Chapter 3
Chapter 3 Does She Even Have A Family
The next morning, Sophie arrived at her classroom to be told that the discipline teacher had come to look for her three times in a row.
“Soph, did you do something wrong?”
Everyone knew Sophie was a delinquent who loved getting involved in physical fights. However, no one had ever seen her fighting after she transferred to this high school. Sophie often slept in class, but almost everyone in Horington High School did the same. Horington High School was the worst high school in all of Horington, so the teachers didn’t even bother to yell at the students for sleeping in class.
“Never mind. I’ll go to his office.”
Sophie tossed her backpack onto her desk and went to the administration office.
In the administration office of Horington High School, the principal, Vincent Zeller, could barely tamp down his anger. “Sophie Tanner, how could you? I don’t mind if you have a bad reputation, but why did you beat Jack Keyes up? Do you know who he is? He’s the son of Percy Keyes, the deputy director! I can’t believe you’re bold enough to beat a government official’s son up. He has been admitted to the hospital. What are you going to do now?” Vincent was already regretting accepting Sophie in the first place.
“I’ve called your mother. You’re too good for us, so we dare not keep you here. You are free to go to any school that dares to take you in!” he concluded furiously.
Sophie didn’t utter a word at all.
Soon, Sophie’s mother, Charmaine Laird, arrived at Horington High School.
“Mr. Zeller, what happened? Did Sophie do anything wrong again?”
The moment Charmaine arrived, she didn’t ask about the details and assumed it was Sophie’s fault.
“We’re no longer capable of teaching your daughter. Please take her with you today. She has offended Mr. Percy Keyes, a deputy director in a government agency. I’m in trouble no thanks to her. I shouldn’t have taken her in in the first place!” Vincent expelled Sophie immediately without giving Charmaine any opportunity to speak.
Hearing that, Sophie spun on her heels and strode out of the administration office.
“Mr. Zeller, Sophie is still young. Please give her another chance. If she gets expelled from Horington High School, no other high school will take her in!” Charmaine pleaded, utterly flustered.
“Mrs. Tanner, I can’t help you. You should worry about Mr. Keyes.” Vincent’s stance remained firm.
Left with no choice, Charmaine left the office reluctantly.
Her frustration kicked in at the sight of Sophie outside. She raised her arm with the intention of giving Sophie a slap.
However, Sophie grabbed her arm and glared at her icily.
“Mrs. Tanner, what are you doing? You and the Tanner family should stay out of my business. You discarded me back then, right? Stop poking your nose into my business.”
They made their choice five years ago, right? They chose Willow, and I was their unwanted daughter.
“Sophie, what was that? How could you be that rude? What else are we supposed to do after your humiliating incident? You were the reason our family became the laughingstock of Jipsdale. Haven’t you learned from your mistake?” Charmaine demanded.
Sophie was disappointed after hearing her words. Despite being her mother, Charmaine had never trusted her.
“I’ve humiliated you, so I’ve cut all ties with the Tanner family. Whether I die or live on is none of your business. Stop coming to me or butt into my business,” Sophie told her calmly. Going to her classroom, she grabbed her backpack and marched out of school.
Charmaine’s disappointment increased when she saw how stubborn Sophie was.
I can’t ignore her. No matter what, she’s still my daughter. Besides, if Dad comes home and finds out we abandoned Sophie in Horington, there’s no telling what he’ll do. After all, Dad adores Sophie the most.
“Mr. Tristan, Sophie has been expelled from her school,” Felix promptly updated Tristan. “She’s the youngest daughter of the Jipsdale Tanners who was abandoned in Horington.”
“She’s Caleb Tanner’s younger sister?” The Tanner family wasn’t that influential in Jipsdale, but Tristan knew who Caleb was.
“Yep, she’s Caleb Tanner’s younger sister. Apparently, Sophie caused an uproar in Jipsdale for living together with a thug when she was in eighth grade. She even got an abortion.”
“Apparently? How could you believe a baseless rumor?”
Sophie isn’t one who would live together with a thug and abort her child in middle school. That sounds ridiculous.
Felix scratched his nose awkwardly.
“It was her elder sister, Willow Tanner, who spilled the truth.”
“Willow Tanner?” Tristan had no recollection of the name.
“Mr. Tristan, this is the Tanner family’s personal matter. Are you going to interfere?”
“I find Sophie extremely interesting. If we bring her back, she might be of use to us one day,” came Tristan’s answer.
“What? Mr. Tristan, are you planning on letting her work in Lombard Group?” Felix was dumbfounded.
“Why? You’ve got a problem with that?”
Felix shook his head profusely.
“Of course not. I don’t have any problem with that. You call the shots,” he responded in an attempt to butter up to his employer.
Night soon fell, but Charmaine couldn’t figure out any solution. She didn’t even get to meet Percy in person.
When she was about to leave without taking Sophie with her, Josiah Tanner’s call arrived.
“Bring Sophie back no matter what. If you fail to do that, you don’t have to come home,” Josiah ordered loudly once the call was connected.
“Bring Sophie back? Dad, five years ago, she…”
Before she could explain, Josiah had already hung up.
Frustration crept up Charmaine’s heart at the thought of the people in Jipsdale waiting to see her make a joke out of herself. If she were to bring Sophie back, everyone would definitely gossip about them.
To her utter surprise, Caleb showed up before her.
“Aren’t you in Anglandur? Why are you even here?” she blurted out in shock.
“Mom, I’m here to bring Sophie home.” Caleb’s answer was curt.
“Caleb, you know about Sophie’s reputation in Jipsdale. We can’t afford to humiliate ourselves,” Charmaine insisted.
“We don’t know exactly what happened five years ago. Thus, we can’t just listen to one side of the story. I don’t think Sophie did anything to humiliate our family. Back then, I allowed her to leave Jipsdale as she was suffering there. It is now time for her to return to Jipsdale to take the university entrance exam.”
As Caleb had made up his mind, Charmaine said nothing else despite her dislike for Sophie.
“I’m afraid she won’t come back home with you. Don’t you know her? She’s stubborn and insistent.”
“Stay out of this. You can leave now. I’ll bring Sophie back home.”
Without further ado, Caleb went to Sophie.
Sophie didn’t know she’d run into Caleb here. Why is he here? I have nothing to do with the Tanners anymore. After all, they picked Willow over me, didn’t they?
Sophie was about to walk past Caleb, so he reached out to stop her from leaving.
“It’s me, Soph. I’m here to bring you home,” Caleb said gently.
Sophie’s brows scrunched up. Does he want to bring me home? He wasn’t even here during my most helpless and darkest moment. I don’t need him now.
