Chapter 87
David Sullivan held his phone. "Then I should ask Isabella first..."
"Ask what?" The old woman's tone turned icy. "A grown man like you can't make a simple decision?"
"Mom, it's about respect..."
"Useless! Go ahead and ask. It's best if she agrees, but it doesn't matter if she doesn't. Your father and I are coming tomorrow!"
The call ended abruptly with a sharp click.
David sighed helplessly.
Isabella walked in from the garden. "Who was that?"
"...Mom."
"What did she want?"
"She said they're coming for the Lantern Festival tomorrow. To warm the new house."
Isabella nodded. "Good. Let's invite William and Sophia, Charles and Chloe Sullivan, and Victoria too."
...
Early the next morning, Isabella went to the market to shop.
By four in the afternoon, relatives began to arrive.
Chloe Sullivan Sullivan entered and immediately started looking around, her expression growing more sour by the second.
She had known the third brother lived in a villa, but seeing it in person was jarring.
She was uncharacteristically quiet.
Charles Sullivan nudged her. Chloe Sullivan finally spoke with effort. "Congratulations, third brother, sister-in-law."
Grace Sullivan followed behind, her eyes shining. "Auntie, can I take a look around?"
"Feel free."
She wandered the living room twice, then vanished in the blink of an eye.
William Sullivan was busy with work and couldn't make it, but Sophia arrived.
She pressed a thick red envelope into Isabella's hand, all smiles. "This villa is beautiful. Congratulations."
Isabella tried to refuse but eventually had to accept.
"Thank you, sister-in-law."
"Don't be so formal with family."
The old man and woman came with Sophia. They immediately took the main sofa and scrutinized the interior.
They exchanged a look, shock evident in both their eyes.
This villa was too luxurious!
Far superior to their townhouse!
The original decor was good, but Sophia Sullivan had added many details.
Wall art, cabinet ornaments, rugs, and curtains—all carefully chosen.
Every detail was exquisite.
"David, this house must have cost a fortune?" George Sullivan, the old man, spoke.
David didn't want to boast. "The soft furnishings were all bought online by Isabella and Sophia. Not expensive, didn't cost much..."
"Really? You didn't spend much, yet you bought a villa?" Chloe Sullivan interjected with a laugh, her usual sharpness returning now that the initial sting had passed. "Dad, this place must be at least four or five million. Shocking, right? Charles and I could never earn that in a lifetime."
Victoria Sullivan had been cold-faced since entering. She snorted. "Third brother has a good daughter. No one else can compare."
"Yes," Chloe Sullivan picked up, "Sophia is beautiful, filial, and knows how to make money. What other daughter has that skill? Our Grace could never learn it."
Her tone was barbed,praise but actually dripping with sarcasm.
Sophia's eyes flickered. "I still don't know what Sophia does in Kyoto? It must be impressive? Ordinary people can't make millions."
Sophia Sullivan frowned. Isabella pressed her hand, signaling she would handle it.
"Sister-in-law, you flatter her. Sophia changed jobs a few times after graduation, saved a little money."
Victoria sneered. "It's good if she really saved it herself. I just worry a girl might take the wrong path."
Isabella's expression remained neutral. "Thank you for your concern. The child has her own plans. We just support her."
Chloe Sullivan raised an eyebrow. "Plans? So sister-in-law means Sophia has next steps? Returning to work in Kyoto? Or finding a new... target? Will she bring back another few million next New Year?"
She emphasized the word "target" deliberately.
The implication was clear.
Isabella's face darkened. She was about to speak when Sophia's phone rang.
"Mom, I need to take this..."
"Go ahead." Isabella took a deep breath, suppressing her anger.
"Olivia, what's wrong?"
Olivia Lopez sounded urgent. "The postgraduate exam results are out! Check your score!"
Sophia calculated the time. It was indeed today!
She had completely forgotten...
"Okay, checking now." She hung up and headed upstairs.
Back in her bedroom, she opened her laptop, went to the results page, entered her exam ID and password. Her finger hovered over the enter key—
"Sophia, are these bags real?"
A voice came from the walk-in closet.
Sophia was startled. She saw Grace Sullivan holding a Chanel bag, a Louis Vuitton monogram bag slung over her shoulder.
"Who said you could come in here?"
Grace was taken aback. "Auntie said I could look around."
"Looking around doesn't mean rummaging through my things."
"Sophia, what's your problem? They're just bags. Can't I even look? Are they that precious?"
Sophia's face turned cold. "Didn't anyone teach you not to touch other people's things?"
"What if I did? I can't touch them?"
"No."
"Whatever. I touched them today, so what? Weren't they bought for you by some man? Stop pretending to be so pure! Let's be real, you're just used goods!"
"Worn by one today, trampled by another tomorrow. You're already spoiled!"
Slap—
Sophia's hand shot out, striking Grace across the face.
"This slap is to teach you to watch your mouth."
"...You dare hit me?!" Grace covered her cheek, eyes wide, trembling all over.
"I hit you because I want to. Do I need to pick a day?"
"Sophia—I'll fight you!"
...
Downstairs, everyone was still subtly probing how Sophia made her money.
The old man and woman were also testing the waters.
Suddenly, a scream came from the second floor.
Chloe Sullivan's face changed dramatically. She shot to her feet. "That's Grace! Grace is screaming!"