Chapter 6 She Does It on Purpose

The banquet hall erupted into chaos. Evelyn soothed Oliver with an anguished expression, yet every word she spoke carried a pointed undertone, quietly shifting blame onto Sophia. "Ollie, it's all my fault. I failed to protect you." Sophia had no intention of staying another second. She turned to leave, but Ian grabbed her wrist. His grip was rough and unyielding, the calluses on his palm scraping against her skin as veins bulged along the back of his hand. The force was so great it felt as though her bones might crack. He furrowed his brow, irritation creeping into his voice. "Sophia, Evelyn already apologized. What more do you want? Today is Ollie's birthday. Do you really have to ruin it like this? He's just a kid. Apologize to him right now!" There was a hint of displeasure in his voice. In an instant, the hall went dead silent. Every pair of eyes turned toward Sophia, their stares sharp and merciless, as if trying to peel her apart, layer by layer. Under Ian's relentless insistence, Sophia's face drained of color. She forced out a rigid apology, then fled the hall in humiliation. After scrubbing the cake from her clothes and washing her hands in the restroom, she stepped outside, only to run straight into Evelyn. Sophia had no intention of stopping and moved to walk past her. However, Evelyn blocked her path, a twisted smile spreading across her face. "Don't you want to know why the driver who hit you three years ago was never found?" she asked. At her words, Sophia's head snapped up. Her gaze was filled with wariness as she stared at the smug woman before her. That was a painful memory that she'd kept buried in her heart, one she never dared to recall. How could Evelyn possibly know? Evelyn leaned closer, her lips brushing near Sophia's ear, her voice dripping with mockery. "The truth is, I arranged it. I was jealous. I didn't want you to give birth to his child. Also, he knew about it, and he let it happen." Sophia looked up. It felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head. Her entire body began to shake, and in that instant, her world collapsed. Three years ago, she'd been on her way to deliver documents to Ian when the accident happened. She survived, but their baby didn't, and the driver was never found. Back then, Ian had held her tightly, vowing over and over again, "Sophia, I'll avenge you. I swear I'll make the person responsible pay the highest price." Those vows had come to nothing, as it turned out that he'd known the truth all along, and he'd chosen to protect the real culprit. Just then, a loud boom echoed outside as fireworks burst into the sky. Evelyn sounded even more triumphant. "Aren't they beautiful? Take a good look at them. Ian had your parents' ashes dug up and turned into fireworks just to make me happy." The words detonated inside Sophia's mind. Rage tore through her chest, violent and uncontrollable. Her eyes burned red, fury spilling out without restraint. Her last thread of reason snapped. Pain swallowed her whole, flooding her senses until she could barely breathe. She lunged forward and wrapped both hands around Evelyn's neck. The clarity in her eyes vanished completely, replaced by the feral madness of a wounded animal that had lost all control. Evelyn's face flushed red, then quickly turned purple. Even then, the corners of her mouth curved upward in a triumphant smile. She suddenly threw herself backward, dragging Sophia with her. The two of them tumbled down the staircase together. The impact was brutal. Sophia's head slammed hard into the wall. Warm liquid streamed down her face, and her vision blurred. The commotion drew immediate attention. Ian rushed over, running straight past Sophia and to Evelyn's side. In the chaos, he even stepped on Sophia's hand. The sharp crack of breaking fingers sent searing pain racing through her entire body. "What are you waiting for? Call an ambulance, now!" Ian ordered, his voice filled with fear and concern.