Chapter 3

Even though Sophie already knew Alex didn't love her, hearing him admit it out loud still stabbed right through her heart.

In a daze, her ID and passport slipped from her numb fingers and hit the floor with a dull thud.

Lily must have heard the noise and asked, "Alex, did you put me on speaker?"

"Yeah, relax. She's deaf, she can't hear us," Alex replied.

"She's just a deaf girl, Alex. She's not good enough for you. You've taken care of her for so many years. Honestly, you've done your duty, you don't owe her anything anymore," Lily said.

Sophie bit down so hard on her lower lip she tasted blood, the tang spreading across her mouth.

Alex was so wrapped up in the phone call, he didn't even notice Sophie was falling apart right there, like her whole world was crumbling to pieces.

By the end of the call, Lily was in tears, pleading with Alex to just see her once.

"Just once, Alex, please. Just one time, I'm begging you."

Alex clutched his phone so hard his knuckles went white, just standing there frozen, lost in his own thoughts for what felt like an eternity.

After a long silence, he finally forced a smile and signed to Sophie.

"Something came up at work, I have to head out. Sophie, you should get some rest. Don't wait up for me."

Just then, thunder crashed so loud it shook the windows, and lightning flashed outside, silver snakes writhing across the night sky.

In the past, Sophie was always terrified of nights like this. No matter where Alex was, he'd drop everything and come home to be with her.

But this time, she just gave a quiet "mm," barely audible.

She gave him a gentle reminder, It's been raining a lot lately. Don't forget your umbrella."

If Alex had just looked at her, he would have seen the tears Sophie was fighting so hard to hold back.

But he didn't. He turned away and left, as if he couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Bang!

The window was open, and the wind was so strong it slammed the door shut behind him.

Then the storm swept in, wind and rain together, soaking Sophie from head to toe.

In just a few seconds, she was drenched.

On her face, it was impossible to tell if the drops were more tears or rain.

When Sophie woke up early the next morning, her whole body was burning up, so hot it was scary.

The blanket beside her was still perfectly smooth, not a single wrinkle, proof that Alex hadn't come home all night.

She forced herself out of bed and made her way downstairs, asking Lucy for some fever medicine.

Then she had the driver take her over to her mom's place.

When Sophie reached the door, she could hear her parents inside, caught up in a heated argument; their voices echoing like a full-blown shouting match.

Sophie's parents had always been super close. She even took her mom's last name, Lane. Growing up, Sophie had never seen them fight, not even once.

They only had one child, Sophie, and let professionals handle the company.

Honestly, there shouldn't have been anything for them to fight about.

Sophie picked up her pace, heart pounding, as Margaret's furious voice spilled out from the crack in the door.

"Richard Fairfax, have you been waiting for this day for years? Let me tell you. Unless I'm dead, you'll never bring your child with another woman into the Fairfax family!" Margaret snapped, her voice shaking with rage.

The moment she finished, she was wracked by a violent coughing fit.

Sophie didn't hesitate; she shoved the door open and burst inside.

And what she saw hit her like a punch to the gut: Alex had his arm wrapped around Lily's waist, standing right there next to her father.

They were all ganging up on her mother, who sat in her wheelchair, looking so sick and fragile.

Sophie's sudden entrance caught everyone off guard, but the silence only lasted a heartbeat.

Then she heard her father drop the brutal truth.

"Whether you accept it or not, Lily is my daughter. Now that she's back, she has every right to inherit half of my assets. There's nothing you can do to stop it," Richard said.

Sophie's eyes went wide, her whole body freezing in place, her mind roaring with disbelief.

All she could think was, "No way. This can't be happening."