Chapter 101
Sophia had barely reached the hospital room door when Laura, who had just sat down, whipped her head around and spotted her. Suddenly, like she had gone completely nuts, Laura’s eyes turned red and she bawled out as she lunged at Sophia.
“You little brat, you finally remember to come back home. Gone for so long, not giving a damn about home. If it weren’t for you, your dad wouldn’t have hit someone.”
As her words trailed off, there was a sharp “slap” sound as Laura fiercely smacked Sophia across the cheek.
Brandon, who was just about to step into the elevator, paused mid-step, then quickly turned and strode towards the hospital
room.
At the doorway, Sophia instinctively covered her stinging cheek, still a bit too dazed to grasp what had just happened.
Laura’s slap came so fast, and it had been ages since Sophia had last been slapped. Caught totally off guard by Laura’s sudden strike, her head was spinning, and she felt dizzy.
Laura, still fuming and far from pacified, was about to take out all her pent-up fear and fury on Sophia. Seeing Sophia looking all pitiful, clutching her face and not making a peep, Laura got even angrier. “What? Feeling sorry for yourself now, huh? Which daughter just ups and leaves, not calling, not sending money, having the time of her life while her dad’s fate hangs by a thread in a hospital bed.”
Mid-rant, Laura reached out to yank Sophia’s hands from her face, but before she could, a strong hand suddenly came from behind, clamping down on her wrists. Brandon’s angry voice followed, “What are you doing?”
Laura’s face changed color as she instinctively looked towards Brandon.
Brandon’s handsome face was stormy as he pushed Laura’s wrists away and wrapped an arm around Sophia’s shoulders, bringing her in front of him. Laura stumbled back a few steps from the shove.
“Mom?” Aaron quickly put down his phone and rushed to steady Laura, glancing towards Brandon.
Brandon had already turned to Sophia with concern, calling out to her, “Sophia?”
Sophia slowly came back to her senses from her dizziness, and when she looked up, she met Brandon’s anxious eyes, feeling a bit lost in time and space.
Brandon had already pulled down her hands and was inspecting the damage on her cheek. “Are you alright?”
The urgency in his deep voice gave Sophia a moment to collect herself; she instinctively shook her head, “I’m fine.”
She glanced unconsciously towards the hospital bed where Haley lay with a bandage around his head..
“He’s fine.” As if understanding her thoughts, Brandon stated calmly, his gaze still fixed on the vivid red mark swelling on her cheek.
His brows knotted as he turned a cold look at Laura.
Laura shivered without knowing why.
“I… she…” she stuttered, suddenly forgetting what she was about to say.
Brandon did not bother with her, already turning to Sophia. “Let’s see a doctor.”
“No need.” Sophia instinctively resisted but faltered under his assertive gaze.
Brandon had already guided her by the shoulder, “Let’s go.”
He was practically forcing her towards the elevator as he spoke.
Sophia hesitated, giving another glance towards Haley on the bed.
“Don’t worry, he’s fine. The doc said he’s recovering well,” Brandon repeated calmly, pressing the elevator button.
The doors opened, and Brandon ushered Sophia inside, hitting the button for the ground floor. He then turned to her, his gaze. lingering on the slap mark on her cheek, his brows furrowing again.
Sophia saw his knotted brows.
“I’m okay, really,” she reassured him softly, but her words didn’t seem to relax Brandon’s expression.
He led her straight to the emergency department, got her registered, and asked the doctor for a full check-up.
Brandon worried about potential head injuries and even insisted on a brain MRI.
After all the hassle, the night had grown deep.
Thankfully, although Laura’s slap was fierce and looked scary, it hadn’t hurt Sophia’s eardrum or her eyes, and the MRI showed no
issues.
Brandon’s tense expression visibly relaxed when they got the results.
He turned to her, now looking a little less swollen, “Feeling better?”
Sophia wasn’t sure if it was the guilt from changing her phone number recently, the tenderness in his gaze, or the deep night, but the calm after the storm left her feeling out of sorts, not even brave enough to meet his eyes.
She lowered her eyelids slightly and nodded gently, “Yeah, I’m all good now.”
“Does she hit you often?” Brandon asked.
Sophia shook her head, “No, not really since I grew up.
Brandon frowned, “So she did when you were a kid?”
“Not exactly.” Sophia started to deny but wilted under his intense stare.
“When I was a kid, I’d get into mischief and rebellious, so it was normal to get spanked now and then,” she explained in a quiet, – weak voice that sounded almost like a murmur.
Brandon glanced at her, “How mischievous could you possibly have been?”
Sophia didn’t say anything.
He looked at his watch. It was nearly midnight.
He looked at Sophia, “Where are you staying now?”
“I was going to stay at my little place.”
Brandon gave her another flat look, “Didn’t you sell it?”
Sophia didn’t know what to say.
Not sparing her any face, was he?
