The three of them were not only classmates but also roommates and best friends sharing the same dormitory. After graduating from college, Amaya went abroad under her family’s arrangement. The last time the three of them gathered was three years ago when Amaya returned to Atraria with her parents for ancestral rites.
Sophia and Karen knew about Amaya’s settlement abroad, so her sudden return to the country surprised and delighted them.
“Karen, when do you think Amaya will arrive in Langstel?” Sophia asked.
“I calculated the time; it should be around noon the day after tomorrow. We can go to the airport together to pick her up,” Karen replied.
“Sounds good. Give me a call in advance.”
After discussing Amaya’s situation, the two chatted about various topics before ending the call.
Putting down the phone, Sophia walked back to the living room. Nora had already prepared a table full of delicious dishes.
“Sophia, is Mr. Bloomer coming back for dinner tonight?” Nora asked.
Sophia nodded, “Yes, he messaged me. He’ll be here soon. Let’s wait for him.”
Jessica, who walked over, immediately frowned, “What are we waiting for? Don’t you see what time it is now? The food will get cold later, and I have no appetite!”
“Mom, if the food gets cold, we can reheat it. Leo is handling something outside; what’s the hurry?” Sophia couldn’t help but say.
Jessica sneered, “A son-in-law who came knocking on the door is nothing. Daughter, I’m telling you, focus less on that useless Leo. Your grandmother has passed away, Bruno has become the chairman, and he’s been thinking about your company. You better plan ahead.”
“If you lose the position of general manager and end up keeping the Cloud Dream Mountain No. 9 villa with a freeloader, how will you live in the future?”
“Also, I think Bruno deliberately targets you, mostly because of that useless Leo. If Leo hadn’t deliberately provoked Bruno before, he probably wouldn’t have directed his resentment towards you. After all, you and Bruno are cousins.”
After saying this, Jessica deliberately added, “Sophia, do you think I’m right?”
“Mom, you’re talking nonsense. My company has the best performance in the Henley’s Corp. Bruno has been jealous for a long time, completely unrelated to Leo!” Sophia was almost fed up with Jessica’s words and retorted loudly.
Jessica looked at Sophia with a resentful expression and said loudly, “Sophia, whether you’re really foolish or pretending to be foolish! In the eyes of Bruno and those people, that son-in-law Leo has become a disgrace to the family. They’ve long wanted to kick Leo out!”
“Putting that aside, if you listen to me, divorce Leo, and find another rich man to marry, even if you lose the company later, our days will still be better, right?”
“I’m your biological mother, I won’t harm you. That useless Leo is just a tool I brought in when you were seriously ill, completely unnecessary to have feelings for a tool!”
Unable to bear it, Sophia retorted loudly, “Mom, Leo is not a tool; he’s a living person, my husband, my love!”
“Mom, think about it carefully with your conscience. The only reason you can live in the Cloud Dream Mountain villa is entirely because of Leo!”
“Also, when my company faced the danger of an 80 million funding chain break and the crisis of malicious acquisition of shares, it was thanks to Leo’s help that we successfully got through it.”
“Mom, ever since Leo married me, he has been hardworking and never done anything wrong in our family. What more do you want from him?”
Jessica rolled her eyes, pounded her chest, and stomped her feet, shouting, “Stupid, truly stupid! Thinking I, your mother, am wise for a lifetime, how could I give birth to such a foolish daughter like you!”
“Can’t you have a longer-term perspective? That useless Leo, at best, is a stock that’s about to be delisted, with no investment value whatsoever!”
Sophia knew that continuing to argue with Jessica would be pointless. Instead, she asserted, “Mom, you don’t need to say more. With Leo around, my company will never fall into Bruno’s hands.”
Jessica sighed deeply, “Ignoring an elder’s advice, suffering is right before your eyes, Sophia, someday you will realize how absurdly wrong you are. At that time, don’t cry in front of me feeling wronged!”
Just then, the living room door opened from the outside, and Leo walked in. As soon as he entered, Leo sensed something was off.
Nora, seeing Leo return, quickly tried to defuse the tension. “Mr. Bloomer is back. Sophia, Jessica, let’s have dinner.”
Leo knew that Jessica was probably causing trouble for Sophia again. He ignored her, walked up to Sophia, and smiled gently. “Sophia, hungry waiting for me? Let’s eat.”
Sophia nodded and was about to walk to the dining table with Leo. Jessica’s temper got the better of her rationality, and she rushed in front of Leo, spraying saliva as she shouted, “Leo, now that Bruno has become the head of the Henley family, you see that Sophia’s position as the general manager is in danger. Don’t you care about this family at all, right!?”
“I tell you, if Sophia can’t be the general manager, you won’t get a free ride anymore! If you have a bit of conscience, divorce Sophia. Don’t ruin Sophia’s happiness.”
“The Henley family won’t bother with you. The agreement signed four years ago is null and void! As long as you divorce Sophia, I’ll give you thirty thousand. Go wherever you want, just don’t appear in mine and Sophia’s world again!”
Jessica, spitting everywhere, paid no attention to Leo’s increasingly gloomy expression.
“Finish talking and get out of the way. Don’t block me and Sophia from eating!” Suppressing the anger within, Leo sternly ordered.
Startled by Leo’s icy gaze, Jessica took two steps back, then went crazy, screaming, “Leo, you only know how to bully me. If you have the guts, go bully Bruno!”
Leo’s lips curled into a cold smile, “Trash like Bruno doesn’t deserve me to personally deal with him. I warn you now, because you’re Sophia’s biological mother, I’ve been lenient with you. If you keep causing trouble without reason, don’t blame me for not being polite to you!”
“You…”
Just as Jessica couldn’t resist wanting to take action against Leo, Sophia stepped forward, “Mom, if you don’t change your bad temper, I really won’t care about you anymore! Leo and I will handle the issues facing my company. There’s no need for you to jump and shout at home over this matter.”
Jessica, with her small eyes widened, wanted to retort, but for a moment, she couldn’t say anything.