âSo thatâs how it is.â Compared to earlier, Yvetteâs voice was slightly lower. âYouâre very reasonable. Youâre not a good lover, but youâre an excellent businessman.â
Charles made a noncommittal sound and did not say more. His fingers complemented the black steering wheel, looking too beautiful in the night.
The car was silent.
A moment later, Yvette turned her head to look at him and said, âYou broke Sophâs leg and sent her to prison. You wonât even let the Whites acknowledge her. She has been through so much these past two years. Even if your anger was sky-high, it should be cooled by now.â
Charles remained looking ahead, eyes obscured. Only the fingers clutching the steering wheel turned slightly pale because of the pressure.
Yvette waited awhile but did not get his reply. She adjusted her body forward and looked to the front. In the night, her long sigh carried faint helplessness.
In the hospital ward, not long after Charles left, William returned.
Laying on the bed, Sophia glanced dully at him. She did not want to bother with him, so she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
âIs your leg... in a lot of pain?â William walked to the bedside. Seeing her pale face, his heart twisted uncontrollably.
Sophia opened her eyes, expression indifferent. âThank you for recalling, Mr. Jones. Itâs not as painful as when my leg was broken two years ago. I can handle it. If you donât have any other matters, then please leave. If Madam Jones comes over and thinks Iâm seducing you, Iâll have a tough time explaining.â
She treated him like he was a stranger, even adding on some disgust and loathing.
William furrowed his brows. âNobody else is here. You donât have to call me Mr. Jones.â
Sophia chuckled coldly once, not minding him.
âFor Leah accidentally burning you and my momâs earlier unpleasant attitude, I apologize to you on their behalf.â The red mark on her forehead from the jab and the scar at the end of her eyebrow hurt Williamâs eyes. He subconsciously stretched a hand out, wanting to touch her face.
Sophia turned her head, dodging his touch. When she recalled that he was about to get engaged to Audrey yet was still here acting misleadingly to her, she felt extremely disgusted.
Darkness flashed through Williamâs eyes. He retracted his hand and gripped it into a fist, coldness appearing on his face. âBut Leah hurt you accidentally, and she already apologized to you. You shouldnât have urged Sterling to spill hot water on Leah!â
âShouldnât have?â Sophia was so angered that she laughed. She braced her hands on the bed and painstakingly sat up. âNo matter if itâs back then or now, you seem to like to teach me how to be a person, Mr. Jones.â
She lifted her head to look up at him, enunciating each word, âWhat right do you have to teach me how to be a person?â
âSophia. White.â William spat out her name through gritted teeth.
Sophia kneeled on the bed, straightening her back a little as she leaned closer to him. âBecause youâre older than me? Because you have a higher education than me?â
The faint fragrance of soap on her body permeated his nostrils, making Williamâs heartbeat speed up uncontrollably.
âI thought youâd have learned your lesson in these two years. Turns out youâre as unreasonable and unable to distinguish right and wrong just like before!â He spoke with a cold look, turned his head, and made to leave.
Sophia called out to him, âWait.â
âWhat else is there?â William halted his footsteps but did not turn back.
Due to the earlier movement, the needle stuck in the back of Sophiaâs hand dropped. The blood seeping from her flesh dyed the two strips of medical tape on the back of her hand red.
She placed the needle aside and returned to a sitting position with difficulty. âSince you look down on and hate me so much, donât come looking for me on your own again, Mr. Jones. I donât want to be called a slut and homewrecker because of a self-righteous, hateful man.â
William turned to stare at her. âHold your sharp tongue!â
âMy body is unwell. I wonât send you off,â said Sophia plainly.
What replied to her was the loud sound of the door slamming.
Sophia chuckled coldly and laid on her bed again. She stared straight at the ceiling. Even she did not know what she was thinking.
After a while, the doctor came in to help change her medicine. Seeing the back of her hand swollen and the needle tossed carelessly to one side, he was so angry that his eyebrows rose till his forehead. âIâve never seen such an untrustworthy patient!â
He said a lot, but aside from the first sentence, Sophia did not hear the rest.
She knew the doctor was saying it for her own good, but she did not care at all about those so-called precautions. Perhaps it was because... she wanted to die most of the time. If she died, she would not suffer like she was currently.
After the doctor helped switch her medicine, he got a nurse to come to look after her. The nurse had 20 minutes left before she could get off work.
The moment she saw that the drip would take another hour and a half, her face twisted.
âI can pull out the needle myself after the drip is done. You can clock out when the time comes,â said Sophia.
After the nurse confirmed with her over and over again, she happily clocked out when the time came.
When the drip was done, it was already 11:30 at night. Sophia stared at the infusion tube and daydreamt a while. As long as some air was infused, she could die. It was fine if it hurt a while. She would never feel pain again.
The air bubble slowly went down the infusion tube. Just as it was nearly at the back of her hand, she pulled out the needle.
If she died, she would pull an innocent nurse into suffering. She would hold on a little longer... Although, she did not know how long she could hold on for.
The next afternoon, Megan came to see Sophia while carrying a thermos of pork rib soup and a present that was wrapped very tightly.
Sophia said, âYouâre so busy with work. You donât have to specially come to see me.â
âIâm not that busy. The new supervisor is reasonable. Once I told him I was taking leave to see you, he agreed.â Megan put the things down and swept her eyes over the hospital ward. Since she did not see Charles, Leah, William, or even Sterling and Nicole, she was a little disappointed.
Sophia pressed her lips together. âItâs fine if you go back now.â
âI just arrived. No matter what, I should sit a while, shouldnât I?â Megan filled a bowl of pork rib soup for her. âDrink some soup. Itâll help you.â
Sophia glanced at the clear pork rib soup with its transparent jade winter melons. She said dully, âBecause my brother and sister-in-law caused big trouble on my behalf, Mr. White and Madam White will keep a close eye on them these few days and wonât give them a chance to come to see me.â
She paused. âAs for Mr. Harris, Ms. Jones, Mr. Jones, and the rest, they hated me from the start, so thereâs no way theyâd come visit me in the hospital. Even if they did come incidentally, itâll be to taunt me. As my coworker, not only do you not get any benefits, you might even be dragged in because of me.â
She repeated. âItâs fine if you go back now.â
Atrophy of Love: Mr. Harris, Stop Fooling Around!
ï¤Chapter 73 Are You Stupid? Donât Know How To Dodge?
âYour family doesnât acknowledge you, and only I can somewhat forcefully be called your friend in the club. If I go, youâll really be alone.â Megan pushed the soup toward her.
Sophia did not take it.
âYouâre too serious sometimes.â Megan picked up the bowl and took a big gulp. âNo matter if itâs a relative, lover, or friend, where will you find such pure sentiments?â
She picked up the pork rib inside and stuck it in front of Sophia.
Sophia wrinkled her brows and took it, chewing it in small bites.
âI think Iâve never told you about me, have I?â Megan did not wait for her reply before saying to herself, âI wonât talk about family matters. Too worrying.â
She laughed self-deprecatingly and fished out a pork rib to chew on from inside the soup. âMy boyfriend knows how many people Iâve slept with. Heâs angry, but he still pretends he doesnât know.â