Chapter 5

James stared at her coldly and suddenly sneered. "As your fiancé in name, I naturally have the right to control you."

"Mr. Smith, you really do have a bad memory." Emily scoffed, her eyes full of mockery. She turned to Sophia and said, "Your man—aren't you going to do something about him?"

Sophia was stunned, never expecting Emily to say something like that.

But she instinctively seized the opportunity, putting on an act in front of James. "Emily, you can't just say things like that. I know you're jealous of what James and I have, but we truly love each other."

Before Sophia could finish, Emily cut her off. "I don't care why you're here. You're not welcome, so please leave."

Emily's eyes were cold, her pretty face icy.

"Why are you wasting time talking to her? We didn't come here today to catch up." James interrupted impatiently, his eyes looking Emily up and down.

Seeing that James had lost his patience, Sophia dropped the act.

She pulled out a check for five hundred thousand dollars from her bag and threw it at Emily. "Emily, as long as you agree to have your mom divorce my dad, this five hundred thousand dollars is yours."

Sophia looked at her with smug satisfaction, as if offering five hundred thousand dollars was some huge favor to Emily.

Emily glanced at the check indifferently, a mocking smile playing at her lips. "Sophia, my parents' marriage is none of your business. And you think a measly five hundred thousand dollars will let your homewrecker mom take her place? Dream on!"

Emily's words were somewhat harsh, and the word "homewrecker" pierced Sophia's heart like a needle.

What Sophia hated most in life was being called the daughter of a homewrecker.

"My parents are the ones who truly love each other, but your mom got in the way. Otherwise, how could they have missed out on all these years?" She was furious, but her words remained carefully measured.

"Is that so?" Emily just looked at her with a half-smile, noncommittal.

Sophia suppressed the anger in her heart. Her eyes caught sight of the two children standing not far away. She stepped forward, picked up the check, and placed it in Emily's hand. "This five hundred thousand is enough for you and those two kids to live on for a long time. If you still don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for not being nice."

The more she spoke, the lower her voice became, but the gritted-teeth tone didn't diminish at all.

In Sophia's view, she had already given Emily enough face.

If it weren't for maintaining her image in front of James, she wouldn't be this polite to Emily.

If Emily didn't agree, she was the one being ungrateful.

"Is that so?" Emily didn't want to waste words with her and pointed at the door. "Now, please leave."

"Emily, don't push it! This five hundred thousand isn't a small amount for you—it's enough for you and those two little bastards to live well." Sophia's face turned cold, harsh words spilling out.

Hearing Sophia insult Oscar and Nina, the anger in Emily's heart was ready to explode.

Emily raised her hand and slapped her across the face, the movement clean and decisive, without a moment's hesitation.

Sophia's face jerked to the side, a clear red mark instantly appearing on her cheek. Even Emily's palm tingled from the force.

"My children are none of your business! Take your money back. As for the divorce, my mom will make her own decision." Emily's eyes were sharp as she threw the check back at her.

Sophia never expected that after having bastard children, she would still be this defiant. Combined with the burning pain on her cheek, she wanted nothing more than to slap Emily back right now.

At that moment, Oscar and Nina emerged from behind Emily, each holding a slingshot.

Oscar pulled back his slingshot, aiming at Sophia, his sweet childlike voice carrying a hint of coldness. "Bad woman, don't you dare bully my mommy!"

Nina also held up her slingshot, her round eyes full of hostility.

Sophia covered her face. Seeing the mother and children united against her, her expression darkened, but then she suddenly smiled, her tone carrying a condescending charity. "Fine, for the children's sake, I'll add another five hundred thousand. If you agree, this one million is yours. Emily, you'd better think carefully. A woman like you with two kids will never earn this much money in your lifetime. While I still have patience, help your mom sign the divorce papers, and I'll let you all off."

Facing her threats and temptations, Emily remained unmoved, simply keeping the children protected behind her.

Seeing this, Sophia gradually lost her patience.

She stepped forward, leaning close to Emily, her voice lowered and full of threat. "Don't think I don't know about what happened back then. I have video evidence. If you don't cooperate, I'll release the video and make sure you and these two kids can never show your faces again."

A smile hung on her lips. To anyone watching, she looked gentle and serene, except for the slap mark on her cheek, which seemed out of place.

Emily's heart sank.

What happened back then was the deepest thorn buried in her heart.

All these years, she had deliberately avoided it, never expecting Sophia to use it as leverage.

"You think I'll believe you?" Suppressing the panic in her heart, Emily pretended to be calm.

Sophia's face was full of smugness, her voice deliberately soft with an indescribable affectation. "Emily, you only have two choices now: either take the money and sign, or wait to be completely disgraced."

After speaking, she glanced at the two children again. "Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about these two little bastards."

"Get lost!" Emily snorted coldly and pushed Sophia away. "My business is none of your concern. My parents' affairs aren't for you to meddle in either. If you don't leave now, I'm calling the police."

Sophia stumbled from the push and pointed at Emily in humiliation and anger. "You..."

"If you want to release it, go ahead—but don't say I didn't warn you. Spreading someone's private information widely is a crime. Besides, how can you prove that's me in the video?" Emily was clearly fearless.

Her bold and fearless attitude momentarily intimidated Sophia.

She unconsciously licked her lips, her brow furrowed.

"Still not done yet?" While they were talking, James had already finished a cigarette and come back.

His eyes scanned Emily up and down with ill intent. "You really do have a great body—still keeping it so good after having two kids."

Seeing James return with his attention immediately drawn to Emily, Sophia's sense of crisis intensified.

She tugged at his sleeve, deliberately showing the cheek Emily had slapped, looking pitiful.

"James, Emily..."