Chapter 274: Chapter 275 No Lies Told
THIRD PERSON’S POV
The dining room of the Stone Villa was unusually quiet that evening.
Grandpa George sat at the head of the table with his usual stern expression. Dahlia sat on one side of him while Damien sat across from her. Ashley sat beside Damien, swinging her little legs beneath her chair while playing with her spoon.
Dahlia kept thinking about Sophia.
The image of Sophia’s pale face refused to leave her mind. She remembered the disappointment in Sophia’s eyes when she delivered Grandpa George’s invitation.
It didn’t look like anger anymore. It looked like someone who had completely given up.
Dahlia quietly sighed. Grandpa George noticed.
"What is it?" he asked.
Dahlia looked up and forced a smile "Nothing."
Grandpa George frowned "You’ve been distracted all evening."
Dahlia picked up a small strawberry cake that she bought earlier for Ashley.
She turned to Ashley with a smile "Hey sweetheart, I bought this for you."
Normally, any child would have smiled. Ashley didn’t. Instead, she stared at the cake and pushed it away.
"I don’t want it." Ashley angrily muttered.
Dahlia blinked in shock "What?"
"I don’t want it." Ashley repeated. Her tone was harsher this time.
Dahlia was surprised. Why was Ashley acting this way? She used to be a sweet and happy little girl.
Dahlia tried again "It’s your favorite."
Ashley crossed her arms "I said I don’t want it."
The entire table became quiet.
Dahlia looked hurt. She had spent time choosing the cake with Ashley specifically in mind. She only wanted to make Ashley happy.
Damien frowned "Ashley."
The little girl looked at him "What?"
"That’s rude."
Ashley pouted "I don’t care."
Damien’s eyes got dark. He looked like he wanted to correct her and Dahlia panicked. She didn’t want Ashley to get in trouble because of her.
Dahlia forced a smile "It’s okay."
But Ashley wasn’t finished. She pointed directly at Dahlia.
"Mommy said I shouldn’t collect things from you”
The words immediately caught everyone’s attention. Even Grandpa George stopped eating. This was the second accusation Ashley was making against Sophia this evening.
Dahlia frowned "What?"
Ashley nodded confidently "Mommy said I shouldn’t accept gifts from you. She says you’re evil”
Grandpa George’s face darkened. His eyes went dark with anger.
Damien’s expression changed instantly to one of annoyance.
The atmosphere became colder.
Ashley continued speaking "Mommy also said I shouldn’t let people like you make decisions for me."
Dahlia’s eyes widened. Something felt wrong.
She had spent enough time around Sophia to know that didn’t sound like her. She knew Sophia would never say those words.
Ashley continued "Mommy doesn’t like Aunt Dahlia."
The room fell completely silent.
Damien’s face darkened even more. His wolf growled deep inside him.
"What did you say?"
Ashley looked completely innocent.
She shrugged "Mommy said it."
Dahlia shook her head "No."
Everyone looked at her. Dahlia turned toward Damien.
"That’s not true." She said.
Ashley quickly interrupted "It is."
"No, it isn’t."
Ashley puffed her cheeks "Mommy said it."
Dahlia stared at the child. For the first time, she noticed how stubborn Ashley had become. The little girl wasn’t even hesitating. She was repeating the lie over and over.
Damien put down his fork. His expression became colder with every second.
His wolf paced restlessly.
"Ashley." He said coldly.
The little girl looked at him.
"When did Mommy say that?" he asked.
Ashley answered "Before."
Damien frowned "When?"
Ashley hesitated briefly, then she spoke again.
"At home."
Damien accepted the answer without question.
Dahlia couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t even asking any questions. Ashley’s explanations didn’t even make sense.
She stared at him in horror "Damien."
He looked at her "What?"
Dahlia frowned "You believe that?"
His jaw tightened "A child wouldn’t make that up."
Dahlia nearly laughed "A child absolutely can make things up."
Ashley looked offended.
"I don’t lie." Ashley defended herself.
Dahlia sighed.
She suddenly felt exhausted. She remembered Sophia telling her that Ashley had changed. Back then, she hadn’t fully believed it. Now she was beginning to understand.
The little girl was no longer the sweet child everyone remembered. Something had gone wrong but nobody seemed willing to see it.
Damien looked increasingly unhappy. His wolf’s irritation filled his chest. Every mention of Sophia lately seemed connected to conflict.
He was annoyed that Sophia would say such things about his sister. What else could she be telling Ashley?
He picked up his phone and sent Sophia a message.
Damien: I’ve heard some of the nonsense you’ve been telling Ashley. Such harsh words should NEVER repeat itself. Watch your words around my daughter. I mean it. If I get another repeat of this, you will not like my reaction
Damien pressed ‘send’. As soon as he did, he felt a little relieved. He decided that he would talk to her about it in person.
He stood from his chair "I’m done eating."
Without another word, he walked away.
Ashley jumped down from her seat.
"Daddy." She squealed
Damien paused "Yes?"
"Can I come?"
His expression softened slightly "Of course."
The little girl happily followed him.
Dahlia watched them leave, then she looked toward Grandpa George.
Neither of them spoke.
But for the first time, both were beginning to realize the same thing - The family was falling apart.
Meanwhile...Sophia lay in bed staring at the ceiling. The room was dark except for the bedside lamp.
Her body still hurt from the reopened injuries. Every movement reminded her of Ashley’s kick. Her heart hurt even more.
Her wolf lay quietly inside her mind, feeling sad and tired.
The message from Damien popped up on her phone. She read it again and again in confusion and horror.
What the hell was he on about now? Had Ashley told him more lies?
Sophia wondered where Ashley learnt how to tell lies.
Sophia laughed bitterly as tears slowly filled her eyes. At that exact moment, something hit the window.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Sophia froze. Her wolf immediately became alert.
She slowly sat up.
Another tap came.
Her heart nearly stopped. She started to panic. She wondered what could cause that sound.
Suddenly, the window slid open and a figure climbed inside.
Sophia screamed in horror "AHHH!"
She flinched hard. Her heart felt like it would come out of her chest any minute.
The man panicked.
"Wait! Wait! It’s me!" he said.
Sophia grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it. The pillow directly hit Zade’s face.
"Ouch!" he said.
The bedroom door burst open. Marco charged inside. Patricia followed right behind him.
Both looked ready for war. Marco’s expression turned angry. He looked like he was ready to kill someone.
"Who touched my sister?" Marco growled.
Then everyone froze. That was when they all noticed that Zade was halfway through the window with one leg inside and one leg outside....looking completely ridiculous.
The room became silent.
Patricia blinked. Marco blinked. Sophia blinked.
Marco slowly rubbed his forehead.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath "Seriously?"
Zade smiled awkwardly and waved "Good evening."
Sophia pointed at him "What are you doing here?"
Zade looked genuinely confused "I came to see you."
She raised her eyebrow "Through the window?"
"The front gate was far."
Nobody knew what to say. Even Patricia looked speechless.
Sophia started to panic. She expected Marco to get angry and chase Zade out of the house.
Instead, Marco just looked at Zade and sighed.
"If you’re coming here." Marco said "Use the front door next time."
Zade froze. Sophia froze too in absolute shock. She felt like she misheard him.
Zade’s eyes widened, then widened even more.
"Wait." Zade muttered.
Marco crossed his arms "What?"
"You mean..." Zade pointed at himself. "I can come back?"
Marco looked annoyed "I didn’t say that."
"But you said use the front door."
Patricia started laughing. Sophia covered her face. Zade looked like he had just won the lottery.
The next second, he rushed toward Sophia.
Before she could react, he lifted her completely off the bed.
"Zade!" she squealed as she laughed.
He spun her around "I’m accepted!"
She giggled "Put me down!"
"You heard him!"
"Put me down!"
Zade laughed loudly. For the first time in weeks, all the tension seemed to leave him. His happiness was impossible to hide.
Marco watched silently. Patricia looked at him with a smile.
Neither of them stopped Zade. For the first time...they simply allowed him to stay.
And for the first time in a very long time... Zade finally felt like he belonged beside Sophia.
