Chapter 243: Congratulations, You Are Going to Marry Him

Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Congratulations, You Are Going to Marry Him

Stella Sutton’s voice rang out with crystal clarity in the empty space, falling perfectly into Sophie Winslow’s ears.

Her movements paused slightly as she wiped her hands.

For a second, there was surprisingly no sense of shock. After all, this was truly the only way. If Julian Sterling promised to marry Stella Sutton, what could Charles Sterling do about it? The only thing Julian had to consider was how to persuade the elders of the Sterling family to agree.

The voice outside the door continued, carrying a tone of laughter. "Julian even asked me to see if there are any interior designers I like, since the house will be remodeled to my liking in the future."

Sophie tossed the paper towel away and walked out, acting as if none of this had anything to do with her.

Stella turned to look. Her expression remained completely unchanged when she noticed Sophie. After hanging up the phone, she tilted her head and spoke to Sophie, who was about to brush past her. "Julian plans to fight against the Sterling family for my sake."

Sophie had no choice but to stop. She looked at her earnestly and enunciated every word. "Congratulations."

With that said, Sophie walked past Stella and left.

She knew exactly what kind of reaction Stella wanted from her, so offering congratulations was enough. Any arguments or sarcastic remarks would be utterly meaningless. She couldn’t be bothered to waste her time and energy on them.

Stella furrowed her brow and stared at Sophie’s retreating figure, a wave of displeasure washing over her. Sophie’s reaction was completely different from what she had anticipated. She was far too calm—almost as if she were feigning indifference.

When Sophie returned to the private room, she took the long way around to avoid passing by Julian.

Just as she took her seat, Stella returned as well. Only this time, Stella was no longer ignored. As soon as she walked through the door, someone spoke to her with a warm smile and even tossed a conversation topic directly her way. Several members of the out-of-province research team eagerly engaged Stella in conversation, a stark contrast to the cold shoulder they had given her earlier.

Julian’s arrival, and the fact that he had unhesitatingly chosen to sit right beside Stella, had forced everyone to reevaluate her importance.

Stella thoroughly enjoyed this newfound attention, responding to them with a subtle, graceful smile. She even found the time to shoot a sidelong glance at Sophie, who was quietly sipping her tea.

Amidst the lively chatter and laughter, Stella subtly reclaimed her position as the center of attention.

Sophie turned a blind eye to all of it, knowing better than anyone exactly who had bestowed this glory upon her. From beginning to end, her eyes never once met Julian’s across the table. Julian was entirely in his element, chatting fluidly with the people around him about industry trends and policies, occasionally pausing to listen to Stella’s hushed whispers. Sophie simply remained confined to her own little corner, playing the role of a stranger.

Their encounter a couple of days ago had ended on a sour note because of the revelation that she had given birth. Sophie was acutely aware that playing it safe and avoiding any involvement with Julian right now was the best course of action.

The door was pushed open once again.

When Winnie Hayes walked in, everyone at the table immediately stood up to welcome her. The out-of-province research team, in particular, looked on with eyes full of sheer surprise and deep reverence.

Winnie had made a last-minute decision to drop by. She was not one to stand on ceremony, so she waved her hand palm-down as she walked. "Everyone, take a seat. There’s no need to stand."

As she spoke, Winnie had already made her way to the empty seat right beside Sophie. "I’ll sit right here."

Naturally, Sophie had no objections. "Are you feeling any better?"

Winnie chuckled. As she sat down, she patted Sophie’s shoulder in a display of sheer affection. "It’s nothing serious. I just need to stop acting like I’m still young and working myself to the bone."

Sophie smiled softly.

Watching the two of them fall back into a warm, familiar conversation, Stella’s smile froze. Because of Winnie’s arrival and her highly intentional move to sit next to Sophie, everyone’s attention had instantly shifted over to them. Sophie, seemingly elevated by this gesture, suddenly became the absolute center of attention alongside Winnie.

It felt as if Stella had been sidelined all over again.

Stella pursed her lips. Picking up her teacup, she stood up and walked straight over to Winnie, her face etched with concern. "Chairman Hayes, are you feeling better? We were too busy before, and Julian has been swamped with company affairs, so we never managed to find the time to visit you."

Sophie cast a sidelong glance but said nothing.

Winnie, on the other hand, could see right through just how little weight Stella’s so-called relationship actually held. She lifted her gaze. "Who are you?"

With just one sentence, a momentary hush fell over the entire table.

Julian also cast a leisurely, unhurried glance in their direction.

Stella froze completely, looking utterly bewildered. "What? We’ve met so many times. Do you not remember me, Chairman Hayes? The last time you fell ill and fainted, I helped out."

Winnie took a sip of her tea. "I know. I’m asking you, what exactly is your relationship with Mr. Sterling? Who are you to him? You keep throwing the word ’we’ around, so shouldn’t you clear things up for everyone here?"

Truth be told, she hadn’t planned on interfering in these matters at all. But Stella had marched right up to her face to speak. Furthermore, she knew that Julian was already married. Even though his wife had never made a public appearance and she didn’t know much about the situation, it was painfully obvious that some outside mistress was trying to ride his coattails and flaunt her presence right in front of her. At that point, Winnie felt compelled to set things straight.

The polite curve of Stella’s lips gradually twisted into an ugly grimace. She couldn’t fathom why Chairman Hayes disliked her so much, especially at a critical juncture like this. Charles Sterling had already surfaced, and Sophie’s true identity had previously been exposed to a small circle within the business community. How was she supposed to answer? Whatever she said would instantly be exposed as a lie.

Philip Preston, who was sitting nearby, shot a glance at Julian across the table. He then turned to Winnie and said, "You misunderstand. Mr. Sterling has a family. He has a wife."

He knew that Sophie had gotten a divorce, but this matter hadn’t been made public yet. Sophie herself had said that it needed to be kept a secret for the time being. Using that fact right now to their advantage wouldn’t hurt.

"I know that," Winnie replied. "That’s exactly why I’m asking who she is. Following around a married man—where exactly does she draw the line?"

Stella felt as if the breath had been completely choked out of her lungs.

There were over twenty people in the private room. The out-of-province guests, who were previously in the dark, now wore expressions of utter shock. The way they were looking at her all but branded the word "mistress" across her forehead.

The situation had instantly become unbearably awkward.

Philip, who had been bottling up his anger on Sophie’s behalf for quite some time, decided to lay it all out bare. "Even you can have a lapse in judgment sometimes. Sophie, who is sitting right next to you, is Mr. Sterling’s lawful wife. You have to admit, Miss Sutton really is quite a piece of work. She must have absolutely zero sense of shame to come marching right up to Sophie and stir up trouble."

Philip dropping the absolute truth bomb was something no one had seen coming. Even Sophie nearly choked on her mouthful of tea.

Stella’s hand trembled violently around her teacup, and the color drained from her face in an instant. Having this relationship completely shattered right in front of Winnie destroyed her completely. How would she ever be viewed in the future? Even if Julian divorced Sophie later on, Chairman Hayes would forever brand her as a homewrecker who had interfered in a marriage!

In the blink of an eye, the massive private room fell so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

Julian, who had not expressed a single opinion up until this point, simply raised his eyes. His gaze was entirely unreadable. He didn’t voice a single word of denial.

Even Winnie was left stunned for quite some time. She knew that Julian was married, as Evan York had mentioned it, but she had never in a million years imagined the situation would turn out to be like this. Upon grasping the truth, a surge of fury rose within Winnie, accompanied by an inexplicable pang of heartache. So Stella had been blatantly provoking Sophie, the lawful wife, right to her face this entire time!

She shot a freezing glare at Julian. "Your wife is right here, so why is Mr. Sterling sitting so far away? We can easily clear a spot for you over here."

Julian slowly set down his teacup, his expression practically unchanged. "It’s fine. I’m quite comfortable right where I am."

Sophie paused. Julian had refused to sit on her side.