Chapter 431

Craving to Be Mrs. Blackwood

With the Blackwood name, her status in Harborview City would be unshakable.

She longed to marry Liam, yet his heart remained entangled with that wretched Sophia Montgomery!

The mere thought made Charlotte Kensington clench her fists until her nails dug into her palms.

When Sophia first started working at Montgomery Designs, Olivia Kensington had already informed Charlotte. But Charlotte deliberately withheld the truth—that Sophia was the same woman publicly humiliated six years ago in high society, the one who had crossed Ethan Blackwood.

The incident had been meticulously scrubbed from public records. Few outside elite circles knew Sophia’s face.

Charlotte kept silent for a reason. She wanted Sophia trapped within the company. After returning from Kingsbury, where she’d been tending to Grandfather Thornton, she planned to deal with Sophia herself.

But fate laughed at her plans.

Her fiancé, Liam, returned unexpectedly—not for her, but to shield Sophia. The betrayal burned like acid in her veins.

How could she not rage?

Her phone buzzed, snapping her from her fury. Olivia’s name flashed on the screen. Charlotte answered sharply, "What is it?"

She’d always looked down on her cousin’s family. Olivia’s voice was hesitant. "Cousin, the company told me today that... that Liam came specifically to see—"

"I know!" Charlotte hissed.

Olivia stammered, "Who is Sophia? How does she enchant men like this? First Julian Montgomery, now Liam... She’s like some kind of—"

"Pathetic!" Charlotte cut her off. "I gave you a privileged position in my cousin’s company. You were treated like royalty. And yet you let that gutter-born witch outmaneuver you? You’re worthless! You should’ve died rather than fail me!"

She slammed the phone down.

On the other end, Olivia—injured and jobless—crumpled into tears.

Meanwhile, Charlotte seethed. "Sophia, I don’t care if Ethan Blackwood owns you. Sooner or later, he’ll destroy you. But before he does..." Her lips curled. "I’ll make sure you repay every debt. I’ll leave you breathing—but broken."

She dialed another number, her tone shifting to syrupy deference. "Isabella, how is Grandfather Thornton’s health?"

Isabella Thornton, nursing the old man in Kingsbury, answered with icy detachment. "What do you want, Charlotte?"

"News," Charlotte purred. "Sophia is working at Alexander Kensington’s firm—your cousin’s architecture company."

A sharp inhale. "What?"

Charlotte smirked. "I hesitated to tell you. After all, Sophia was publicly disgraced by your fiancé, Ethan. Yet she dares seduce my Liam and Alexander. Now I hear she’s entangled with Julian Montgomery too."

She sighed dramatically. "If only I were a Thornton heiress like you. Then I could stop this tramp from climbing into every powerful man’s bed."

Isabella’s laugh was venomous. "You’re right. You’re nothing compared to me. Grandfather only tolerated you because you reminded him of my late mother. But I can crush Sophia like the insect she is."

Charlotte’s nails bit deeper. "She’s terrifying, Isabella. What if she claims pregnancy? If she points to Ethan, or Liam, or Julian... Do you think Ethan would let those men live?"

"She wouldn’t dare!" Isabella shrieked. "If that whore carries Ethan’s child, I’ll carve it out of her!"

Charlotte hung up, satisfaction coiling in her gut.

Alone in her hospital suite, she whispered to the shadows, "Sophia Montgomery, you’ll die ugly for stealing what’s mine."

Meanwhile, Sophia and Ethan arrived home with Lily.

The car ride had been quiet. Lily’s chatter filled the silence, sparing Sophia from explaining her café meeting with Liam—or questioning Ethan about their private conversation.

As they stepped inside, the housekeeper, Eleanor Quinton, beamed. "Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood, welcome back! Dinner will be ready shortly."

"Thank you," Sophia murmured, guiding Lily to wash up.

The domestic calm was a fragile illusion.

Storm clouds gathered beyond their doorstep.