Chapter 231 Showdown
They entered the gate.
This was a small detached villa that Alexander had given them.
Materially, Alexander had never mistreated them. He was always generous with spending on their needs, hiring housekeepers and a cook to prevent them from becoming fatigued.
As they walked in, they smelled the aroma of food.
Soon, Sophia came out carrying a dish.
"Alexander has arrived," Sophia announced, placing the dish on the table with a warm and joyful expression. "Please take a seat; the food is ready, and everyone can begin eating."
Summer invited them to sit down and said, "These are all my mom's specialties, she made them herself."
"Why did Sophia cook herself when there's a cook?" Alexander asked, a bit puzzled.
Because he was worried they wouldn't like cooking themselves, he had specifically hired a cook
He wanted to improve their lives and ensure a balanced diet.
"I gave her the day off," Sophia said gently, "It's rare for you to come over, and I selfishly wanted you to eat what I made."
This simple sentence made Alexander feel a bit guilty.
He indeed hadn't come over much lately.
"Come, everyone, let's eat."
Sophia invited them.
The meal lasted for more than half an hour; Sophia had prepared a whole table full of dishes.
During the meal, Summer kept recommending dishes to Daphne and Lydia and pouring them freshly squeezed juice.
Even Lydia, who had a calm personality, found it a bit overwhelming.
As for Sophia, besides attending to Daphne and Lydia, she spent most of her time serving Alexander.
After the meal, Sophia went to cut some fruit.
Alexander was at a loss for words to describe his feelings at that moment. Unbeknownst to him, she had dismissed the cook; given the multitude of dishes for this meal, Sophia must have spent a significant amount of time preparing them.
They sat there eating fruit and chatting.
They chatted for over twenty minutes.
Daphne glanced at the time, thinking it was about time to get to the point. "Mrs. Hayes, can we talk in private?"
Sophia was momentarily stunned and glanced at Alexander before quickly responding, "Yes, sure."
"Please follow me."
"Okay."
Sophia seemed very easygoing.
Before departing with Daphne, she made sure to remind Summer, "Take care of Uncle Alexander and Lydia.
"Got it," Summer replied obediently.
Given the previous incidents, Alexander no longer trusted her.
Seeing Summer now, he reflected on how she had deceived him and he began to speculate wildly about his relationship with Daphne.
He didn't like her, but as an elder and her future stepfather, he couldn't show it too obviously.
"Uncle Alexander."
"What's up?"
"I sincerely apologize for my mistakes." Summer was very well-behaved, her eyes full of sincerity. "I will find a job. I hope you won't dislike my mom because of me."
Alexander didn'texpect her to say this.
Summer continued, "My mom really likes you."
"I can tell the difference," Alexander said, his expression complex.
Summer said, "Thank you."
Seeing her like this, Alexander felt a mix of emotions and didn't know how to face her.
Lydia, after theincidents, treated Summer as a somewhat familiar stranger, maintaining only a surface-level harmonious relationship.
She wasn't interested in other small talk.
She looked out at the yard, silently waiting for Daphne and Sophia to finish their conversation.
Since the previous incidents, Lydia had changed her address for Sophia from "Aunt Sophia" to "Mrs. Hayes," a polite yet distant term.
At this moment, outside in the yard.
Daphne and Sophia sat on outdoor chairs with a small round table between them.
Sophia seemed a bit reserved, speaking politely, "What do you want to talk about?"
Thinking about her rejection, she got straight to the point.
"I'll ask you a question, now that it's just the two of us," Daphne spoke straightforwardly, maintaining her usual calm tone, "What is your reason for wanting to be with my dad?"
"This..." Sophia didn't expect her to ask this.
She thought Daphne was a very aloof person, disdainful of talking to them.
But now that she suddenly asked, she didn't know how to answer.
Daphne asked, "Is it hard to answer?"
"Not really." Sophia thought of something and decided to muddle through today. "It's just that my relationship with your dad is complicated, not just what you saw back then."
"You mean you and my dad were once lovers?" Daphne didn't beat around the bush.
Sophia was stunned.
She hadn't expected Daphne to know this.
Daphne told her, "I know about it, Dad told me."
"Since you know, you should understand why I'm with your dad." Sophia's heart was no longer calm, but she still finished her sentence.
Daphne glanced at her.
A very light look, but it made Sophia's heart race.
She didn't know why a girl in her twenties had such a strong presence in her eyes.
She just wanted to end the topic quickly and leave. "Do you have anything else to talk about?"
"You and my dad have been separated for over twenty years, and you have children with another person," Daphne expressed skepticism. "Do you expect me to believe that your current relationship with my dad is rooted in past emotions?" "
Sophia asked, "You don't believe it?"
"Mrs. Hayes, I hope you answer seriously." Daphne looked at her.
"Whether you believe it or not, I'm with your dad because I like him." Sophia maintained her expression. "Meeting him again, I realized I never let go of my feelings for him."
Hearing this, Daphne knew Sophia intended to keep up the act. After all, to deceive others, one must first deceive oneself.
Without giving her a chance to explain further, Daphne interjected, "Do you still have genuine feelings for him, or are you drawn to his role as the chairman of Murphy Group? You know the answer better than anyone."
"What do you mean?" Sophia's heart was a bit chaotic, but she maintained a normal expression.
"I understand your motives," Daphne speculated, drawing from her knowledge of Sophia's behavior. "Your aim is to marry my father to integrate into the Murphy family. Following the marriage, Summer would become his stepdaughter and be regarded as a Murphy Group heiress, facilitating her establishment of a favorable marital union within the elite social circle associated with the Murphy family."
After hearing this, Sophia's hands clenched tightly on her lap.
She hadn't expected her well-hidden intentions to be discovered by Daphne, whom she had only met twice.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
