Chapter 3

I kept quiet.

Everyone in the Sterling family came to persuade me.

My own parents said I was being immature. "You're pregnant with his baby now. What's the point of freaking out?

"Charles didn't do it on purpose. If you hadn't pissed him off, would he have let someone else get their way?

"Don't make a fuss."

Charles' grandfather gave me two luxury condos by the Vale River.

I looked at Charles' face. His eyes were especially beautiful, with those long lashes.

I told him to transfer four percent of the company's shares to me, send Emily abroad, and never see her again for good.

He frowned, but after glancing at my baby bump, he finally gave in.

After that, he became a model husband, always clocking in and out and coming home right on time.

People said I really knew how to handle a man. Just one cheating incident, and I had Charles completely whipped.

Even my parents started saying I'd finally accomplished something.

Even now, I still couldn't figure out how marrying Charles made me so "accomplished" in their eyes.

At some point, the scenery outside had shifted, and we were finally pulling up to the school.

After we got out of the car, Ryan slung Sophia's backpack over his left shoulder and, without missing a beat, took my small handbag from me.

His fingers were surprisingly warm as they brushed against my pinky.

I paused for a moment, then looked at him and said, "Thanks for coming today."

He smiled. "No problem."

One of Sophia's classmates walked by and said, "Sophia, your parents drove you again? My parents always make me come alone."

Sophia didn't bother to explain. After being misunderstood for so many years, one more day would make no difference at all.

Sophia waved goodbye to us, then headed inside with her friend.

I overheard her classmate say, "Whoa, every time I see your parents, your dad's seriously handsome, and your mom's so pretty and has such a vibe."

Ryan, beside me, chuckled softly and leaned his chin against my shoulder.

People were coming and going at the school gate, and no one paid us any attention.

After the exam, Charles and I went to pick up Sophia. She seemed upset in the car.

We didn't ask her about it. If she struggled with the test, asking would only make things worse for her.

Later that night, while I was hugging her, I gently brought it up, and she finally told me what was wrong.

Turned out, before the exam, the teacher told everyone to leave all non-exam items outside the classroom.

But since there were no lockers in the hallway, most students just put their things on the tables out there.

Sophia left the watch she always wore out there, too.

After the exam, when she went out, she saw her watch sitting on the table, but she clearly remembered putting it in her bag.

Maybe she was dazed from the long test, and when she finally came to her senses, she realized the watch wasn't even hers.

It was the same style as hers, but a different color.

Sophia's watch was dark blue, but the one she grabbed was light purple.

Just as she was about to set the watch down, a boy grabbed it from her and, with a nasty glare, shoved her to the floor.

He barked, "Don't touch my stuff! My dad gave this to me."

Sophia quickly apologized, explaining she had one just like it.

The boy snorted, "That's the worst lie I've ever heard. If you stole it, just own up to it."

With that, the boy walked off. Sophia watched him go straight to a woman and call her "Mom."

The woman was head-to-toe in designer brands, tall with killer curves, and seriously gorgeous.

She was carrying a red crossbody bag, the latest seasonal piece from a luxury brand.

I knew the style right away. I had one too, a gift from Charles.

The boy looked pretty down. "Looks like I won't do well this time."

The woman comforted him, "Don't worry, it's just one exam."

The boy managed a smile. "Dad said it's okay if I mess up. He'll send me abroad for school. But I don't want to let him down."

"Your dad said he'll take us to Hawaii after the exam, no matter how you did."

Sophia's memory ended there.

She lay against me, her brows furrowed. "Same watch, same bag, Mom... am I just overthinking it?"

I gently patted her shoulder and asked if she was alright, and if that boy had bullied her.

She shook her head, saying that wasn't the real issue.

"Mom... is Dad...?"

[Emily's kid is slick, saying that right in front of Sophia. Watching her cry is just nauseating, seriously.]

I didn't give her a straight answer. "Sweetheart, just remember, if someone hurts you, you fight back and keep moving forward."

Even though Sophia was still uncertain, I always told her to prioritize the big picture and not let distractions throw her off.

Therefore, she managed to steady herself and got through the college admission exam just fine.