The tension was noticeable in the air.

It suddenly became so quiet.

​​

Maria was so worried that Linda would say the wrong thing.

Maria kept her lips pursed, and her look was in pain. Apparently, what Sophia said put her in a dilemma.

"It's not hard. We will not do this! Of course not!"

Maria said for Linda.

"Aunt Linda, I appreciate it. But I have to hear from my mother."

"Sophia, don't!"

Catherine shook her head at Sophia, suggesting her not to pressure Linda, or she might regret it.

What if Linda got worked up and said something she wouldn't have said? Sophia wouldn't handle the answer.

"I will not regret it. I just want an honest answer from mom."

"Sophia."

Linda's tears were all over her face.

Maria sat next to Catherine and grabbed her hand nervously like she was waiting for a sentence.

"Linda, Sophia is your daughter. She's still a kid. But Tom is an asshole. He doesn't deserve your love. Are you willing to sacrifice your daughter for him?"

"No. I want my daughter."

"Fine. As long as you know that."

"But what about Tom? They will kill him."

Tom wasn't in debt of tens of thousands of dollars, but tens of millions of dollars. That was a huge amount of money. They would do anything for money. Linda knew because she saw the news.

"Let them."

"Catherine, how could you say that?"

"Or what should I say? He's old enough to clean up his messes. He will be laughed at if he can't take care of his own business."

Linda cried that her eyes got swollen, "Catherine, think of something to help Tom."

"No!"

"But he will be killed."

"That's better. He has put you through such an ordeal. Do you remember how much money you owed others? It was enough to buy a decent house in London. Aunt Linda, you want Sophia to drop out of college for him. Ask yourself, isn't that selfish?"

Sophia was so bright, and she could go to a great college. She had a bright future ahead of her. And it meant a good life for Linda.

But what did she do?

"Tom could be so cruel to lose her own daughter this time. Do you know what that means? It means to let them play with your daughter like a toy!"

Sophia looked embarrassed.

"It's not that she could get married. She will become a toy for men! She will be sent directly to others' beds! How do you suppose she could keep on with life? Haven't you brought her enough humiliation? Does Tom deserve that you sacrifice your own daughter?"

"But Sophia is okay now."

"I..."

Catherine almost cursed.

"How could you be a mother? Will you be satisfied until something bad happens to her!"

"I don't mean this!"

"Yes, you do!"

"Catherine, why do you have to be so aggressive?"

Catherine was so mad that she smiled, "Fine, whatever. But Sophia stays with me these days. I will not trade her for Tom. Don't think about it!"

"Catherine, I know you don't have money. But Sean has so much money. Borrow me some so I can pay them back. I'll pay you back after we save Tom!"

"Enough!"

Sophia couldn't take it anymore and said, "I want to be left alone."

Catherine asked Susan to take Sophia to the guest room.

"Sophia, don't think too much. I won't let anything happen to you."

Sophia couldn't stop crying and said, "Catherine, why do I have such bad parents?"

"It's their fault. They don't know how to cherish you."

Sophia got straight As in school. She was driven and diligent. If other kids grew in such a family, they would be driven mad or become a criminal.

"Don't cry for them. They don't deserve your tears."

Tom and Linda were irresponsible and selfish parents.

"Catherine, you and Aunt Maria are the best. Only you want the best for me in the world."

Catherine didn't know how to comfort her. Sophia was really heartbroken.

Even Catherine wouldn't forgive Linda for what she did.

Sophia said, "Sorry, I want to be alone."

"Okay. But Sophia, you have to remember, me, Aunt Maria, and Samuel are always on your side. You have us."

Catherine closed the door gently and didn't leave until a while later, because she heard the crying.

Catherine felt awful and had tears springing up in her eyes.

Sophia deliberately held back at first. But later, she cried louder and louder like she was gonna vent off.

Sophia bit her arms and couldn't stop crying, thinking about what happened to her these years.

"Catherine, Sophia..."

Catherine said, "Susan, get four guest rooms ready."

Susan nodded and started preparing.

In Catherine's last life, Maria told her Sophia was sold to a playboy. Tom received a lot of money from him, and on the very night, he sent her on that man's bed. There was never a wedding.

Maria never told her the name of that man. She only knew that he was wealthy. She didn't ask because she knew she couldn't do anything to help from jail.

"Catherine, have a seat with me."

Catherine found Maria underneath the cherry tree.

Maria looked said. She said first, "Linda was mule-headed to marry Tom and dad said yes. He thought having a son-in-law live with us would be nice. The child Linda gave birth to would use our family name. So our bloodline can carry on, and I didn't say no."

"But who knows..."

But who knows Tom was acting like a nice and kind man for two years staying with Lina and Maria in their family house. He pretended to be driven and polite, which fooled everybody.

"What an animal!"

Maria continued saying, "I've talked her out of the marriage. But she wouldn't listen to me no matter what. Plus, she just gave birth to Sophia and wouldn't divorce Tom. She said divorce would take her dad away from Sophia. I'd rather force Linda to divorce. Having an irresponsible dad was worse than no dad."

Catherine shook her head and said, "There's no point in talking about this now. The key is Aunt Linda. Her decisions determine Sophia's future. I'll try my best to stop Sophia from acting like a fool. But her mom means a lot to her. I hate to see Linda give up her own daughter for Tom."

Maria sighed and said, "Linda is not emotionally stable right now. She's obsessed with Tom's safety and blind to Sophia's pain."

"She doesn't deserve to be a mother! Sophia's heart is broken because of them. I really want Sophia to cut off ties with them. But they are her parents."

If Tom was an irresponsible father, Linda was a weak mother using crying to deal with everything and blind to what was going on.