Chapter 36 The Third Party in Marriage
Alice's cries were so piercing, it felt like she might die any second.
But the Johnson family's bodyguards didn't give her a chance to approach the gate; they threw her out, and she fell to the ground in a sorry state.
She was still wearing her hospital gown, with no makeup, her face pale and her lips bloodless, looking particularly pitiful.
"William, I know you're in there! Come out and see me!"
"Sophia wants to kill me! She's driving me to my death!"
William heard Alice's voice and frowned slightly. Everyone else in the yard heard her wailing, too, sounding like the howls of a ghost.
Today was James and Michael's birthday, and Alice's actions were too ominous. William was displeased and furrowed his brow at her behavior.
No matter what, he had to go out and deal with this.
Sophia glanced at William, a cold smile on her lips.
She knew exactly why Alice was crying.
Recently, she had Rat thoroughly investigate the Rivera family's criminal activities, and they had indeed found quite a bit.
Since they were going to strike, they had to root out the problem entirely, leaving no chance for a comeback.
Sophia understood this better than anyone.
She wasn't going to give Alice any chance to recover!
The evidence had already been sent to various inspection departments a few days ago, giving them enough time to verify everything.
While Alice was lying in the VIP hospital room, waiting for William to visit her, her grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, and siblings, who were involved, were all sent to jail.
Even if William could help Alice, he might not be able to save the Rivera family.
Alice herself had quite a few issues to deal with.
Sophia watched William walk towards the front yard, as stunning as the first time she saw him.
He was becoming more refined and distinguished, making it hard for anyone to look away.
He had already taken off his suit jacket, wearing a black shirt and black pants. The simple, somber colors shone brilliantly against his impressive height.
Sophia withdrew her gaze and sat in the spot where William had been.
She began grilling Emily's favorite chicken wings, brushing them with a special honey glaze, and soon the aroma filled the yard.
Emily came over, drawn by the smell.
"Mommy, it smells so good."
James and Michael were tired from playing and pulled Louis over to enjoy the food Sophia and the others had prepared for the kids.
Lyra and Elodie came out of the house carrying a cake, protecting the candle flames, singing happy birthday as they walked.
"James, squat down, Michael, squat down."
Emily stood on tiptoe to put birthday hats on James and Michael, who cooperated by lowering their heads. After putting on the hats, she clapped along with everyone else.
Her little pigtails bobbed adorably with her movements, making her look especially cute and serious as she sang the birthday song.
"Happy birthday to you..."
"Blow out the candles, eat the cake..."
Sophia, Lyra, and Elodie joined in clapping and singing. James and Michael were surrounded by everyone, their cheeks flushed and eyes filled with joy.
Meanwhile, Alice was still in the position she had been thrown into by the bodyguards, tears in her eyes, looking pitiful. Seeing William, she immediately rushed to the iron gate, tears streaming down her face, looking weak and helpless.
She gazed at William with tear-filled eyes.
"William, can't you talk to Ms. Johnson? I know she's always been jealous of how you care for me, thinking I'm a third party in your marriage, but you know very well that our relationship isn't like that."
"No matter how many grievances I've had in the past, I've endured them for you and the kids. But this time she's gone too far. How can she fabricate evidence to frame the Rivera family? My grandparents are over eighty years old and still have to suffer in jail. My heart aches so much."
From her words, William got the gist. He looked sharply at the tearful Alice in front of him, feeling no sympathy for her tears.
"I've known Sophia for years, and I know she's not unreasonable. If the Rivera family were really clean, they wouldn't all be suddenly arrested."
Before he finished speaking, Alice's guilty conscience prevented her from meeting his eyes, and she just kept crying endlessly.
The birthday song from the backyard reached them.
William said to her, "You should go back."
Alice looked at him in shock, tears still in her eyes. She knew William was a gentleman, noble and polite in his dealings.
"William, aren't you coming with me?"
She had deliberately made herself look so weak today to elicit William's pity, but he was actually telling her to go back alone?
Alice felt panic and unease.
"Today is James and Michael's birthday. I need to be with them."
"Then I won't go back to the hospital, William. Let me come in and celebrate the kids' birthday, too. I've been with them for their birthdays the past two years."
William refused outright. Every time she appeared in front of Sophia, the two of them would end up arguing.
Alice persisted, "William, Michael really likes me. He'll be happier with me celebrating his birthday. Let me in and ask him? Maybe he's been looking forward to me being there."
William was still considering when Alice rushed to the gate.
The bodyguard stood at the gate like a grim reaper, "Without Ms. Johnson's permission, you can't come in."
Alice's tears started again, her eyes filled with sadness and frustration at being rejected.
"William, I just want to celebrate the kids' birthday. Why won't she even allow that? What did I do wrong? I genuinely considered her a friend before, and even now, I want to clear up the misunderstandings between us, but she, she..."
"Let me tell you why."
Sophia's voice came from behind William.
She was wearing a white silk satin dress, her hair casually curled, and a pair of round pearl earrings accentuated her already smooth skin, exuding elegant and noble charm.
"Alice, I will hold you accountable for poisoning my son. Even if the children's father wants to protect you, he won't be able to."
Alice's pupils tightened, her face turning pale.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I treat James and Michael as my own. How could I poison them?"
"Save those words for the judge."
Sophia's calmness fueled Alice's inner fear. She didn't know if Sophia had really found something or was just bluffing.
"Sophia, why do you have to target me? Two years ago, and now again. What did I do to deserve this from you?"
"Whether it's my fault or not, I admit it, okay? I'm begging you, I'll kneel, can you spare my family?"
With that, Alice actually knelt before Sophia.
She looked at William with pitiful eyes, tears silently falling.
Back when she wanted to enter the entertainment industry, she had specially signed up for acting classes, excelling in crying scenes.
Sophia stood inside the gate, watching her performance with a sneer, "Alice, whether you kneel or bow, I won't let you off."
She spoke bluntly in front of William, "From the moment you decided to poison my son, you should have been prepared for my revenge."
"Alice, never mess with a mother."
Leaving those words, Sophia didn't look at William and turned to walk towards the backyard. As she passed by him, he grabbed her wrist.
Alice's eyes brightened at his action.
As long as William still pitied her, she wouldn't lose to this crazy Sophia!
"William, I..."
Alice fainted at the gate of the Johnson Villa.
To make it look real, she let half her face hit the ground, scraping it and drawing blood, making it look shocking.