Chapter 147

"What's it to you?" Sophia scoffed at Ethan, her voice dripping with defiance. "Even if I'm carrying Vincent Holloway's child, it happened before I married you. Even if there was something between us, what does it matter now? We're already divorced!"

Her eyes burned with unshed tears. "My business with the Holloways has nothing to do with you!"

"Then get out," Ethan snapped, his jaw tight with barely restrained fury.

"You're the one who stopped me!" Sophia shot back, her voice breaking. "Mr. Blackwood, let's never see each other again!"

With that, she turned on her heel and stormed away.

There was one last question she had meant to ask—Will I still be allowed to visit Aunt Eleanor's grave?—but in the heat of the moment, it slipped her mind.

She barely took a step before Nathan's firm grip halted her.

Nathan, ever the disciplined bodyguard, rarely overstepped. But watching these two divorced lovers still tearing into each other was too much.

Ethan had spent his life wielding power ruthlessly, even against his own blood. Yet here he was, chasing down answers about Sophia and Vincent, even going as far as questioning the Sullivans.

But what could the Sullivans possibly tell him?

All Ethan wanted was the truth from Sophia's lips. Only then could he truly protect her from Vincent's wrath.

"Mr. Carter, let go," Sophia pleaded, her voice strained.

"Miss Montgomery, Master didn't mean it," Nathan insisted.

"Let. Her. Go." Ethan's voice was ice.

For the first time, Nathan disobeyed. He tightened his hold. "Miss Montgomery, Master is trying to help you. Do you really think Vincent Holloway will let you walk away unscathed? Even with Master's name shielding you, Vincent is already making moves. He hired assassins to go after Liam Sterling—do you think he’ll spare you?"

Sophia shuddered.

Her lips trembled as she bit down hard, stopping herself from fleeing.

"Only if you tell Master the truth can he protect you," Nathan pressed.

Sophia swallowed. "I don’t know Vincent Holloway! I’ve never even met him!"

"Good. That’s all Master needed to hear." Nathan exhaled. "Go home. Master will handle this. Vincent won’t trouble you again."

He said what Ethan couldn’t.

Sophia turned back to Ethan, but his expression remained cold, his gaze averted.

With a shaky breath, she whispered, "Thank you."

Then she walked away, her heart heavy.

She had barely taken a step when a disheveled woman lunged at her, a knife glinting in her hand. "You witch! You ruined my family! My son lost his father because of you—I’ll kill you!"

Sophia froze.

The blade was inches from her chest when Ethan yanked her into his arms, his other hand catching the knife mid-air.

Blood dripped from his palm.

Sophia gasped. "Ethan—your hand!"

He didn’t flinch. "Stop crying," he muttered, though his voice lacked its usual bite.

Nathan kicked the woman back, sending her sprawling. She coughed up blood but still screamed, "You ungrateful wretch! My husband wanted you, and you crippled him! Now you’ve bankrupted us! How will my son and I survive?"

Sophia’s heart twisted.

This woman—barely thirty, nameless in Vincent’s life, just a mother fighting for her child—was exactly like Aunt Eleanor had once been.

Mothers were all the same. No matter their past, once they had a child, their world revolved around them.

Sophia couldn’t hate her.

But Ethan had no sympathy. "Hand her over to the police," he ordered coldly.

Nathan hesitated. "Master, your hand—"

"It won’t kill me."

"Let me take you to the hospital," Sophia insisted, pressing her scarf to his wound.

As Nathan dealt with the police, Ethan was whisked away for treatment.

Unseen, a pair of venomous eyes watched from the shadows.

Isabella Thornton stepped out once the scene cleared, her face twisted with jealousy. "Sophia Montgomery," she hissed. "Why won’t you just die?"

The would-be assassin had been manipulated by the Thorntons. Desperate after Vincent’s downfall, she had been easy prey for Isabella and Elizabeth’s lies.

And now, Sophia had another enemy.