After Wesley's yells, I heard glasses being shattered.

I turned to see him throwing the wine glasses on the floor, while Janine cowered by the side, terrified of his actions.

Joseph lightly held me by the shoulders and said gently, "Don't look back."

I was instantly reminded. Yes. I shouldn't look back anymore. It was time to put an end to the delusion for the past five years.

As I walked out, I took a deep breath. "Thank you," I said to Joseph.

He looked at me with a complex gaze. "I was only doing what I should have done." 

In the car, I looked out at the night view, suddenly saying, "Mr. Grant, you rescued me five years ago, right?"

Joseph gripped the steering wheel a little tighter but didn't reply to me. 

His reaction told me everything I needed to know. "It was you." I continued, "You were the one who rescued me from the sea on that rainy night five years ago."

He was stil

As I walked into the mansion that had witnessed my pathetic, infatuated self for the past five years, everywhere I looked hurt my eyes. 

I headed directly for the bedroom, took out a luggage bag, and started packing. 

Those gifts that Wesley had casually given to me throughout the years, those that I cherished as if they were a treasure, I threw them all into the bin. 

On the dressing desk was the only photo we had ever taken together. I picked it up and tore it in half. 

In my closet, next to my clothes, lay Janine's sleeping gown. 

I snickered and threw it into the bin.

…

Two hours later, I had finished packing. Looking around at this place that I lived for the past five years, I felt nothing for it. "Goodbye, Wesley."

I left without looking back. 

Three days later, Wesley finally sensed that something was off. 

"Has Sophie not contacted you yet?" Janine hugged him and asked 

Wesley seemed provoked by what I said. He reached out and tried to grab me, but Joseph was quicker. He grabbed Wesley by the wrist. 

"Wesley, enough." His voice was icy. "Stop embarrassing the family."

…

The other elders immediately went up to soothe the situation. 

"Wesley, today's your father's birthday. Don't cause a scene," one uncle said.

Another aunt chimed in, "Yes. You can deal with your private affairs after the dinner."

Wesley took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and glared at me. "I'll deal with you later."

…

The dinner continued, but the atmosphere turned awkward. 

Janine was still cosying up to Wesley, occasionally casting me a provocative glance. Then, she suddenly asked, "Ms. Scott, I hear that your father is getting treated in Swisserland?"

I gripped my wine glass tighter, but I said nothing.

She got even bolder, smiling smugly. "I mean, it only makes sense. With such a shameless daughter. I'm sure he's embarrassed to stay in the country."

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress my rage. Not only did Wesley not stop her, but he even smirked while putting some food on Janine's plate.

"I mean, to put it bluntly, could your father have jumped off a building…" Janine continued, "because he was so embarrassed by how he brought up his daughter…"

She trailed off because I was already right in front of her. "Janine, please watch your mouth," I said icily.

She smiled even more arrogantly. "What? Did I say something wrong? Your father—"

"You have no right to talk about my father," I interrupted her, digging my nails into my palm.

Janine stood up and went in closer, saying in a voice only the both of us could hear, "Your father is a failure. He taught you to be a cheap bitch who throws herself at men."

I raised my hand and slapped her right across the face. Janine clutched her face, her eyes widened in disbelief.

The entire place instantly quieted down.

"How dare you hit me!" Janine shrieked with shock and anger.

Wesley stood up and raised his hand, about to take a swing at me. "Sophie, have you gone mad?"

Joseph caught his hand mid-air. 

"Wesley." His tone was as cold as ice. "Did the Grant family bring you up to hit a heavily injured woman?"

Wesley was so furious that he was trembling. "She was the one who hit Janine first!"

"If Ms. Leigh hadn't continuously insulted Ms. Scott's father, would this have happened?" Joseph asked. "Or perhaps, in your eyes, Ms. Leigh could humiliate anyone she liked, but no one could even defend their father?"

Janine was sobbing. "Wesley, I was only showing concern for her father."

"Concern?" I smirked. "Shall I repeat what you said to me? Do I need to tell everyone here how you showed your concern?"

Janine was suddenly at a loss for words. She could only bury herself in Wesley's arms and sob.

Wesley glared at me as if he were about to skin me alive. "Sophie, apologize to Janine at once!"

I looked at him and enunciated, "Are you sure you want me to do that? Even if the price was that you would lose me forever. You don't care about it at all?"

Wesley sniggered, looking at me with condescension. "Sophie, you think too highly of yourself. I have always only cared for Janine."

He hugged Janine tighter, saying icily, "Apologize to her right now."

I nodded and smirked. "Alright, I will apologize."

Under everyone's gaze, I slowly walked over to Janine. She looked at me smugly with a raised chin, eagerly waiting for me to apologize.

"Ms Leigh," I said clearly, "I apologize for my behavior."

Janine flashed a victorious smile when I continued, "I apologize because that slap was way too light on you."

I raised my hand and slapped her even harder this time.

"This slap is for me."

Janine stumbled backward, clutching her face, and looking at me incredulously.

The entire dining hall was in pin-drop silence.

Wesley raged, charging at me, "Sophie!"

I slapped him with all of my might. "This slap is for all the years that I have been blind!"

Wesley's cheek instantly swelled. He looked at me in disbelief as well. "How dare you!"

He raised his hand about to hit me.

Joseph stood in front of me, grabbing his hand, and saying calmly, "Looks like the dinner can't go on like this. Ms. Scott, allow me to take you home."

I nodded without even looking at Wesley. "Thank you, Mr. Grant."

Wesley swept his gaze back and forth between Joseph and me. With an obvious handprint on his cheek, he suddenly snickered, "Good one, Sophie Scott. You have already found your next target. What? You think that just because my Uncle Joseph had just returned to the country, he could give you more?"

Such harsh words, yet I found it pathetic. It had been five years, yet he thought that everyone was just like him, treating feelings as a commodity to trade.

"You can think however you like." I turned to say to Joseph, "Let's go."

Joseph nodded. He threw Wesley's hand aside and escorted me out.

"Sophie!" Wesley bellowed, "If you walk out here with him today, don't you ever come back!"

I didn't stop at all. 

Those words came all too late. From the moment he abandoned me at the parking lot, we could not return to what we were before.

"Sophie, you will surely beg me!"

After Wesley's yells, I heard glasses being shattered.

I turned to see him throwing the wine glasses on the floor, while Janine cowered by the side, terrified of his actions.

Joseph lightly held me by the shoulders and said gently, "Don't look back."

I was instantly reminded. Yes. I shouldn't look back anymore. It was time to put an end to the delusion for the past five years.

As I walked out, I took a deep breath. "Thank you," I said to Joseph.

He looked at me with a complex gaze. "I was only doing what I should have done." 

In the car, I looked out at the night view, suddenly saying, "Mr. Grant, you rescued me five years ago, right?"

Joseph gripped the steering wheel a little tighter but didn't reply to me. 

His reaction told me everything I needed to know. "It was you." I continued, "You were the one who rescued me from the sea on that rainy night five years ago."

He was still silent, but his tightened jaw confirmed my suspicions.

"Why?" My voice was trembling a little. "W

Chapter 7