Chapter 245: He Became Someone Else’s Father

After leaving the private room, Stella Sutton passed a corner. Someone suddenly grabbed her and dragged her into the stairwell.

Her mouth tightly covered, she stared in horror at Charles Sterling standing before her.

Charles’s eyes were full of mockery as he looked her up and down. “You cheap bitch. You betray me and still delude yourself into thinking you can have a happy ending with my brother? What kind of trash do you think you are?”

Stella didn’t dare provoke him. She had always known that Charles was a spoiled second-generation heir of the Sterling family. He had no concept of chivalry or treating women with tenderness.

With his hands gripping her throat, she could only let out muffled whimpers.

Naturally, Charles was furious. He had never been so humiliated in his life. His fiancée seducing his oldest brother? How was he supposed to show his face in their social circles ever again?

He patted Stella’s cheek, his gaze dark and menacing. “I might not be able to deal with my brother right now, but ruining a cheap slut from a minor family like yours is child’s play.”

Stella trembled to her core, but she still managed to say, “Julian won’t allow it!”

Charles’s eyes flashed with cruelty as he pinned her hard against the wall. “Keep dreaming if you think you’re marrying into our family! Do you honestly believe the Sterling family would pass up a golden prize like Sophie Winslow to take you in? What do you have to offer? Sophie is already a professor at Kingsford University, basking in endless glory. You, on the other hand, have failed time and time again. Do you think the Sterling family runs a charity?”

Stella’s eyes quivered violently.

“Stop dreaming. With someone like Sophie around, the Sterling family will never settle for trash like you!” Charles sneered, adding viciously, “Stella, we have plenty of time. I’ll make sure you regret the stupid things you’ve done.”

Releasing his grip on her, Charles turned and left.

Stella clutched her neck, gasping heavily for air. Her eyes were still wide with terror.

She was deeply worried about what Charles might do. But he had spoken the truth. Sophie was currently standing at the peak. Countless people were eager to curry favor with her. As long as Sophie didn’t fall from grace, the Sterling family would never relent.

Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath, adjusted her appearance, and walked back out.

In the distance, she spotted Julian Sterling smoking by the second-floor railing. He leaned against the balustrade, his gaze fixed on some unknown point.

When she approached him, she asked softly, “Julian? What did the old madam say?”

Julian flicked his cigarette ash and retracted his gaze. “It’s not important.”

Stella couldn’t help but lower her eyes in deep thought. At the very least, she couldn’t just sit around and wait for doom to strike.

Three days later.

After obtaining the paternity test results, Sophie met Adrian Hawthorne at the civil registry hall. She had gone home to gather all the necessary documents, including the crucial divorce certificate.

The moment Adrian entered the hall, he drew a crowd of stares. Striding forward with his long legs, he headed straight for Sophie.

Sophie’s palms were slick with sweat.

Adrian glanced down at her. He pulled a neatly folded, dark blue checkered handkerchief from his pocket and placed it in her hand. “It’s okay. This isn’t a difficult procedure. We just need to go through the motions.”

He knew she was worried that something might go wrong. Sophie nodded.

When they went up to the counter, the clerk explained, “Since this is an inter-provincial transfer, the process is a bit more complicated. Plus, your relationship is complex. It’s a non-biological dependency registration, and the two of you aren’t a married couple. It will take time to review. Roughly fifteen working days.”

This was an acceptable outcome that Sophie had anticipated. After all, her relationship with Adrian and Lydia was indeed complicated.

It was only fifteen days. She had waited this long; she could afford to wait a little longer. Submitting the application meant the matter was essentially settled; now, they just had to wait for approval.

Outside the registry hall, Adrian received a call from Lydia’s kindergarten. He looked at Sophie, a small smile playing on his lips. “Do you want to attend Lydia’s parent-teacher conference?”

Sophie had never actually attended one in the capacity of a parent. A smile reached her eyes as she replied, “Okay.”

Now that her divorce was finalized, she had nothing left to fear.

Adrian opened the car door. “I’ll go with you.”

Sophie was in a good mood, so she didn’t bother asking if he was too busy with work.

By the time they arrived at the kindergarten, many parents were just showing up. Sophie familiarly led Adrian to Lydia’s classroom.

“This must be your first time at Lydia’s school, right?” she asked.

Adrian looked around. “It is. That’s why I really cherish this opportunity.” As he spoke, he looked at Sophie’s smiling face. “If we’re attending together, under what capacity are we doing so?”

This question made Sophie stop in her tracks, her mind momentarily tying itself into knots. They weren’t husband and wife, nor were they a couple. Yet, they were Lydia’s mother and father. She found it hard to answer.

Adrian merely gave a faint smile. “Alright, let’s go in.”

He didn’t want to put her on the spot. Sophie took the easy way out and dropped the subject.

Once inside the classroom, almost all the parents had arrived. There were very few empty seats left, as the children had been arranged to play games in another room.

Almost immediately, Sophie sensed a gaze resting on her. She followed the feeling and met Julian’s deep, dark eyes across the room.

He was seated in the back row with his long legs crossed. His tailored suit was practically devoid of wrinkles. He looked like a scenic painting in his own right, causing many of the mothers in the front rows to turn their heads and whisper among themselves.

And sitting beside him was Stella.

Julian was attending as Seth’s parent.

Adrian was at least Lydia’s legal father, but what was Julian to Seth and Stella? Julian’s dedication to Stella was on full display. Even with Charles out and about, Julian still refused to temporarily distance himself to avoid arousing suspicion.

Adrian also made eye contact with Julian. Neither man betrayed any obvious emotion.

At the front, the teacher spotted Sophie and Adrian. She smiled at once. “The only empty seats left are over there. Please have a seat.”

Adrian didn’t object and took the lead. Though hesitant, Sophie followed him. They ended up sitting right next to Julian and Stella.

Stella smiled and greeted Adrian, “Mr. Hawthorne.”

Adrian gave a slight nod, his demeanor cold and aloof.

Stella paused. Mr. Hawthorne was even more distant than she had imagined.

There were still ten minutes before the meeting started. Stella completely ignored Sophie, turning her head to chat with Julian instead, not caring in the slightest whether Sophie could hear them.

“I’ve looked into a few interior designers. They’re all quite good, so it’s hard to choose.”

Sophie recalled the phone conversation she had overheard Stella having earlier. They were already considering the renovations for their marital home.

Julian pulled back his cuff to check his watch. “Take your time choosing.”

Stella let out a soft laugh. Anyone could see the blissful longing written all over her face. “I don’t actually have any major requirements for the house. It’s just that, if we’re renovating, we absolutely have to include a nursery. It’s a symbol of happiness. Julian, have you ever pictured what our nursery would look like?”

Adrian cast an imperceptible sidelong glance at Julian.

Discussing his future with his lover right in front of Sophie, while said lover babbled endlessly about children, houses, and a happy life together.

To this, Julian replied in an indifferent tone, “I don’t know much about that sort of thing.”

Stella didn’t seem bothered by his response. Instead, she looked at Adrian with a bright smile. “Mr. Hawthorne, you have experience raising a child. I wonder how you arranged your daughter’s room?”

Adrian replied, “I hire designers for everything. I don’t need to rack my brain or go around asking other people.”

Stella’s smile stiffened slightly. What did he mean by that? Was it an offhand comment, or was he implying she had deliberately brought up this topic to show off?

Sophie knew Adrian’s words contained hidden daggers, calling out Stella’s impure motives. She chose not to get involved and simply turned her head to look out the window.

Suddenly, Julian’s voice drifted over. “There’s no need to overthink it, Mr. Hawthorne. Perhaps Sophie has more experience in this area than you do.”