Chapter 117: She Would Kneel and Beg Too
Sophia felt the ground slipping away beneath her at his words, at the way he addressed Evelyn. No... This was worse than a nightmare.
"Why should I?" she snapped, frustration barely hidden in her voice. The people around them seemed to be laughing internally, their expressions mocking her failure. The cracks in her sweet facade began to show, revealing her raw, vile thoughts.
William had never acted this way before, siding with Evelyn instead of believing in her carefully constructed lies. For years, she had framed Evelyn, slowly turning her into a useless, arrogant brat in his eyes. Yet, all her efforts now seemed to be going down the drain. Tonight, it felt like the stage was set for her downfall. She couldn’t afford to lose now, not when they were only a few months away from her son becoming the CEO of Wright Constructions.
"Apologize, Mom. You were rude to her." Even Elias sided with his father, clearly pleased that William wasn’t defending her.
Sophia looked at her son, speechless and skeptical of his sudden behavior. Though he had often defended Evelyn in the past, this time felt different. His expression was grim, filled with disgust as if he knew more than he should. A knot of dread tightened in her stomach, her face paling. After all, no mother liked being hated by her own son.
"Do it quickly." Annabelle’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Sophia glared at her, warning her to be quiet, but her sweet daughter continued with a scowl, "People would be more impressed if you didn’t just stand there like a statue of shame."
Sophia gritted her teeth, her fists clenched in anger. She turned to face Evelyn. The calmness in Evelyn’s eyes reminded her so much of Gracia—not just her expression, but her entire appearance tonight, poised like a boss. It took her back to the time when she had been Gracia’s assistant, bowing and following her every command.
Feeling the crowd’s gaze on her, eagerly awaiting the climax of the drama, Sophia reluctantly took a step forward. Folding her hands in front of her, she murmured, "I’m sorry, Evy. My emotions got the better of me. I didn’t mean to sound rude."
’This will be the first and the last time, Evelyn,’ she vowed silently, her fingernails digging into her palms.
Avery smirked in satisfaction, her eyes gleaming as she watched Sophia squirm. Glancing at her assistant not far away, she nodded in satisfaction when he confirmed the moment had been captured. This wasn’t enough to pay Sophia back for all that Evelyn had endured, but the future held a day when Sophia would kneel and beg. And Avery couldn’t wait for that day.
Unable to handle the murmurs and snickers around her, Sophia turned and headed for the exit. Staying any longer would only wreck her facade. She could deal with William later, she thought as she rushed out of the hotel, calling for their chauffeur.