Chapter 3
Sophia was still running a fever. She lay back on the bed, weak and exhausted.
When she woke up again, she noticed someone was tending to the back of her head.
The hand holding the antiseptic paused in mid-air.
"Does it still hurt? Why didn't you tell me you were bleeding?" Henry asked urgently, his eyes filled with worry.
But right now, Sophia didn't fall for it.
He was acting again.
And it was so lame.
It was Henry who had caused her head injury.
Sophia brushed his hand aside without any emotion.
Henry's voice turned cold right away. "How long are you going to keep this up?
"At the hospital, you embarrassed Charlotte in front of everyone. Mr. Miller's biggest regret before he died was not having a child with her. I was just fulfilling his last wish. And that's all there is between us."
Sophia mocked and couldn't believe he saw his betrayal as a noble behavior.
Her hands clenched into fists in hatred. "If she wanted a child, there were plenty of people she could have chosen. Why you?
"Always talking about your Charlotte. Her husband had barely been in the ground before you were in bed with her. You two make me sick!"
Noises rang out.
It was crashing dishes.
Sophia's eyes met Charlotte's. She stood at a loss in the doorway.
"Charlotte!" Henry called out.
Charlotte's face went pale as she stammered, "P-Please don't blame Henry. He was only trying to help me. I never meant to be a homewrecker. I'll... leave with my child right now."
Then Charlotte headed to the bedroom to get the baby.
Sophia's face stayed blank, but in the next moment, she was yanked off the bed.
Henry was furious as he pointed at the soup spilled on the floor.
"Charlotte made a soup for you when she was supposed to be resting after giving birth. And is this how you treat her?" Henry shouted.
With that, he flung his hand away and turned to chase after Charlotte.
Sophia stumbled back, and she heard a dull thud. Blood trickled down again from her head.
And the antiseptic supplies Henry had brought sat there untouched. She only found them absurd.
Sophia chucked them out, changed clothes, and went to the hospital for stitches.
After all, it wasn't worth torturing herself over a man like Henry.
After leaving the hospital, Sophia made another trip to the law firm to pick up the divorce papers.
Henry's words, whether he meant them or not, had hurt her deeply.
After her mother passed away, all those heiresses who used to be at odds with Sophia teamed up to make her life hell.
They sent photos of her mother wandering the streets in pajamas, dazed and distraught, to all their group chats, so everyone would mock and ridicule her. They even sold her video being whipped by her father to tabloid platforms.
Back then, Henry didn't hesitate to step forward and deal with those people himself.
She still remembered what he told her, "Sophia, you can be a good-for-nothing or a troublemaker. And you can be upset when someone is mean to you. Because I'll always be here for you."
Because of his words, she turned down an offer from a world-class symphony orchestra abroad without telling him and chose to stay by his side.
But now, Henry changed.
He threatened her with the consequences of leaving him.
*****
By the time Sophia got home, it was late.
She could hear muffled sounds coming from the guest room.
Charlotte didn't leave.
Sophia picked up the divorce papers with a blank face and went to get Henry's signature.
The door was half open, and before she could push it in, Henry's raspy voice came from inside.
"Charlotte, I don't think I should..." Henry said.
"But it's so full. Please, help me?" Charlotte pleaded.
Under the dim light, Charlotte's silk nightgown had slipped halfway off. Her bosom was right in front of Henry.
He paused for just a second.
Then, he leaned forward her chest on one knee.
Charlotte let out a moan.
Her eyes half-closed as she stretched her neck.
A few seconds later, as if she sensed someone watching, Charlotte's eyes shot open.
Their eyes met.
Sophia felt as if her heart had been slammed by a fist.
But Charlotte had a triumphant smile playing at her lips.