Chapter 191

Chapter 191

"It doesn't bother me. Go ahead, what brings you here?"

Compared to Isolde, who seemed a bit nervous and uneasy, Jagger appeared more relaxed.

He glanced at Isolde, then stepped forward, holding an exquisite wooden box.

"Sophia, this is... this is what Auntie left behind. We've kept it all this time, and Isolde and I thought we should give it to you."

"Don't rush to refuse. Just take a look. If you're willing to accept it, that would be best."

The box was made of rosewood, intricately carved—clearly valuable at first glance.

Sophia looked at the wooden box in Jagger's hands, her eyes flickering slightly as an inexplicable bitterness welled up inside her.

She had never met her birth mother, never owned anything that belonged to her family.

This wooden box, suddenly presented to her, was the first thing she'd ever encountered that connected her to her relatives.

Sophia fell silent for a moment, not immediately reaching out to take it.

"What's inside?"

Jagger gently opened the box partway, revealing old items that looked like hairpins.

Beside them were several yellowed sheets of letter paper and a tightly folded old photograph.

"These are things she kept close to her while she was alive. After Auntie passed away, we preserved these items and found a special box to keep them in, thinking there might come a time when they'd be needed. Turns out keeping them safe was the right choice."

Isolde quickly chimed in from the side.

"We won't force you to return to the Porter family, and we won't use blood ties to control your life. You can still live the life you want and focus on your music career."

"We came here just to personally hand over Auntie's belongings to you. Sophia, please take them."

Sophia looked at the familiar yet strange items in the box, her emotions complicated and unsettled.

She finally reached out and slowly accepted the rosewood box.

The most prominent item inside was the old photograph, its corners slightly curled from age.

She instinctively unfolded it for a look. The photo showed her mother, Marcella Shaw, in her younger years. The biggest difference between her and Marcella was their temperament.

Marcella's temperament leaned toward gentle and soft—otherwise she wouldn't have married down and endured bullying from her husband's family, unable to even bring back the daughter she'd fought so hard to give birth to, eventually dying in sorrow.

"I understand what you're saying. Don't worry, I'll take good care of these belongings."

Sophia collected her complicated feelings and smiled at the siblings before her.

"I'm really sorry, but I still don't want to go back. I... I finally escaped from one set of chains, and I don't want to walk into another difficult situation."

"Right now, my music career comes first. Of course, we can stay in touch and see each other more often. After all, we share a blood connection, and I'm not the type to completely ignore people."

This time, Isolde and Jagger left with smiles on their faces, looking pleased, especially Isolde, who looked at Sophia with her eyes crinkled in a smile.

"Sophia, hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. If you have any difficulties, tell us right away, and we'll definitely help you solve them."

"And about your marriage—we won't interfere too much, but if you can hide your information, it seems your husband's background isn't simple either. If you want a divorce, Sophia, we'll do everything in our power to help you get divorced."

After Isolde and Jagger left, Sophia sat on the sofa in silence for a long time, her gaze fixed on the old photograph in the box.

Marcella in the photo, was smiling, but there was an unshakable melancholy in her eyes. Perhaps from that time on, she was already in a bad state.

Somehow, both Marcella and she had faced the same situation—both trapped and struggling in a marriage.

She had firmly lived the life she wanted, but Marcella had already sunk deep into a failed marriage.

Sophia found time in her busy schedule to return to the White Mansion. When she arrived, the house was cold and quiet. In the vast living room, Katya sat idly on the sofa, staring into space.

Katya's expression was blank, as if nothing could spark her interest anymore.

When Sophia pushed open the door and walked in, she immediately saw the small, lonely figure sitting on the sofa, and her heart softened.

"Katya, Mommy's here."

She walked forward and called out softly.

Katya, on the sofa, instantly perked up, jerking her head toward the door. Her eyes lit up at once, and she immediately jumped off the sofa and ran quickly toward Sophia.

Katya's small body threw itself into her arms, hugging tight and refusing to let go.

"Mommy! You finally came to see me!"

Her soft, sweet voice carried longing and grievance, making Sophia's heart ache.

"I'm here. Have you been eating well? You haven't worried your great-grandfather, have you?"

Just as she finished speaking, Paxton's voice came through.

Having not seen him for several months, he seemed to have aged considerably, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deeper, yet the way he looked at Sophia remained as loving and kind as ever.

"You're here."

Sophia ate this meal at the White family home.

Katya was very excited, staring intently at Sophia, whom she hadn't seen in so long, not daring to look away for a second, afraid Sophia would disappear the next moment.

"Eat your food, sweetie."

Sophia said softly, then raised her head to look at Paxton, her tone becoming more serious.

"Grandpa, I want a divorce."

As soon as these words left her mouth, the warm atmosphere instantly froze, and the air became terrifyingly quiet.

Katya paused mid-bite, lifting her little face to look between Paxton and Sophia in confusion, not understanding why the atmosphere had suddenly turned cold.

The kindness on Paxton's face slowly faded, replaced by a heavy, helpless expression.

He had long anticipated this day would come, yet still couldn't help the tightness in his chest.

"Sophia, have you truly made up your mind? Won't you leave even a little room to turn back?"

Sophia's eyes were firm, without the slightest waver.

"Grandpa, this isn't an impulsive decision. Benjamin and I have been separated for so long—as long as I file, I can enforce a divorce. Grandpa, I also want to fight for custody of Katya."

She paused, her tone becoming cautious.

"I know what I'm doing might seem harsh, but... Katya is my biological daughter after all. I... I can now earn money, so I can fight for custody too. Grandpa, I'm sorry. You've been so good to me, yet this is how I repay you. Am I being too selfish?"

"No, you should fight for Katya's custody. I won't blame you."

Paxton let out a heavy sigh, his aged eyes full of weariness and heartache.

Having lived most of his life, he'd long since learned to see through people and situations. How could he not understand that throughout this marriage, the one who'd been wronged was always Sophia? It had always been the White family who owed Sophia.

"This is what we, the White family, owe you. Don't worry, I'll help you with the custody matter. Katya will be better off living with you."