Daddy's Best Friend

61 Original

CHAPTER 61

SOPHIA

The moment I stepped into the house, a sense of foreboding gripped me. The air was thick with tension, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something ominous awaited me. And then I saw her – Catherine, perched on the living room couch like a vulture ready to strike.

"What do you think you're doing, Sophia?" she spat out, her eyes blazing with fury.

I couldn't let her intimidate me. "I'm living my life, Catherine. Just like you should be doing."

She scoffed, a condescending smile playing on her lips. "You respond to my email with such insolence, and you think you can just walk away?"

"Insolence? If standing up for myself is insolence, then call me insolent," I shot back, refusing to cower.

Catherine rose from the couch, her anger palpable. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, young lady."

"Oh, I'm well aware," I retorted, my patience wearing thin. "You can't control my life, Catherine."

She took a step closer, her gaze piercing through me. "You're playing a dangerous game, Sophia."

"I'm not the one playing games here," I replied, my voice steady despite the internal storm. "What do you want, Catherine? Money? Revenge?"

Her laughter echoed through the room. "You're just a pawn in this, Sophia. A pawn in a game you don't understand."

"Then enlighten me," I challenged, my frustration reaching its peak. "What's your endgame here?"

Catherine leaned in, her tone sinister. "I want what's rightfully mine. And if Henry doesn't comply, the whole world will know about your little affair."

My fists clenched involuntarily, but I took a deep breath, reminding myself not to let her bait me. "You're willing to destroy lives for your own gain?"

She shrugged, a cold indifference in her eyes. "It's survival of the fittest, darling."

I felt the weight of her words, the gravity of the situation sinking in. But I wouldn't let her break me. "You're not going to manipulate us, Catherine. You can't dictate the course of our lives."

She chuckled, a mirthless sound. "You're naive, Sophia. This world eats up the naive."

My back hit the ground with an unexpected thud, the force of Catherine's push taking me by surprise. Before I could fully register what had happened, I felt a pair of strong hands grabbing Catherine's wrists, pulling her away from me. It was Henry.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Henry's voice was a low, menacing growl, his eyes aflame with anger.

Catherine, seemingly unfazed, straightened her posture and shot me a triumphant smirk. "Just having a little chat with your precious Sophia."

Henry's grip tightened on Catherine's wrists, his jaw clenched in a display of restrained fury. "This is not how you chat with someone, Catherine. You've crossed a line, and you'll pay for it."

She attempted to break free from Henry's grasp, but he held firm. "You can't intimidate me, Henry. I know what I'm entitled to, and I won't be ignored."

I scrambled to my feet, my indignation fueling my resolve. "Henry, let her go. This isn't worth it."

Henry shot me a look that conveyed both protectiveness and determination. "No, Sophia. She needs to learn that she can't bully us into submission."

Catherine, realizing she was in a precarious position, attempted to switch tactics. "Henry, I thought we could discuss this like civilized adults. No need for threats."