After Alexa took a shower and changed into her new clothes, Sophia and Karina took her to the salon.
Alexa had kept her hair short in prison. Over the five years, it had grown out peppered with gray.
Sophia asked the stylist to dye it black and give her a light trim.
When they walked out of the salon, Alexa looked like a new woman.
Sophia had booked a private dining room, and just before noon, the three of them arrived at the Imperial Crown Hotel.
The private room was on the third floor. A server led the way.
Suddenly, a group of people approached from the opposite direction.
At the front was a distinguished elderly woman, exuding an air of wealth and authority.
Beside her was a younger man whose features bore a striking resemblance to Sophia’s.
Sophia frowned instinctively.
Of all people, she hadn’t expected to run into them here.
Alexa turned pale the moment she saw them, freezing in place.
Karina was just as shocked–was the world really this small?
Alexa’s first day out of prison, and she runs into them?
“Talk about bad luck,” Karina muttered under her breath. “Auntie, we’re going to have to jump over that fire again when we get home.”
Alexa kept her lips pressed tightly together, but her tense posture gave away her anxiety.
Sophia wanted to lead her mother away, to avoid a confrontation.
But the Brown family had already noticed them.
The old Madam Brown slammed her cane on the marble floor.
“Haelor, isn’t that the wretched woman who killed your father?!”
Haelor Brown stared at Alexa with a venomous gaze. “Yes, Grandma. It’s her.”
“Well, well!” the old woman sneered. “I can’t even celebrate my birthday in peace! That whore actually got out of prison!”
Several members of the Brown family behind them chimed in angrily.
“My older brother died so unjustly, and look at her! Eight years in jail and now she’s eating and drinking in fancy hotels like nothing ever happened!”
“She should’ve been executed! And it’s all because Sophia shielded her that she got away with it!”
Madam Brown clenched her teeth. “That woman took my son from me. Don’t think eight years behind bars makes us even!”
“Don’t worry, Grandma,” Haelor said, his voice cold. “I’ll make sure my father gets the justice he deserves.”
With that, he strode toward Sophia and Alexa.
Sophia’s body tensed as she stepped in front of her mother, shielding her.
“Haelor, look closely–this is your own mother,” she said, locking eyes with him —
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Chapter 26
everything I’ve got.”
Haelor snorted. “You’ll soon learn, Sophia–prison was the safest place she could be.”
Sophia’s chest tightened.
Behind her. Alexa trembled violently.
Haelor looked exactly like his late father, especially now, with that same cruel, threatening expression.
The memories of beatings, of fists and blood, flickered through Alexa’s mind like flashing lightning.
She clutched Sophia’s hand tightly.
Sophia felt her mother’s fear and whispered gently, “It’s okay, Mom. I’m here.”
Just then, a server pushed a food cart past them.
Haelor’s gaze landed on a bowl of steaming soup atop the cart.
He let out a cruel chuckle. “Let’s see how you protect her now.”
Before anyone could react, he picked up the bowl and hurled it toward Alexa-
“Mom! Watch out-
“Sophia!”
In that instant, Sophia shoved Alexa aside.
The soup splattered against the wall, but some of it had scalded Sophia’s hand–her arm hadn’t been fast enough to pull away.
A burning pain seared across her skin. Her face went deathly pale.
“Sophia!”
Alexa burst into tears, overwhelmed with guilt. “It’s all my fault. I’m so useless…”
Sophia clenched her teeth against the pain, trying to comfort her. “It’s nothing. I just need some ointment.”
Karina was absolutely livid.
She stormed up to Haelor, pointing furiously.
“You’re not even human! She’s your mother! She’s your sister! How could you do this?!”
Haelor’s face darkened. He shoved Karina hard.
“Who the hell do you think you are, barking at me?!”
Karina stumbled backward, about to fall-
A man behind her caught her just in time.
She turned to thank him, only to freeze in shock.
“Dr. Arthur?!”
Arthur gave a gentlemanly smile. “Dr. Qiao–what a coincidence. Are you alright?”
His warm, peach blossom eyes swept across the group, briefly pausing on Haelor, then landing on Sophia’s scalded hand.
m
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Chapter 26
His brows furrowed deeply at the sight of the angry red burn.
“What happened here?” he asked, voice low and calm.
Karina opened her mouth to explain, but just then, the door to a private room nearby swung open-
Vincent’s tall figure stepped out.
♡w
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