Chapter 89 I Bet You're the Real Smith Family Heir
In the dim light, Joshua's eyes flashed with sharp intensity. He curved his lips into a smile, hands casually tucked into his pockets, standing tall and straight as he watched that graceful figure approach.
Only when she drew close enough for him to make out her features did he speak: "That sounds rather jealous."
Sophia wasn't in the mood for banter. "Just tell me what this is about."
"Simply wanted to build some chemistry between us." Joshua unexpectedly reached out to pull Sophia close by the waist, pressing against her as he lowered his head to stare into those alluring eyes. "I quite like you. You're very clever."
If his gaze hadn't been so calculating, this moment might have had some romantic tension. But right now, Sophia only sensed provocation.
Light flashed like lightning across the vast, lonely space. Sophia glanced alertly toward the window and caught sight of a figure quickly disappearing down the corridor.
Understanding immediately, she looked back at the man before her with renewed interest, gently pushing him away. He released her without reluctance.
Obviously deliberate—staged so the photographer outside could capture something compromising.
Sophia leaned against the table, her tone lazy. "So tell me, after repeatedly scheming to drag me into your games, what exactly are you after?"
"Can't it simply be that I like you?"
"Do you even believe that yourself?"
Joshua leaned against the opposite table, facing Sophia, his eyes revealing a hint of danger. "Like I said, I quite admire your intelligence. Why don't you take a guess?"
Sophia tilted her head slightly, her eyes darting about as if deep in thought. "If I had to guess..." Her gaze suddenly locked onto Joshua's face, sharp enough to pierce right through him. "I bet you're the real Smith family heir."
Even someone as cunning as Joshua felt a flash of panic in that instant. He quickly regained his composure, lips curving upward. "Your speculation is bolder than I imagined."
"Of course speculation would be bold. But if it's already been verified, would you call that bold or absurd?" Sophia's smile suggested she already held all the cards.
Joshua laughed contemptuously. "I never reveal my identity or address at school. It would be quite difficult for you to plant spies around me, wouldn't it? How could you possibly get my hair?"
"Who said genetic testing requires hair?" Sophia tilted her head with innocent curiosity. "Don't forget we've dined together."
As owner of the Celestial Peak Hotel, how hard could it be to have staff save Joshua's used utensils after hosting him for dinner?
Joshua stared silently at Sophia for a long moment, then suddenly smiled with sinister calculation. "So you suspected me even before that. Inviting me to dinner was to obtain my DNA. You're cleverer than I thought."
"I wouldn't call it suspicion. At the time, you just seemed too mysterious, so I kept my guard up. Later, when I sent Emily's DNA for testing, I had a flash of inspiration and included yours too. Who would have thought I'd actually uncover this secret?"
"Then why didn't you expose me?"
"Why would I expose you?" Sophia pulled out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth. "Your feud with the Smith family has nothing to do with me."
She remained as indifferent to others' affairs as always. As long as she'd confirmed Joshua wasn't targeting her specifically, she didn't care what he did—even if he tore the Smith family apart.
"Since you know, why don't we team up?" Joshua extended an olive branch. "Together, we could bring down the Smith family."
Sophia waved dismissively. "Not interested."
Joshua raised his eyebrows in surprise. "The moment Emily appeared, the Smith family cast out the daughter they'd raised for over a decade. Don't you hate them?"
Sophia laughed. "You really think the Smith family kicked me out?"
"Didn't they?"
"Do you think the Smith family is some wonderful place?" Sophia hopped onto the table, crossing her legs casually. "For the Smith family, a girl's only value is in arranged marriages for business alliances. I was already planning to leave long before Emily showed up."
She paused, glancing at Joshua. "Though I don't know how you ended up in Silverlight City, Jane and George originally planned to have another son anyway. If you hadn't been switched at birth, there never would have been this whole biological-versus-adopted daughter drama."
Joshua narrowed his eyes. "You're saying Jane wanted a son?"
"Of course. The Smith family has a vast business empire—only sons have inheritance rights. John has been rebellious since childhood, unreliable for important responsibilities. Jane wanted another son to prevent Andrew's branch from dominating everything. But when the baby turned out to be a girl, and her health prevented a fourth pregnancy, she gave up on the idea."
Sophia spoke casually, holding nothing back, seemingly oblivious to Joshua's increasingly complex emotions.
Joshua was beginning to question everything he thought he knew. Why was this version of events so different from what he'd been told?
Suppressing his growing confusion, he pressed on: "What did you mean earlier when you said the Smith family isn't a good place?"
"Girls are tools for business marriages, boys are machines for running the company. Jane and George have no romantic love—they had children out of duty. How much affection could they possibly have for their offspring?"
Sophia jumped down from the table and patted Joshua's shoulder. "You should be grateful you didn't grow up in the Smith family. That place isn't suitable for raising children at all. If you really want revenge against the Smith family, instead of partnering with me, you'd be better off approaching Andrew."
In that moment, Joshua suddenly felt like he'd been living in an enormous lie for eighteen years. He'd always believed Jane and George had wanted a daughter, which was why they'd abandoned him after his birth.
But according to Sophia, the truth was entirely different—a story he'd never heard and never dared imagine.
"You're not lying to me, are you?" He eyed Sophia suspiciously. They barely knew each other; he couldn't be sure she wouldn't deliberately deceive him.
Sophia snorted dismissively. "What would I gain from lying to you? You've been at Silver Fir Academy for two and a half years—you must have informants throughout Emerald City by now. Outsiders might not know the Smith family's internal dynamics, but you could investigate the scandals Andrew and John have been involved in over the years. You'll understand that children don't turn out like that when raised in a loving family."
Hearing Sophia's confident yet sarcastic tone, Joshua found himself believing her. Or rather, deep down he recognized that Sophia had no reason to deceive him.
Based on their interactions, he'd repeatedly tried and failed to provoke Sophia's hatred toward Emily, which proved that despite living with the Smith family for seventeen years, Sophia felt no attachment to them.
Indirectly, this also suggested Sophia hadn't been valued by the Smith family.
Regardless of how the Smith family raised their children, Sophia's attitude toward them was enough to disprove the claim that Jane had abandoned him because she wanted a daughter.
Joshua let out a heavy breath, his smile both sorrowful and cunning. "Our field trip's final destination is Silverlight City. Would you be interested in... meeting my aunt?"