Chapter 140 One Hundred And Forty
The sky was still a dull shade of gray when Helen pulled her car to a stop in front of Kennedy’s house.
The neighborhood was quiet.
Too quiet.
Most of the houses still had their lights off, and the streets were nearly empty except for the occasional passing car heading toward the morning rush.
Helen glanced at the clock on the dashboard.
6:12 AM.
She had barely slept.
The moment Ernest confessed the truth the night before, her mind refused to rest.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Sofia’s smug face.
The manipulation.
The threats.
The sheer audacity of the woman.
And the more Helen thought about it, the angrier she became.
Sofia had threatened her husband.
Manipulated her sister.
And now she was trying to worm her way back into Kennedy’s life like none of it mattered.
Helen gripped the steering wheel tightly.
“Not happening,” she muttered under her breath.
She stepped out of the car and walked up the driveway.
The porch light was still on.
Good.
That meant someone was awake.
Helen didn’t hesitate.
She knocked firmly.
Once.
Twice.
Then she waited.
Inside the house, footsteps approached the door.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Kennedy stood there, wearing a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms. His tie hung loosely around his neck, and his hair was still slightly damp from the shower.
He clearly hadn’t expected visitors.
Especially not this early.
His eyebrows shot up the moment he saw her.
“Helen?”
Helen stood with her arms folded, her expression serious.
“Good morning.”
Kennedy blinked in confusion.
“Is everything okay?”
“Do you have a minute?”
He glanced at his watch.
“I was just about to leave for work.”
“This won’t take long.”
Kennedy studied her face carefully.
Something about her tone made his stomach tighten.
He stepped aside.
“Come in.”
Helen walked into the house without another word.
Kennedy closed the door behind her.
“What’s going on?”
Helen didn’t sit.
She turned to face him directly.
“I need Sofia’s address.”
Kennedy frowned.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Helen, why?”
She held his gaze firmly.
“Just give it to me.”
Kennedy crossed his arms.
“Not until you tell me what this is about.”
Helen sighed impatiently.
“I don’t have time for this.”
“And I’m not handing out someone’s address without knowing why you want it.”
Their eyes locked.
Finally, Helen exhaled sharply.
“Fine.”
She stepped closer.
“I know about Sofia’s little blackmail scheme.”
Kennedy’s expression instantly changed.
“…what?”
“She threatened my husband.”
Kennedy blinked.
“Ernest?”
“Yes.”
“With what?”
Helen’s jaw tightened.
“She told him if he didn’t help her break you and Antonia up, she would release videos and pictures from their past affair.”
The words hung in the air like a bomb.
Kennedy stared at her.
For a moment, he looked completely stunned.
“…she did what?”
“You heard me.”
His face hardened slowly.
“You’re serious.”
“Yes.”
Kennedy ran a hand through his hair.
“That… doesn’t make any sense.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“No.”
He began pacing slowly across the living room.
Helen let out a short, humorless laugh.
“Sofia isn't someone to trust.”
Kennedy stopped pacing.
“So Ernest told you this last night?”
“Yes.”
“And he helped her?”
“He felt he had no choice.”
Kennedy shook his head slowly.
“That woman…”
Helen watched him carefully.
“I don't even know what you still see in her.”
Kennedy leaned against the back of a chair, clearly processing the information.
“This explains a lot.”
Helen raised an eyebrow.
“Like what?”
“The way she’s been acting lately.”
Helen crossed her arms again.
“Well congratulations.”
Kennedy looked up.
“What?”
“You finally see the real Sofia.”
His expression darkened slightly.
“Helen—”
“No.”
She shook her head firmly.
“I’m not done.”
Kennedy sighed.
“Go ahead.”
Helen’s eyes sharpened.
“I’m extremely disappointed in you.”
Kennedy blinked.
“Excuse me?”
“My sister deserves better.”
His jaw tightened.
“I know that.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Because from where I’m standing, it doesn’t look like it.”
Kennedy’s voice dropped slightly.
“What are you talking about?”
Helen stepped closer.
“You fell for Sofia’s tricks again.”
“I didn’t fall for anything.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes.”
Helen tilted her head.
“Then explain the kiss.”
Kennedy froze.
The silence in the room turned heavy.
Helen watched his face carefully.
“Surprised?” she asked coolly.
Kennedy stared at her.
“…how do you know about that?”
“Hm...Sofia told Antonia.”
“Of course she did.”
Kennedy closed his eyes briefly.
“Damn it.”
Helen shook her head slowly.
“I can’t believe you.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Oh?”
“She kissed me.”
Helen let out a sharp laugh.
“That’s your defense?”
“I didn’t plan it.”
“But you didn’t stop it either.”
Kennedy didn’t answer.
Helen’s voice softened slightly, but the disappointment remained.
“Antonia is trying to move forward with her life.”
Kennedy looked away.
“And you’re making it harder for her.”
“I never meant to hurt her.”
“Intentions don’t matter when the result is the same.”
Kennedy rubbed his temples.
“You think I don’t know that?”
Helen studied him for a moment.
Then she spoke quietly.
“She’s already been through enough.”
Kennedy looked back at her.
“I know.”
“She’s confused.”
“I know.”
“She’s hurting.”
His voice lowered.
“I know.”
Helen held his gaze.
“And you kissing Sofia only made things worse.”
Kennedy didn’t argue.
Because he knew she was right.
The silence stretched for a few seconds.
Finally, Helen spoke again.
“So.”
Kennedy looked at her.
“Sofia’s address.”
He hesitated.
“Helen…”
She held out her hand.
“I’m not asking again.”
Kennedy studied her expression carefully.
“You’re planning something.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Helen—”
“I need to warn that woman off my family.”
Kennedy sighed heavily.
After a moment, he walked over to the small desk near the wall.
He grabbed a pen and wrote an address on a piece of paper.
Then he handed it to her.
Helen took it and glanced down briefly.
“Thank you.”
She turned toward the door.
“Helen.”
She paused but didn’t turn around.
Kennedy spoke quietly.
“Be careful.”
She finally looked back at him.
Her expression was calm.
Cold.
“Don’t worry.”
Then she opened the door and walked out.
Kennedy stood there for a long moment after she left.
His mind still reeling from everything he had just learned.
One thought kept echoing in his head.
Sofia had really been manipulating everyone all along.
How could he so stupid to allow her get close to him?