Chapter 63 It’s the Privilege He Gave!

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: It’s the Privilege He Gave!

Sophie had lost all interest in caring about what they thought. Without even glancing to see Julian’s expression, she turned and walked away, her face blank.

She had done what she wanted to do. The excuse that "children don’t know any better"—she would never believe it again. Lydia was the exact same age as Seth, yet she was sensible and well-behaved. Would Seth really not know what he was doing? Was it really that he didn’t know what it meant, or was he acting on someone else’s instructions, throwing his weight around? Right or wrong, it made no difference to her anymore. The core reason was simply that Julian had given those siblings special privileges!

Sophie’s retreating figure was truly resolute. Julian’s gaze followed her silhouette, his eyes betraying neither joy nor anger. Eventually, his eyes slowly shifted to the iron barrel that was still burning fiercely.

"Seth, apologize to Mr. Sterling," Stella said.

Stella glanced in the direction Sophie had left, a flash of mockery in her eyes. She thought it was such a massive temper for a loser. Putting on such a "fierce" act—wasn’t it just to get Julian to look at her more? She naturally understood these petty little schemes of women.

Seth immediately ran over and hugged Julian. "I’m sorry, I won’t do it again. I just didn’t want my sister to be bullied by that woman..."

"Seth, don’t talk nonsense," Stella sighed helplessly.

Julian shifted his gaze from the iron barrel to the boy in front of him. Lowering his eyes, he said, "Go wash your hands."

Seth had been playing for quite a while, and his clothes were all dirty. Hearing that Julian still cared about him so much, Seth’s mood instantly soared. He knew that he and his sister were the most important people!

Stella could also tell that Julian had no intention of getting angry or pursuing the matter. She felt this indirectly proved that Sophie was completely insignificant. The curve of her lips grew even more satisfied. "Julian, you spoil him even more than I do."

No one mentioned Sophie again. It was as if nothing had happened.

"It’s all for your sake, isn’t it," Evan chimed in unhurriedly, shooting a complicated glance in the direction Sophie had left.

A hint of shyness appeared on Stella’s face. Her gaze softened as she looked at Julian, full of sweetness. She knew it. Julian valued her, and Evan was on her side, too. This made her heart flutter with even more joy. As Julian’s best friends, both Finn and Evan had long since taken her side. The supporters standing behind her were something Sophie could only ever dream of having. Sophie was destined to be the loser.

Evan glanced at Stella’s expression. For some reason, he thought of Sophie’s red, teary eyes. While Stella went to fetch Seth, he walked over to Julian, standing shoulder to shoulder with him as they watched the dying embers in the iron barrel.

"Is there something wrong with Sophie’s mood?" he asked. After all, he had known Sophie for many years. When had she ever been so unyielding before? They all knew how much she treasured everything related to Julian.

Julian shifted his gaze away from the desolate ashes inside the barrel and instructed a nearby maid, "Have someone clean this up." Then, lowering his eyes, he took out his cigarette case and tapped one out. "Is that so."

His tone was so indifferent that Evan couldn’t help but wonder if Sophie would be even more heartbroken if she heard it. But in the blink of an eye, Evan frowned inexplicably, feeling a strange sensation. "Yeah, I’m overthinking it. Finn told me about that unreasonable divorce agreement she gave you. She can’t leave you even more than we imagined."

She was clamoring for a divorce, yet that agreement was merely a way to entangle him, forcing Julian not to sign it. Sophie loved Julian to death, which meant she was destined to endure. It was just that Sophie’s resolute posture just now had almost made him think she truly didn’t want Julian as her husband anymore. It seemed to be an illusion.

Only then did Julian lightly lift his eyelashes. He had already thrown that divorce agreement away, though he hadn’t told Sophie about it. Flicking his cigarette ash, he thought of something and let out a slow, mocking chuckle. "My Mrs. Sterling has a much bigger temper now than before."

Evan looked at him in surprise, finding it unbelievable. "Aren’t you angry that she messed around and burned the wedding photos?"

Julian turned around and walked toward the hall with his long legs, not giving the iron barrel another glance. "It doesn’t matter. Let her throw her tantrums."

Sophie had arrived by taxi. To get a ride from here, she had to walk over two kilometers out of the estate. She had originally come to discuss the ownership of the antiques with Julian, but after the way things had blown up today, there was clearly no chance of that happening.

She walked in silence, her mind calculating with utmost clarity the exact day she could officially get the divorce certificate. The divorce agreement that Chairman Sterling had made them sign back then had been notarized and registered at the Civil Affairs Bureau. Although Julian knew nothing about all this, in reality, it had already taken effect long ago. No unexpected events could affect its legal validity.

The Chairman’s intervention had undoubtedly helped her lock the divorce into an unalterable conclusion. She didn’t even have to rack her brains figuring out how to break free from this cage. Once the time limit was up, Chairman Sterling would have the divorce certificate delivered to her. When that time came, the agreement regarding the voluntary relinquishment of Lydia’s custody would also take effect simultaneously.

Sophie stopped walking and looked up at the bleak sky. Soon. She was about to step into a new life. She would no longer wait in vain for someone else to give her happiness.

HONK HONK—

A Maybach pulled up beside her. Evan rolled down the window. "Where are you going? I’ll give you a ride."

Sophie looked at him and asked calmly, "What’s with the fake sympathy?"

Evan was once again choked into a laugh. "Sophie, aren’t you being a bit too ungrateful? Am I the one who had a change of heart? Aren’t you being way too rude to me?"

Sophie wrapped her coat tighter around herself. Her features were calm, but she gave him no face at all. "Is the saying ’birds of a feather flock together’ just made up? If you want to be Stella’s champion, can I really stop you from guarding a cesspit?"

Evan was speechless. In all his life, he was the only one who had ever embarrassed others. Yet, in front of Sophie, he had been repeatedly shut down to the point of speechlessness.

SCREECH—

Ivy drifted her car sideways to a stop. Sophie had asked Ivy to pick her up in advance. Without giving Evan another glance, she opened the car door, got in, and sped away into the distance.

Evan stared as the car rapidly disappeared, suddenly letting out a laugh born of sheer frustration. He couldn’t believe he had actually lost a verbal spar against Sophie yet again. In all his life, no one had ever choked him with words like this.

An indescribable irritation washed over him. He didn’t know why he felt compelled to constantly throw himself into Sophie’s face. It was as if she naturally possessed some immense attraction for him. He couldn’t quite name the feeling; it was like being driven by instinct. Evan couldn’t help but fall deep into thought, wondering what in the world was going on.

A phone call interrupted his train of thought. Seeing it was a call from Seabourne, he answered it out of sheer boredom.

"Dad."

"When are you returning to Seabourne?"

His family was urging him again to return to the company and take up the mantle of inheriting the family business. Evan turned his head to look out the window. "My sister’s fate has been unknown for so many years. You might be able to sit still, but I can’t live my life in peace."

A sudden silence fell over the other end of the line. Evan knew full well that this matter was a thorn in the hearts of the York family members. He simply massaged his temples. From the corner of his eye, he looked back at the brightly lit estate in the distance.

Leaning against his seat, he let out a slow, leisurely chuckle. He had actually thought of an excuse that sounded quite absurd, yet extremely hard to refuse. "You know I have a good relationship with Julian. He’s probably going to get married for the second time soon. Shouldn’t I at least wait until I attend his wedding?"

In any case, Julian carried a lot of weight with the elders. It wouldn’t hurt to use his name as an excuse.