Chapter 78
Chapter 78:
Long before sunrise, Sophie slipped quietly out of the penthouse without anyone noticing.
She planned to reach the hospital before Adrian arrived, hoping to have a private conversation with her mom about the stand-in marriage and prevent any awkward surprises.
Up until now, Sophie had simply told Zola she had married someone dependable, leaving out the messy details for her mom’s peace of mind.
Zola wasn’t expecting Sophie so early and blinked in surprise. “What brings you here so early in the morning p>
Taking a seat beside her mother’s bed, Sophie reached out and held Zola’s hand. It took her a moment, but she finally confessed. “Mom, I haven’t been really honest with you p>
In a quiet voice, she revealed the truth about marrying as a stand-in, but quickly tried to reassure her. “But things are really okay now, Mom. He’s actually very good to me. I don’t feel like I lost anything. Honestly, it turned out better than I expected p>
Relief washed over Sophie when she saw Zola respond with a calm nod, taking it all in stride.
Before leaving, she gave her a firm instruction. “When Adrian gets here, just say you’re my aunt, okay? Please don’t let anything slip p>
Sophie didn’t linger. She hurried out of the hospital, worried that Adrian might realize she was missing from home.
Moments after Sophie left, someone else stepped into the hospital room. Michelle appeared.
а𝘤𝘁𝘪vе 𝗰𝗈𝗺𝘮𝘂𝘯𝗂𝘁𝘆 𝗈𝗻 𝗀a𝗹n𝗈𝘃е𝗹ѕ.с𝘰𝗆
Zola felt her nerves spike the moment she saw her. “When is all this going to be over p>
Pulling the curtain closed, Michelle lowered her voice. “It’ll be finished soon. The donor match worked out, and she can get admitted today p>
There was a sly smile on Michelle’s face. “She’s so worried you’ll say no to the kidney transplant, she’s been keeping everything from you p>
A heavy sigh escaped Zola. “She’s always been such a good child. It actually makes me feel bad p>
Michelle scoffed, not bothering to hide her attitude. “You don’t need to feel guilty. After this, your share will be ready. I’ll even throw in the fifty grand she scraped together for the hospital bills p>
A frown tugged at Zola’s face. “I just don’t get it. If all you want is her kidney, why did she have to collect that money herself? It’s not like your family can’t afford fifty thousand. Making her collect all that money only slowed everything down p>
Michelle let out a sharp laugh. With an impatient wave, she explained, “If we’d pushed her to donate from the start, she would’ve gotten suspicious or pulled away. However, by making her jump through hoops, scrape together the cash, and fight for a spot, now she’s invested. She won’t back down. She’ll go through with it just to prove herself p>
A tired sigh slipped from Zola as she shook her head. “You guys are ruthless p>
Switching to a playful tone, she teased, “I just learned about that little trick you pulled. Swapping brides because your daughter refused to marry a man with scars, so you pushed Sophie into it p>
She let out a mocking chuckle. “It’s easy to bully her when she doesn’t have anyone to defend her, isn’t it p>
Michelle’s smile vanished, her jaw clenched. “That’s not something you need to worry about p>
Her voice turned icy as she added, “Just stay put until the operation is over. As soon as it’s done, you get your money, and that’s the end of it p>
Heading home after the hospital visit, Sophie couldn’t shake a sense of unease.
Her mom had taken the news too well. A hundred scenarios had played out in Sophie’s mind, each more dramatic than the last. She had pictured her mom flying into a rage, marching over to confront Kolton’s family, or maybe breaking down and hugging her, heartbroken that she had suffered for so long.
Yet nothing even close to that happened. Zola had remained so composed that it almost came off as cold, like she had spoken about some distant cousin’s engagement rather than her own daughter’s stand-in marriage.
The emptiness in Sophie’s chest grew, though she couldn’t quite name the feeling.
When she finally walked in the door, she spotted Adrian sprawled on the sofa, scrolling through his phone with a sour look on his face.
Sophie’s pulse spiked. Glancing at her phone, she realized she had missed several calls from him.