Chapter 407

Even if I wanted to escape, I'd wait until you weren't on duty.

Where would I even go?

You tracked me down all the way to Willowbrook County—what chance would I have now? Besides, my daughter is still here.

Nathan Carter was caught in a dilemma.

He even thought he was being too soft-hearted.

"Madam, I'm retired now," Nathan said stiffly.

"Alright." Sophia gave him a small, knowing smile.

The moment he was out of her sight, Nathan immediately dialed Ethan Blackwood.

Meanwhile, Sophia remained outside the grand hall. She reasoned that if Ethan and his mother didn’t summon her inside, she wasn’t needed. She wouldn’t intrude. If they wanted her, they’d call.

For now, she was content admiring the meticulously landscaped gardens surrounding the Blackwood estate.

"Are you the woman who humiliated my maids earlier?" A sharp voice cut through the air.

Sophia turned to see a woman unlike the servants from before.

This one was dressed in high-end fashion, her figure well-maintained, her face polished to perfection—a textbook example of aristocratic beauty.

Did Ethan have a half-sister?

Sophia couldn’t recall ever hearing about one. Not that it mattered. She simply stepped around the woman, moving toward a rosebush.

"Sophia! How dare you ignore me!" The woman blocked her path, nostrils flaring.

Sophia immediately covered her nose.

The woman reeked of cheap perfume—overpowering and cloying, mixed with something distinctly unpleasant.

Sophia was allergic to strong scents. High-quality fragrances didn’t bother her, but this? This was chemical warfare.

"Why are you pinching your nose?" the woman demanded, eyes flashing with fury.

"Because you smell like a discount perfume counter," Sophia said flatly.

"What did you just say?" The woman’s voice rose to a shriek.

"The stench is making my eyes water," Sophia added, unfazed.

"You—!" The woman’s hand flew up, poised to strike.

But before it could land, a large hand caught her wrist in a vise-like grip.

"Victoria," Ethan’s voice was ice. "Do you have a death wish?"

Victoria Sullivan whirled around, her face instantly transforming into a mask of tearful innocence. "Ethan! She insulted me!"

Ethan ignored her, his gaze locked on Sophia. "When someone attacks you, you call for your husband. Understood?"

Victoria gasped. "Husband? You—you’re letting this woman call you that?"

Ethan’s grip tightened, his expression darkening. "Is there a problem? The mother of my child, my wife—does she not have the right?"

Victoria paled.

Tears sprang to her eyes—partly from shock, partly from the pain of Ethan’s crushing hold. "You’re hurting me!"

"Good," Ethan said coldly. Then, to Sophia: "She insulted you. How should she be punished?"

Sophia blinked.

She wasn’t about to play executioner.

"It’s fine," she said quietly.

And it was. This woman—Victoria—hadn’t laid a finger on her. Besides, the moment Ethan said her name, Sophia understood.

Victoria Sullivan.

Ethan’s aunt’s niece.

The same woman who, according to Lily’s nanny, had once gotten into a hair-pulling, blood-drawing brawl with Isabella Thornton.

No wonder she hated Sophia.

"If you won’t punish her, I will," Ethan growled. His grip tightened further—enough that Victoria’s knees buckled.

"Mercy! Please!" she wailed.

"You’re begging the wrong person," Ethan said.

Victoria’s tear-filled eyes darted to Sophia. "Sister-in-law, spare me!"

Sophia nearly gagged.

She wanted nothing to do with this farce.

But if Ethan broke Victoria’s wrist here, the drama would never end.

"She’s not your sister-in-law," Ethan snapped.

"Madam Blackwood! Please!" Victoria dropped to her knees. "I didn’t know who you were! Forgive me!"

Sophia exhaled.

She had no sympathy for Victoria. But causing a scene now would only make life harder.

Stepping forward, she placed a hand on Ethan’s arm. "We’ll be living here from now on. I’d rather not make enemies. Since she’s family, let her go."

Ethan’s jaw clenched. But after a beat, he released Victoria.

"Only because you asked," he muttered, glaring at the sobbing woman. "Get out of my sight."

Victoria scrambled away, her expensive heels clicking frantically against the marble.

Ethan turned to Sophia, his expression softening. "Next time, scream for me."

Sophia almost smiled. "I’ll keep that in mind."