Chapter 4

The Nail in the Coffin

Sofia sank into her personally customized white ornate chair, her attention fixed on the wisps of steam dancing above the coffee

resting on the table before her.

Despite her role as the creative director of a fashion company, Sofia’s office radiated simplicity that bordered on plainness. The

color scheme was stark—black and white, meticulously organized to maintain a sense of order. It was intentional, reflecting her

desire for clarity and focus in her workspace.

However, she was far from her usually focused self at the moment. Her brows furrowed as she pondered the proposition from

Mr. Beaumont. It had been two days since she saw him— two days since she saw the betrayal.

She closed her eyes, exhaustion was gnawing on her soul. In the past two days, she had mostly spent her time crying and being

miserable. When is the pain going to ease?

Aknock on her door interrupted her thoughts. She lifted her gaze and met her secretary, Miss Amores, with a smiling face. “Is

there something?” Sofia asked.

“Mr. Lawrence Lockhart is here with the COO Mr. Oh.”

The mention of her stepfather’s name made her gaze tremble. She was quickly reminded of what Alexander told her. For a

moment, she wondered what she would do when she saw Lawrence again. “Let them in,” she cleared her throat.

This would be the first time she would see her stepfather since that conversation with Alexander. She got up, forcing a smile on

her face. She cannot falter now.

“Sofia,” a middle-aged man greeted her the moment he walked in. This man was none other than the man whom Sofia had been

calling father. Lawrence Miles— Lockhart.

“Father,” Sofia greeted back. “I thought you were with Mr. Oh?”

“He is currently in Mrs. Phelps’s office.”

Sofia’s eyebrow lifted. Mrs. Phelps was their Production manager. “I hope there is no problem?” Sofia asked while helping the

man out of his coat.

“Of course not... Mr. Oh is currently checking all the production in our subsidiaries for the annual meeting. | apologize for not

telling you in advance.”

“No problem,” Sofia said, though she suspected this was intentional, especially after her conversation with Alexander.

“Coffee?”

“Please...” her father gave a warm smile as he sat on the plush couch inside Sofia’s office. He eyed the large painting in front of

the couch and smiled. “I am glad that you still like this painting after so many years...”

This was a painting that Lawrence personally made for Sofia, a gift during her graduation.

“| quite liked it...” Sofia said after asking her secretary to make some coffee for them. Sofia’s earlier coffee had gotten cold, so

she asked for a new one. “Still two sugar and no cream?” she asked.

“Yes...” Lawrence said. “You know me too well.”

Sofia chuckled, sitting on the one-seater by the side of the large couch. “How was the preparation for the Annual meeting?” she

asked.

“It is going well. Everything has been prepared. However... | am not here to talk about such matters.”

Sofia’s gaze lingered on her stepfather’s face. Lawrence Miles wasn’t exceptionally good-looking, but there was a simple charm

in his light gray eyes. Overall, his features looked calming and trustworthy. His voice was always calm and soft. Now, a part of

her wonder if there is any truth about the man’s personality.

“Please don’t tell me you are not here to encourage me to marry someone...” Sofia chortled while dramatically rolling her eyes.

“What is wrong with marrying at the age of twenty-six? Your mother and | are old enough. Don’t you think it is time that you give

us some grandchildren?” he asked. This was a conversation they’d had many times.

“Charlotte is even older than me. If anything, she should be the one getting married first.”

“Charlotte is an actress. She had high ambitions in Hollywood. | have encouraged her to at least find someone but...” he sighed.

“All of it ended up with us fighting. You know your sister very well.”

Sofia chuckled. Did she truly know Charlotte at all? She’d heard this conversation repeatedly in recent months. On the surface, it

sounded like he was encouraging her to marry for the sake of her sick mother. However, after that conversation with Alexander,

she wondered if it was because she was about to have her shares in the company.

She only smiled in response, using the disguise of

drinking her coffee to hide her expression. Her mother, Eunice Lockhart, had been in a medical facility for two years now. The

thought worsened her mood.

“Never mind... you are young and brilliant. | am certain that it would not take Daniel too long to propose. When the time comes...

you should accept it. Settle down and give us grandchildren. In this way, | could leave this world in peace.”

” Sofia did not know how to react. In the past, she would have comforted him immediately, telling him that he was only in his

fifties, young and able. However, after everything, she couldn’t seem to come up with a way to deal with this dramatic situation.

“Ah, this is why | told you not to overwork yourself,” Sofia said. “Let the others do their work or you can simply wait for my next

birthday. Once | have the voting rights and the right to work in the main office, | will be there to lessen your burden.”

As expected, a glimmer of an unknown emotion flashed in Lawrence’s eyes. It vanished before Sofia could recognize what it

was. Seeing this, she lowered her head, her expression sinking.

“Ah, look at that, it seems that Mr. Oh just finished with his business.” Her stepfather got up. She immediately got up and once

again helped him with his coat.

“You should visit your mother in the hospital,” Lawrence said, his tone solemn. “The doctors said there have been some

improvements lately.”

“They said that two months ago...” Sofia answered before letting out a sigh. “I will visit Mom today.” Seeing her mood turn sour,

Lawrence smiled then he gave her a hug before leaving her office.

Almost immediately, her expression changed when Lawrence left. She immediately ran towards her laptop and turned it on.

Earlier, she managed to slip a small voice recorder on the lapel of Lawrence's coat. It was something that Alexander generously

provided to help her make up her mind—something that she found rather abominable yet quite useful.

He thought it would be quite useful and it seems that he was right.

Sadly, the recorder would not last that long. It was small and did not have the capability to charge itself. Apparently, Beaumont

Empire was working on creating a better version of this recorder.

Sofia could only sigh as she started listening to Lawrence’s conversation with Mr. Oh as the two descended in the elevator.

“How was it?” Lawrence asked. At this time, the two were already in the car.

“Everything has been prepared... | have acquired some sketches.” Mr. Oh said. One could easily hear the chuckle that followed

his words. “And her?” he asked.

“Still clueless...” Lawrence responded. “Daniel already agreed to propose to her on her birthday. Convincing her not to sign any

prenup should be easy for him. When the time comes...” Lawrence did not continue his words, but Sofia heard a clinking sound

on the other side.

Were they toasting to their future success?

Sofia’s lips trembled inwardly. The sadness that she felt earlier seemed to vanish. What replaced it was pure rage and hatred.

“You should call Doctor Mulach and tell him to increase the dosage,” Lawrence’s voice echoed inside Sofia’s head like a bell

tolling over and over again. “She cannot wake up now.”

“Understood...” Mr. Oh answered. Once again, Sofia heard a chuckle.

Unable to continue listening to their conversation, Sofia got up and stared at the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows of her

office. Doctor Mulach is currently the head doctor in charge of her mother’s well-being. Since Eunice lost consciousness two

years ago, Doctor Mulach had been the one in charge of her treatment.

Sofia had trusted him as he was a well-known doctor both abroad and in the US. Who would have thought that he was harming

her very own mother instead of healing her?

Who would have thought that Sofia would be so stupid to believe everyone around her?

She clenched her jaw, her gaze narrowed at the cars that she could see from where she was standing. Her heart raced against

her chest as she forced herself to calm down. Closing her eyes, Sofia was not able to stop a single tear from falling into her

cheeks.

Indeed. Being betrayed by the people that she trusted the most was worse than being stabbed by an enemy.

Achuckle escaped her lips as she took her phone and dialed a number.

“What took you so long?” Mr. Beaumont’s deep and sexy voice answered just after a ring. Sofia closed her eyes, she then bit her

lower lip. Then she said. “Let's get married.”