CHAPTER 139: THE MOMENT SHE HARDENED HER HEART

Olivia froze, staring at Sophia in pure horror.

Sophia suddenly released her, patted her shoulder lightly, and said coldly, "Remember this — the good days you’ve been enjoying were given to you by me. But now... I’m done giving."

She turned her gaze to Andrew. "If you don’t want those doctored financial records showing up in court — or, better yet, in the hands of every single employee on the production line — then you’d better kneel at my mother’s grave and beg for forgiveness.

"And as for the rest of you—" her eyes swept across them like a blade, "you have one week. After that, you’ll deal with the consequences yourselves."

Without another word, Sophia turned and walked out side by side with Lucas.

Once they rounded the corner outside the ward, she stopped and leaned against the wall.

"Sophia," Lucas said softly.

"I’m done letting them off easy," she murmured.

Before, she’d struck back — but she’d never gone for the kill. If she’d truly wanted to, Morgan Group would’ve been bankrupt long ago. But she’d hesitated, telling herself that revenge was a game meant to be played slowly, one move at a time, just to watch them squirm and struggle before the end.

"Every game has a beginning," Lucas said quietly, "but it also has an end. Let me help you finish it."

"No," she said, eyes sharp. "This one, I’ll handle myself."

She had more than enough power to destroy them — she didn’t need anyone else’s hand in it.

Lucas pulled her into his arms. "Don’t forget," he whispered against her hair, "I’m yours."

Sophia closed her eyes, breathing in the faint trace of tobacco on him. Lucas had quit smoking for her, but that lingering scent still clung to him — and somehow, she realized, she liked it.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and murmured, "I know."

Then the two of them left the hospital together.

Back in the ward, chaos had erupted.

Everyone was blaming someone else, cursing Sophia’s name through gritted teeth.

Finally, Andrew snapped. "Enough! Shut up!" He grabbed his phone and called Paul.

"When did Sophia last access the confidential records room?"

"President Morgan," Paul replied, "we didn’t detect any record of her entering the secure archive. Surveillance shows everything’s normal."

Andrew’s brow furrowed. "Impossible! Paul, listen to me — I don’t care what it takes. Deal with her."

"But, President Morgan— Sophia’s already back at the office."

"What?"

At that moment, Olivia snatched the tablet from his hands. "Dad... what’s this?"

On the screen, Sophia was sitting calmly in her office chair at Morgan Group headquarters. She turned toward the camera, looking straight at him.

"Dad," she said, her voice crisp through the speakers, "how does it feel to spy on your own daughter?"

Andrew’s face flushed dark red, nearly purple. She’d known all along.

Sophia laced her fingers together on the desk, a cool smile tugging at her lips. "I didn’t think you’d stoop this low, staging a fake tragedy just to play the victim. You handed me the company for a few days, and though it wasn’t long, I must say — I managed to turn your own game against you quite beautifully."

The camera only transmitted video — he could see her, but she couldn’t hear him. So all he could do was sit there and watch.

"Pretending to be crippled — that must’ve been tough," she continued mockingly. "And that blood you used? Completely fake. Next time, if you’re going to stage an injury, at least use real blood instead of chicken blood to fool me."

Sophia’s smile widened. "Feeling restless now, Dad? Watching me from that end — does it make you angry? Or are you getting ready to rush back here and shut me down yourself?

"If you didn’t have those two idiots standing next to you, I might’ve kept playing your little game a bit longer. But sadly, they’ve ruined the fun."

Her eyes hardened like ice. "So I’ll say it one last time — just like I told you at the hospital: you have one week. Think very carefully about what happens next."

Sophia finished speaking and stood, picking up a folder from the desk. "All your falsified financial records are right here in my hands."

Andrew’s breath caught.

"Thinking about calling Secretary Smith to storm in and snatch them?" she asked coolly. "Relax — I’m not reckless. What I’m holding is just a copy. The originals are somewhere else."

Sophia gave him a sharp, knowing smile, walked up to the security camera, lifted it, and pointed it right at her face.

"Daddy," she said sweetly, her tone dripping with mockery, "I’ll be waiting for you to kneel and beg me."

Then — snap! — the feed cut to black.

Andrew grabbed his tablet and hurled it at the wall. The impact cracked the plaster and sent a chunk of paint flying.

"Dad..." Olivia gasped.

"Shut up!" he roared.

"Andrew, what are you yelling for?" Susan snapped. "I told you not to shout at your daughter. Don’t let that little slut Sophia bait you — she’s bluffing!"

Andrew slowly raised his eyes, and the icy fury in them made Susan flinch.

"This is all your fault," he hissed. "If you two hadn’t been running your mouths, she never would’ve overheard anything! You said it yourself — walls have ears.

Now look what’s happened. If Sophia really hands those forged ledgers to the authorities, do you know what that means?

Court seizure.

The company — gone. The house — gone. Even this place you’re standing in — gone!"

If Sophia turned those documents in, everything he owned would vanish. His eyes were bloodshot, veins standing out at his temples.

Susan frowned and waved a hand dismissively. "You’re exaggerating. I can have my godfather handle it. One word from him and it’s solved."

Andrew blinked — that’s right, she still had her godfather.

"Susan, call him! Tell him everything that’s happened. Make sure he helps us!"

"I told you there was nothing to worry about. You didn’t believe me. I still don’t think Sophia can beat him."

Susan snatched up her phone and left the room.

Beside her, Olivia clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

Sophia.

That bitch had dared to slap her. She would never forgive her.

...

At that same moment, inside Morgan Group headquarters—

Paul stood in the doorway, staring at Sophia as she calmly packed up her things.

"Why?" he asked.

Sophia paused mid-motion, then turned to him with a soft, taunting smile. "Don’t you think that’s a ridiculous question?"

"Morgan Group is your home too," he said quietly.

"Secretary Smith," she said, her tone sharp, "have you forgotten that you practically watched me grow up? We’ve known each other for years — and yet you chose to stand with them. You helped them throw me into hell.

You really think I don’t know? Six years ago, when they plotted to sell me off, you were in on it. You must’ve enjoyed it."

Paul frowned. "It wasn’t what you think. I went looking for you after—"

"Don’t make me laugh," she interrupted coldly. "Whether you looked for me or not, you were their accomplice. When a blizzard falls, no single snowflake is innocent. You should be grateful I haven’t come for you yet."

Paul hesitated, his voice low. "How did you do it?"

He meant the records — how had she gotten the company’s most confidential files when she’d never even stepped into the restricted archive?

Then, a thought struck him. "Was it Ernest?"

Sophia smiled faintly. "You really shouldn’t think so darkly of people. He’s a good man — loyal to a fault. But tell me, Paul... what if Andrew thinks like you? That I could never possibly get in? What if someone was helping me in the shadows? Wouldn’t that make him wonder... if that person might be you?"