Her Divorce, His Downfall (Sophia and Damian) novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168 Phase One Complete

Damian immediately agreed, and a relieved smile spread across his face. Phase one was complete. He’d lulled the family into a false sense of security, redirected all attention onto Isabelle, and secured the perfect excuse to keep her close so he could investigate the pendant she carried.

He already knew that Julian had sent people to deal with Isabelle, and that Michael Anderson had traded forty percent of Zenith Corporation’s shares to buy her freedom, then tried to force her into a marriage far from the city.

A dangerous glint churned behind his eyes. He didn’t believe that roughing up Isabelle a little would be enough to satisfy Sophia.

Once the engagement was settled, he’d move Isabelle into the Hall Residence and put her right under Sophia’s nose, where Sophia could deal with her at her leisure.

Damian lowered his eyes, hiding the storm of emotions behind them, and put on a face of quiet compliance. “Grandma, I’ll remember.”

Catherine looked at her son and shook her head helplessly, though privately, she let out a breath of relief,

As long as Damian stopped threatening to propose to mis aunt

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the Isabelle engagement.

What she truly feared was that his battered body couldn’t survive another round of family punishment.

No matter how reckless her son was, he was still her flesh and blood. Her heart ached for him.

Damian’s distant cousin, Ashley Hale, could barely contain her glee. She’d always been close with Isabelle, and Damian’s engagement to her would only strengthen Ashley’s own position in the Hall family.

She didn’t dare let it show, though. She kept her head down and forced a neutral expression.

Sophia watched the whole circus finally wind down. She didn’t feel sad. All she felt was a quiet, smoldering fury.

She’d predicted this. Given how much the Hall family doted on Damian, they’d inevitably cave to keep the peace and prevent the uncle–nephew conflict from escalating further.

And that suited Sophia just fine. With Isabelle as Damian’s fiancée, Sophia knew Isabelle well enough to predict she’d only become more arrogant and reckless.

Isabelle slipped up, Sophia would make sure she paid for it:37

Julian glanced at Sophia’s taut, irritated face and couldn’t resist giving her hand a gentle pat. He leaned close to her ear and whispered playfully, “Don’t worry. Your future husband is still right here.”

The words “future husband” pierced Sophia’s heart like a needle. Her heartbeat stumbled.

The tips of her ears burned instantly. A delicate blush spread across her cheeks, her lashes fluttered, and she pinched the back of his hand, her voice soft and flustered. “Julian, could you please be serious?”

Julian looked down at the lips he’d just kissed into a slight swell. His gaze darkened.

His Adam’s apple dipped. His voice came out low and rough. “I’ve always been serious about you.”

Sophia couldn’t help laughing at how solemn he looked. She propped a hand beside his ear, leaned in, and whispered, “Julian, I know you’ve always been a gentleman. What happened by the lake, you did it for me. I don’t blame you.”

Her warm breath grazed the side of Julian’s face as she spoke, leaving a tingling trail that sent heat creeping up to his ears.

Julian steadied himself and ruffled her hair. “As long as I’m 3/7

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here, no one’s going to hurt you.”

Then he straightened up, placed a spare rib on her plate, and smiled. “Eat up. These are your favorite.”

Sophia picked it up and took a small bite. “So good. The Hall family chefs are still incredible.”

Julian almost laughed. The Hall family employed dozens of award–winning chefs, every one of them at the top of their craft. The food being good was hardly a surprise.

His gaze rested on her, gentle and unwavering. “If you like it, I’ll have them make it for you every day.”

“Mm.” Sophia nodded, a contented smile spreading across her face.

From Damian’s vantage point, their easy intimacy made them look like a real couple.

It had been months since Sophia had “died” in the fire.

What exactly had the two of them been doing all this time?

Seeing how completely Sophia let her guard down around Julian, how she didn’t flinch at his closeness, a sickening thought crept in. Had Sophia actually fallen in love with Julian? 4/7

11:37

The realization hit Damian like a bolt of lightning. His heart plummeted, sinking straight into the abyss. A bone–deep cold spread through every limb.

Stay calm. Stay calm. He repeated it to himself like a mantra. Blood seeped from the wound on his palm again, but he didn’t seem to register the pain. He just endured it.

He knew Sophia despised both him and Isabelle. She was still hiding behind the identity of Vivian Fitzgerald, refusing to face him.

He would give her the answers she deserved. And he was willing to wait. Wait for her to come back to him.

Under Damian’s aggressive stunt, the dinner gradually settled into an uneasy calm.

Everyone nursed their own thoughts behind guarded expressions, murmuring in low voices. Before long, the enthusiasm fizzled out, and the gathering came to a quiet end.

By the time Sophia returned to Willow Court, it was past ten. She took a shower, stepped out of the bathroom, and was toweling off her hair when a tall, familiar figure appeared standing right in front of her.

Damian?

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