Chapter 193: Who Exactly Is the Outsider
William didn't agree with Philip's idea, but he didn't try to talk him out of it again.
Some lessons had to be learned the hard way.
While William was resting in the lounge area, Molly was secretly contacting Tammy. She had already arranged for someone to bring Tammy to Empire City, and Tammy was now downstairs at the hotel.
Molly didn't care whether Tammy would actually run into Sophia. As long as Tammy made a scene crying and screaming at the hotel entrance, it would definitely become a laughingstock in their circle.
Her goal was simple: ruin Sophia's reputation completely.
Sophia and Lyra had just come out of the private room when Sophia felt a hostile gaze. She turned her head and met Molly's smiling eyes.
Molly took the initiative to approach and greet her, "Ms. Johnson."
Sophia's tone was cold. "Ms. White, do you need something?"
Sophia had no intention of chatting with Molly, but this cold attitude felt like contempt, stoking Molly's rage.
Just then, Cheryl, who was talking to other artists, spotted Lyra beside Sophia. As someone close to Philip, she naturally knew that Lyra and Philip had already registered their marriage.
Cheryl said with fake friendliness, "Lyra, why didn't you tell us you were coming back? Philip specially chartered a plane for me to come back. If I'd known you were coming back yesterday, too, I would have had him give you a ride."
Lyra's eyes turned cold, "Save your fake concern. Don't put on a show here."
Lyra and Philip's marriage alliance wasn't a secret in their circle.
The director at the scene saw Lyra and guiltily looked away. Hearing her mention her relationship with Philip, the director's face turned pale.
Philip happened to come out looking for Lyra and saw the commotion.
The moment Sophia saw Philip and William coming out of the elevator, she was already prepared. She stood firmly beside Lyra, silently backing her up.
Lyra looked at Cheryl and said coldly, "Ms. Davis, you'd better watch out. As long as I want to, I can use my legal status as his wife to get back every penny Philip spends on you."
"Of course, if you really have what it takes, get Philip to divorce me. If you don't have that ability, don't show off here. After all, using your dead sister's name to seduce someone by Philip's side is really disgusting."
Hearing Lyra's words, Philip's face turned cold, and he strode over to Cheryl's side.
He was about to scold Lyra when Sophia spoke first, "Mr. Banks, you're in your thirties. If you still can't tell what's important, I don't mind having someone teach you."
A crowd had gathered—many of them influential figures indebted to ZN Laboratory.
Philip was a competent businessman. He knew what image to maintain in public. His mouth snapped shut.
William, who had followed Philip, instinctively moved to Sophia's side.
Watching her full presence as she protected Lyra, a faint smile crossed William's eyes. In his view, Sophia was full of charm at this moment.
Philip stared straight at Lyra. She stood beside Sophia with a faint smile, saying nothing. This was completely different from the obedient girl in his memory. She seemed to have become a different person, making him feel completely unfamiliar.
Lyra certainly knew what Philip was looking at.
But being protected by Sophia felt so good right now that she didn't want to spare him even a glance.
Cheryl's voice turned pitiful, "Philip, look at her!"
Seeing Lyra's cold attitude, Philip showed some impatience and snapped at Cheryl, "Say less."
Philip had taken away the movie role Lyra had been preparing for months to promote Cheryl, and he felt somewhat guilty about it. Thinking of Lyra's years of affection for him, he thought their marriage would be enough to make up for this debt, but apparently not.
He had a feeling something was slipping out of his control.
Philip took two steps closer and explained to Lyra in a low voice, "Lyra, I can explain about the chartered plane. I didn't know you were coming back yesterday. If I had known, I would have definitely brought you back with me."
Lyra laughed mockingly.
The date to register their marriage at city hall had been set long ago—how could he not know she was coming back yesterday?
She didn't want to waste words with Philip. She turned to Sophia and said, "Let's go. The air here is bad and makes me sick."
Sophia took half a step forward, blocking Philip's view, and took Lyra's hand to leave.
Just then, Molly's shocked voice came from behind, "Ms. Davis, are you okay?!"
Cheryl's face was pale as she collapsed softly into Molly's arms. She looked at Philip pitifully and said weakly, "I'm sorry, Philip. It's all my fault. I've caused you trouble."
Philip looked at her face, so similar to Kaitlyn's, and his heart tightened.
He quickly crouched down, took Cheryl from Molly's arms, and asked anxiously, "Cheryl! Are you okay?"
Lyra rolled her eyes at the two of them and whispered mockingly in Sophia's ear, "If she used this acting in her movies, she wouldn't still be without a single notable work."
Sophia squeezed Lyra's hand.
Lyra claimed not to care. She said she'd let go. But watching her husband publicly protect another woman—that had to sting.
"I'm fine." Feeling the concern Sophia was conveying, Lyra smiled.
As an observer, William frowned at Philip's behavior. From a leader's perspective, he clearly realized how inappropriate Philip's actions were.
Never mind that Lyra was his legal wife—just based on her identity as the Cole family's daughter, she shouldn't be humiliated like this in public. Moreover, the business cooperation between the two families had just begun.
William said in a low voice, "Philip."
Hearing William's voice, Philip looked up at him, but William didn't continue.
He seemed to sense something and looked at Lyra, who was watching the scene expressionlessly. His heart suddenly trembled.
Philip called out, "Lyra..."
At this moment, the director and others who wanted to curry favor with the Banks family all crowded forward to show concern for Cheryl.
Sophia and Lyra exchanged glances, memorizing these people's faces.
Hearing Philip call her, Lyra straightened her back and looked down at him.
She smiled, her tone calm, "Mr. Banks, you should send Ms. Davis to the hospital first. When you're sick, you should get treatment early."
"This act of fainting whenever things don't go her way—I've only seen it in scripts. This is the first time I've seen it in real life. I have to say, Ms. Davis really fits the characters in movies."
Philip felt humiliated, and his eyes turned cold as he threatened, "Lyra, do you not want to continue in the entertainment industry? Apologize to Cheryl now, and I can let this go."
Both Sophia and William frowned, speechless at Philip's inflammatory words.
The Banks family was already a giant in the entertainment industry, and Lyra was developing in the domestic film industry. Philip's words clearly hinted at blacklisting her.
Sophia felt the hand in her palm tighten slightly. She turned to look at Lyra and saw a flash of hesitation in her eyes.
Sophia asked softly, "Lyra, would you mind developing in the international film industry?"
Lyra was stunned, then remembered James and Michael's birthday party.
That internationally renowned screenwriter, Elodie, and the globally celebrated female director both had close relationships with Sophia.
Lyra smiled, "Naturally... I'd love that."
Noticing the sympathetic or mocking looks around them, the coldness on Sophia's face grew heavier. She was too familiar with these looks from the five years of her secret marriage to William.
No one understood the harm these looks could cause better than she did.
Now that she had the ability to shield those around her, she would never allow them to suffer what she had suffered.
Sophia smiled contemptuously, "Philip, you're going to regret this."
She looked at Cheryl, her eyes full of mockery and disdain, "A chartered plane? That's just basic practice in wealthy circles. Ms. Davis, does this seem impressive to you?"
"Or is it... that stolen things are always especially worth being proud of in your circle of home-wreckers?"
Philip let go of Cheryl and stood up, narrowing his eyes in warning, "Ms. Johnson, this is our family matter. It's not appropriate for an outsider like you to meddle, is it?"
The atmosphere around them instantly became tense.
Sophia laughed coldly and shot back at Lyra, "Mr. Banks, you dare let your mistress bully your wife, so why can't I, an outsider, meddle?"
"I haven't spent money to replace my wife's role. I haven't publicly protected a mistress. And I certainly haven't forced my wife to apologize to her."
"Besides, Lyra is my child's godmother. We're family, so how can I be an outsider?"
Sophia paused and said seriously, "Strictly speaking, until yesterday, Mr. Banks, you were the outsider."
Lyra absolutely loved Sophia's sharp tongue!
She had always struggled with not being eloquent enough to leave people speechless, but Sophia's words made her feel incredibly satisfied.
To not let Sophia's momentum fall flat, Lyra announced something important on the spot.
Except for Sophia, who remained calm, everyone present looked at Lyra in shock, thinking:
"Has she lost her mind?!"