Chapter 153: Forcibly Changing Surname
Sophia suddenly understood.
Although she didn't know why Evelyn would still send someone to investigate her after all these years, it most likely had something to do with Benjamin.
During those three years at the Franklin Villa, while she had no worries about food and clothing, her soul felt imprisoned.
The first two years were okay, but starting from the third year.
Whenever Evelyn saw Benjamin getting even slightly close to her, she would find time to come over and hint at her.
Don't have fantasies about people you shouldn't... that her status wasn't good enough for Benjamin... things like that.
But she had misunderstood.
Back then, neither she nor Benjamin had any feelings for each other.
How could you expect two people who hadn't experienced romance to understand what love between a man and woman was?
Joe left the study and went to rest in the guest bedroom downstairs.
His words kept echoing in Sophia's mind.
When she woke up the next day, she felt an itch between her brows. Opening her eyes, she met Emily's gaze, crystal clear and filled entirely with her reflection.
Emily smiled and called her mommy, pointing to her own forehead and saying, "Mommy, don't frown."
She waved her little fists and continued, "Emily will protect Mommy!"
Her round eyes were full of love for Sophia, dispelling the worry in her heart.
Sophia reminded herself that she was no longer the orphan dependent on others' charity.
Holding Emily in her arms and kissing her forehead, she smiled and responded, "Okay, Emily will protect Mommy."
When she came downstairs with Emily, Joe was wearing an ill-fitting apron, making breakfast.
"Come have breakfast. I made Emily's favorite."
"Mr. Watson—"
Emily immediately lit up when she saw him, running over to hug his leg.
Emily was a preemie who'd spent a long time in the incubator.
During that period, Sophia's body was still recovering.
Joe and Lucas volunteered to take care of Emily, going from clumsy to gradually skilled. The two men actually learned how to be proper fathers.
Even now, they were the two adults Emily relied on most.
Joe's cooking was really good. Both Sophia and Emily ate quite a bit.
She had to go to the lab today to continue her research on artificial wombs, and she felt completely at ease leaving Emily in Joe's care.
"Emily, Mommy's going to work now."
"Bye-bye, Mommy."
Usually, Emily would cling to her for a while, but this time, she was quite quick about it, taking a bunch of grapes to find Joe and feed him.
Joe's eyes were full of joy, while Sophia saw through Emily's little cleverness.
Sure enough, after Emily watched him eat the grapes expressionlessly and confirmed they weren't sour, she handed all the grapes to him.
She climbed onto the sofa and sat down obediently, acting cute and saying, "Mr. Watson, peel them."
Her favorite cartoon was playing on TV, and Joe was there peeling grapes for her. Emily's life was wonderful, and the smile never left her face.
Sophia smiled helplessly.
Joe and Lucas were officially Emily's uncles, but they were practically like her fathers.
They had helped her so much over the past two years.
If that Ethan really had bad intentions toward Joe, she would never let him get away with it!
-
The Smith Manor dining room.
William brought James and Michael to have breakfast with Holden. Before he took the kids to school, Holden called him aside.
"William, if you still like Sophia, go win her back."
"My grandson shouldn't be indecisive and wavering. If you made mistakes in the past, admit them. Life is long, and as long as you treat Sophia well from now on, there's still room to turn things around."
"James and Michael need a mother, too. As for that child Emily, I have a feeling she's a child of the Smith family."
At the thought of this, Holden's heart surged with an uncontrollable joy.
He took out another paternity test report and placed it on the table. "This is a paternity test I had done for you and Emily."
"I haven't looked at the results yet. William, don't blame me."
He pushed the report forward and said to William, "After you read the report and confirm her identity, bring Emily home and change her surname to Smith."
William's brows furrowed slightly, his eyes deep as the sea, seemingly covered with a layer of mist.
He didn't tell Holden that he had already done a paternity test with Emily, which proved she wasn't his daughter. Instead, he firmly told him that regardless of whether Emily was his blood, he would treat her as his own.
"Grandpa, I've already publicly announced that Emily is my daughter."
"So, whether she's my blood or not, she's my daughter. Do you understand what I mean?"
Holden paused and looked at William strangely.
"Are you going to be like your father and raise another man's daughter?"
The paternity test report for Henry and Melinda had already appeared in Holden's study early that morning.
The report confirmed: they were not father and daughter.
Although Holden really liked Sophia as a junior, he absolutely would not allow the Smith family bloodline to be confused.
Dignity—losing it once was enough. They absolutely couldn't lose it a second time!
William sat on the sofa, quietly observing Holden's expression, his sharp eyes revealing determination.
"Grandpa, my mind is made up."
William had been independent-minded since childhood. Once he made a decision, no one could change his mind.
They were discussing this intensely here, but both had forgotten about Sophia's attitude.
She would never remarry William!
And she would never let Emily acknowledge him!
William took the unopened paternity test report and, before leaving, put it in the safe in his room.
He took the two children to school.
Just after leaving the Smith Manor, Henry was invited by Martin to the study at the Smith Manor.
Holden threw the paternity test report in front of him, his tone carrying obvious anger.
"This is the woman you chose back then?"
"You've been a cuckold for over twenty years. Do you still like it?"
Henry's face darkened, his eyes fixed on the conclusion in the report. He took the initiative to admit his mistake. "Dad, I was wrong."
Holden slammed the table. "I think you're running out of money, have a young new lover outside, and are starting to despise Hannah again, aren't you?"
"Henry, if this test didn't prove you're mine, I'd think they switched babies at the hospital!"
Henry's face went pale. He didn't expect Holden to actually doubt whether he was his son.
"Dad, I really know I was wrong. Give me another chance. I'm still young and can help you manage the company. Let me handle the overseas branches. I definitely won't disappoint you."
"Haven't you disappointed me enough? Peace Group is William's now. Stay out of it. If I find out you're making moves behind the scenes, I'll break your legs!"
Holden told him to bring Hannah and Melinda to change Melinda's surname.
"She's not a child of the Smith family, so she doesn't deserve the Smith surname."
Sophia spent the whole day in the lab. When she got home, Joe shared three pieces of news with her.
Holden and Henry had done a paternity test.
Melinda was proven not to be a child of the Smith family and was forced by bodyguards to change her surname.
Henry and Hannah had divorced.
Although Sophia was surprised to hear this, she wasn't too shocked.
Holden placed great importance on the Smith family bloodline. Before Henry, the heads of the Smith family had never kept mistresses outside. Even in business marriages, they were all model couples in their circle, and there were never any illegitimate children.
Only Henry was an exception.
She just hadn't expected that Holden would even doubt Henry's paternity with him, which showed how seriously angry he was.
Holden had already spread the news in their circle, announcing Henry and Hannah's divorce and that Melinda wasn't a Smith family granddaughter. From now on, whatever those two did had nothing to do with the Smith family.
Joe said, "Holden is a decisive person."
Sophia neither agreed nor disagreed.
Hannah and Melinda were the consequences of Henry's infidelity and a stain on the Smith family.
Even if it meant being laughed at by people in their circle, he had to sever the connection between these two and the Smith family. This showed that Holden had been harboring this anger for over twenty years, and he wouldn't be satisfied until he let it out.
The fate of Hannah and her daughter had been predictable from the moment Sophia decided to expose Melinda's identity.
She didn't want to pay any more attention to the Smith family's affairs.
Sophia remembered the most important matter at hand and said to Joe, "The land at Redwood Resort is going to restart bidding. It's in Forton County. Do you want to come back with me?"