Julian’s expression didn’t change noticeably, but his dark, cold eyes fixed on Sophie with apparent displeasure.
Evan York and Finn Lockwood both froze. They wondered if Sophie’s words were a bit too harsh. Was she scheming, changing her tactics just to attract Julian’s attention? And a public apology? Wasn’t that a deliberate attempt to smear Stella in public?
Stella’s face turned cold. As if she were the victim, she twitched her lips and said, "Sophie, have you made enough of a scene?"
Watching Stella’s self-righteous demeanor, Sophie truly witnessed the audacity of a perpetrator playing the victim. She didn’t want to waste an ounce of her energy trying to explain or prove herself to people who had already made up their minds! They were getting a divorce anyway. Tangling with awful people would only bring her grief.
Sophie turned on her heel to leave.
But as she walked past Julian, the man’s indifferent gaze seized her. He even curled his lips in an ambiguous smirk.
He spoke slowly, "Using both the carrot and the stick?"
Sophie didn’t process it for a moment. "What?"
Julian’s eyes narrowed as he gave a faint sneer. "Why aren’t you arguing back now? Weren’t you quite sharp-tongued just a moment ago?"
Sophie understood, and her eyes reddened. She was provoked.
Did he see all her emotions—whether it was hysteria, heartbroken sorrow, or a numb, desperate decision to quit—as nothing more than scheming tactics? Even if she were so furious she could cough up blood and die, she would still only be labeled as "faking it." She wasn’t like Stella, who had the confidence of being protected by so many people. Arguing further would only make her look more pathetic.
Besides, Julian thought she was still "throwing a tantrum" and was rebuking her for being unreasonable. No matter what she said or did, he wouldn’t believe a single word. So why waste her breath?
Gradually calming down, she lost the energy to argue and nodded agreeably. "Then I wish you both the best. Is that enough?"
Regardless of his expression, she walked away without looking back.
Three months—she only needed to endure three more months before she could finally end this suffocating marriage!
Julian shot a cold, sidelong glance at her retreating back. Just two seconds later, he looked away. He had no intention of dealing with Sophie’s prickly mood. Some emotions would simply vanish as if they had never existed, as long as they were given the cold shoulder. This had been their unspoken understanding and pattern for the past seven years.
Later that evening.
Sophie didn’t tell Ivy about what had happened, fearing that Ivy would get angry enough to pick a fight with someone. Having lost her appetite, Sophie parted ways with Ivy and returned to her apartment to pack her luggage.
By the time she was mostly done packing, it was already approaching nine o’clock. She realized she hadn’t brought the medical book her mentor had passed down to her. Scratching her head with a sigh, Sophie remembered that she had left it in the safe at her marital home. Without a moment’s delay, she threw on a jacket and drove to the villa. Julian never liked coming home anyway, so she figured she wouldn’t run into him.
She made her way upstairs with familiar ease and pushed open the bedroom door.
Suddenly, she met the eyes of the man inside.
Julian was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, holding his phone on a video call. In a fleeting glance, Sophie saw Stella’s face on the screen. They were like passionate lovers who wanted to see each other every waking moment.
Julian frowned at her. In response to Sophie’s sudden intrusion, his tone was devoid of warmth. "Why didn’t you knock?"
His words caught Sophie off guard. As his wife, in the home she had lived in for seven years, she now had to follow a new rule of knocking—all because he was in a passionate romance with Stella?
"Get out!" Julian ordered sharply.
He made it sound as if she had deliberately come to eavesdrop. Sophie’s heart suddenly tightened. Subconsciously, she closed the door and stepped back out. She wasn’t a masochist who insisted on barging in to hear just how sweet her husband’s extramarital affair was.
Heading downstairs, she saw that the servant, Ms. Coleman, had heard the commotion and come out.
Seeing her, Ms. Coleman immediately said, "Madam, Madam Sterling is on the phone."
Sophie glanced at the landline across the room. She hesitated for a moment before walking over. Ms. Coleman knew that although Sophie was neglected by her husband, Madam Sterling at the ancestral home treated her quite well. Naturally, she didn’t stick around to eavesdrop and went upstairs to collect the laundry hampers.
"Sophie?" Madam Sterling’s kind voice came through the receiver.
Sophie checked the time, still anxious about getting her medical book. "Grandma, you’re not asleep yet."
The old lady playfully scolded, "My old bones are quite tough. I’m learning to stay up late like you young people. And even if I can’t handle it, I have the tonics you always send me. I’ll be fine."
Sophie waited quietly for her to continue. Sure enough, with a chuckle, Madam Sterling got straight to the point. "Sophie, since you understand medicine, why don’t you prescribe some remedies to condition your own body? You have to prepare your body for pregnancy to have a healthy baby. You know the Sterling family has many boys and few girls. How wonderful would it be to have a sweet great-granddaughter? Having a child can also improve a couple’s relationship. Julian actually likes children very much."
The topic of urging her to have a baby had never stopped over the years. She had never leaked a single word about little Lydia’s existence. Now that she was determined to get a divorce, it was even more impossible for her to say anything. Even if they weren’t getting a divorce, what was the point of only conditioning her body? Julian was frigid in that regard; there was nothing to fuss over.
Furthermore, Julian himself had said years ago that he would not have children. It was impossible for Madam Sterling not to know the rumors of him being "infertile." Yet she was still trying to persuade Sophie to take medicine to condition her body.
She felt that women in this world were truly meant to be sucked dry, squeezed out, and then forced to bear a series of unwarranted sins. It was far too unfair.
But for now, just to stop the conversation, Sophie clenched her fingers and decided not to hide it. "Grandma, I’m planning to divorce Julian."
The other end of the line suddenly fell into an astonished silence.
After quite a while, Madam Sterling finally said stiffly, "Grandma knows you’ve suffered grievances. Julian has never known how to love someone by nature, but he does treat you with mutual respect. Sophie, won’t you reconsider?"
"I’m not going to reconsider. I’ve made my decision."
Madam Sterling stayed quiet for a moment. After a heavy sigh, she immediately made her stance clear: "Sophie, it’s the Sterling family that has wronged you. Rest assured, even if you divorce, Grandma will find a good way out for you. There are many fine young men in our circle, and there will be someone suitable for you. Grandma will arrange the rest of your life as soon as possible."
Sophie choked on her words. She hadn’t expected the old lady to say that. Her divorce wasn’t even finalized, and she was already finding her a next husband to compensate her? Wasn’t that a bit too rushed?
But it also left Sophie with an indescribable feeling. So, everyone actually knew just how terrible the reality of her marriage with Julian had been all these years. They had taken it for granted that she would concede and endure time and time again for Julian, which was why they had all turned a blind eye to her grievances.
But from now on, she wouldn’t do it anymore.
She ended the call.
Sophie checked the time; ten minutes had passed. She wondered if Julian—who was currently still her husband—had finished acting all affectionate with his girlfriend. She just wanted to grab her medical book and leave quickly.
Just as she was about to head upstairs to urge him, the front door was suddenly pushed open.
Julian’s aunt, Barbara Coleman, strode in. With a foul expression, she marched right up to Sophie and swung a slap at her!
Sophie reacted quickly, instinctively stepping back half an inch. Barbara’s hand didn’t land with full force, but the base of her fingers still grazed across her cheek.
SLAP!
Sophie’s cheek still went numb. She heard Barbara point at her and scold, "Sophie, have you lost your mind to jealousy? What good does it do you to act like a bitter housewife, dragging everyone down with you just because you’re unhappy?"
Caught off guard by the strike, Sophie had yet to recover her senses. Before she had time to argue with Barbara, she heard footsteps.
Turning her head, she saw that Julian had come downstairs at some point, the video call on his phone still active.
Sophie watched helplessly as Stella, from the screen, looked at her—having just been struck—and suddenly... laughed.