Chapter 137: Sophia, Can We Meet?
The top floor of Peace Group is one of the best places in Empire City to watch the sunset.
At this moment, the glowing sunset behind William filled the sky, casting even him in a mysterious and brilliant halo.
Sophia's gaze fell on the clouds tinged orange-red as she continued, "Even if you knelt down right now to apologize and told me you have feelings for me, I wouldn't feel any joy."
"Reality isn't a novel. You and I completely ended things two years ago. Our relationship now is... co-parents raising children together. I hope you can clearly recognize this fact. When you can rationally discuss custody with me, then we'll talk."
The current Sophia didn't need any affection from William.
She directly smashed the glass door with a fire extinguisher, leaving him only with her cold silhouette walking into the elevator hall.
In the blind spot around the corner.
A woman in a red dress had hatred flickering in her pupils, her lips curling into a sinister and vicious smile in the unseen corner, sending chills down one's spine.
Seeing William standing there silently, the woman composed her expression and walked softly to his side, saying gently as water, "Mr. Smith, perhaps Ms. Johnson is just in a bad mood today."
A strong perfume scent wafted over. William frowned and moved to the other side.
"Molly, clean this up."
Molly White was William's other secretary.
Tony handled external affairs and accompanied him on business trips and banquets, while she mainly handled internal company communications.
She was also the one who suggested using Sophia's favorite roses to smooth things over.
The rooftop returned to silence.
Molly looked at her reflection in the glass door, the corners of her mouth turning up smugly.
Making such a grand gesture when the ex-wife hasn't forgiven her husband would only push them further apart.
And that was exactly the result she wanted.
Molly thought of that idiot Alice, her lips curling into a disdainful sneer.
Back when William repeatedly ordered thorough investigations into Alice, she had modified the final investigation data, shielding Alice from being exposed. Yet that fool Alice was still so useless.
Since Alice couldn't be relied upon, she would have to take matters into her own hands.
-
When Sophia returned to the underground parking garage, she received a message from her lawyer.
He concisely explained Tony's actions and request, stating that if she didn't reply within five minutes, he would call the police directly.
Sophia sent him a message back and drove home.
By the time she got home, it was already dark.
James and Michael had to go to school tomorrow, so they'd gone to bed early.
Emily had also been put to sleep by Lucas.
In the downstairs living room, Emily's favorite cartoon was still playing on TV. Lucas, wearing a bathrobe, lay on the sofa patiently watching, trying hard to avoid a generation gap with Emily.
Hearing movement at the door, he immediately stood up, "Sophia, you're finally back."
Lucas asked how her talk with William went. Sophia shook her head.
He clenched his fists indignantly, "I knew William was up to no good. Next time I see him, I'll teach him a lesson!"
Sophia stated the facts, "I appreciate the thought, but you can't beat him. You'd just get beaten up."
Lucas fell silent. That was too hurtful.
The servants had all returned to their residential building to rest, but they'd kept a late-night snack warm for Sophia in the kitchen.
Lucas brought it out for her and sat at the dining table watching her eat.
After being glared at several times by Sophia for being too chatty, he spotted a familiar Rolls-Royce outside the courtyard and moved closer to her, saying, "Sophia, look outside."
Sophia turned to look through the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows. The man from last night was here again.
Lucas struck while the iron was hot, "I heard that he's planning to establish a branch office here in Empire City this time."
Port City was the Franklin family's home base, where they held absolute authority.
But if he came to Empire City...
Even though Lucas didn't like William, he had to admit that in Empire City's business world, the Smith family was the boss.
"Sophia, aren't you planning to invite him in?"
"That guy isn't like William, all cold and distant. If you were with him, I believe you'd definitely be happy."
Sophia didn't answer Lucas's question.
Relying on others for happiness meant emotions would always be controlled by others, but she preferred to be in control herself.
"I already have the children, you, and those dear ones at the lab. I'm happy enough."
Her words made Lucas blush, filling his heart with warmth.
He said emotionally, "I've decided! From now on, you're my real sister!"
Lucas, "Sophia—"
Sophia pushed away Lucas's face as he leaned in. He was in his twenties but acted like a three-year-old, no wonder Emily liked himthe most.
"Lucas, stop fighting Emily for lollipops from now on."
Lucas fell silent.
After dinner, Sophia returned to the master bedroom to rest.
Just like last night, she opened the curtains, leaving an almost imperceptible gap through which she could clearly see the man under the streetlight.
She remembered the year she graduated from middle school, when her grandmother was terminally ill.
Before dying, her grandmother entrusted Sophia to an old friend who had married into the Franklin family, the wealthiest family in Port City.
And she lived at the Franklin Villa for three whole years.
The person downstairs was the only son of Port City's wealthiest family, the Franklins—Benjamin Franklin.
He had exceptional and unique insight in the stock market, once creating a wealth legend, earning him the title "investment genius" in financial circles.
In senior year of high school, he excitedly told her about ideal universities abroad, wanting to study there together.
But she returned to her hometown to take the exam, and without a word, directly tested into Harmony College in Empire City.
After the exam, she found a part-time job to earn living expenses.
Sophia didn't spend a penny of the money the Franklin family gave her, and along with all the gifts Benjamin gave her, left everything in the bedroom she stayed in at the Franklin Villa.
Later, during her four years of college, besides studying, she spent all her remaining time working part-time.
On graduation day, she not only completed her studies with excellent grades but also paid back the tuition the Franklin family had paid for those three years, as well as her living expenses while staying with the Franklins.
At that moment, no longer owing the Franklin family any favors, she truly felt relieved.
Benjamin seemed to know she was watching.
He took out his phone and typed, turning it sideways to show a scrolling line of text.
[Sophia, can we meet?]
Sophia closed the gap in the curtains and returned to bed, falling asleep to the sweet scent of powdered milk on Emily.
Downstairs, the autumn night breeze was cool.
Benjamin slowly lowered his phone. Although he couldn't see anything upstairs, he'd felt earlier that she was watching.
Now, she must be resting, right?
He remembered seven years ago, the day Sophia married William—he had watched from the shadows.
The Smith family had booked the entire hotel, and he had pulled strings to attend the wedding disguised as a waiter.
Sophia no longer had any family and hadn't invited friends either.
At the banquet, there were only a few tables of important relatives and friends from the Smith family. She looked very calm; her smile for the guests was beautiful.
Benjamin had never felt such heartache for Sophia as he did in that moment.
Given the Smith family's status in Empire City, she should have had a grand wedding.
He didn't understand why Sophia would compromise herself like that, just as he didn't understand why she suddenly returned to her hometown in twelfth grade and refused to go abroad with him.
Just then, a message popped up on his phone.
He looked down and discovered it was actually a message from William.