Chapter 422
“That’s enough. Let’s go. Nobody can bully me,” Sophie said. Besides, it’s just Willow. What can she do to me?
“All right. Let’s go!”
Tristan wrapped an arm around Sophie’s shoulders and opened the car door to let her get inside first.
Then, he turned around and declared in a stern voice, “This is a warning. Nobody here has the right to criticize my woman!” Tristan would not stand for people trying to hurt his girl.
Willow fumed with indignance when she heard him.
Unlike Tristan, Clayton had never sided with her like that.
Besides, Tristan would never believe anything others said about Sophie. It was virtually impossible to sow discord between them.
Tristan only got into the car after making his statement.
If not for the fact they were Sophie’s mother and sister, he would have lashed out long ago.
“Why are you so angry? I’m not even that mad at them. Don’t get all worked up because of those people. It’s not worth it,” Sophie said after Tristan entered the car.
“It’s not that. I just don’t want them to hurt you. Why don’t we also get engaged?” If keeping their relationship in the dark would put her through all this, Tristan would rather they make it public for everyone to know.
Sophie shook her head right away.
“Forget about it. Classes are starting soon. We’ll talk about this after I graduate from university.” Sophie knew she would be the talk of the town, garnering unwanted attention and trouble if she went to the university as Tristan Lombard’s fiancée.
Even though she could not care less about what others thought of her, she loathed dealing with unsolicited troubles.
“Well, everyone thinks that I’m the one who’s refusing to acknowledge our relationship when it’s you refusing to make it official,” Tristan grumbled.
I’m more than willing to acknowledge our relationship.
Knowing making it official would spell trouble for them both, Sophie was in a bind.
“That’s not what I meant. I just don’t want to get you into trouble,” Sophie mumbled.
Tristan relented and said, “Okay. We’ll talk about this after you graduate from university.” After all, they’d have to wait until after her graduation anyway.
“Thank you for being so considerate.” Sophie took his hand in hers, grateful that he was willing to respect her wishes.
Sophie vowed she would not forsake his unconditional love.
Meanwhile, Charmaine led Willow into the house.
“Willa, you’d better apologize to your grandpa. At the end of the day, he is still your grandfather. It’s really not wise to sour your relationship like this,” Charmaine said, trying to talk sense into her daughter.
“Why do I have to apologize? I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. Since he only has eyes for Sophie, what does anything I do have got to do with him?” Willow replied stubbornly.
After all, she was Clayton’s fiancée now.
There was no need for her to take all this crap anymore.
“Then please don’t stir trouble for Sophie again. Please, you have enough to worry about as it is,” Charmaine pleaded.
“Mom, why are all of you siding with her? Why don’t you guys ever consider how I feel?” Willow rebuked.
Charmaine furrowed her brows.
“Willa, I am on your side and always have been. How heartless of you to say that.”
Willow let out a derisive snort.
“Forget it. I’m tired, so I’m going upstairs to take a rest. I’ve got a date with Clayton later!” Willow uttered in a huff, disregarding everything that her mother just said.
She truly thought that she had married into a wealthy family.
In the evening, Tristan brought Sophie to Nocturnal to have drinks with their group of friends. Even though Ysabelle was all tuckered out from work at TS Entertainment, she still joined them.
“Soph, what’s up with Clayton? Does he really have feelings for Willow?” Ysabelle asked in an incredulous tone, still unable to believe it. “Why do I somehow feel like he’s got some hidden agenda? Willow must be really dumb to not suspect anything,” she continued.
“Ysabelle, I’ve got to say that you’ve become smarter after spending time with Sophie,” Felix teased.
Ysabelle glared at him in response.
“Felix, what are you getting at? Are you trying to aggravate me? I’ve always been smart, okay? You’ve just never realized it,” Ysabelle refuted. How could he say that? I have my pride.
“I’m sorry for pointing out the truth,” Felix said with a shrug.
Rendered speechless by her fury, she chose to ignore him.
Felix was someone who could make one have very polarized feelings for him. Sometimes, one would pity him when he was bullied. More often than not, however, his words were infuriating.
Charles was left speechless at their interaction.
Felix had a crush on Ysabelle, and yet he wasn’t showing her any mercy with his snark.
How long is he going to take before he succeeds in making Ysabelle his wife? He’s been around her for so long, and yet the girl’s realized nothing about his feelings.
On the other hand, Sean picked up a glass and took a sip of his liquor, seemingly uninterested in their conversation.
Willow had not left much of an impression on him.
All he cared about were his cases.
Well, the friends sitting before him were also an exception.
“What are you thinking about?” Tristan asked when he noticed Sean keeping quiet. “You have to stop being a social hermit. Go and make more friends. Even better if you manage to snag a girlfriend.”
Given Sean’s age, people would start to question his sexual orientation if he did not get himself a girlfriend soon.
“It’s not like I have the time,” Sean replied.
There were mountains of cases piling up at the firm, and he had to deal with them one by one.
It didn’t help matters that only major cases would make it to his firm.
“Sophie, could I ask you for a favor?”
Everyone was taken aback by Sean’s question.
“Sean, are you in trouble? You know you can always tell me if you encounter any problems,” Charles hurriedly said. Sophie is just a high school graduate. What help would she be to Sean?
“You won’t be able to help me. Only Sophie can,” Sean answered. He had recently been struggling to solve a very tough case.
Sophie raised a brow curiously.
She never expected that a cold and distant man like Sean would ask her for help.
Well, he did help out a lot with Sunny’s matters previously, so I should return the favor this time.
“Fire away,” Sophie said.
“Not today. Could you come to my office tomorrow when you’re free? This is not a good place to talk about it,” Sean replied.
Charles grew even more curious.
“Sean, what problems did you get yourself into? Can’t you even tell us?” The fact that Sean was going to tell Sophie but not them made him feel somewhat bitter.
“You won’t be of help even if you know about it. So, what’s the point?” Sean refused to dwell on the subject.
Besides, it was quite a dangerous favor to ask of Sophie.
Sean decided that he would seek for her consent in the matter first before proceeding. He wouldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want to do.
Tristan was getting curious as well.
Has Sean really encountered trouble? Why does he need Sophie’s help?
“That’s my girl! Even Sean is asking a favor from you,” Ysabelle declared, feeling proud for having a friend like Sophie.
“Right, Soph, so what are we going to do with Willow? She’s a Tanner as well. I don’t think it’s going to do the Tanners any good if she keeps doing things that will humiliate your family,” Ysabelle commented.
