Chapter 284

Back then, Dominic had spent one hundred and fifty-five million dors searching for Sophia.

The entire country knew of his desperate hunt for her. He had never believed Evelyn had any involvement in her disappearance.

Evelyn's cheeks burned under Dominic's accusatory glare. The sharp edge in his voice left no doubt—he thought she had kidnapped Sophia and brought her here.

At that moment, Evelyn hadn't even had time to think. She was running a high fever! If she had returned Sophia to him while the girl was still sick, he would have accused her of neglect.

"Yes!" Evelyn snapped, her voice trembling with frustration. "I was thrilled to watch you lose your mind!"

Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness. The lights flickered out.

"Ah!" Sophia shrieked, immediately latching onto the nearest person.

Lucas stiffened. "Why are you clinging to me? Let go!"

"I'm scared! Terrified!" Sophia whimpered, refusing to release him. Lucas sighed in resignation. It was just a hug.

He wasn't losing anything by it. Why argue with someone who wasn't fully capable of understanding? Besides, Dominic would take her away soon.

Just as Lucas assumed Dominic would reclaim Sophia, the man's voice cut through the dark. "It was your son who took Sophia from school, wasn't it? You ordered him to do it!"

Lucas frowned in confusion. What was wrong with Dominic? Sophia was trembling in fear, yet he ignored her, fixated on his argument with Evelyn.

"Yes! I told my son to do it!" Evelyn's voice rose above his, raw with emotion. "I deliberately sent him to bring Sophia here. I wanted to see the kind of woman you desired—to see how extraordinary she was! And what do I find? A simpleton!"

Dominic could hurl all the insults he wanted at her, but dragging Henry into this was crossing a line.

His relentless accusations shattered Evelyn's composure.

If he wanted her to be the villain, she would show him exactly how cruel she could be.

The moment the words left her lips, silence swallowed the room. Then, just as abruptly, the lights flared back to life.

Evelyn saw the storm in Dominic's eyes—dark, furious, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened. He looked seconds away from striking her.

Her pulse raced. Reality crashed back. How could she have called Sophia that? Even in anger, she should never have said it in front of her.

Evelyn's gaze darted around, searching for Sophia.

Clara and the children stood frozen in the doorway of the playroom, staring at Sophia. The girl stared at the floor. They had all heard. And despite their dislike for her, pity was all they felt now.

"Sophia," Clara said softly, her small voice cutting through the tension, "my mommy didn't mean what she said. She was lying. So she's lying about you being... that too."

Sophia's eyes brightened at Clara's words. Before, Clara had always ignored her. Now, she was the one reaching out. A tiny spark of happiness flickered in Sophia's chest.

"But I am," Sophia admitted with a blink, her voice earnest. "Evelyn wasn't lying."

The room fell silent again.

In the living room, Dominic's entire body tensed. His eyes glistened, red-rimmed with pain as he turned to Evelyn, his voice breaking. "Evelyn, you can hurt me all you want. But don't you dare say that about Sophia."

Every word dripped with betrayal and anguish.

Evelyn opened her mouth to apologize—then swallowed the words. "Take Sophia and leave," she said coldly, before turning on her heel and striding to her bedroom.