Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Sofia went against Daisy’s advice and slipped out of the apartment to work at the Charming Bar.
She couldn’t lie there and wait for Daisy to feed her while also paying for her mother’s medical bills.
It felt shameful to Sofia. Daisy had repaid her in every way possible, and, in fact, Daisy didn’t owe her a thing. If anything, Sofia felt indebted to Daisy for everything she had done.
Sofia entered the changing room, opened her locker, and retrieved her greeter’s uniform to change into. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her hair and put her changed clothes back into the locker.
Suddenly, she heard murmurs from outside of her changing
room.
“Have you heard about that one actress? Ella was disfigured by Mr. Walter, and it drove her to madness. Rumor has it that her parents have come to take her back.”
“Have you seen those videos Ella posted? They’re crazy!”
“Where’d she post it? Let me see!”
“She was banned online, and all of her videos were deleted in a night. But her career is completely finished.”
“Has Mr. Walter been caught yet?”
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“He got arrested, and it seems he’s also implicated in the previous case of the female college students. He’s likely to receive a heavy sentence!”
“Heavy sentence, my ass. His family has a ton of money, so they’ll just bribe him out.”
“Actually, the Walters lost everything this morning. Their stocks all crashed! I don’t think he’s getting out of this one!”
When Sofia heard this, she was momentarily taken aback, wondering if someone had stood up for her. But upon reflection, she found the thought absurd. What was she now? Was she even worthy of someone standing up for her?
But those two deserved it.
She finished packing up her things, got up, and walked out of the changing room. Those outside stopped talking and looked at Sofia.
It wasn’t until Sofia stepped out of the employee room that they resumed their conversation. “I heard that Mr. Walter and Ella got into trouble because of that woman that just walked by.
“No way! She was so ugly! What kind of person would do that for her?”
“Mr. Sanchez was there last night, right? Maybe he likes ugly women?”
The voices laughed, and Sofia froze in her tracks. She lingered by the bar doors, a few steps away from where she was stationed. But, Meroy started to shout at her.
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“Sofia, come here for a minute!”
Sofia turned and walked over to her boss, wondering what she was calling out to her for.
Meroy glanced at Sofia and felt bad, wondering what Mr. Stewart was thinking.
“You don’t have to be a greeter today.”
Sofia’s eyes widened, and she sighed with relief. Being at greeter was torture for her.
She rushed to thank Meroy, “Thank you, Sis May, I’ll go change and clean the washroom.”
“No need to do that,” Sis May looked her up and down, “don’t change your clothes, go straight to room 808. Mr. Stewart’s orders. From now on, you’re part of the PR department and will sit at a table.
Sofia’s face paled.
She knew exactly what the table was for. It wasn’t meant to deceive anyone. To put it politely, it was the public relations department.
Sure enough, Finley wasn’t going to let her off the hook. Placing her at the front of the bar wasn’t enough to humiliate her, so of course, he’d put her to work and drink with more elite businessmen.
She couldn’t drink at all with her stomach problems!
Other people had humiliated her like this, and she was numb to it, but why him?
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How could he ask her to accompany another man or in such a position? How could he humiliate her before he would let her go?
Sofia slowly lowered her head and clenched both hands into fists.
She knew it. Finley would never let her go.
That was the case three years ago, and it still held true today.
She really regretted falling in love with such a cruel, heartless man. Falling in love with him was her biggest mistake, so much so that she couldn’t forgive herself.
Meroy looked at Sofia up and down with pity in her eyes. Sofia had offended the wrong people, but Meroy couldn’t help her at all.
Meroy lowered her voice and lifted a hand to pat Sofia’s thin shoulder. “Go on,” She said gently. “It’s not good to keep the guests waiting.”
Sofia nodded and moved with difficulty toward room 808. She gently pushed the door open, not expecting the lack of commotion. There was only the strong smell of smoke.
The room was dimly lit, with only a few wall sconces giving off light and revealing the only guest in the room.
The tall figure leaned back on the sofa, looking tired, with a lit cigarette held between his fingers.
His handsome face slowly emerged amidst the smoke, and
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Sofia recognized that it was Finley. She backed away, turning towards the door to escape.
“Don’t try to run.” He flicked the cigarette. ash in his hand, his expression cold and his sight as sharp as a knife.
Sofia felt like a deer in the headlights. So, she slowly turned around and walked towards Finley.
With a click, Finley’s bodyguard stationed outside locked the door.
Sofia’s body trembled, and the moment she saw Finley, all her past trauma washed over her like a tidal wave swallowing her whole.
Finley looked at the woman trembling in front of him. Three years ago, the darling Sofia Campbell was the epitome of elegance and ethereal. But this version of Sofia irritated him to no end.
He extinguished his cigarette and pulled at his tie, revealing skin that reflected the eerie light.
Finley kept himself seated while Sofia stood there in trepidation.
Who would have thought that the two of them were once the most enviable couple in New York? She was a famous designer, and he was a renowned businessman. Both of them were good-looking, had rich family histories, and their engagement party was broadcasted live.
Everything had changed. And their circumstances were so absurd that they couldn’t even believe it.
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Finley pretended to relax, but his clenched jaw revealed his frustrations.
It was impossible for him to have loved her. She was always just a pawn in his game.
Even in bed, he was rough with her. He had bit her, bruised her. And he always thought that it was never love. All he wanted was revenge against her father, Robert.
Robert Campbell had set up Finley’s own father. He had killed him, swallowed the Stewarts‘ property, and forced his mother to work and die in New York’s underground prostitution rings.
Finley’s hand clenched into a fist. How could he love this woman, the offspring of his enemy? She didn’t deserve it!
She was no good with a father like that!
“Pour the wine.” Finley’s voice was low and cold as ice.
Sofia is truly afraid of him. She grew up sheltered and protected by her parents. Due to the torment, she had
endured because of him, she was terrified of him, fearing for her life.
Just standing in front of him made her heart start to panic. It was all too overwhelming for Sofia.
She carefully reached for an opened bottle of imported wine and was about to pour it into the glass in front of Finley.
“Use your left hand,” Finley said quietly.
Sofia froze.
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Finley motioned to her left hand, which was covered in her glove, and repeated himself.
“Pour the wine with your left hand.”
Sofia’s eyes started to brim with tears. Despite enduring immense pain, this was a torment she couldn’t bear deep within her heart.
He was clearly still fixated on Ellie. Sofia fought hard to hold back her tears, determined not to cry in front of this man. She refused to show any sign of vulnerability, despite the overwhelming frustration she felt.
She slowly lifted her hand and removed the glove. Then, she used both hands to grip the bottle and began to pour.
Finley’s eyes watched Sofia’s deformed hand, and his eyes darkened.
With a loud crash, Sofia accidentally knocked the wineglass, causing half of the wine to spill onto Finley’s suit pants.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She knelt down and grabbed a tissue off to the side to help him wipe his pants.
But Finley yanked her up, and her frail arms pressed her tightly into his chest.
Sofia’s body nearly collided with his, and she stared at Finley in horror, memories of that painful night flooding back. She pleaded, almost begging, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Stewart. I didn’t mean to, my hand… it just slipped…”
Her familiar scent enveloped his senses once again. It had
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been three years since Finley had been with a woman. After Sofia was put into prison, he remained celibate.
He thought he would forget about her, but now she was here, stirring up these unwanted emotions in his heart.
After three years of repressed desire, Finley felt something erupt in his chest. He leaned down and suddenly kissed Sofia’s dry, cracked lips.
Sofia’s eyes widened in horror, and she subconsciously pushed away the man who was already emotionally confused and raised her right hand to slap him in the face.
Slap!
Both of them froze.