Chapter 4
1190 Words
And he won the title ‘Father of the Year’.....
She looked at his feet on her table and said, “Will you get your disgusting self out of my seat?”
His expression changed slightly to one of anger but he masked it quickly with a sickly sweet expression and tone “Now, little girl. That’s no way to speak to your father or even someone who has been graciously funding your business. No! Don’t be an ungrateful wench.”
“What do you mean by funding my business? Get the hell away from my office.” Sophia said it angrily, wanting nothing to do with the monster she called her father.
He moved towards her with very fast speed and before she knew it, he pinned her against her wall, his hand circling her throat tightly “It is exactly as I say and if you do not behave yourself, you’ll end up not only bankrupt but penniless and a failure so I suggest you be grateful and polite whenever I show up, little girl.”
He removed his hand from her neck and left her on the floor, coughing hard, then walked out of her office without a backward glance.
****
After the encounter with her father in her office, Sophia kept thinking about everything he said. Could it be that Leo was working with her father and it that her father funding her business and not Leo? No! She tried to convince herself that it cannot be.
After pondering about everything for days, she decided to ask Leo about it when she got home from work, as they had to attend a family dinner at his parents’ house. She made her way to Leo’s home office. She knew he would be there by that time.
She went into Leo’s study, but he wasn't there. She saw his laptop still on and his phone on the desk so she knew he would come back soon.
She decided to wait for him but curiosity got the best of her and she stood up to look around. She found an envelope that had her father’s name written on it and her heart thumped speedily against her chest as she picked it up. "God, please, let this not be what I think it is.”
She opened the envelope and saw that it was a contract between Leo and her father. She read the contract, which revealed that Leo was essentially working with her father.
According to the contract, after the two-year marriage contract ended, Leo would hand her over to her father, as he is the one currently funding the business. All payments were in his name but Sophia never bothered to check or ask for receipts or payment records.
“What are you doing in my office?” Leonardo asked suspiciously when he came in and he had the decency to look guilty when he saw what was in her hand.
“Tell me this contract is a prank. Are you working with my father? Is he the one funding my business? Did you really need a bride to put your grandfather off your back? Who are you really and what the hell do you want from me?” Sophia kept blasting Leo with one question after the other, even though he could not answer all of them. He kept opening and closing his mouth.
“Sophia, it’s not what it seems, please.” He raised his hands in front of him, trying to calm her down.
She screamed at him angrily and threw the file at him. “It’s not what it seems, you working with my father is not what it seems. What the hell does it seem like, then? Tell me! Tell me, Leonardo freaking black.”
“Do you have any idea who that man is or what he can do? Do you hate me so much you want to see me dead? Why do you think my mother ran away from that monster?”
Sophia took a deep breath and became deathly still, and when Leo thought she would not say anything, she said in a cold voice, “I want out.”
He spoke softly and said, “You want out of what, Sophia?”
“I want out of this freaking contract, you liar.” Sophia replied with so much anger.
“You can’t do that, Sophia. The contract clearly stated that if any of us breached the agreement, then the person would have to pay a $3 million penalty.”
The amount was far beyond what Sophia could afford, so despite her anger, she had no choice but to calm down and remain in the contract.
Seething frustration, she said to him, “Let’s go for your family’s dinner. I freaking hate you right now, Leo. You have no idea what you have done,” then she stormed out of the study.
Leo closed his eyes in frustration at her words. He hadn’t meant to hurt her; instead, he was protecting her when he made her sign the contract. If only she knew what’s really at stake.
****
Leo watched Sophia throughout dinner with his family. She was all smiles and was acting like the happy bride perfectly but he knew she was angry.
She barely said a word to him on the way to his parents’ house, focusing all her attention on Adrian instead.
He wanted to tell her everything but he didn’t know how to get past the angry wall she had raised.
Grandpa Black watched his grandson, who only had eyes for his lovely wife and decided to say what had been on his mind since he saw them come in through the door earlier.
He cleared his throat and said, “Leo, Sophia, darling, you’ve been married for almost a year. It's about time you two gave me a grandson. I need a grandchild to carry on the family legacy.”
Sophia started coughing at his statement and Leo rubbed her back to calm her down and he sighed sadly when he felt her go still at his touch.
Leo looked at his grandfather and said, “Grandpa, what are you going on about? You already have a grandson. Adrian is already a suitable…”
“No Leo! I want another grandchild, another heir. I want a grandson who would become my heir from you and Sophia. If you are not ready to do that, Leo, I will have no choice but to hand over the company to Jonathan.”
Sophia felt Leo become very still with anger beside her. He looked at his grandfather and was about to say something but restrained himself.
He stood up, then said to everyone, “Excuse me.” He looked at Sophia and said, “I’ll be in the car.”
Sophia watched Leo storm out of the house angrily and wondered who Jonathan Black was, as she had never met him but he obviously irked Leo.
Why did Leo’s grandfather disregard Adrian and instead demand a child from her? Why does it feel like his grandfather knew something?
- Writer
