Chapter 247: Learning to Be a Dad

Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Learning to Be a Dad

The whole ordeal happened so fast, catching everyone off guard. Stella Sutton had been purely focused on snatching the seat, even bumping hard into Sophie Winslow as she pushed past. Adrian Hawthorne, holding Lydia, reached out and lightly supported Sophie’s waist before sweeping a cold glare toward the retreating vehicle. Sophie stared after the departing car, her mind filled with Julian Sterling’s figure walking away without looking back. Her eyes reddened with agitation, and her breathing grew erratic.

Even if Julian had unknowingly chosen to give the spot to the sturdy-as-an-ox Seth Sutton, Sophie couldn’t suppress the blood-boiling anger inside her. Despite trembling with rage, she refused to show it in front of Lydia. She had wanted to get on the school’s arranged vehicle because it had medical equipment and emergency medicine, and a young child’s condition simply could not be delayed.

"I’ll drive. It’s okay, Sophie," Adrian reacted quickly, carrying Lydia toward his car. Sophie couldn’t bother being angry anymore. Lydia had been hospitalized so frequently when she was younger that Sophie had almost developed a trauma response to it. After getting in the car, Adrian backed up smoothly and headed straight for the hospital.

In the backseat, Sophie cradled Lydia, whose entire body was burning up. Lydia wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Seeing Sophie’s pale face, she reached out, hugged her neck, and gently patted her back with a small hand. "Don’t be scared, Mommy. I just feel a little bit uncomfortable, but it’s okay." Even though the little one was clearly running a fever, she was incredibly mature and sensible for her age. Sophie’s heart felt as if it had been seared by a branding iron.

Lydia touched Sophie’s face and continued, "It’s fine. All the kids are feeling sick. It’s normal for Seth’s sister and brother-in-law to worry about him, just like you worry about me." This thoughtfulness made Sophie feel even worse. It wasn’t the same, actually. That wasn’t just someone’s brother-in-law; it was Lydia’s father. But this truth could only remain a secret. It would be a source of hurt for the child. Lydia would be heartbroken if she knew.

Sophie said nothing; she simply held Lydia and kissed her forehead. "Okay." Adrian glanced over through the rearview mirror. His tone softened. "Lydia, you are so brave, but you always have to put yourself first, okay?" Lydia giggled. Her flushed cheeks were a pitiful sight, but she nodded. "Okay."

After they rushed to the hospital, they found out Lydia’s condition was indeed somewhat serious. Her fever reached 39.2 degrees, and she vomited a few times. The school investigated and discovered that one of the kids had shared snacks that had gone bad. Coupled with another child in the class having the flu, the combination of factors had worsened the situation for everyone.

When Sophie came out of the ward, she bumped into Julian and Stella, who were also at the same hospital. But she didn’t give them a second glance, turning around to go pay the bills. Stella stared at Sophie’s retreating back. For some reason, she thought of what Julian had said in the classroom earlier. She turned and asked, "Julian, what did you mean earlier when you said Sophie was experienced?"

Julian lowered his eyes to his phone, his demeanor indifferent. "Nothing." Seeing this, Stella didn’t feel it was appropriate to pry further.

Lydia needed to be hospitalized for two days. During this time, Adrian had to go handle company affairs. Sophie stayed at the hospital for those two days without going home. By tacit agreement, she and Adrian kept Lydia’s illness a secret from Hector Caldwell and his wife. The elderly couple doted on Lydia like she was the apple of their eyes; they wouldn’t be able to handle knowing the child was sick. They simply told the old couple they were taking Lydia out to play for a couple of days. As for Seth, it went exactly as expected. He was discharged the very same day, alive and kicking. His chubby, sturdy physique meant it was barely a problem for him at all. Sophie didn’t run into Julian and his group again either, and she thought this was for the best. It was peaceful.

That evening, Sophie went downstairs to buy dinner. Just as she stepped out of the inpatient department, her path was blocked before she could take more than a few steps. Sophie looked up and saw Charles Sterling, whom she hadn’t seen since that day at the school. Charles looked her up and down mockingly. "Are you sick? Does my oldest brother not even care if you live or die?" Seeing her at the hospital, he naturally had to ask.

Sophie didn’t answer and tried to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm. "Why are you hiding? Did I hit the nail on the head? Are you unwell?" Sophie glared coldly at his hand and violently shook it off. "Do you have too much free time on your hands?"

Charles sneered, pulling out his phone and unlocking it. "You really are much more useless than I imagined. Aren’t you curious about where my oldest brother went these past two days?" He shoved the screen in front of Sophie. "He went on a vacation with that bitch Stella Sutton and her brother!" Sophie looked at the Moments post Stella had made on his screen. It was a full grid of nine photos. It was unclear whether they were domestic or abroad, but the picture right in the center showed Stella’s hand wearing a diamond ring. In the adjacent photo, there was a view from behind of Julian holding Seth’s hand. The caption read: "The ring is beautiful, and I’m so happy. We both have to learn how to be a mom and a dad."

Sophie’s eyes showed no emotion. She was as calm as if she were looking at strangers showing off their affection. No wonder Seth had recovered so quickly. It turned out they had agreed to go on vacation together. Julian indeed had a way with coaxing kids and the woman he loved; no matter how busy he was, he would make time for them. Charles, however, gritted his teeth. "This bitch is so flashy. If I hadn’t used an alt account she doesn’t know about, I probably wouldn’t have even seen this Moments post." When he first saw it, he was naturally furious. Especially that ring. Did he even need to guess what it implied?

Sophie didn’t chime in. She wondered if what she had overheard on the phone last time—about Julian going to marry Stella—was actually true. They even had the ring. She even wondered if Julian’s choice to agree to marry Stella now was influenced by her own "betrayal of having a child." Sophie turned around, ready to leave, but Charles blocked her path again impatiently. "Since we bumped into each other, let’s talk."

"What is there for us to talk about?" Sophie asked.

Charles chuckled coldly. "I bet you’re not resigned to having your marriage intruded upon, either. To put it bluntly, the two of us are both victims. As long as we cooperate, ruining her plans will be relatively easy. It’s a win-win." Sophie’s expression remained unfazed. Charles probably still didn’t know that she had already divorced Julian a long time ago. Within the Sterling family, only the old Madam and Carter Sterling likely knew about their divorce right now. Unmoved, she replied, "I refuse."

Charles’s expression shifted. "Why are you pretending to be so noble and magnanimous now? I don’t believe you don’t hate Stella Sutton." Sophie did hate her, but not because of Julian. She wouldn’t let her personal grudges drag her into the mud. Not wanting to say another word to Charles, she turned and walked briskly away.

Charles’s expression instantly turned vicious. He quickly chased after her, grabbing her shoulder tightly and looking her up and down with naked intent. "My woman was slept with by Julian, so if I sleep with you, that makes it fair. Besides, my oldest brother wouldn’t care anyway." It also wouldn’t disrupt the peace of the Sterling family. A wave of nausea surged up in Sophie. Furious, she tried to shove Charles away, but he was too strong. Right in the midst of their struggle, a dark figure dashed over, violently shoving Charles away and shielding Sophie behind him. "Don’t touch her!"