Chapter 600

No one knew the circumstances that had prompted Richard to insist on marrying Sofia. He had only told Sebastian and Lottie, keeping Sofia in the dark. She was angry about this.

Sofia cleared her throat awkwardly. “You—”

“Listen up, Sofia,” Richard exploded over the phone. “This marriage is happening whether you like it or not!”

He was furious. Sebastian had won Stephanie’s heart, but now he was in trouble and needed a wife. He’d asked Sofia for a little help, but Dan had attacked him. Richard swore he would make Dan pay dearly.

Sofia said, “Hey, mind your language.” She was confused by his attitude.

Richard asked, “Come on, let’s get married. Let’s see if Dan will remarry you. I’ll be happy to see his sad face!”

Sofia wondered, ‘Did he get hit and just can’t let go of the grudge? What is he talking about? He’s completely out of his mind.’

Sofia was already upset with Dan, and now she tried to comfort Richard. “Well, don’t be like this. You hit him already, didn’t you?”

‘Come on, see Dan’s sad face? What about me? This is my marriage. Well, I’m also using this to get back at Richard anyway. So he’s kind of right. What a mess,’ she mused.

Then she asked, “Do you actually need this marriage, or are you using me to get back at Dan?”

Richard simply replied, “Let’s get married first. I’ll come to pick you up right away.” Then he hung up.

Immediately, Sofia was speechless and turned to look at Sebastian in the back seat.

Sebastian asked, “Was that Richard’s call?”

“Didn’t you hear it?” The speakerphone had been so loud; Sofia knew he or Stephanie might have missed it. Without waiting for Sebastian’s reply, she continued, “Did you hear what he said? ‘This marriage is happening.’ What’s wrong with him?”

Sebastian and Stephanie were both speechless. They had both heard the call. As Sofia mentioned, Richard’s tone had been anything but calm.

Sofia’s mind went blank. Stephanie felt equally overwhelmed, sensing the situation was spiraling out of control.

Sofia said, “Oh my gosh, is that how he plans to get married? It seems more like he’s just itching to fight me.” Indeed, with the attitude Richard displayed earlier, he seemed more ready for a fight than a marriage. It was terrifying.

Back at the Giovanni residence, Richard was already there. His eyes blazed with fierce hostility as he glared at Sofia. The air felt heavy and tense.

Stephanie instinctively moved closer to Sebastian, tugging on Sofia’s sleeve. She seemed to be seeking comfort, but also ensuring Sofia was within reach, as if they were a team facing this tension.

Richard’s glare intensified, and Sofia felt a shiver run down her spine. She rubbed her hands together nervously. “Look at me like that. It’s creepy.”

Sofia had never realized just how intimidating Richard could be when angry. A wave of unease washed over her. She didn’t think she could marry him. Even if he was fixated on Stephanie, there had to be a better way to deal with him than tying the knot.

The way he looked now, with that cold, aggressive expression—she couldn’t shake the feeling that he had a violent streak. It was written all over his face.

Seeing her momentary hesitation, Richard’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “You actually get scared? I thought you were fearless.”

Since his return to Fiorenza, Sofia had been nothing but trouble for him. She’d even gone after Dan. Richard had genuinely thought she was fearless, but now he saw a crack in her armor.

The word “scared” hung in the air, and Sofia’s irritation flared. She stepped out from behind Stephanie, her eyes flashing. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not scared of you.”

“If you’re not scared, then let’s go get married,” Richard pressed, his tone challenging.

“Who said I want to marry you? Don’t even think about it,” Sofia retorted sharply. After everything that had happened, the idea of marrying Richard was the last thing on her mind.

Richard’s face darkened. “Not marrying me? What? You wanna marry Dan? Let me tell you something, Sofia. You better not even think about it. Dan dared to cross me in Fiorenza? He’s going to spend his life missing you, a girl he can never have.”