Chapter 114: She's the Best Sister in the World
At nine o'clock that evening, Sophia slung her designer leather purse over her shoulder and headed for the door.
"I'm stepping out for a bit. I'll be back before eleven."
"Where are you going this late?" Mary hurried over, concern etched across her face.
"Just picking up some work documents." Sophia slipped on her flats and gave Mary's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. I'll be quick."
"It's not safe for a young woman to be out alone this late! Let me drive you." Ray immediately set down his mug and grabbed his car keys.
"Dad, I can manage on my own."
Seeing Ray bend down to retrieve his shoes from the rack, Sophia quickly caught his arm and gently steered him back toward the living room. "It wouldn't be convenient for you to come along. I promise I'll be home by eleven."
Not convenient?
Ray frowned, his tone growing more serious. "Where exactly are you going?"
Sophia didn't hide it. "The Smith Manor."
Ray froze. It had been so long since he'd heard that name.
Ever since Sophia had confirmed she wanted to stay with the Johnsons, he'd assumed she'd never return to that place—as if the mansion had been relegated to some distant corner of the past, too far away to even exist in her thoughts anymore.
Hearing her mention the Smith Manor now, Ray didn't know how to react. Surprise mingled with an insidious sense of dread that wrapped around his heart.
He was terrified that once Sophia returned to the Smith Manor and saw that grand, luxurious estate again, she might decide to stay there after all.
Reading the flicker of worry in his eyes, Sophia immediately understood what her father was thinking. She emphasized each word carefully: "Dad, I'm just picking something up. Trust me—if I say I'll be home before eleven, I mean it."
Her tone was resolute. Ray pressed his lips together, lowered his gaze, and murmured, "All right. Just be careful. I'll wait up for you."
Sophia smiled and nodded before turning to leave.
The sound of the front door opening and closing caught James's attention. He emerged from his room, puzzled. "Where's Sophia going this late?"
Ray sighed heavily, looking as though he'd aged a decade in an instant. "She said she's going to the Smith Manor."
James studied his father's expression thoughtfully, then hurried to the entryway to pull on his shoes. "I'll go with her. Dad, get some rest."
Before Ray could respond, James had already dashed out the door. The only reply was the clang of the metal gate swinging shut.
Ray picked up his mug and took a sip. Those two really were inseparable—wherever one went, the other followed.
James jogged down the stairs and caught up with Sophia at the building entrance.
Seeing him breathing hard as he ran up to her, Sophia frowned in confusion. "James, what are you doing? Don't tell me you're worried I won't come back from the Smith Manor either."
She figured that of everyone in the family, James understood her best. He'd seen how she treated John. He should know by now that she had zero lingering attachment to the Smiths or anything connected to them.
So why the rush to follow her? Did he still doubt her resolve?
James caught his breath and smiled gently. "You're heading to Applewood Estate to get your car, right? It's not safe this late. I'll walk you there and wait until you get back from the Smith Manor. Then we'll head home together."
Of course he trusted his sister. From the very beginning, he'd believed that once she'd accepted the Johnsons as her family, she'd never look back at the Smith Manor with any trace of longing.
The walk from here to Applewood Estate wasn't far, but it still took ten or fifteen minutes. What if she ran into some creep late at night?
He could escort her to the estate, wait there while she handled her business at the Smith Manor, and then walk her back home. Otherwise, she'd be returning around eleven—and given the neighborhood's less-than-stellar safety record, he couldn't just let her wander around alone.
Sophia was mildly surprised. She hadn't expected James to think this far ahead. Feeling the warmth of his concern, she smiled and looped her arm through his affectionately.
"James, you're the best brother in the world!"
The familiar phrase hit James like a physical blow. His entire body trembled involuntarily, his heart clenched as though gripped by an invisible hand. It felt like drowning, sinking deep beneath dark water.
"My brother is the best brother in the world!"
Emily's voice echoed through his mind. The image of her perched on his back, legs swinging playfully, remained vivid—yet it shattered like a beautiful dream, splintering into countless fragments that pierced his heart like shards of glass.
The suffocating sensation made his breathing ragged. Noticing his distress, Sophia immediately stopped walking and stared at him with worry, her voice tight with concern. "James, what's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
James gazed at Sophia in a daze. Her eyes reflected unguarded concern, but a voice in the back of his mind kept asking: Emily betrayed you after all the love you gave her. Are you really going to risk your heart again with Sophia?
Hearts could change in an instant. Who's to say "the best brother in the world" wouldn't someday become just another discarded toy tossed in the trash?
But he'd always believed Sophia was different from Emily. She was independent, confident, self-aware—constantly working to improve herself, never wallowing in self-pity.
She was kind and generous, always contributing to the family without a trace of resentment.
Shaking himself back to the present, James curved his lips into a warm smile. "I'm fine. Just a little drained from the exam today. My mind wandered for a second."
"Then you should go back upstairs and rest. I can handle this myself. Don't let my size fool you—I've got taekwondo training." To reassure him, Sophia bent her arm and flexed it playfully, as if showing off her strength.
It was rare to see Sophia joke around like this, and James couldn't help but laugh. "I know our Sophia is tough. But protecting you is what I'm supposed to do."
Sophia studied his face carefully, then reached over to check his pulse. Once she confirmed he wasn't sick, she relaxed. "All right, but you're staying at Applewood Estate. Don't come with me to the Smith Manor."
James held out his arm. "Still want to hold on?"
"Yes." Sophia linked her arm through his without hesitation, then launched into a gentle lecture. "James, you're way too skinny. I noticed when I was treating your injuries—you're practically skin and bones. You need to eat more meat and carbs to put on some weight. Fat first, then muscle."
"Okay, okay. Whatever you say." James agreed readily, not arguing a single point.
She was different. She deserved all the love he could give.
She was the best sister in the world.