Chapter 190

Chapter 190

"We just don't want to watch our aunt's daughter struggle alone all the way. We mean no harm, and we won't interfere with any of your choices. Sophia, please don't misunderstand us."

Afraid that Sophia would reject them outright, Isolde deliberately changed the subject.

"Sophia, we found out you're married now, but we couldn't find out who your husband is. Would it be okay to tell us who you married?"

Sophia, on the other end of the phone, fell silent. After a long pause, she finally spoke in a hoarse voice.

"I am married, but... as for who it is, I won't tell you. Since you won't withdraw the investment, I won't force you. Well then, goodbye. We'll contact each other again if there's anything."

With that, she hung up directly without any hesitation.

Sophia then called Russell, telling him to feel free to accept the investment.

Russell was perceptive enough to see that Sophia had her reasons, so he didn't ask too many questions.

After hanging up, Sophia finally felt a bit more settled.

She would take the money, but she would never compromise on acknowledging the family relationship. Business was business, blood ties were blood ties—she kept them completely separate.

Meanwhile, Alice's assault case was proceeding very smoothly under Benjamin's deliberate arrangements.

She had been locked up. She had lost a lot of weight and often curled up in a corner, staying there for the entire day.

When the door was pushed open, she seemed to have some kind of stress reaction, crying out as all color drained from her face instantly.

"Save me! Where's Benjamin? Let me see Benjamin!"

She shouted hoarsely, crawling to the door in a pathetic state, not even having the strength to look up at who had come. Her hand clutched at the person's pant leg.

"Let me call Benjamin, let him come see me! He... he can't treat me like this. What did I do? What did I do? He can't do this to me!"

Only Alice's hoarse screams and desperate pleas filled the room. After a long time, her voice had gone hoarse, and she could only make whimpering sounds.

She used all her strength to look up. Standing in front of her was none other than Benjamin.

Alice's whole body stiffened, and the pleading expression on her face froze instantly. She looked as if she had encountered something terrifying, fear appearing on her face.

She backed away.

"Benjamin, you finally came to see me. Look at what I've become! Save me! Get me out of here, please! I'm begging you! Let me go!"

Her voice trembled badly, and every sentence took all her strength.

Benjamin looked at Alice groveling on the ground, his eyes showing no trace of pity, only bone-chilling coldness.

"Tell me everything you did, right in front of me, right now. Don't leave out a single thing."

Alice backed away even further, as if she had never known the Benjamin standing before her.

"And then what? What are you going to do? If I tell you, will you let me go? If you're willing to let me go, then I... then I'll tell you everything, okay?"

Benjamin shook his head gently.

"How can I let you go just because you tell me a few things? Do you know how messed up things became between Sophia and me because of your interference? Now she won't even look back at me anymore."

A flash of coldness crossed his eyes.

"But I can't blame only you. I was stupid to believe what you said. If you hadn't insisted on taking me abroad, I might never have found out about you faking your illness."

Alice's heart jumped to her throat. She stared at Benjamin's cold expression, not daring to say a word.

He knew. He knew about the thing she had been carefully hiding all along!

"That was my mistake. I did it all because I love you too much. I love you so much, how can you treat me like this! Have you forgotten our past? We used to..."

Before she could finish, Benjamin's cold voice cut her off.

"You still dare to bring up the past."

She looked at the extremely cold Benjamin in disbelief. The last bit of hope in her eyes completely shattered into dust.

Under Benjamin's pressure, Alice told him everything she had done, and also clearly confessed everything Elodie had done to Sophia.

She hugged her trembling body.

"Benjamin, please let me go, okay? For the sake of our past, I... I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. I'll never target Sophia again. Please let me go..."

Alice buried her head in her knees, crying and shaking all over, humbled to the extreme.

Benjamin looked at her coldly, completely unmoved.

"You should pay the price for everything you've done. The trial is tomorrow. Get ready."

He turned around without any attachment, as if all his previous favoritism and indulgence toward her had been an illusion.

A painful cry escaped from Alice's throat. She didn't dare to beg for mercy anymore.

All the truth had been confessed, the evidence was complete, and the trial was tomorrow. No one could save her.

Seeing that he remained unmoved, Alice fell into complete despair.

The following days seemed to return to calm. Sophia glanced at the time—there was still a week until her concert.

She no longer needed a teacher and could practice on her own. She often stayed in the practice room all day, not even noticing the time passing.

A staff member brought the news. Sophia was doing final tuning, and her fingers on the strings paused.

"Who?"

The staff member shook their head.

"Ms. Brown, we're not quite sure. A man and a woman are requesting to meet with you. They're already waiting in the lobby."

Sophia immediately realized the visitors were Isolde and Jagger. She nodded.

"Okay, I'll be right there."

In the lobby, Isolde and Jagger stood quietly under the staff's guidance. Their demeanor was low-key, without any trace of wealthy family arrogance, but their eyes held cautious hope.

Sophia walked to the lobby entrance and stopped. Her expression was calm, showing neither surprise nor avoidance.

Isolde looked up immediately, her eyes lighting up instantly. She took a few quick steps forward, then stopped abruptly, afraid of making Sophia uncomfortable, not daring to get too close.

"Sophia."

She called out softly, her tone especially gentle.

Jagger also nodded slightly, his attitude humble and polite.

Sophia's gaze calmly swept over Isolde and Jagger, her voice cool as usual.

"You came to see me. Is there something you need?"

She didn't make small talk or exchange pleasantries, getting straight to the point.

Isolde squeezed her palms, took a deep breath to suppress her nervousness, and quickly said.

"We... did we disturb you by coming here so suddenly?"