Chapter 76

Vivian tucked the blanket around Sophia with a slight frown. "I'm running late for the commercial shoot. Rest well, and call me if you need anything."

Sophia kept her eyes closed, her voice feather-light. "Go ahead. Be careful on the road."

"Leaving now."

"Mmm..."

Before the last syllable faded, Sophia had already drifted into sleep.

Vivian's lips curved upward as the doorbell chimed. Her assistant had arrived to take her to the set. She grabbed her bag and hurried out.

The bedroom returned to silence. A breeze lifted the sheer curtains, making sunlight dance across the floor. The figure on the bed breathed evenly, as if detached from the world.

Sophia didn't wake until sunset. She sat on the edge of the bed, disoriented between dawn and dusk. Splashing cold water on her face brought some clarity.

After a simple bowl of egg noodles, she stretched her stiff neck and returned to her computer. Her workaholic nature couldn't tolerate unfinished design drafts.

By the time she made the final stroke, city lights glittered outside. She hesitated over sending the file to her mentor when her phone vibrated.

"Sophia! Why did Ethan Roscente fire you?" Emily's shrill voice pierced her eardrum. "What did you do wrong at the company?"

Fresh from her overseas trip, Emily had walked straight into sarcastic remarks from the third branch. Those words cut like knives, leaving her restless.

Old wounds reopened. Sophia's fingers trembled, but her voice remained eerily calm. "Getting fired doesn't matter. I never wanted to stay."

"Are you insane?" Emily's pitch rose. "Throwing away a golden opportunity to chase some designer dream like your mother? How much can that even pay?"

Tears welled up as Sophia clenched her phone. "Don't talk about Mom like that! This is our dream!"

"Foolish child..." Emily's tone softened. "I just don't want history repeating itself. Over one design draft back then... You're the last of the Lowells."

"Every day at Roscente Group felt like prison." Sophia gave a bitter smile. "Now I'm finally free."

"With Ethan protecting you, who would dare bully you?" Emily refused to believe it. "This is just your stubbornness!"

Sophia never shared the covert battles in the executive office with her aunt. Now she only felt the irony. "Think what you want. I've already found a new job."

Silence stretched before Emily sighed. "That obstinacy... exactly like your mother."