Chapter 90 Divorce at the Civil Affairs Bureau! Sophie Winslow Actually Left Without Looking Back?

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Divorce at the Civil Affairs Bureau! Sophie Winslow Actually Left Without Looking Back?

The hospital was bustling with people, the noise deafening. Julian Sterling’s voice was very faint, so faint that only she could hear it clearly.

The large hand gripping her wrist was warm, yet it felt as if thorns had sprouted from it in an instant, piercing into her. Sophie Winslow looked up, her face, unnaturally pale from illness, completely expressionless.

Julian quietly stared at her face for a moment before turning back to Stella Sutton, whom he was shielding behind him. "Go see Seth first."

Clara Quinn, following behind Julian, also said to Stella with concern, "Miss Sutton, you don’t need to worry about things here."

Stella’s complexion had eased up quite a bit by now. She had just been terrified by Sophie’s bout of madness; she had nearly been dragged out in public by Sophie to make a fool of herself. Now that Julian had come over to protect her, she immediately pulled her wrist out of Sophie’s grasp.

"I’m fine. Seth is still waiting for me. Come over when you’re done talking." She didn’t want to spare Sophie another glance. Turning around, she retreated from the battlefield. There was no guarantee Sophie wouldn’t throw another crazy fit, so it was naturally best for her not to be involved.

As soon as Stella left, Sophie let out a knowing, mocking smile. Julian was clearly afraid she would continue to drag Stella into a scene and publicly expose her true identity as a homewrecker, which was why he had arranged for Stella to get away from the conflict first.

"There’s no need for you to specifically remind me about the divorce," she said, fiercely yanking her hand free from his iron grip. Since she was already running a fever, this sudden exertion nearly made her lose her footing.

Julian reacted quickly. He reached out and grasped her arm again to steady her, completely ignoring her resistance. Pressing the back of his hand against her forehead, which was dotted with a fine layer of sweat, he furrowed his brow slightly. "You have a fever?"

It was a classic case of too little, too late. Sophie wanted to laugh, but she felt that an untimely laugh right now would only make her seem even more pathetic. Instead of answering Julian, she took a step back, silently wiped the spot he had touched, and looked up at him. "Don’t worry, it won’t delay my divorce from you."

Julian looked down at her wiping her wrist, his eyes as calm as an ancient well. "If making a public scene out of pure emotion could solve problems, nothing in the world would be difficult. All you’d have to do is cry."

How could Sophie not understand? He was saying her attempt to expose Stella just now was irrational! Even though the Sutton family was driving her to a dead end, he turned a blind eye to it all!

"Word will soon get back to the Sterling family, and you won’t be able to bear the consequences," Julian stated calmly.

Sophie knew he was telling the truth. But in that moment, how was she supposed to endure it?

He lowered his gaze, remaining silent for two seconds before slowly speaking. "If you have no objections, let’s find a time to discuss the details of the divorce.

"The seventh. Make sure you clear your schedule."

Sophie set the date without a shred of hesitation. She hadn’t understood why Julian had been putting off the divorce discussion before, but now that it was on the agenda, it was a good thing. They wouldn’t waste each other’s time anymore!

Julian lowered his eyes, quietly watching her for a few seconds before saying flatly, "Go back to our marital home on the seventh and wait for me."

His tone was so casual, it was as if they weren’t discussing a divorce, but something as simple as the weather. Sophie had long had enough of this kind of marriage. She gave a curt "Mhm," turned around, and walked away.

Perhaps her retreating figure was simply too resolute, because even Clara couldn’t help but step forward in astonishment. "Mrs. Sterling didn’t even look back?" Shouldn’t she be weeping bitterly and begging Mr. Sterling not to leave? Where exactly had things gone wrong?

Julian’s deep eyes followed Sophie’s disappearing figure. Finally, he thoughtfully withdrew his gaze. He didn’t chase after her, nor was he curious whether Sophie had truly made up her mind. He simply turned around and headed toward Seth’s hospital room.

Sophie stopped as soon as she turned the corner. Dizzy and lightheaded, she leaned against the wall to catch her breath for quite a while. She didn’t understand why Julian’s wording sounded as though this were the first time he had brought up the divorce, considering they had been in the process of getting divorced lately and had even signed an agreement.

But no matter the reason, it didn’t change his motive for bringing up the divorce at this very moment. He was doing it to protect Stella’s reputation and rights. He was also reminding and warning her that they were already practically divorced and soon to be strangers—she couldn’t interfere with his "romance" with Stella, much less publicly slander or smear her.

Sophie fell ill. Left with no other choice, she took a day off from work. She first went to check on her grandfather’s situation, and only after confirming that Isaiah Sutton hadn’t gone there did she feel at ease. She made a special point to instruct the hospital to ban anyone from visiting him.

When Ivy Hawthorne found out, she came over to take care of her. Upon learning the details, Ivy said, "When you tried to divorce him before, he completely ignored you. Now that you’re about to expose Stella Sutton, he immediately reacts and puts it on the agenda?"

Sophie didn’t say anything, but she silently agreed. Stella was the only person capable of stirring Julian’s emotions. But none of that mattered anymore. The reason she chose the seventh was that Lydia was heading off to school on the eighth. Resolving the divorce beforehand would make things more stable for Lydia.

To ensure she was ready for the divorce negotiations, Sophie took a heavy dose of medication, and her condition improved drastically after just one round.

On the morning of the seventh, Sophie headed straight for their marital home. Arriving at the door, she habitually punched in the passcode.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

Incorrect passcode.

Sophie froze for a moment before realizing what had happened. Julian had changed the house passcode. With the divorce imminent, he wanted to make a clean break with her. Unable to return to the home she had lived in for seven years, Sophie couldn’t even muster any emotion about it. Since Julian had changed the passcode, she needed to have the self-awareness of an outsider.

She simply rang the doorbell. The guard came running over to open the door for her.

"Mrs. Sterling, why are you ringing the doorbell to your own home?"

Sophie smiled without saying a word. It wouldn’t be her home for much longer.

Upon entering the living room, she looked up and saw Julian, who was just coming downstairs. Following behind him was an unfamiliar man in a sharp suit.

Julian lifted his long eyelashes, his gaze pausing on Sophie’s face for two seconds. "Have a seat."

After the passcode incident, Sophie had fully positioned herself as a guest. She sat down and waited for him to speak. Julian walked over with his long legs and sat in the single armchair next to her. The man behind him immediately placed an agreement in front of Sophie.

Sophie glanced at it. A divorce agreement. But it wasn’t the one she and Julian had signed seven years ago.

"Take a look. If there’s anything you want to add, just bring it up. Once you’re satisfied with the terms, you can sign it," Julian said, raising his eyes with an even tone. Anyone else would have thought they were discussing a business deal, rather than dissolving a marriage and severing a relationship.

Sophie picked it up. Though surprised that they had to sign a new one, she still began flipping through it. Reading it line by line, she was somewhat shocked. No. She was incredibly shocked. For no other reason than the fact that Julian... was giving her way too much.

"What is the meaning of this?" She glanced at him.

Julian looked at her from the corner of his eye. "You’re not satisfied? With which points?" He watched her quietly. "Lawyer Aldridge can add them in and draft a new copy."

"There’s no need," Sophie refused. There was nothing she was dissatisfied with. Drafting a new agreement would just waste time and cause another delay, which she didn’t want.

She continued reading further down. Six hundred million, plus an incalculably valuable traditional Chinese courtyard mansion situated in a prime real estate location, and a well-situated office building.

When she saw the mansion listed, Sophie subconsciously looked around their current marital home. "Why aren’t you giving me this house?" After all, she had lived here for seven years. The backyard even had a crabapple tree she had planted with her own hands, which would bloom in the spring.

Julian looked up. "I have other arrangements for it."

A flash of realization went through Sophie’s mind. She thought back to how Seth had been able to come and go freely a while ago—it was probably because Stella liked this place. Having guessed the reason, she didn’t probe further and continued reading the asset division details in the divorce agreement.

It even stated...

"Fifteen percent equity in Sterling Corp, along with fifteen percent actual controlling rights—what does this mean?"

"Exactly what it says. From now on, you will be one of Sterling Corp’s major shareholders. You’ll have decision-making power and receive annual dividends."

Of course, Sophie understood what the words literally meant. But what she found strange was why he was giving her so much. Sterling Corp was a top-tier company in the country, boasting countless brands and industries under its umbrella. The dividends alone would be an astoundingly immeasurable figure—not to mention he was also giving her partial decision-making authority.

It should be known that back when Chairman Sterling made her sign the previous divorce agreement, he had only offered her three million. Because of their prenuptial agreement, she wasn’t entitled to a single penny beyond that three million.

"Is this compensation? Or a bargaining chip?" Sophie looked up at him. She knew full well that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Only then did Julian gesture for her to flip to the last page. Sophie turned the page, took a look, and suddenly jerked her head up to stare at him.

Julian poured a cup of tea, pushed it toward her, and said in a calm tone, "I want you to keep your mouth shut about the reasons for our divorce. If I ever need it, or if some unforeseen circumstance exposes your identity as Mrs. Sterling, you’ll need to cooperate with me in maintaining the company’s public image."

"So, you’re offering me all these terms just to cover up Stella Sutton’s identity as the other woman and protect her public image?" Sophie filtered out the main point. "And on top of that, I have to keep being your tool?"

Julian’s expression remained unchanged. "Understand it however you want."

Sophie almost wanted to applaud. To witness her own husband’s deep affection, she had to see it channeled through another woman.

Before Sophie could answer, Lawyer Aldridge presented another document. "There is also this—a supplementary agreement regarding custody rights."