His emotions almost drove him to continue undressing Sophia, but a sudden, sharp pain in his arms interrupted him. Sophia had delivered a powerful kick, forcing him to let go of her.
Then, a loud slap landed on his face!
His head jerked to the side.
“Michael, you jerk!”
Michael turned to see Sophia pulling the silk covers over herself on the bed, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes showed panic and disgust, and she trembled slightly.
Realizing he had gone too far, Michael reached out to wipe away Sophia’s tears. She recoiled, clutching the covers protectively, looking at him as if he were a monster.
His hand hovered in the air.
With a bitter smile, he said in a hoarse voice, “Sophia, don’t be scared. I’m just worried about you. I… I did it to protect you. I’m afraid others might hurt you.”
“Protect me?” Sophia’s smile was mocking, as if she found it all a joke. “Where were you to protect me when your mother insulted me and slapped me while I was with your family? You told me to meet you at Champs Le Bar that night, but then you disappeared. And where were you when Gabriel assaulted me?”
“You say you’re protecting me, but everything you do only hurts me. Can you name one thing you’ve done that hasn’t caused me pain? Please, stop pretending like you actually care about protecting me.”
Michael’s brow furrowed as Sophia laid out painful truths. He stood up from the bed, frustration was clear on his face.
The memory of the Champs Le Bar incident haunted Michael as a lifelong regret. At that time, he hadn’t yet taken control of the Hayes family.
That day, he was on a business trip in Edenfield and spent time with some clients at Champs Le Bar. Feeling a longing for Sophia, he sent her a message, inviting her to join him.
Little did he expect Sophia to actually come.
He got her so drunk that she passed out and didn’t know what was happening around her.
In his drunken state, Michael gave in to his desire for Sophia and had an intimate moment with her while she was drunk. Afterward, he worried that Sophia might hold him accountable for his actions. He also feared his mother discovering it, scared she might forbid it and potentially harm Sophia. Moreover, he was at a critical point in taking over the Hayes Group, with no room for setbacks.
So, he left Sophia in the room and ran away.
Later, Gabriel intervened and ruined the famous movie star.
Sophia was right; he was the one who ruined her life.
To this day, Sophia wrongly thinks it was Gabriel who harmed her that night.
But she didn’t know Michael was the one who hurt her. And even now, Michael didn’t dare to tell her the truth about what happened that night.
He despised himself, unsure how to make things right with her.
“Sophia, I’m sorry…” Michael began, his words faltering.
Sophia looked at him with contempt in her eyes. “We’re from different worlds. You’re the respected Mr. Hayes. I’m just a regular woman. If you want what’s best for me, please let me go.”
Sophia stood up from the bed, her clothes torn, exposing her naked body. Exhausted, she silently walked over to Michael’s wardrobe, grabbed a man’s jacket, and wrapped it around herself.
“I’ll return this jacket to you. I’m leaving now. Goodbye. I hope we never meet again.”
She headed towards the door. Michael reached out, grabbing her wrist. With a quick twist, she freed herself and walked out without looking back.
Michael stood still for a moment, then suddenly swept everything off the nightstand in frustration.
That evening, at eight o’clock, Vincent hosted a celebratory gathering in the luxuriously decorated private room at Champs Le Bar.
The room was filled with champagne and cakes, creating a festive atmosphere.
When Bianca arrived, she saw Sophia already there, now wearing a green dress.
Sitting next to Sophia, Bianca asked casually, “Sophia, did you go home to change?”
Caught off guard, Sophia snapped back to the present. “Oh, um… yeah. The other dress didn’t fit well, so I changed.”
Sensing Sophia’s unease, Bianca pressed gently, “You seem a bit off. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” Sophia managed, forcing a smile.
Just then, the door to the private room swung open. Paige and Vincent entered, accompanied by Nicolas. Nicolas glanced briefly at Sophia before looking away quickly.
Bianca observed Paige’s entrance, her lips tightening slightly. She wondered what Blake might have said to Paige after their last meeting at the hot spring.
Bianca hoped Paige would understand that she only wanted to be Blake’s friend.
Paige, however, greeted Bianca warmly without any hint of worry. She approached and took Bianca’s hand. “Bianca, I was concerned you might struggle during Vincent’s live-streamed audition, but you proved me wrong. And bringing Ms. Garcia along, too! You truly impressed me.”
“Mrs. Lopez, you’re too kind. It was all thanks to Ms. Garcia’s generosity,” Bianca replied modestly.
As they talked, Ruby entered the room, surprising Bianca, who quickly went over to help her.
With a gracious smile, Ruby accepted the assistance. “I’m getting older and almost turned down the invitation, but Vincent was so kind. I hope I’m not a bother to anyone here.”
“Not at all. Your presence made a big difference for Sophia during the audition. It wouldn’t have been the same without you,” Bianca reassured her.
Ruby looked at Bianca fondly. “You always know just what to say.”
Meanwhile, in another lavish private room at Champs Le Bar, three handsome men sat surrounded by smoke, each quietly puffing on a cigarette, lost in thought.
Brandon glanced at Dave, who sat with a cold frown, deep in contemplation, while Michael beside him exuded a sense of gloom.
Brandon stayed quiet, wondering if they had called him here just because they were in a bad mood.
After a moment, Brandon cleared his throat with a noticeable cough. “How about we get a drink?” he suggested.
“Sure,” they replied in unison.
Brandon’s lips curled into a half-smile as an idea came to him. “How about a game? Or maybe we could bring in some girls to liven things up?”
“No,” they both replied simultaneously, declining the suggestion.
Brandon found their agreement odd. Their zest for life seemed to have dimmed. Had they recently been through breakups?
However, he doubted that was the case. Michael, heir to the Hayes family, could attract women effortlessly. None would dare to upset him.
Dave, the esteemed youngest grandson of the Edenfield family, rarely interacted with women and was admired by many as an unattainable figure.