Chapter 11
1454 Words
In a quiet bar.
Sophie sat on the sofa in the booth, her long legs crossed, swaying gently to the rhythm of the music, exuding an indescribable charm.
Her right hand held a glass of red wine, her gaze unfocused as she stared blankly at the red liquid.
“You seem off today,” Olivia said, sitting down across from her.
Sophie slowly raised her head, her eyes tinged with drunkenness, and forced a smile.
“Can’t you tell? I’m drowning my sorrows in wine.”
Olivia teased, “Oh, so even rich women have troubles, huh?”
Sophie glanced at her and said self-deprecatingly, ” What kind of rich woman am I? At best, I’m just a canary holding out its hand to beg for money.”
Olivia dismissed her as being overly dramatic, took a slender cigarette from the pack, lit it, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
“You’re worried now? How many people envy your life with a child, money, and no need to serve your husband?”
Sophie sipped her red wine. “Alex is back.”
“What?” Olivia sat up straight. “Didn’t he die in a plane crash three years ago?”
The Whitmore family had not yet made Alex’s return public.
They would probably wait until he had fully adjusted before holding a press conference to make an official announcement.
So the outside world did not know that Alex was still alive.
Sophie’s fingertips gently traced the rim of the glass, her voice calm.
“He was rescued by a father and daughter who were fishing and lived on an unnamed island for three years before returning just two days ago.”
The brief statement was packed with information, and Olivia took several seconds to process it.
“Is that true?”
“Of course it’s true. Do I look like the type to make up such a lie?”
Though she was a master of lies, she rarely lied to Olivia.
Olivia couldn’t help but remark, “He sure is lucky. He survived the plane crash.”
“But if he didn’t die, why did he wait three years to come back?”
She didn’t quite understand.
“He hit his head and lost his memory.”
“Wow, this is like a soap opera.” Olivia teased with a laugh.
“Wait, that doesn’t make sense. If he lost his memory, why didn’t the father and daughter report it to the police?”
Sophie swirled the wine in her glass and said casually.
“They said they thought Alex was a fugitive or an illegal immigrant, so they dared not report it to the police.”
“So they brought him home, treated his injuries, taught him how to fish, sell fish, and do carpentry, and he stayed there for three years...” "
She briefly recounted what she had heard that day at the Whitmore family’s old mansion.
Olivia listened in disbelief, “This doesn’t sound quite right.”
“Who would bring a fugitive or an illegal immigrant into their home?”
“In my opinion, they just wanted to keep a strong laborer to work for them.”
Sophie chuckled, “My guess matches mine exactly.”
“So is it true?” Olivia looked shocked.
Sophie shrugged, “Who knows? Alex never went into detail about those three years.”
“Maybe it’s too painful to recall, so he doesn’t want to talk about it.” Olivia shook her head, “I feel a bit sorry for your wealthy husband.”
Sorry?
Sophie didn’t seem to care.
From Alex’s perspective, he was indeed pitiful.
A prodigal son had to endure three years of hardship in that remote, impoverished area.
But she couldn’t muster any sympathy.
She was a bitter little cucumber herself—what right did she have to pity a wealthy young master?
Besides, the hardships Alex endured weren’t her fault.
“He’s not my husband now, so it’s not my place to feel sorry for him.”
Olivia: “You even have a child together. What’s the difference between that and being married?”
“The difference is huge. Do you think I came here to drown my sorrows in alcohol for no reason?”
“You know very well how Teddy came to be. Alex and I never had any feelings for each other.”
As she spoke, her thoughts drifted back to three years ago.
In the executive office of the Whitmore family corporation.
Sophie gently stroked her abdomen. “Mr. Whitmore, I’m pregnant—with your child.”
Her voice trembled deliberately.
As soon as she finished speaking, time seemed to freeze.
Alex leaned back lazily in his chair, his dark eyes piercing through her.
“Abort it,” he said calmly, his tone devoid of emotion.
“What?” Sophie stared at him in disbelief. “You don’t want our child?”
Her voice trembled deliberately.
As soon as she finished speaking, time seemed to stand still.
Alex leaned back lazily in his chair, his dark eyes seeming to pierce right through her.
“Get rid of it,” he said casually, his tone devoid of any emotion.
“What?” Sophie stared at him in disbelief. “You don’t want our child?”
Alex stared at Sophie for a moment, then said, “I thought you were smart. Sophie, you know my wife must be of the same social class, and my eldest son cannot be a bastard.”
“But I’ve been your secretary for so long. My family can’t help you, but I can help you with my abilities! And my first time was with you.” Sophie’s voice grew softer.
“I admit your work skills are good, but there are thousands of others more capable than you, and I can hire them. As for your first time, I’m honored.” He stood up and slowly approached her.
“But that won’t change the fact that you must terminate this pregnancy.”
Sophie stumbled back a few steps. “You can’t be so heartless.”
“Why not?” Alex reached out and grabbed her chin, his grip so tight it felt like he was trying to crush her bones.
“It hurts.”
Sophie gripped the man’s wrists with both hands, desperately trying to push his hands away, but she couldn’t move an inch.
“Listen.” The man leaned in, his voice cold and harsh. “Tomorrow at nine in the morning, I’ll arrange for someone to perform the surgery on you.”
Sophie’s face turned pale instantly, and she pleaded with a trembling voice, “Can we wait? I’m not ready yet.”
The man tightened his grip, “From the day you seduced me, you should have known this would be the outcome.”
“The bloodline of the Whitmore family isn’t something just anyone can taint.”
After speaking, he released his grip, leaving Sophie to collapse helplessly onto the ground.
He took out a checkbook, wrote a string of numbers on it, tore it off, and flung it at her face.
The paper was light, but it was filled with humiliation.
The check landed on the ground, clearly showing: five million.
Sophie’s pupils contracted slightly, her heart racing, her eyes fixated on it.
Alex saw her reaction and looked at her with even more contempt.
“Don’t blame me for not warning you. If you dare to secretly give birth to this child...”
His voice was soft but bone-chillingly cold, “I have plenty of ways to make you pay the price.”
Sophie clenched her fists, then relaxed them, bent down to pick up the check, and her voice had returned to normal.
“Mr. Whitmore, rest assured, I will go.” She carefully placed the check in her bag, “Thank you for your generosity.”
Her thoughts returned to reality, and Sophie glanced at her best friend across from her.
“At first, I took the money and planned to terminate the pregnancy, but in the end, I couldn’t bear to do it and kept the baby, intending to raise it myself.”
Alex had good genes, and she longed for a family member, so the baby in her womb became her only hope.
That was the first time she didn’t want to use the baby in her womb as a bargaining chip.
“But I never expected Alex to have an accident, so I changed my strategy and went to the Whitmore family while pregnant.”
“Now that Alex is back, I have to live in constant fear, worried he’ll suddenly regain his memory.”
- Writer
