CHAPTER 100: CHAPTER 100: YOU’RE NOTHING BUT A SUBSTITUTE

When Nancy Sawyer met Sophia Lowell at the Mountainview Farmstead, he took a strand of her hair and did a paternity test.

Sophia was caught off guard.

Autumn Lowell didn’t want Sophia to recognize this man.

Sophia also didn’t want to cause Autumn Lowell any more trouble because of this man.

It was her own carelessness.

"So, what now?"

Nancy Sawyer smiled, "Sophia, seeing you all doing well makes me very happy."

"Are you done talking?" she asked.

"Sophia, I hope you won’t be hostile towards me. I am your father. If there’s anything, you can come to me."

Sophia smiled, "I do have something I need your help with."

Nancy Sawyer sighed with relief.

Sophia added, "I hope you won’t interfere with my and my mom’s life, thank you."

After finishing, she left Nancy Sawyer’s side.

Nancy Sawyer grabbed Sophia’s wrist.

She instinctively pulled away.

The two locked eyes.

"No matter what, I’m just your biological father. It doesn’t matter if you don’t accept me. I’ll slowly bring you back to me. You don’t know how long I’ve been looking for you over the years. I really..."

Sophia knew he wouldn’t give up.

From what Autumn Lowell said to her that day, she could tell this man was unreliable.

Just that point alone made Sophia not want to see him at all.

"Mr. Sawyer," Sophia interrupted his verbose explanation.

"Mr. Sawyer, if Tim Sawyer knew about our relationship, and I’m now married to his ex-boyfriend, how do you think the daughter raised by your side would feel?

Back when you weren’t around, my mom and I were doing well. In the future, we’ll do even better. Do you think we would spend time accepting someone new into our lives? Would your daughter agree? You didn’t show up twenty-something years ago, so I considered my mom a sperm donor. You were troubled by it, after all, it only took you three seconds, and nothing else tired you out."

Sophia didn’t want to break the harmony; she was already suppressing her anger very well.

Been looking for so many years?

Sophia returned to the country over a year ago and found this man.

With his capabilities, forget twenty years, two years would have been more than enough.

It’s not that he couldn’t find them, but he didn’t want to.

Sophia didn’t dwell on why Nancy Sawyer turned a blind eye to them.

After all, Tim is older than her, and tracing back, it’s possible she might be an illegitimate child.

It’s not an honorable thing.

Nancy Sawyer was stunned after hearing Sophia’s words.

He didn’t expect Sophia to have such a personality, and when saying those words, she didn’t hesitate, didn’t blush.

It was clearly a string of insults, but not a single word could be twisted into an insult.

"Sophia..." Nancy Sawyer was regretful.

Sophia didn’t want to continue to be entangled with him and decided to ignore him.

But just as she turned to head for the backyard, she found Tim standing nearby.

She didn’t know when she arrived, how much she heard, or if she heard it all.

Sophia asked calmly, "Heard everything?"

At this moment, Tim was already in tears, holding onto her coat tightly, clenching her molars.

She wanted to cry hysterically, but because there were dignitaries nearby, she held it in.

But her emotions couldn’t be hidden.

Clear tears flowed endlessly from Crystal’s eyes.

Beside her, Nancy Sawyer also noticed Tim and didn’t know what to do for a moment.

Both are dear to his heart.

"Tim..."

"Dad, is she that woman’s daughter?" Tim pointed at Sophia, questioning Nancy Sawyer.

That woman’s daughter?

It seemed Tim knew a bit about the situation.

Nancy Sawyer remained silent and tacitly agreed.

"Hmph—" Tim licked her dry lips, trying not to fall into the brink of collapse.

"Autumn Lowell, Nancy Sawyer, Sophia Lowell..."

Sophia Lowell, a name made from the surnames of Autumn Lowell and Nancy Sawyer.

For Tim, it was a name full of love.

She heard from her mother that every time Nancy Sawyer couldn’t sleep or had nightmares, he’d call out this woman’s name, Autumn Lowell—

"Sophia, you’re cruel!" Tim accused.

She leaned against the wall beside her. Sophia found her pitiful, after all, they were both innocent.

Tim raised her hand, stopping Sophia from approaching.

"I now know why Zane Sterling likes you," she chuckled, "Zane loved me for so many years, and it didn’t take long for him to like you. Do you know why?

Because you have my shadow, Sophia! You have my shadow! Hmph! I wondered why he suddenly didn’t love me anymore; I didn’t expect he’d found a substitute. You’re also a qualified substitute!"

Sophia’s heart skipped a beat.

Indeed, there were many similarities between her and Tim.

Except, Tim was graceful, and Sophia had more stubbornness.

She never thought of it from this angle.

Zane did love Tim for many years, even attempted suicide for her the year he was hurt, with his life full of gloom.

Since her arrival, Zane’s life slowly began to improve.

If Sophia were to have Tim’s shadow, it wasn’t impossible.

But was it true that he only liked her because she had Tim’s shadow?

Sophia panicked, she wasn’t sure.

After all, she didn’t have any family background, and she barely matched Zane’s family.

Her throat tightened, she couldn’t speak.

"Tim! Stop!" Nancy Sawyer supported Sophia, his tone pleading.

Sophia shrugged him off, avoiding his goodwill.

Tim turned her head and snorted, ignoring Nancy Sawyer’s gesture.

She felt hurt.

Her heart felt wide open, being slashed repeatedly, watching the blood flow with no power to resist.

Her father actually supported this daughter he hadn’t seen in decades.

What did that make her?

How could she not be hurt?

"Nancy Sawyer," Tim called out his full name, "do you remember how my mom died?"

Her tone was filled with sorrow and resentment.

Sophia was startled.

Could this have something to do with Autumn Lowell?

Her mind buzzed.

Nancy Sawyer clenched his molars, the compassion in his eyes turning fierce, terrifying!

He didn’t want to bring that matter up again!

Nancy Sawyer released Sophia’s hand and walked towards Tim, taking her hand.

"Tim, let’s go back. I won’t mention Sophia again..."

Tim wanted to break free but felt powerless,

She was so sad that she had no strength left.

So sad that she was close to suffocating.

She initially wanted to meet Sophia to ask, ask when they got together, so she could give up.

She wasn’t an unreasonable person; if they were truly together, she’d let go.

But now it seemed Sophia was just a substitute.

She laughed.

Zane still loved her.

All these years, Zane still hadn’t let her go, she was sure of that.

Sophia composed herself, looking at the two of them.

She didn’t feel much anymore.

After all, she and this man hadn’t intersected in decades, how could he stand by her side for Tim?

It was just wishful thinking.

She didn’t speak, slowly turned to leave.

"Sophia, stop!" Tim shouted with all her strength.