Chapter 159

Chapter 159

Sophia reflexively grabbed the handkerchief beside her and reached out — and in that split second, their hands landed on the same spot.

For a moment, Sophia felt like all the blood in her body had frozen. She turned to look at Benjamin in shock, only to find him already looking back at her.

Their fingertips had barely touched, yet that brief contact left them both completely still, neither able to snap out of it for a long moment.

Sophia couldn't quite describe the feeling. It was like she had always believed winter was cold, and just when she had made peace with that coldness, a gentle warmth crept softly across her entire body, telling her that winter didn't have to be cold after all.

"Mommy, your face is red."

At the sound of his voice, Sophia pulled her hand back like a reflex and turned away.

Harry looked at her like he'd just uncovered a big secret. "Mommy, are you shy?" he asked with a grin.

Sophia felt flustered and didn't know what to say. She just murmured,

"I'm going to step out for a bit."

With that, she left the hospital room. Benjamin watched her practically flee, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

What neither of them knew was that Alice had arrived outside the room ten minutes earlier. She had just pushed the door open when she caught that whole moment.

Alice felt like she'd been struck by lightning. She stood frozen in place, and only when she saw Sophia heading for the door did she quietly slip behind a pillar.

Alice stood behind that pillar for a full ten minutes before she could pull herself together.

This wasn't okay. Benjamin's attitude toward Sophia was getting more and more out of hand. She couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

Just as Alice was about to leave, her phone rang. It was Maddox.

"Alice. What happened with that business deal I asked you to look into? Did Benjamin agree to help us land it?"

"You know, we worked so hard to get in on that government project, and then out of nowhere, Benjamin just cut us out. Just like that."

"Because everyone knows about your connection with Benjamin, no one in the Baker family dared say much about taking such a big hit. But we've been back in the country for so many days now and haven't handled a single real project. Your grandfather isn't the only one who's anxious — I am too."

Maddox paused, then continued, "Alice, find some time soon and talk to Benjamin. Ask him to help us lock down this deal."

"Dad..."

Alice cut him off, her tone serious.

"Don't approach Benjamin for now. Things between us have hit a bit of a rough patch, and I need to focus on that first."

Alice didn't spell out what the problem was, but Maddox figured it out right away.

"Is Sophia causing trouble again? Even now, she's still trying to come between you and Benjamin?"

"Dad, stay out of it. I'll handle it myself."

"Alice, there's too much riding on your relationship with Benjamin. I can't just leave this all on you. Don't do anything yet — let me take care of it."

Maddox's voice was firm. "The Brown family still has a weak spot, and it's in our hands. I don't believe we can bring them to heel."

"Dad, don't do anything rash. I can handle things with Benjamin, please don't—"

Before Alice could finish, Maddox hung up. She called back, but he didn't answer.

An hour later, Sophia was sitting by Harry's bed reading him a fairy tale when her phone buzzed on the table.

It was Saskia.

"Sophia, it's bad — Maddox is here making a scene again. The bodyguards you hired are blocking him outside and wouldn't let him in, but it's been almost half an hour, and he still won't leave."

"If this keeps up, your grandfather is going to find out. His health is already so fragile — if Maddox sends him into another fit, it could be life-threatening."

"Mom, don't worry. I'm on my way."

She hung up and rushed toward the door. She'd barely taken a few steps when she heard Benjamin's voice.

"Do you need help?"

Sophia stopped and looked back at him. "No, it's fine. Stay here with Harry."

Harry noticed how anxious Sophia looked and asked carefully, "Mommy, are you coming back to sleep with me tonight?"

"If everything goes smoothly, I'll come back."

With that, Sophia left the hospital without looking back.

She got to Aurora Villa as fast as she could. The moment she stepped out of the car, she saw Maddox standing outside the gate, ranting and raving.

Fury surged through her. She stormed over and snapped, "Does the Baker family have no manners at all? You're acting like a mad dog biting at anything in the street."

Maddox let out a cold laugh. "Well, if it isn't Ms. Brown. Looks like the Brown family isn't so well-mannered either — since when does a junior speak to an elder like that?"

"You don't deserve to call yourself my elder."

"Is that so? When your grandmother married my father, if she hadn't died, I might have had to call her Mom. By that logic, you'd have to call me Uncle."

"Never." Sophia's voice was ice cold. "Whatever you came here to say, say it to me. Stop bothering my grandfather."

She stepped forward, eyes locked on Maddox, and said slowly and clearly,

"My grandfather has already told me everything about my father. So if you're planning to use that against us, bring it to me directly."

"He stepped away from Brown family affairs years ago. Everything — big or small — goes through me now. If you ever go around me to harass my grandfather again, I will make the Baker family pay for it."

"Bold words."

Maddox looked her up and down, a flicker of contempt in his eyes.

"What a shame, though — you were born into such a spineless family. If you'd been born a Baker, we might have actually had a shot at putting you by Benjamin's side."

Sophia found his arrogance almost laughable. She didn't bother engaging with it. Instead, she raised her hand and pointed to a coffee shop nearby.

"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go over there."

She walked off without waiting for a response. Maddox didn't linger outside Aurora Villa to keep making a scene — he followed her straight to the coffee shop.