Chapter 7

After a moment of silence, Sophia spoke. "I can do what you're asking, but you have to agree to one condition."

Bianca nodded dismissively. "No need to say it. I know what you want. We'll throw you a big birthday party this year, just like Margaret's previous ones. Happy now?"

Sophia was two years younger than Margaret, but their birthdays were only a week apart. Her entire life, she'd celebrated on Margaret's birthday, wearing Margaret's hand-me-down dresses, serving as a backdrop on what should have been her most important day of the year. She'd protested to her parents many times over the years, wanting a birthday of her own. They'd promised every time, but by the next year, nothing ever changed.

Bianca probably assumed Sophia's obsession was still about this. But she shook her head without hesitation. "That's not the condition I'm asking for."

Bianca's brow furrowed. She'd never had patience with Sophia and snapped irritably, "Then just say what you want! Who has time to keep playing guessing games with you?"

Sophia lowered her eyes. "I'll tell you at the party."

Bianca couldn't tolerate this kind of uncertainty and was about to explode on the spot. Vincent appeared just in time, stepping between them. He looked at Sophia kindly, smiling. "I trust Sophia is a sensible child who would never make any request that would put the family in a difficult position. Right, Sophia?"

This was the third time Vincent had used the word 'sensible' to describe Sophia since walking through the door. But rather than praise, it felt more like emotional blackmail.

Sophia smiled bitterly. "Yes, I won't make things difficult for you. My condition will absolutely be great news for you both."

Bianca still seemed uncertain, but Vincent smiled sincerely. "That's good then. Your mother and I will head back now. Get some rest."

As they were leaving, Bianca's purse accidentally knocked a document off the cabinet by the door. It was the pregnancy test report Sophia had picked up on her way home from work. But Bianca didn't even notice and left directly.

The room fell silent again. Sophia stood there quietly for a moment, then bent down to pick up the report. The results had actually been ready for a while—she just hadn't gone to get them. No time, and part of her was afraid to face the truth.

But avoiding it wasn't going to solve anything. Sophia sighed and opened the report.

'Five weeks pregnant.'

Seeing those words, Sophia lost all hope of it being otherwise. Her legs went weak and she sank to the floor. She really was pregnant. With Robert's child.

What now? Terminate it, or keep it?

Logic told Sophia that getting rid of it before anyone noticed was the best choice. After all, Robert's attitude toward her was crystal clear. He didn't love her, so naturally he wouldn't want her baby either.

But Sophia slowly placed her hand on her flat stomach. She had a father, a mother, a sister, yet she still lived a lonely, miserable life. This little life inside her—it was her family too.

Sophia gently closed her eyes. No matter what, she couldn't bring herself to make a decision.

That night, she tossed and turned sleeplessly, resulting in such a haggard appearance the next day at work that it startled the HR manager who came looking for her.

"You look like a panda. Anyway, about your resignation request—it wasn't approved. Go ask Mr. Howard what's up with that."

After delivering this news, the HR manager hurried away. Sophia stood there dazed for a moment, then headed to Robert's office.

"Come in." Robert's voice was stern.

Seeing it was her, his expression turned even colder. "If you're here about the resignation, you can leave right now." His stance was clear—he wouldn't let Sophia go.

Sophia didn't move. She thought for a moment, then said calmly, "The resignation procedures and work handover will take half a month anyway. Approving it won't delay anything, Mr. Howard."

After all, the party to announce Margaret's identity was being held next Saturday. By then, Robert would have no reason to keep holding onto her.

The moment she finished speaking, a teacup flew past her forehead, nearly making her collapse to the ground in fright. Since Margaret's incident, Robert had become volatile and unpredictable.

He strode over and grabbed her chin viciously, forcing her to look up at him. "I told you, I'll never let you go in this lifetime. Stop dreaming!" As he spoke, Robert's gaze grew more scrutinizing. "What makes you think you can leave me now and escape my punishment? Don't tell me..."

Sophia's heart jumped into her throat.

After Margaret faked her death, she'd gone abroad for three years and only recently returned. Since coming back, she hadn't kept a low profile either—her presence was everywhere: bars, clubs, shopping centers. Had Robert noticed something?

But the next moment, Robert used the back of his hand to pat her cheek lightly—it didn't hurt, but the humiliation was off the charts. "You don't actually think that just because Victoria and I are engaged, you've got leverage over me, do you?"

This was an angle Sophia had never even considered. She couldn't avoid him and Victoria fast enough—how could she possibly think to use them as leverage?

She'd barely started to explain when Robert cut her off mercilessly. "Sophia, you're just a criminal who killed Margaret. Other than atoning for your sins, you have no right to do anything!"

Criminal. Atonement. She'd heard these words for three years. Endured them for three years. But now, she couldn't take it anymore.

"What if I told you Margaret isn't dead?" Her voice wasn't loud, but her words were crystal clear. Robert heard them perfectly.

His pupils contracted, then he broke into a contemptuous smile. "Sophia, what kind of delusional fantasy are you having now?"

In this world, the dead didn't come back to life. Robert took Sophia's words as nothing but nonsense, his tone turning sarcastic. "Fine. If you can bring Margaret back to life, I'll let you resign from the Howard Group!"

It was an impossibility. He said it with complete confidence.

Sophia slowly straightened her back, her pale lips curving into a satisfied smile. "Alright. Please remember what you said today, Mr. Howard. I'll be going now."

Watching Sophia's retreating figure, Robert suddenly felt uncomfortable, like he was about to lose something important. Only then did he notice that Sophia seemed to have lost a lot of weight.

Just as a thread of sympathy was about to emerge from his heart, Margaret's radiant face floated into Robert's mind, ruthlessly extinguishing that thought. Sophia had always been scheming, constantly getting into conflicts with Margaret, then deliberately not answering Margaret's calls, which led to her death.

A woman like that didn't deserve sympathy.

Robert reopened his computer and threw himself back into work with an expressionless face.