Chapter 7

After a moment of silence, Sophia looked up. "I can do what you're asking, but you have to agree to one condition."

Bianca nodded perfunctorily. "No need to say it. I know. For your birthday this year, we'll throw you a big party, just like Margaret's. Satisfied?"

Sophia was two years younger than Margaret, but their birthdays were only a week apart.

Since childhood, she'd always celebrated with Margaret, wearing the dresses Margaret didn't want, serving as her backdrop on the most important day of the year.

She'd protested to her parents countless times, wanting a birthday of her own. They always agreed readily, but the next year, it was always the same. Nothing ever changed.

Bianca probably assumed Sophia's obsession was still about this.

But Sophia shook her head without hesitation. "That's not the condition I want to propose."

Bianca frowned. She'd never had patience with Sophia. She snapped impatiently, "Just say what you want. Who has time to play guessing games with you?"

Sophia lowered her eyes. "I'll tell you at the party."

Bianca couldn't tolerate it. She was about to explode on the spot.

Vincent stepped forward at just the right moment, blocking her.

He looked at Sophia kindly and smiled. "I believe Sophia is a sensible child. She would never make a request that would put the family in a difficult position. Right, Sophia?"

This was the third time Vincent had used the word "sensible" to describe her since coming through the door. But the word wasn't so much praise as it was moral blackmail.

Everyone thought Sophia was—

Sophia smiled bitterly. "Yes. I won't put Mom and Dad in a difficult position. My condition will absolutely be great news for you both."

Bianca was still uneasy, but Vincent smiled genuinely. "That's good. Your mother and I will head back now. Get some rest."

As they were leaving, Bianca's purse accidentally knocked a document off the cabinet by the door—the pregnancy test report Sophia had picked up on her way home from work.

But Bianca didn't care. She walked straight out the door.

The room fell quiet again. Sophia stood in silence for a moment, then bent down to pick up the report.

The results had actually been ready for a while, but she hadn't dared to retrieve them. First, she hadn't had time. Second, she was afraid to face them.

Avoidance wasn't a solution. Sophia let out a soft sigh and slowly opened the report.

[Five weeks pregnant.]

Seeing those words, Sophia's last shred of hope vanished. Her legs gave out, and she sat down hard on the floor.

She was really pregnant. Pregnant with Robert's child.

What should she do?

Terminate it, or keep it?

Logic told Sophia that before anyone noticed, terminating the pregnancy was the best choice.

After all, Robert's attitude toward her was clear. He didn't love her. Naturally, he wouldn't want this child either.

But Sophia slowly placed her hand on her flat stomach, her heart a tangle of emotions.

She had a father, a mother, a sister—yet she still lived a lonely, miserable life.

This little life was her family.

Sophia gently closed her eyes. No matter what, she couldn't bring herself to decide.

That night, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The next day at work, she looked so terrible that even the HR manager who came to find her was startled.

"You look like a panda. By the way, there's a result on your resignation application. It wasn't approved. Go ask Mr. Howard what's going on."

After delivering the news, the HR manager quickly left.

Sophia froze for a moment, then got up and headed to Robert's office.

"Come in." Robert's voice was cold and stern.

When he saw it was her, his expression grew even more indifferent.

"If you're here about your resignation, you can leave now." His attitude was crystal clear—he would never let Sophia go.

Sophia didn't move. After thinking for a moment, she said calmly, "The resignation procedures and work handover will take at least two weeks. If Mr. Howard approves it, it won't delay anything."

After all, the party to announce Margaret's identity was next Saturday. After that, Robert would have no reason to hold onto her.

As soon as she finished speaking, a teacup flew past Sophia's forehead, nearly making her fall to the floor in fright.

Ever since Margaret's incident, Robert had become volatile and unpredictable.

He strode over to Sophia and grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her to look up at him. "I told you, I'll never let you go in this lifetime. Stop dreaming!"

Then Robert's gaze took on a scrutinizing edge. "What makes you think you can leave me now and stop being punished? Could it be..."

Sophia's heart leapt into her throat.

After faking her death, Margaret had spent three years abroad. She'd only recently returned.

Since coming back, she'd been flamboyant—showing up everywhere: bars, clubs, shopping malls.

Had Robert noticed something?

But the next moment, Robert used the back of his hand to pat her cheek lightly. It didn't hurt, but it was deeply humiliating.

"Don't tell me you think that because Victoria and I are engaged, you've got leverage over me now?"

This was an angle Sophia had never even considered.

She was trying to avoid him and Victoria—how could she possibly think of blackmail?

But before her explanation could leave her mouth, Robert cut her off mercilessly. "Sophia, you're just a criminal who killed Margaret. Other than atoning, you have no right to do anything else!"

Criminal. Atoning.

Sophia had heard those words for three years. Endured them for three years.

But now, she couldn't take it anymore.

"What if I told you Margaret isn't dead?" Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear. Robert heard every word.

His pupils contracted sharply, then he smiled with contempt. "Sophia, what kind of delusion are you having?"

There was no such thing as resurrection in this world.

Robert assumed Sophia was talking nonsense. His tone dripped with mockery. "Fine. If you can bring Margaret back to life, I'll let you resign from the Howard Group!"

It was an impossibility. He said it with complete confidence.

Sophia slowly straightened her back. A satisfied smile curved her pale lips. "All right. Please remember what you said today, Mr. Howard. I'll be going now."

Watching Sophia's back as she left, Robert suddenly felt an inexplicable discomfort, as if he were about to lose something important.

It was only then that he noticed—Sophia seemed to have lost a lot of weight.

Just as a trace of sympathy was about to surface in his heart, Margaret's bright, beautiful face suddenly appeared in his mind, ruthlessly snuffing out that softness.

Sophia had always been scheming. She'd always fought with Margaret and deliberately missed the phone call that led to her death.

A woman like that didn't deserve sympathy.

Robert reopened his computer and threw himself back into work, expressionless.