Chapter 89 Let’s Pick a Day to Go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and Get a Divorce

Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Let’s Pick a Day to Go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and Get a Divorce

Sophie Winslow’s ears rang for a fleeting moment. She almost thought she had misheard.

"What did you say you were giving her as a dowry?" she asked, enunciating every word. Her voice dripped with ice.

Isaiah Sutton saw the brewing anger in Sophie’s eyes. He furrowed his brows and reprimanded her. "What kind of reaction is this? It’s just a shop. You and Stella are sisters. How can you be so petty?"

Sophie’s lips pressed into a tight, pale line. "Sisters? Just because you’re perfectly happy playing the cuckold and playing daddy to someone else’s spawn doesn’t mean you can force me to claim every girl off the street as my sister."

She didn’t even care whether Stella Sutton was actually marrying Julian Sterling. All she cared about was that the Winslow family’s antique shop was being coveted to elevate Stella’s status—to be used as a stepping stone and leverage for her marriage!

Isaiah hadn’t expected Sophie to be so unreasonable. His expression darkened, his face full of disappointment. "Sophie, how did you become so bitter and mean? Do you really have to take after that comatose mother of yours? Isn’t family harmony more important than anything else? It’s not like I’m asking for the moon and the stars."

Ignoring Sophie’s reaction, he waved his hand.

Maeve Walsh immediately stepped out of the hospital room, an irrepressible smile on her face as she handed Isaiah a contract.

Isaiah then passed it to Sophie. "This is a transfer agreement. Back then, your mother put half the shares of the antique shop in your name. Since you were a minor, I managed it on your behalf. I’ve taken care of it for all these years, and you’ve never been involved anyway. Just sign it and relieve yourself of the burden."

If it weren’t for Sophie owning half of it, he wouldn’t have been blocked from transferring the shop entirely to Stella. Sophie’s mother had been far too calculating, planning for her daughter’s future so early on.

Sophie listened to his flowery excuses and looked at his hypocritical, self-righteous face. It was utterly laughable!

Her eyes were filled with mockery, and the hands hanging by her sides trembled. "Using the Winslow family’s property to pave the way for Stella? Don’t even dream about it!"

The antique shop had been snatched from her mother’s hands by Isaiah through illegal procedures to begin with. Did he really think he was the rightful owner of stolen goods? The shop had been run by the Winslow family for generations. It was her mother’s life’s work. For Isaiah to use it to please his mistress and her daughter—was this not the ultimate humiliation? Was this not trampling all over the Winslow family?

"Do you not know what’s good for you? You intentionally hurt Stella, yet we’re willing to let it slide. All you need to do is sign this to buy your peace. Take the out we’re giving you." Maeve’s face twisted with displeasure.

Most of the items in the antique shop had clear ownership rights attached to them. If it weren’t for the shares under Sophie’s name, why would they be standing here merely looking at it?

Isaiah shot a glance at Maeve, then stepped in to play the good cop. "Sophie, your grandfather is getting old and doesn’t have many days left. I am your true family and your only support now. It won’t hurt you for your maiden family to prosper. If you support your sister, won’t you reap the benefits too? Be a good girl."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Utterly nauseated by his hypocrisy, Sophie looked at him with icy sarcasm. "Did I ever say I claimed you as my father?"

Isaiah’s face changed drastically at the sharp rebuke. "Are you really going to be such an unfilial daughter?!"

"If it’s your funeral, I’d be more than happy to chip in and shovel some dirt on your grave. Does that satisfy you?"

Isaiah’s chest heaved heavily with rage. He had never expected Sophie to speak with such rebellious and venomous disrespect.

"Sophie Winslow! Aren’t you afraid of karma? He is your father!" Maeve scolded angrily.

Sophie coldly snatched the contract from Isaiah’s hands. "If you aren’t afraid of being struck by lightning for being a homewrecking mistress, what do I have to fear?"

Maeve’s face turned blue and white from the retort.

Before she could lecture her further, Sophie violently tore the contract in half. She smacked the ripped papers hard against Isaiah’s chest. "Don’t come begging in front of me like a stray dog."

Sophie turned and walked away.

It was impossible to stay completely calm. Isaiah was her father, after all. But this so-called father had done everything in his power to hurt her. He had been heartless to her mother, cruel to her, and now he was letting his mistress’s daughter step all over his own flesh and blood to show off.

A dowry? Absolutely impossible!

She walked at a brisk, hurried pace, as if the speed could dissipate the sorrow and fury swirling in her heart. Making her way to the rooftop, Sophie leaned against the railing and let the cold wind blow over her for a long time to calm down.

She couldn’t let herself be dragged down for too long by a bunch of monsters. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself. She still had to go back to work.

Her head was dizzy and heavy. Her throat had already begun to ache with a raspy rawness. She had caught a cold. She didn’t know if it was from sheer anger or if she had simply caught a chill.

Skipping lunch entirely, Sophie’s fever spiked. Barely able to keep her eyes open, she had no choice but to rest in the public lounge for a while.

There were six people from Helios and six from Kingsford University participating in the clinical trials. At this hour, everyone had ordered takeout and was eating in the break area.

Sophie curled up in a single sofa, drifting into a light doze. Renee Coleman had brought her medicine and lunch, but Sophie had no appetite. Shivering from the chills, she thanked Renee and closed her eyes again.

Not far away, the group gathered around, chatting as they ate.

"Miss Winslow, are you sure you don’t want to take the day off?" someone from Kingsford University asked.

Sophie opened her eyes. Fighting through a splitting headache, she shook her head. "I’m fine."

"You really work yourself to the bone. But then again, people are just different. Not everyone can be as lucky as Miss Sutton."

The moment that person started, the others immediately piped up with interest.

"That’s true! During the days Stella didn’t come to the lab, I saw her post on Moments every single day. She’d always take a picture of Mr. Sterling’s hand. He kept her company at the hospital every day, waiting on her hand and foot for her entire stay. I was genuinely shocked!

"Tell me about it! With Mr. Sterling’s status, it’s no exaggeration to say he manages a million things a day. Yet he pushed back his work just for her. How many men could actually do that?"

The girls sighed longingly. "Which deity do I have to pray to in order to get a husband like that?"

Sophie didn’t open her eyes. Her body alternated between hot and cold flashes, making her feel utterly miserable. She silently pulled her collar tighter around herself, but every single word fell into her ears.

She wasn’t Stella Sutton. Through every storm, she had always had to carry the burden alone. She simply couldn’t rely on anyone else.

"Miss Winslow, you’re so sick, how could your husband just let you stay at work like this? Why hasn’t he come to check on you?"

Somehow, the topic looped back to her. A number of gazes uniformly landed on Sophie’s pale face. Some were genuinely curious; others were just looking for a good joke. Last time, they had all personally heard the man’s voice on Sophie’s phone, calling her "baby" over and over, making it seem like they were deeply in love. Yet, wasn’t he nowhere to be found now?

Renee couldn’t listen to it anymore. "Alright, that’s enough. This is Sophie’s private business."

Cut off by Renee, the speaker looked disgruntled. "It’s the truth, isn’t it? Look at Stella—she’s so happy. It’s precisely because of the comparison that I feel bad for Miss Winslow."

The words were painfully humiliating. Everywhere she went, she was compared to Stella. Stella was so blissfully happy, while she was so utterly pathetic.

Sophie didn’t want to hear anymore. She wanted to step out and get some fresh air.

The moment she walked out the door, she ran straight into Stella. Sophie hadn’t wanted to pay her any attention, but Stella suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Curving her lips into a smirk, she looked at Sophie. "I heard you refused to transfer the antique shop to me?"

Because of her illness, Sophie was already drained of energy. Hearing this, she turned her head. "If you want it that badly, get down on your knees and beg me right now. I might consider it."

Stella frowned. She had always found Sophie to be vulgar, someone who just couldn’t learn how to speak properly. Sure enough, this was what happened when you grew up in the backwoods. No wonder Julian Sterling had looked down on her for so many years.

"I have no interest in arguing with you. To be honest, the antique shop is in Dad’s hands right now. If you won’t give it to me, Dad plans to go talk to your grandfather. Your grandfather is getting senile anyway; his signature is just as valid."

Sophie’s temples throbbed with a buzzing pain, and her breath hitched for a second.

"Are you trying to anger my grandfather to death?!" Her jaw trembled. She was so steeped in disbelief that her voice went hoarse.

She never imagined they could sink to this level of shamelessness. They knew perfectly well that her grandfather was ninety years old and couldn’t handle the shock! Yet they were still going to hunt him down at his own doorstep?

Stella shrugged, evidently in a good mood. "Since you refuse to see reason, we’ll just go talk to someone who can. Is there a problem with that?"

"Does Julian Sterling know?" Sophie squeezed the icy words through her gritted teeth.

"It’s my dowry, what do you think?" Stella smiled, her expression gentle, yet unable to conceal her arrogant complacency.

Sophie’s breathing turned ragged. Julian knew... So... He was silently permitting the Sutton father and daughter’s actions... Allowing them to humiliate the Winslow family?

The thought made Sophie’s head feel like it was splitting open. Her body, weakened by the fever, couldn’t withstand the suffocating rage churning inside her, causing her vision to go nearly black. Especially that self-righteous look on Stella’s face, as if she had already won the whole world. While Sophie... Sophie had no one to back her up but herself.

Sophie’s fingertips were freezing as she grabbed Stella by the arm. "Since you’re so eager to prepare your dowry, so desperate to worm your way into his home, let me help you. I’ll use my identity as Mrs. Sterling to properly introduce everyone to how exactly my dear younger sister managed to climb into his bed."

Stella understood Sophie’s intention almost instantly. She wanted to expose their love triangle in public! She wanted to publicly announce that Stella was the homewrecker.

Sophie was insane!

No matter how calm Stella usually was, a flash of panic crossed her eyes at that moment. She hadn’t expected Sophie to go this crazy. All she did was ask for an antique shop, and Sophie was actually trying to ruin her in public! Especially since the break room for Helios and Kingsford University was right next door, with over a dozen people inside!

Stella tried to break free from Sophie’s grip, but Sophie’s strength was surprisingly formidable. Her beautiful, oval face was completely devoid of expression and as pale as a sheet as she dragged Stella straight toward the break room.

But just as they reached the door, a hand clamped down on Sophie’s wrist, tightening inch by inch. She turned her head with a frigid glare.

Julian Sterling lowered his gaze at her, his profound eyes devoid of a single trace of light.

Refusing to release Stella, Sophie stared at him with even greater apathy. "What is it? Does Mr. Sterling have some guidance to offer?"

She was very curious to see how Julian planned to persuade her not to expose Stella.

Julian’s gaze barely shifted. He stared at her for a few seconds before speaking, his voice uncharacteristically calm. "Sophie, let’s pick a date and get a divorce."