Through the glass, Sophie Winslow saw Julian Sterling and Stella Sutton sitting inside. Opposite them sat a middle-aged couple, along with the familiar Seth Sutton. She often ran into three of them, but that couple... It was her biological father, Isaiah Sutton, and Maeve Walsh, the woman Isaiah had been having an affair with for years during his marriage to her mother.
Ivy Hawthorne walked over, and upon seeing Julian and Stella inside, she spat in disgust, "What a despicable pair!"
Despite her cursing, she noticed Sophie’s pale complexion. She grabbed her arm and quickly led her into the restaurant to take a seat.
"I know you’re still feeling terrible since you’re just about to get a divorce. It’s only human nature. After all, a person doesn’t have that many seven years to waste." Ivy wasn’t exactly the most delicate person, so she could only try her best to comfort her.
Sophie shook her head. "It’s not because of that."
"Then what is it?"
"Stella Sutton’s stepfather is my biological father, the one who threw me into the countryside for ten years and never once checked on me," Sophie mocked lightly.
After all this time, she hadn’t expected to run into Isaiah Sutton again at this very moment. Ivy’s expression changed slightly. She knew all about Sophie’s past.
After Sophie’s mother got into an accident and fell into a coma, Isaiah immediately arranged for a lawyer to draft divorce papers, forcing his bedridden wife to press her fingerprint on the documents. Just to bring his beloved mistress into the house, he didn’t hesitate to throw a nine-year-old Sophie out into the countryside to fend for herself.
It was all just to please Maeve. Because Maeve knew of Sophie’s existence, she had made a demand: she would marry him, but she had no interest in being a stepmother to someone else’s child, nor did she want Sophie to take away any of Stella’s fatherly love. She told Isaiah to get rid of Sophie.
Sophie had suffered endless hardships during those ten-plus years. She was supposed to be a wealthy heiress, but her life had been stolen from her.
Stella hadn’t originally been a Sutton. Her surname had been changed after Maeve brought her into the Sutton family. Isaiah treated this stepdaughter a million times better than he ever did Sophie.
Sophie recalled the situation back then. She had met Maeve and Stella before being sent away. She still remembered what Stella had told her at the time: "It would actually be better if you and your mother just died. Otherwise, you’re just eyesores getting in the way."
Even now, she was astonished that a child could utter such venomous words. But they had been too young back then, and so many years had passed. When she met Stella again, she hadn’t even recognized her as the person who had stolen everything from her and driven her away.
Isaiah even publicly claimed that Stella was his biological daughter, the apple of his eye. He gave Stella the most affluent lifestyle and endless doting, while his own flesh and blood had been discarded in a remote mountain village, nearly left to die there.
Now that she had suddenly discovered the woman’s true identity, Sophie felt a tremendous sense of absurdity. Back then, Stella had stolen her home and her father. Now, years later, she had stolen her husband.
It was a fate repeating itself. She wondered if Julian actually knew about Stella’s relationship with her. If he did, then he was simply heartless.
"A thief is thriving and living it up. Like mother, like daughter!" Ivy clenched her fists, feeling deep hatred and injustice on Sophie’s behalf.
Recalling everything from those years, Sophie finally shook her head. "If someone can be stolen away so easily, it just means they’re cheap and can be acquired at a low cost. My mother and I were never the ones at fault."
She wouldn’t invalidate herself because of this. She had a clear conscience.
Ivy paused for a moment upon hearing this, then gave her a thumbs-up. "Well said!"
Sophie had long lost any expectations or affection for Isaiah. She only felt heartache because her mother was still lying in a hospital bed, unable to wake up. Rather than calling Isaiah her father, it was more accurate to call him her enemy.
That afternoon.
Sophie needed to sign a contract with a real estate agency. The location was excellent, the environment was beautiful, the air was fresh, and there was a large artificial lake. Every aspect met Sophie’s requirements within her budget.
As soon as she arrived at the agency’s entrance, Miller, the agent in charge of receiving her, rushed over. "Miss Winslow, you’re finally here. Someone here wants to see you."
Sophie looked at him suspiciously. "Who?"
In the reception room, Sophie almost had her suspicions confirmed the moment she saw Stella.
Stella sat upright with her legs elegantly crossed. Hearing the noise, she slowly raised her head. Unsurprised by Sophie’s arrival, she spoke with an air of absolute entitlement, "The house you paid the deposit for—I’ve taken a liking to it."
Sophie looked at her calmly. "And?"
"Name a price, I want to buy it." Stella didn’t beat around the bush. She possessed the kind of confidence that assumed the whole world would make way for her.
Sophie’s lips curled into a light sneer. "You just have to have a taste of everything, don’t you? If I arrange for a few sewage trucks to pass by your house some other day, are you going to take a taste of that too?"
Stella’s expression stiffened for a couple of seconds. Was she telling her to eat... shit? She frowned and scoffed coldly, "So vulgar and crude. No wonder Julian looks down on you."
"I’m only going to ask you once. Are you going to give it up or not?" Stella wasn’t discussing it with Sophie; her tone was icy and left no room for negotiation.
Now that she knew Stella’s identity, it was even more impossible for Sophie to show her any kindness. She turned to Miller, making her refusal clear. "I’ll sign now." She completely ignored the yammering Stella.
Miller looked at Stella, caught in a difficult spot. He recognized her. She was a star physician who had recently appeared on a national medical program, and she had a very powerful background.
Miller was a shrewd man. He couldn’t help but remind Sophie, "Miss Winslow, you might not know this, but this lady seems to be Mrs. Sterling. You know the Sterling family, right? The country’s top, old-money aristocratic family. She’s the wife of Mr. Sterling, that titan of the financial world. It’s best not to offend her."
Sophie’s brows furrowed tightly.
Stella, on the other hand, heard these words advising Sophie to be sensible. The corners of her mouth immediately lifted. She looked at Sophie with a half-smile, her mood significantly improved.
She then stood up. "No need to persuade her. She’ll naturally back down when the time comes." She disdained fighting with Sophie in public. Only the loser would be so petty and unable to accept defeat. With that, Stella walked away gracefully.
Miller slapped his forehead, unable to stop himself from advising, "We’re doomed, doomed. It’s not good that she’s angry. Who can afford to offend Mr. Sterling? Miss Winslow, why don’t you just take a step back? Everyone knows that Mr. Sterling cares for Miss Sutton deeply. I’m only saying this for your own good..."
He was practically forcing her to yield.
Sophie’s mood grew quite irritable. The agent’s attitude had ruined most of her interest. Every time he opened his mouth, it was about how Stella was Mrs. Sterling. She didn’t need all these outsiders to repeatedly "remind" her how little Julian cared about her as his wife, how much he cherished Stella, and how she could never compare to Stella.
It reached a point where, for a moment, it made her feel that anything Stella wanted to get her hands on became completely repulsive.
Even though a sense of repulsion had sprouted in her heart, Sophie didn’t show it on her face. She cast a calm glance at Miller. "Is this something you need to be concerned about?"
Miller’s expression instantly froze.
Sophie didn’t say another word and turned to leave. She was no longer in a hurry to sign the contract either. Since the agent broke the rules by blindly favoring Stella even though she had already paid the deposit, she no longer felt the need to be considerate just because he was a mere employee. She didn’t plan on buying this house anymore, but she didn’t mind dragging things out just like this.
Because she knew this matter wasn’t necessarily over.
That evening.
Sophie received a call from Ms. Coleman at the marital home.
"I found a family portrait in your tearoom. Do you still want it?"
Sophie suddenly remembered that it must have been the one she took with her mother and grandfather years ago. It was the only family portrait that had been preserved. With all the chaotic scrambling these past few days, she had inevitably left things behind.
"Of course I want it."
"Ah, I see. I asked Mr. Sterling first, and he originally told me to throw it away..."
Sophie’s chest heaved in anger. Julian clearly knew that it was her most important possession. What gave him the right to make that decision for her?
"I’ll go get it right now. Please keep it safe for me." Not daring to delay, Sophie hurriedly grabbed her car keys and rushed back.
As soon as she entered the door and was about to change her shoes, she saw Julian already sitting on the living room sofa, watching the political news.