Chapter 12

Upon hearing this, Hugo shouted, "What kind of joke is this? Dead? Are you conspiring with Sophia to deceive me? Remember, I'm your shareholder!" He angrily hung up.

Seeing this, Bella softly said, "Why don't I go to the hospital to check? That would put your mind at ease."

Watching them perform their duet, my stomach churned. I struggled to stand, attempting to leave. If I stayed, I might vomit. But as I leaned against the cabinet to turn, Hugo coldly said, "Wait! Until this matter is cleared up, I forbid you to leave!"

"I promised to help you fulfill your father's dying wish, and things aren't over yet. You can't leave."

"Besides, I won't allow things between us to end so unclearly. I can't tolerate any uncertainty."

His self-righteous words filled me with mockery. I raised a finger, wiping blood from my mouth, and held it before his eyes.

"Can't tolerate uncertainty? Isn't Bella the biggest uncertainty between us? I see your tolerance is quite good."

Hugo erupted. "You never stop, do you? Just because I didn't complete what you asked this time? We don't even know if your father was really sick—how could he suddenly die? Can't I make it up to you later?"

I laughed at his shamelessness. "Who do you think you are? Does my father's death need your approval?"

My sarcasm wounded his pride. The next second, he slapped me again, this time on the less swollen side of my face. A sharp sound exploded in the living room. Only after striking me did his eyes show belated panic.

"Sophia, calm down. Our matters… we can talk after you've calmed down."

"You can stay in this house for now. I'll go back to the old mansion for a few days."

I ignored him and turned to leave. Unexpectedly, Bella rushed to my side and gently took my arm.

"Sister Sophia, please listen to Mr. Roberts. He's only anxious because he cares about you."

Her affected words earned her no glance. I pushed her away; she fell heavily to the ground, immediately bursting into tears. She looked at me with tear-filled eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sister Sophia. I just don't want you to have misunderstandings. I know all about Mr. Roberts' work. He's already been working so hard, and he had to cancel several meetings just to attend this wedding." Her voice was full of undisguised concern.

I smiled coldly, my gaze falling on her delicate face. "Congratulations, now you can openly worry about him."

She thought defeating me would make her Mrs. Roberts. But she didn't understand that I was never her real opponent. Let's see if she can even enter the Roberts family's door first.

Hugo, seeing her fall, was heartbroken. He picked Bella up and placed her in his convertible. Looking at that familiar convertible, my cold expression froze. For five years, I had never received his permission to sit in that car. He was afraid—afraid of others knowing he was with someone so ordinary. I suppressed my emotions. When I looked up again, my face was completely indifferent.

After successfully renting an apartment, I dragged my luggage away. Just after settling in, I opened my phone and saw headline news: reporters had secretly photographed Hugo carrying Bella into the old mansion. I zoomed in on the picture, confirming that it was the Roberts family home I hadn't been qualified to enter for five years. My dead feelings seemed to disappear even more thoroughly. What I had begged for but couldn't get, Bella easily obtained. I had heard Hugo mention the Roberts family's security—not even a fly could get in, let alone reporters. Without thinking, I knew this was deliberately arranged by Bella. I didn't even close the page, just locked my phone screen. Out of sight, out of mind.