Chapter 58 Adrian Hawthorne Is Her Daughter’s Legal Father

Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Adrian Hawthorne Is Her Daughter’s Legal Father

Spencer Sterling’s words made Judith Jacobs and the others cast peculiar glances at Sophie Winslow. Sophie alone looked up, caught in a moment of awkwardness.

The old madam, however, remained warm and genial. She turned the screen toward Sophie. "Everyone’s here. Your eldest brother and Sophie are both here."

Caught off guard, Sophie met Spencer’s eyes through the phone screen. He looked exactly as she remembered. Spencer was in a brightly lit room. The illumination accentuated a face that bore a forty percent resemblance to Julian Sterling, yet radiated a uniquely gentle and luminous aura.

"Have you lost weight?" Spencer broke the silence.

Sophie scratched the back of her ear. "I’m alright. Probably just busy lately."

Spencer chuckled softly. "You’re still the same. Take good care of yourself, and don’t just settle for less in everything."

A rare warmth welled up in Sophie’s heart. She and Spencer had attended the same middle school, where he was her upperclassman. It was Spencer who had introduced her to the Sterling family back then. When the old madam suffered a sudden medical emergency, Sophie happened to be there and used acupuncture to stabilize her condition. After that, the Sterling family frequently invited her over as a guest and even funded her college education. To her, Spencer was more like an older brother. Compared to the rest of the Sterling family, he was much more approachable and gentle.

"I will. You too," Sophie said, breaking into a bright smile.

Spencer then looked at Julian. "Julian, if you have some free time later, should we discuss the strategic layout for Nordica?"

Julian finally looked up. His features were indifferent yet exuded an undeniable sense of authority. He curled his lips into a faint smile. "Alright."

The New Year’s greeting process was always tedious. However, Spencer’s call seemed to liven up the atmosphere. The old madam, in particular, couldn’t hide her joy. Spencer was the only son of the Sterling family’s third branch and the old madam’s most beloved grandson. He had gone to Nordica with the old chairman to open up the market a few years ago.

Because he still had work in Nordica, the call didn’t last long, but the conversation around the table didn’t stop.

At some point, Judith turned to Sophie with a sudden smile. "Sophie, do you and Spencer keep in touch? You were classmates back in the day, and you two were so close. After what happened back then, I almost thought you and Spencer would end up together..."

The spacious private dining room abruptly fell dead silent. Even Sophie couldn’t help but freeze.

The old madam frowned. "Why bring up baseless things from the past? Sophie and Julian are living a perfectly good life together."

Sophie knew the old madam was just worried that Julian might overthink it. But as she unintentionally turned her head to look at the man sitting beside her, she realized that Julian was looking down, typing away on his phone.

Her gaze shifted downward. She saw the contact name saved as "Baby." She also saw the picture Stella Sutton had just sent—a selfie of Stella in a bathrobe, smiling as beautifully as a flower. Julian stared at the screen, a faint smile playing on his lips. He hadn’t been listening at all, or perhaps he simply didn’t care about what they were discussing. His entire attention was focused on chatting with Stella on WhatsApp.

Perhaps the stares from the people around him were too obvious. Julian belatedly noticed the silence. He reluctantly tore his attention away from his phone and scanned the room. "What is it?" he asked, questioning why everyone was looking at him.

He truly hadn’t heard a word they said.

The others exchanged awkward glances. Barbara Coleman, in particular, shot Sophie a disdainful look. Barbara thought, "What an absolute failure! She hasn’t been able to rein in her husband’s wandering heart after seven years of marriage. He doesn’t even care when her past romantic history is brought up. Is there a woman more pathetic than Sophie Winslow?"

The old madam finally smoothed things over. "It’s nothing. The hotel is hosting some recreational activities later. You should accompany Sophie and go have some fun. It’s quite lively today. I heard there are intimate little games for couples—you two must go and experience it."

Julian subconsciously rubbed his phone. It seemed a certain matter—or a certain someone—made him hesitate. He stayed silent for a few seconds before replying, "Alright."

Sophie didn’t miss his reaction. Her eyes flickered, and she ultimately gave a silent, self-deprecating pull of her lips. The old madam was indeed overthinking it. Julian didn’t care at all, let alone overthink it. Everyone else had clearly seen Julian’s reaction as well. They eventually changed the subject out of boredom. After all, if the husband himself didn’t care about his wife’s past, why should they waste their breath?

The rest of the meal tasted like sawdust to Sophie. If Julian hadn’t tricked her into coming here, she would currently be on a video call with Lydia and her grandfather. She had only come because they were staying at the same hotel. Outright refusing the invitation would have made things ugly and difficult to smooth over. Adulthood was fraught with social obligations, forcing her to consider everyone’s feelings.

After dinner, they saw the elders off. Sophie and Julian walked at the very back. They were the only two left in the VIP elevator. Standing side by side with Sophie, Julian watched the numbers jump on the elevator display. He finally lowered his eyes. "Do you want to go?"

He was asking if she wanted to participate in the hotel’s party and couple games.

Sophie instantly understood. A person should know how to read the room. If someone asked, "Do you want to go?" they meant "Don’t go." If they asked, "Do you want it?" they meant "Don’t ask for it." He wanted to go coax his girlfriend. He was telling her to take a hint.

"Yes, why wouldn’t I? Grandma told us to," Sophie said. Her expression remained neutral, as if she didn’t catch his underlying meaning.

She did it on purpose just to disgust him. Why did he get to make all the decisions? Was she just a tool to him? Someone he could beckon and dismiss at will? Even though she had zero desire to attend that so-called couple’s date, she felt that sometimes she needed to call out the hypocrisy of people like him.

As expected, Julian looked at her calmly for a moment before letting out a soft scoff. "If you don’t mind, I can allow you to come with me to see someone else."

It went without saying who this "someone else" was.

A vein throbbed at Sophie’s temple. Julian had seen right through her intentions, and he didn’t mind at all. In fact, he could even strike back. He knew she would never actually tag along to watch him and Stella be all lovey-dovey.

DING.

The elevator arrived. Julian stepped past Sophie and walked out on his own. He knew she wouldn’t follow him.

The doors slid shut once more. Sophie finally let out a long breath. In that short span of time, she felt as if her lungs were being eaten away by a suffocating tightness. She didn’t rush back to her room. Instead, she went to the first floor, planning to stroll around alone and soak in the New Year’s atmosphere.

Right then, Lydia sent a video call request. Her beautiful little face popped up on the screen. "Mommy! You have to be happy in the New Year! Am I the first person to wish you a Happy New Year?"

Sophie finally couldn’t help but smile. "Of course you are, baby."

Indeed, the people who truly loved her would care about every little detail—whether they were the "first" or the "only"—unlike Julian, who had reacted to the rumors about her and Spencer with sheer apathy.

"Great-grandpa wants to talk to you too. Mommy, I’m going to lend you to Great-grandpa for a few minutes."

Sophie’s smile widened. "Okay."

Quentin Winslow looked to be in great spirits today. Dressed in a festive red Tang suit, he wore a warm, approachable smile. "My dear, have you been eating well? You aren’t by Grandpa’s side this year, but when you get back, I’ll make you osmanthus cakes, okay?"

Sophie nodded obediently.

"Where’s Julian? He’s with you, right?"

BANG!

Fireworks shot up, illuminating the night sky with a burst of colors. Sophie looked up just as a passerby happened to walk past her. "Hurry, let’s go look! A Mr. Sterling paid for a fireworks show for his girlfriend! We’re in for a treat!"

The smile on Sophie’s lips faded. Watching the beautiful fireworks bloom one after another, she murmured, "Him? He’s busy."

Busy being in love. Busy coaxing his girlfriend. His schedule was simply too packed.

After chatting with her grandpa, Mr. Caldwell, and the others for a while, Sophie headed straight back to her room without looking back. As for tonight’s fireworks show in the name of love, she didn’t have the stomach to enjoy it.

Sophie didn’t go to sleep after returning to her room. After taking a shower, she opened her laptop to review clinical data from recent years. Time slipped away without her noticing.

As the clock inched closer and closer to midnight, the door was pushed open. She looked up to see Julian walking in. Sophie was slightly surprised. She thought he wouldn’t be returning to their room tonight, but it was none of her business anyway. She lowered her head and continued busying herself with her work.

DING.

Her phone chimed. Sophie turned her head and took a glance.

Adrian Hawthorne: [Sophie.]

Adrian Hawthorne: [Happy New Year.]

It was a rather formal New Year’s greeting. Although it was split into two separate messages, it definitely wasn’t a mass text because he had included her name.

Coincidentally, as Julian walked past the back of the sofa, he absentmindedly swept his gaze over. He saw the name clearly, as well as the "Happy New Year." The surname Hawthorne, coupled with the name Adrian—in their circle, there was obviously only one person who went by that name.

"Are you close with Adrian Hawthorne?" Julian slowed his movements as he unclasped his watch with one hand.

He seemed surprised. After all, Adrian Hawthorne was no ordinary man.

Sophie was a bit displeased that he was staring at her phone. Her response was equally unenthusiastic. "We’re alright."

He was just her daughter’s legal father, that was all.