swirling in her eyes before she forcibly swallowed it back down.
"The misunderstanding doesn't really matter to me. Friends who know me understand that Matthew and I are completely innocent. As for those who would misunderstand, well, I can only say that dirty minds see dirt in everything."
Sophie paused mid-motion while tossing fish food.
She really was a pro at this.
She threw out the rest of the fish food in her hand, dusted off her palms, and turned around to face Bella.
Bella met her gaze without backing down.
The two women locked eyes in a silent standoff.
Sophie smiled and called out sweetly to Matthew, "Honey, is Bella saying I have a dirty mind?"
Bella's eyes flickered slightly.
She hadn't expected Sophie to be so direct about calling out what she'd implied.
Matthew's fingers turned his teacup lightly as he replied flatly, "Yes."
Bella looked at Matthew in disbelief. He was actually going along with it, calling her out so bluntly without giving her any face.
Her heart was breaking.
Sophie laughed out loud. "Well, I am petty. So Bella, stop asking him out all the time."
She was so direct that Bella couldn't quite handle it.
"Matthew, does this mean I can't ask you out anymore?" Bella's voice carried a slight tremor.
Sophie had never dealt with women like this before. When she was with Alex, there had been no one like Bella around.
When she was dating Harold, they weren't even in the same place, so there had been no opportunity for this.
Now, Bella was actually quite interesting to her.
Bella's behavior reminded her of Jade.
If Jade had acted like Bella when dealing with her mother, then her mother, someone so pure and simple, would naturally have lost completely.
There was a saying online: the one who isn't loved is the mistress.
But a mistress is someone who intrudes on others' relationships, a predator in marriages. How did stealing someone else's husband end up being celebrated, while the real victim became the useless one?
Sophie didn't want to fight with Bella. If Bella had been more straightforward, she might have even helped her get back together with Matthew.
But instead, Bella wanted to use their past relationship to assert superiority, to show that her connection with Matthew was something others couldn't compare to.
Watching her act all wronged and pitiful, Sophie honestly found it tiresome.
Matthew glanced at Sophie. She now looked like an outsider who'd stirred things up and then stepped aside to watch. Her subtle expression was like someone watching a show, not particularly caring about the outcome.
"She said not to ask often." Matthew corrected her.
Sophie raised her eyebrows slightly and smiled.
Matthew hadn't been completely blinded by beauty after all.
Bella bit her lip, her beautiful lashes trembling slightly. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble. I'll try not to ask you out from now on. Sorry for disturbing you."
Her final words carried a crying tone.
As she left, Sophie saw her raise her hand to wipe the corner of her eye.
If she could see it, Matthew naturally could too.
Once she was gone, Sophie laughed.
Not because she'd won this round, but because this whole war of words seemed so ridiculous.
Matthew hadn't upset Sophie, and since she finally wasn't picking a fight with him, he didn't want to have to comfort her again.
The owner knocked and entered, with waiters carrying dishes behind him.
"Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore, sorry for the wait." The owner personally placed the dishes on the table. "Please try them and see if they're to your liking."
Sophie washed her hands and came over to look at the dishes, saying with a smile, "They look delicious just from looking at them."
"Thank you for the compliment, Mrs. Moore."
"I've tasted your food before. I genuinely think it's excellent." Sophie spoke sincerely.
The owner beamed. "I'm glad you like it. Please enjoy your meal. Call me if you need anything. I won't disturb you further."
"Thank you."
After the owner left, Sophie sat down, glanced at Matthew, and served him a bowl of soup.
Matthew hadn't embarrassed her in front of Bella. She remembered that.
Her mood was relatively good, and she was willing to make peace with him.
They ate without talking.
Matthew's phone screen kept lighting up, but he only glanced at it without opening the messages.
Sophie guessed it wasn't from Bella. She probably wouldn't contact Matthew so quickly.
The phone screen stopped lighting up.
The meal was actually quite harmonious.
When they finished, Matthew and Sophie walked out together. Matthew went to pay while Sophie waited outside.
By coincidence, Bella came out with several people.
Bella and Sophie's eyes met. Her gaze was cold.
Sophie only briefly met her eyes before looking away.
After Bella saw her friends off, she walked a few steps, then turned back.
By then, Matthew had already come out and was getting closer to Sophie.
Bella's eyes immediately reddened.
Then she got in her car and drove away.
"Let's go." Matthew's voice reached Sophie's ears.
Sophie finally understood why Bella's eyes had suddenly turned red.
"What did Bella study in college?"
Matthew didn't understand why she was asking such a strange question.
"It wasn't acting, was it?" Sophie asked curiously.
Matthew pressed his car key.
Sophie followed, not pursuing the question further.
On the way back, Sophie looked out the window, just like on the way there.
She'd opened the window a crack. The evening breeze was much gentler now, not so stifling.
There was some traffic ahead. A police car drove past on the side, and after a while, an ambulance with its siren on also drove past.
It looked like there'd been an accident.
The traffic volume was still heavy. The outer two lanes were completely stopped, and all the cars were trying to merge into the innermost lane.
Sophie really disliked these people forcing their way in. Everyone was stuck, yet they had to squeeze through.
Matthew was patient though. Only when the car behind him deliberately let him in did he merge over.
When they reached the front, they saw the accident scene.
A pink MINI had apparently crashed into a Mercedes in front of it.
The speed must have been quite high. The front was crushed and the airbags had deployed.
No one was in the driver's seat; they seemed to have been taken to the ambulance.
Sophie looked at the car. It seemed familiar.
It looked like Bella had been driving a pink MINI when she left.
Sophie couldn't help but look at Matthew. They were so close, he would definitely recognize it.
Sure enough, Matthew kept looking in that direction.
The car behind them honked, urging them on. Matthew picked up speed.
Sophie thought Matthew would pull over to check, but instead he drove all the way home.
So it wasn't Bella after all.
"I'm going to take a shower." Sophie went to her room to get her pajamas.
When she came out, she saw Matthew on the phone.
His expression was serious. "I understand."
After hanging up, Matthew turned around and met Sophie's eyes.