“Sweetie, I’ll be honest with you. In this family, I’m starting to feel unsafe. I think Leo is a cold-blooded demon!” Jessica’s words astonished Sophia.
However, Sophia saw through it. Knowing Leo as she did, he wouldn’t arbitrarily harm Jessica. There must have been something Jessica did that pushed him to the edge, causing him to lose control.
By now, Sophia had gained a profound understanding of Leo’s strength. Challenging Leo repeatedly like Jessica did, if she weren’t her own mother, she might have lost her life a long time ago.
“Mom, don’t always blame everything on Leo. If he laid hands on you, there must have been a reason. The Leo now is not the same as before. You better not push his limits; otherwise, if he gets angry and does something to harm you, I can’t guarantee your safety.” Sophia spoke firmly.
Jessica, feeling pricked as if sitting on needles, leaped up from the sofa. Hands on her hips, she pointed at Sophia, saliva flying, “Alright, Sophia, are you really my daughter? Can you say such things? It seems that even if Leo killed me, you wouldn’t bat an eye, would you?”
“Mom, how can you talk like this? Stop being unreasonable, okay?” Sophia couldn’t stand Jessica’s peculiar train of thought.
“You say I’m being unreasonable…” Jessica’s nose tingled, and then she made a face of grievance, with a few drops of tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, “The old saying is right, a daughter married is like water spilled. I used to hope you would take care of me in my old age. Now I understand, you can’t rely on anyone!”
“Your own mother was beaten by a son-in-law, and you not only don’t help but also complain that I’m being unreasonable. Do you think I would be better off dead?” Sophia once again realized that reasoning or arguing with her own mother was utterly meaningless.
“Mom, I don’t want to say more. If you want to make a scene, go ahead. Just don’t complain later that I didn’t help you.”
“Of course, there’s another way. Since you can’t get along with Leo and don’t want to move out, why don’t I and Leo move out? It would be better for everyone.” Sophia’s seemingly plain words left Jessica momentarily speechless.
How could she let Sophia and Leo move out? Setting aside everything else, the annual property management fees for this No. 9 villa in Cloud Dream Mountain were a terrifying figure. Jessica, without a source of income, simply couldn’t afford it.
“Sweetie, what are you saying? The villa is yours. How can you move out?” Jessica pretended to be angry.
Just then, Leo pushed open the living room door and walked in. Seeing Sophia and Jessica sitting together, sensing the uneasy atmosphere in the living room, Leo could more or less guess what happened before he arrived.
Leo walked up to Sophia, looking at her slightly troubled expression, and asked with concern, “Sophia, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Sophia stood up from the sofa, “Let’s go upstairs.”
Sophia was a bit afraid that her mother, without distinguishing right from wrong, would again make a scene with Leo. This wasn’t the first or second time, and it left a shadow in Sophia’s heart.
Leo nodded, took Sophia’s hand, and they went upstairs together to their bedroom.
Sophia closed the bedroom door and looked into Leo’s eyes, asking, “Leo, my mom said you laid hands on her a few days ago. Did she do something excessive again?”
Leo knew Jessica would complain to Sophia, and calmly replied, “That day when you were kidnapped by Bruno, I rushed to save you. But your mom deliberately found fault, accusing me of fooling around when I went to the Northern Desolation Mountains without telling you, so…”
“Leo, I’m sorry. My mom is always so unreasonable, making you suffer.” Sophia sighed.
Leo reached out, holding Sophia’s shoulders, and said gently, “Sophia, we are husband and wife. Please don’t say sorry. Sometimes, I’m too impulsive and make things difficult for you.”
“Leo, promise me one thing, okay?” Sophia’s discomfort turned into solemnity, and tears uncontrollably streamed down her face.
“Sophia, don’t cry. I promise you anything.” Leo quickly wiped away the tears from Sophia’s eyes.
“Leo, she is my mom after all, an unchangeable fact. Look, for the sake of our marriage, no matter what outrageous things my mom does in the future, you can scold her, but don’t harm her, okay?” Sophia’s tone carried a plea.
Kind-hearted Sophia could only use this method to beg Leo.
Leo couldn’t help but smile, reaching out to flick Sophia’s delicate nose, “Silly, why would you think like that? We’re a married couple, and your mom is my mom-in-law. How could I do something so unfilial?”
“Leo, thank you for understanding me.” Sophia emotionally hugged Leo.
Leo also returned the embrace, and at that moment, time seemed to stop, leaving only warmth in the room.
After a while, they let go of each other.
Thinking of the wedding banquet that Jessica mentioned earlier, Sophia spoke to Leo, “By the way, my mom’s friend’s daughter, whom you’ve met before, Lucia’s daughter Bethany, is hosting a wedding banquet the day after tomorrow. They’ve invited our whole family. Do you want to go?”
“If you go, I’ll go.” Leo replied straightforwardly.
It seemed that before he came back, Jessica must have talked to Sophia about this matter, leading to Sophia’s unhappiness. Although Leo had limited contact with Lucia’s family, if Sophia went, he would definitely go to protect her from harm.
“Leo, you’re really great.” Sophia’s mood improved.
Leo grinned mischievously, “Since I’m so great, why don’t you give me a kiss?”
“Annoying!” Sophia playfully punched him.
When the two came downstairs, Nora had already prepared a table full of delicious dishes.
During dinner, Jessica, unusually calm, didn’t intentionally provoke Leo, but rather focused on her meal. Occasionally, she seemed lost in thought, and nobody knew what she was thinking.
In Jessica’s mind, she was planning a major event, a scheme she had been plotting for a long time.
During a mahjong game, she had consulted her friends on how, in the case of her daughter’s disagreement, she could kick out the freeloader who married into the family.