Chapter 231: He Spoiled Me
Sophia leaned in, her voice a mixture of concern and curiosity. "You've had a rough couple of years, haven't you?"
I was caught off guard. "How do you know?"
She smiled, a hint of wisdom in her eyes. "I guessed. Even though we're not that close, I can see you're not the kind of woman who wavers easily."
She continued with a knowing look, "Giving him up back then must have been a last resort, right?"
Her accurate deduction didn’t surprise me.
Despite her seemingly carefree demeanor, Sophia was incredibly observant and meticulous, as all Hammers were; they saw through facades with ease.
I saw no reason to lie. "Yes, Jerry's dad came to see me. Then, Christopher promised that if I went back with him, he would help Jerry."
Sophia sighed deeply, a mixture of empathy and frustration in her tone. "That must have been hard for you. Carlos used such underhanded tactics, almost causing Jerry to fail. Well, Jerry did fail initially, but he managed to get back on his feet."
A fond smile crossed my lips. "Yes, Jerry has been smart since he was a kid."
When we were younger, Jerry always stood out—flamboyant, confident, and immensely smarter than the other kids. Claire had often thought I was fearless, but it was Jerry who encouraged my bravado, assuring me that he would handle any trouble I stirred up.
He had molded me to bloom like a vibrant sunflower under his protective wing.
Sophia's eyes widened slightly. "You regained your memory?"
"Yes," I confirmed, handing her a bottle of mineral water. "Two years ago, I had an accident and coincidentally regained my memory."
She studied me closely. "Because of Jerry?"
"Not exactly," I replied, shaking my head.
During that difficult time, I had been a mess. Jerry hadn't directly caused my state, but his situation mirrored my internal chaos. If it had been Claire, Elissa, or even Cecil, the impact might have been equally profound.
So, putting the blame on Jerry was not fair at all.
Sophia twisted open the bottle cap. "These past two years, you've been with Christopher..."
I corrected her. "I wasn't in Jacquar."
Confessing my past to Sophia was surprisingly easy. "After the accident, I went to Fantasia Federation. The news was just covered up."
Sophia frowned, clearly puzzled. "Then why did Christopher answer when Avery called you?"
I paused, recalling the details. "The night of the accident, I left the Valence Manor without my phone."
I had wanted to sever all ties with my past, including Christopher. Leaving the phone behind was symbolic—a clean break.
Sophia’s expression softened with understanding. "Then why haven't you explained things to Jerry?"
I bit my lip. "I was dealing with depression. Knowing Jerry, he would dig into why I went to Fantasia Federation, why I didn't contact him. Eventually, he'd find out about my depression."
"And Jerry would blame himself," Sophia concluded softly, her eyes reflecting the weight of my unspoken fears.
I hadn't been able to explain it before, and now it was even harder to bring it up. Telling Jerry about this would only worsen his condition.
Sophia sighed, "I have to thank you for your consideration. Now is indeed not the best time to bring this up. Rest assured, he's been cooperating with his treatment. Since you came back, his symptoms have significantly improved."
Sophia's eyes softened with genuine concern. "What about you? How's your depression?"
I smiled, feeling a touch of gratitude. "I've stopped taking medication. My friend in Fantasia Federation found a psychologist for me. I've been cooperating with the treatment for the past two years, and it's been quite effective."
At least now, when I thought about the past or saw people from my past, I no longer panic, tremble, or felt suicidal. When I returned to Jacquar and unexpectedly saw Christopher at the hotel, I still managed to sleep quite well.
"That's good to hear." Sophia breathed a sigh of relief and checked the time. "I should head to the airport. I'll find an opportunity to explain this to him, preparing him mentally first."
Sophia stood up and pointed to the room where Nolan was. "As for Nolan, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you for a while. Jerry has no patience with him."
"It's okay, I like him, too." I smiled as I walked Sophia to the door. "Nolan is still at home, so that I won't see you off."
Sophia winked at me. "Nolan really likes you. If you marry Jerry, he would be thrilled."
I cleared my throat, choosing not to respond. "Safe travels. Let me know when you land."
Sophia gave me an "OK" gesture and walked out with her two suitcases.
As soon as I closed the door, Nolan opened his room door and peeked out. "Where's Mom?"
"She's gone," I chuckled. Sophia was a really carefree mom, not even bothering to say goodbye to Nolan before heading off on a trip.
Nolan was used to it and shrugged. "She's always like this."
I picked up Nolan and comforted him, "But she'll let us know she's safe when her plane lands, okay?"
"Alright, I forgive her!" Nolan said softly, lying on my shoulder, "Hope, are you done with your work? Can you help me with this puzzle? Jerry bought it, and it's really complicated."
I sat on the carpet with Nolan and looked at the puzzle instructions. Jerry had bought an adult puzzle for such a little kid; he really had no patience, even in his choices.
Surprisingly, Nolan wasn't frustrated and had already completed part of it.
I smiled and agreed, "Sure, let's do it together."
The design process for Madison's dress had gone surprisingly smoothly, so I wasn't in a rush.
Outside the window, the sunset was particularly beautiful. Nolan and I lay on the carpet, working on the puzzle together.
Suddenly, my phone rang.
I stopped and picked up my phone to check the caller ID, smiling as I answered, "Cecil, what's up?"
On the other end, Cecil's voice was warm and cheerful. "Are you staying at a hotel or somewhere else?"
"Are you coming to Maple Valley?" I was surprised, then said, "I'm not staying at a hotel, I'm at home."
Cecil was puzzled. "You bought a house in Maple Valley?"
"Yes, a friend gave it to me a while ago." I didn't explain further. "What's up?"
Cecil laughed, "Send me your location?"
"Sure." I smiled and sent Cecil my location along with the house number. "When are you coming to Maple Valley?"
Cecil said softly, "I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise? What kind of surprise?"
"You'll know when I get there." Cecil paused, probably checking the navigation. "About twenty minutes."
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