Chapter 62 She Burned It Herself! She Doesn’t Want Him Anymore!

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: She Burned It Herself! She Doesn’t Want Him Anymore!

Sophie Winslow reached out and snatched the wedding photo—the one she had dreamed of for so long before finally taking—from his hands, effortlessly grabbing Seth Sutton by the collar. Raising the snatched photo frame high, she feigned a motion to smash it into his chubby face.

"Sophie! Are you crazy?!" Stella Sutton’s panicked, sharp scream rang out from behind her.

Sophie didn’t loosen her grip on Seth in the slightest. The chubby little boy was wearing a snazzy bow tie, and as Sophie hooked her fingers and twisted her hand, the tie instantly tightened. Seth’s face flushed beet red from the strangulation. But he was still small and couldn’t break free from Sophie’s strength, only managing to let out a stifled cry with his red face.

Sophie looked back. She saw Julian Sterling, who had just returned from outside, and... Stella Sutton. The two looked like a pair of newlyweds coming home together. Walking side by side, they looked exceptionally harmonious and well-matched.

Watching this tense scene, Julian’s eyes were dark and overwhelmingly oppressive. He stared unblinkingly at Sophie, yet offered no reprimand.

Stella’s face had completely changed. Seeing Seth being held by the collar by Sophie like that, she was both heartbroken and furious. "He’s just a child! Even if you have grievances with me, you shouldn’t take it out on a child!"

"A child? I thought he was raised by animals, unable to understand human speech or behave like a human being." Sophie’s tone was unexpectedly calm.

She had been married to Julian for seven years. Aside from their marriage certificate, this wedding photo—which Old Mrs. Sterling had forced them to take—was her only photo with him. It had practically become the only psychological comfort in her humble, one-sided love over the years. Even if they were getting a divorce, even if they were about to become strangers, she no longer cared about this wedding photo she once treasured. But she absolutely would not allow Stella—or her relatives—to throw it away! To trample on it! To burn it!

And today, Julian actually allowed Stella and her brother to waltz right into their home!

Stella’s expression turned completely cold. Worried that Sophie would go crazy and do something to the child, she snapped, "Sophie, you’re being too vulgar! Why are you showing off your might against a child over adult matters?"

Evan York didn’t interject. Regarding what happened today, he couldn’t openly speak up for that brat.

When Evan arrived, Seth was already here. He had been dropped off alone by a driver, claiming he heard there was a full set of gaming consoles here and wanted to play. After all, his sister used to be the prospective daughter-in-law of the Sterling family’s second branch, and now she was the close confidante of Julian, the man who held the reins of the Sterling family. The guards naturally didn’t dare offend him.

Who would have thought that the moment this chubby boy entered, he would treat the place as his own kingdom. With extreme purpose, he made a beeline for anything belonging to Sophie, practically trying to tear the house apart. He must have been spoiled rotten in the Sutton family.

As for Sophie... Evan wouldn’t help her, either. If Sophie hadn’t forced Julian to marry her in the first place, how would she have encountered all this? She brought it entirely upon herself.

"Let him go first." Julian’s voice was devoid of emotion. He walked step by step from Stella’s side toward Sophie, stopping right in front of her. He lowered his gaze to look into her cold, bloodshot eyes.

His large, warm hand covered the back of the hand she used to grip Seth’s collar. "If you want to resolve things or vent your anger, talk to me."

His palm was warm, almost dispelling the chill of the biting early spring. Yet it sent endless frost into Sophie’s heart. Talk? Talk about how he was going to defend the other party?

Seeing Julian’s action, Stella pursed her lips tightly and subconsciously called out softly, "Julian?"

She strongly disliked other women taking the opportunity to get close to Julian. She was repulsed by any physical contact. As a woman, Sophie had absolutely no sense of boundaries!

Julian didn’t turn around. He simply tightened his fingers and, using a deft maneuver, disarmed the strength in Sophie’s hand.

Once freed, Seth glared at Sophie and ran toward Stella. Heartbroken, Stella touched Seth’s face, which was flushed red from lack of oxygen. "Sophie, this is intentional injury! I could even call it attempted murder, and I have every right to sue you!"

Sophie slowly pulled her restrained hand away from Julian’s grip, avoiding his touch as if he were a venomous snake. "Fine, go get his injuries appraised. I’ll wait for you to make a scene."

Stella couldn’t help but feel a surge of irritation, laced with sarcasm. Did Sophie assume that because she was a public figure, she wouldn’t blow this out of proportion?

Julian stared intently at Sophie’s movements, his eyes darkening, but he said nothing. Even without any visible emotion in his eyes, Sophie could guess that he was most likely blaming her for being unreasonable and not giving face to his precious first love.

After comforting Seth, Stella strode over and stood right next to Julian. Without apologizing to Sophie, she only looked at Julian. "I’m sorry, Seth is just too young and ignorant, but his nature is good. I think you know that."

She didn’t want to converse with Sophie. It would simply lower her class.

Only then did Julian slowly shift his gaze away from Sophie’s face. "Yeah. It’s just a photo."

Sophie’s heart gave a noticeable lurch.

He turned to look at the roaring flames in the iron barrel, the heat of the fire failing to reach the depths of his eyes. "If it’s burned, it’s burned."

As he casually uttered those words, Sophie stared blankly at Julian’s chiseled, flawless side profile, which felt even more bone-chilling than the cold night itself. His absolute indifference made Sophie feel as if she were being pierced by countless needles.

Seven years. Seven years of marriage, like a seven-year-long dream. Even if one were feeding a stray cat or dog, seven years would be enough to build a deep bond. It turned out that when a man didn’t love a woman, even if they spent seven years together, even if it were a lifetime, even if she gave him her heart and soul, it would all be nothing but a burden to him. She could never warm his cold heart.

"My brother-in-law already said it doesn’t matter! The photo doesn’t matter! And you don’t matter either!" Seth finally gloated, pointing at Sophie with a face full of malicious delight.

At the phrase that Sophie didn’t matter, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at the corner of Stella’s lips. Seth was telling the truth, of course. It would be best if Sophie took it to heart.

Seth made a move to grab the pile of framed photos on the ground and throw them into the fire again. Stella didn’t stop him.

Sophie moved. She turned and walked toward the iron barrel. Only then did Stella cautiously pull Seth back to her side. After all, in her view, Sophie had loved in vain and was probably on the verge of madness. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t hurt the child.

Sophie ignored her. She stood before the iron barrel, her oval face chillingly stoic. Julian looked sideways at her back but didn’t express any stance.

Evan York couldn’t help but frown. Was Sophie actually driven mad with anger? If she were to throw a massive tantrum at Julian now, things would likely get out of hand.

Before his thoughts could settle, Sophie suddenly moved. She bent down, scooped up all the remaining photos on the ground, and tossed them into the iron barrel with almost zero hesitation.

CRASH! Sparks splattered as thick smoke billowed up once more.

At this sight, the depths of Julian’s eyes darkened imperceptibly. Evan’s spectator-like expression drastically changed. Unconsciously, he raised his hand and took a few steps forward. How could she bear to burn her own wedding photos? Had her emotional outburst really reached this extent? It was as if she truly wanted to sever ties with her husband.

Sophie watched as the flames swallowed her and Julian’s silhouettes in the photos, reducing them to ashes. It felt as if she were burning away all seven years of her absurd life, leaving nothing behind.

She turned around, meeting Julian’s profound, emotionless gaze, and enunciated every word clearly. "My things are mine to throw away. It’s not up to others to take matters into their own hands."

She was referring to the wedding photos. And also to him.

She was throwing it all away. It was never a matter of someone else stealing him from her. Rather, it was that she simply didn’t want him anymore.