Chapter 5 Emily Gets Hurt
The villagers heard the commotion and came out one by one to watch the drama unfold.
"Tammy, I trusted you to look after my daughter so I could help out with the elders in the village. But you took the money and bailed."
She looked at the crowd, "From now on, I'm taking care of my daughter myself. If anyone in the village is feeling sick, they'll have to go to the city for treatment."
In just a few words, she explained the situation and made it clear why she wouldn't be treating anyone anymore.
That day, the news of Tammy taking the money and not doing her job spread quickly throughout Rain Village.
The next day, another villager came to Sophia for treatment, but she turned them all away.
Because William had looked after Emily that day, Sophia's attitude towards him softened a bit.
William had to cook for James and Michael, so he ended up making meals for everyone.
Sophia thought it was ironic—when they were married and living together, she never got to taste his cooking, but now, after their divorce, she did.
However, the day she heard Emily call William "Daddy," she stopped letting him near Emily.
Aside from meal times, she spent most of her time in the study on the second floor.
The study had a children's play area, where Emily spent most of her time. James and Michael often stayed there to keep her company.
The two boys had gotten used to waking up every day and playing with Emily and had also grown accustomed to Sophia's cold demeanor.
Their strange yet warm interaction puzzled Tony.
Another week passed.
Finally, the rain stopped, and the river receded the next day.
Sophia had an important call to take. Seeing Emily playing with toys in the study's play area, with James and Michael accompanying her, she stepped out onto the study's balcony to answer the phone.
Her subordinate reported the current situation regarding the Redwood Resort land.
Sophia said, "Monkey, we have to secure that land."
Over the past two years, she had scouted many places, and only the Redwood Resort land was suitable for cultivating her precious herbs.
Once the large-scale cultivation of new varieties succeeded, many currently incurable deadly diseases could be alleviated or even cured.
Monkey assured her, "Sophia, don't worry. I'll get that land no matter the cost!"
"Oh, and Sophia, there's something else. Recently, several groups have been secretly investigating your identity. I had Rat intercept them."
"Thanks for your efforts."
"Tomorrow is Emily's check-up day. I've arranged for a car to pick you up. The hospital is ready."
After hanging up, Sophia walked back into the study, only to find Emily missing. She hurried downstairs.
As she reached the staircase, she saw Alice, who shouldn't have been there.
Alice was pinching Emily's cheek. Emily tried to pull away, but Alice held her tightly.
Sophia quickly descended the stairs, "Let her go."
Alice looked up at the sound of Sophia's voice, her heart tightening. How could Sophia be here?
Hearing Emily call her "Mommy," Alice twisted Emily's fingers, leaving a red scratch on her tender skin with her large diamond-adorned nails.
Emily cried out in pain.
William, who was having a meeting with his secretary in the guest room, immediately came out upon hearing Emily's cries.
As he stepped out, he saw the furious Sophia, holding Emily with one hand and slapping Alice hard with the other.
William shouted, "Sophia, what are you doing!"
Alice had come to Rain Village with the Smith family's bodyguards. Seeing William, her eyes reddened.
"William, I just thought the girl was cute and wanted to hold her. I don't know why Sophia hit me."
Sophia's slap was strong, and Alice's face swelled up.
Ignoring Alice's words, Sophia quickly took out a separate medical kit to disinfect Emily's wound. Seeing the bleeding, her hands trembled.
Luckily, she treated the wound quickly, stopping the bleeding and preventing a serious injury.
Emily sobbed, clinging to Sophia's neck, "Mommy, it hurts."
"Emily, you're so brave. It'll stop hurting soon."
Sophia's eyes were filled with guilt. She shouldn't have trusted anyone else to watch Emily.
William also saw Emily's swollen wound, his expression darkening as an indescribable worry spread through his heart.
Feeling guilty, Alice hid her nails that had scratched Emily's face. "William, I didn't do it on purpose. Sophia startled me, and I accidentally scratched her."
Sophia was furious, "Who let you into my house?"
William noticed her unusual behavior, her trembling hands as she held Emily. He quickly reached out to take Emily, but both Sophia and Emily avoided him.
William's movements froze, "Emily."
Emily clung to Sophia's neck, refusing to look at William.
Though young, she knew that anyone Sophia disliked was bad.
William, James, and Michael were all bad. When the bad woman pinched her face, they didn't help her. She would never like them again!
Michael looked at Sophia with fear. He had opened the door and let Alice in because she said she had brought him cupcakes.
...He hadn't had cupcakes in a long time.
"...It was me."
Sophia's gaze fell on him, seeing the cream at the corner of his mouth and the cupcakes on the table.
"I regret it! All of you, get out of my house!"
Michael started crying, and James stood silently beside him. Tony quickly pulled James and Michael aside.
William saw James and Michael's expressions and said, "Sophia, be reasonable."
Sophia covered Emily's ears, her tone mocking, "William, don't you understand? I want you to leave, with your sons and your woman. Get out of my house!"
Alice pretended to be understanding, "Sophia, I know you have misunderstandings about me. I don't blame you. Consider that a slap my apology. Let's still be friends."
"But William did nothing wrong, and James and Michael are innocent. You can't take your anger out on the children."
Just then, the people Monkey had arranged to pick them up arrived—six cars with about twenty men. Sophia immediately had them throw out Alice and the others.
The Smith family's bodyguards were outnumbered and were all tied up and thrown out of the yard.
Alice was also thrown into a puddle at the gate, her white dress instantly muddy.
William grabbed Sophia's wrist, his body cold and his voice low and commanding.
"Sophia, you're being unreasonable!"
Sophia's eyes reddened with anger, "In your eyes, everything I do is unreasonable. This is no different."
William had never seen her like this and didn't react immediately. When he tried to speak again, she had already shaken off his hand.
She looked down coldly, "Please leave my house immediately!"
Michael looked at Sophia, stunned, wanting to speak but afraid.
Finally, he ran out to help Alice up, concerned, "Alice, are you okay?"
James stood still, looking at Sophia and Emily in her arms.
Sophia looked at William, James, and Michael in front of her, her heart shattered like broken glass, not daring to have any expectations for them anymore.
She really shouldn't have softened. She just hoped they would never appear in her life again.
"Or do you need me to have you thrown out, too?"