Chapter 3

Evelyn let out a scoff, her beautiful face full of mockery.

"What's that compared to you? You just barged into someone's room without even knocking."

Ignoring the embarrassed look on Sophia's face, she got up and went to the bathroom.

But when she saw the bright red love bites on her pale neck in the mirror, her fingers couldn't help but gently touch them. The somewhat hazy memories from yesterday became crystal clear again in that moment.

Benjamin loved her. Benjamin's feelings for her were sincere yet restrained.

How blind must she have been in her past life to be completely oblivious to Benjamin's love for her?

In this life, she wouldn't make that mistake again.

After sending a message on her phone, she began washing up and doing her skincare routine. She pinned up her long hair and returned to the bedroom.

"Why are you still here? Do I need to kick you out?"

During Evelyn's absence, Sophia had carefully thought through every detail of their last meeting, but she still couldn't figure out what had gone wrong to cause such a drastic change in Evelyn's attitude toward her.

However, the anger on Sophia's face had disappeared, replaced by concern.

"Did he force you?"

Without waiting for Evelyn's answer, Sophia acted as if she'd discovered the truth: "I knew Benjamin was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He acts all obedient to you on the surface, but it's really just to sleep with you! Now that he's gotten what he wanted, he won't cherish you anymore."

By the end, there was a barely suppressed viciousness in the corner of her eyes.

"With this kind of person, you absolutely can't go easy on him. You must make him leave you, leave Emerald City!"

"Indeed."

The hostility around Evelyn seemed to dissipate somewhat as she went along with her words: "Indeed, I should stay away."

"I'm glad you see it that way."

Joy appeared on Sophia's face, and she immediately stepped forward to take Evelyn's arm.

But Evelyn was faster and walked into the closet first.

Sophia's arm froze in mid-air, looking particularly awkward. The look she gave Evelyn's back was full of resentment.

But her words remained gentle.

"Wear the white dress. Matthew loves seeing you in that..."

The athletic wear Evelyn picked up cut off Sophia's unfinished sentence.

A few seconds later, she finally found her voice again: "Matthew doesn't like you in athletic wear. And after what happened to you... even if it's not your fault, you still need to show some remorse."

"Get out."

"What? What did you say?"

Sophia looked at Evelyn in disbelief.

Evelyn's expression didn't change at all. She picked up her phone and tapped on the screen a few times.

"I sent you something good. Go out and look at it slowly, don't bother me."

Her slightly upturned red lips and calm eyes somehow conveyed a sense of seeing through everything, of being in control, sending chills down one's spine.

Even though Sophia was extremely reluctant, she still backed out.

Evelyn changed her clothes unhurriedly while enjoying Sophia's screams from outside the door.

Couldn't Sophia handle this already?

This was far from enough.

Sophia looked at the screenshots on her phone—her chat records with reporters plotting to frame Evelyn.

Most obvious were her chat records buying date rape drugs, explicit and vicious.

[I want the high and mighty Thomas family's precious daughter to become a slut that everyone despises!]

"It's fake, this is all fake! Evelyn, we have such a good relationship. How could I possibly do something like this? Someone is trying to frame me..."

"Right, someone is trying to harm me."

"It's Benjamin. He knows I've always supported you and Matthew being together, so he wants to drive a wedge between us!"

The bedroom door opened, interrupting Sophia's explanation.

"Evelyn, you have to believe me!"

"Benjamin is trying to harm you!"

Evelyn squinted her eyes, looking at Sophia's panicked and anxious face. She just felt that her past life self had been so stupid and blind to be deceived by Sophia's such poor acting.

"He's the heir of the White family. If he wanted to deal with you, would he need to be so roundabout? With just one look, he could make you disappear from this world forever."

Evelyn's tone was calm, but it sent a chill spreading up Sophia's spine, causing her whole body to tremble involuntarily.

"What are you making a fuss about now?"

Matthew's voice rang out at the door.

His brows were slightly furrowed, his usually refined and elegant face showing faint displeasure.

Especially the look he gave Evelyn carried obvious reproach.

"I had something come up yesterday and couldn't make it, so you're taking it out on Sophia? She's your friend, not your servant! Apologize to her now!"

Following the voice, Evelyn was momentarily dazed.

After Matthew's family had problems, he was adopted by the Thomas family, becoming her brother and the object of her pursuit.

Matthew had indeed appeared by her side as a protector, always putting her first.

When did this relationship start to change?

Sophia... With Sophia's appearance, all of Matthew's favoritism was no longer directed at her.

"Matthew, I'm fine."

Sophia walked to Matthew's side with red eyes, her tears falling in streams, looking wronged and helpless.

"I won't let her bully you." His eyes flashed with obvious heartache and restraint, but he just patted Sophia's head with restraint.

When his gaze turned back to Evelyn, his voice became dissatisfied and cold.

"What are you standing there for? Apologize!"

Evelyn collected herself, curved her lips slightly, but her eyes showed cold indifference.

"Why should I apologize to someone who drugged me and tried to ruin my reputation?"

"Matthew, as an adopted son of the Thomas family, you don't put the Thomas family first, but instead prioritize others in everything. Who taught you these manners?"

Evelyn's voice, tinged with coldness, was like a blade, cutting through the previously calm air and tearing apart Matthew's impatient expression.

He looked at Evelyn, somewhat stunned, clearly not expecting her to speak this way.

"Evelyn, what are you trying to do? It's one thing to throw a tantrum with me, but how can you talk to Matthew like this..."

"No need to persuade her."

Matthew laughed coldly: "Evelyn, you're becoming more and more outrageous. Don't want to apologize? Fine, then give up your position as principal dancer at the White Group dance company to Sophia as compensation."

Then he looked at Sophia with warm and gentle eyes: "Come, I'll take you to pick out dance costumes."

"Evelyn..."

"If she's willing to behave, I'll give her a new dance costume as a gift, too. Otherwise, I won't talk to her anymore."

As he left with Sophia, Sophia turned back and gave Evelyn a provocative smile.

Evelyn raised her hand to rub her face. Didn't she have the presence of someone in power? Then she'd just have to let the facts speak for themselves.

Benjamin looked at the message on his phone with a stern face.

When Evelyn needed evidence, she was quite proactive with him, but normally, she wouldn't even send him a single message on her own.

But... the fact that she asked him for help and not someone else meant he was still special to her, right?

Benjamin's assistant, Chase Ford, saw Benjamin's expression alternating between stormy and relaxed, feeling somewhat horrified, but he had to step forward to report.

"Mr. Thomas brought Ms. Brown here, saying he wants to finalize the principal dancer position with you."