Replacement Bride Left With His Baby (Sophia and Easton) novel Chapter 43

**The Case of the Bleeding Shadows by Emma Blackwood**
**Chapter 43**

Sophia had initially intended to brush off the confrontation, but the audacity of Stella was simply too egregious to ignore. After all the plotting and scheming, Stella’s brazen attitude was more than Sophia could tolerate in silence.

“Perhaps you should take your own advice to heart, Ms. Weston,” Sophia retorted, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her. “Those who toy with fire often find themselves scorched. Yvonne may have shielded you this time, but your luck is bound to falter. Eventually, everyone faces the consequences of their actions.”

Stella’s sneer was as sharp as a knife. “Still quick with your tongue, I see. But what else could we expect from an orphan? You’ve always had to guard your heart, with no one to lean on. It’s honestly quite sad.”

Sophia felt her blood boil at Stella’s venomous words. “You may present yourself as the flawless Roth heiress, but we all know the truth. You are nothing but the family’s curse. Your parents’ tragic deaths? They’re on your conscience…”

Before Stella could finish her taunt, the sound of a slap echoed through the corridor, a sharp crack that silenced the air. In a fit of rage, Sophia had struck her across the face, the force of her emotions propelling her forward.

Without a moment’s pause, she surged towards Stella, gripping her jaw with a fierce determination and pinning her back against the wall. “Don’t you dare think for a second that I’m afraid to hurt you, Stella,” she hissed, her voice a low growl. “Go on, repeat it. I dare you.”

Just then, the elevator doors slid open, and Easton emerged, his expression shifting from casual to alarmed as he took in the scene. He quickly crossed the distance between them, his hand wrapping around Sophia’s wrist, pulling her away with a firm grip. “Sophia,” he snapped, his voice low and simmering with anger, “what is happening here?”

A glint of cold satisfaction flickered in Stella’s eyes, a cruel smile forming on her lips. Just as she had orchestrated, Easton had arrived at the perfect moment.

In an instant, tears brimmed in Stella’s eyes, her act flawless. She rushed to Easton’s side, clutching his arm with feigned vulnerability. “Easton, Ms. Roth attacked me the moment she saw me with you,” she whimpered, her voice dripping with false innocence. “I suppose she still harbors resentment over how things ended between you two. She can’t stand the sight of me.”

As Easton’s gaze fell upon the red mark blooming on Stella’s cheek, his expression hardened. He turned to Sophia, his voice low and filled with disappointment. “Sophia, what happened between us was years ago. Why are you blaming Stella for this?”

Without sparing him another glance, she pushed past him, leaving the hotel in a whirlwind of emotion. Her phone lay forgotten as she climbed into her car and sped away, disappearing into the night.

Easton stood there, watching her retreat, his expression inscrutable.

For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw tears glistening in her eyes, but the sight vanished too quickly for him to be sure.

Stella reveled in the satisfaction of their conflict, feeling a thrill at the chaos she had orchestrated. “I’m so sorry, Easton. I had no idea Sophia still held such hatred for me after all these years,” she said, her voice thick with feigned sympathy, the sweetness of her words masking her true delight.

Her voice broke through his thoughts like a sharp knife. “Just stay out of her way next time,” he replied flatly, his tone leaving no room for argument.