While on the other side of the city.
"We already got the fake results. Why do I need another check-up?" Annabelle grumbled as Sophia dragged her into the hospital, dropping her limping act now that they were out of suspicious eyes.
"Vincent insisted on taking you to another hospital for a speedy recovery. I asked him to come here, so just cooperate with the doctor," Sophia replied, shoving Annabelle into the orthopedic department. Annabelle's act had been a little too perfect that Vincent had actually started liking her. While this was exactly why Sophia had hired this con artist—to steal Vincent away from Evelyn—his concern for this cheap con artist was beginning to grate on her nerves.
"Hello, doctor," Annabelle greeted as they entered the office. The doctor looked surprised but sighed heavily. With a forced smile, he stood up and bowed to Sophia.
"Vincent Blake will be here soon. Keep your act together," Sophia warned as Annabelle lazily sat on the chair before his desk. The doctor nodded, and Sophia excused herself as her phone rang loudly.
"Hello, William," she pretended, stepping out of the room. Once outside, her tone changed to one of irritation. "Where are you?" she demanded, scanning the corridor. A man in a white coat and mask waved his phone at her. She quickly looked around before following him to another floor.
As they reached an empty lab with the corridor completely cleared, Sophia cautiously scanned the surroundings before entering the room. As soon as the man removed his mask, she slapped him hard.
"Are you out of your mind?" Sophia yelled, her usual kind demeanor breaking into the maniac she truly was. The stunned man glared back at her, holding his burning cheek, which was jagged with a huge scar.
"I've told you many times that killing her isn't the solution! No matter how much that useless man hates his daughter, he still has a soft spot for her, and we need to be careful!" Sophia continued, referring to William. Though she had ensured William loathed Evelyn for his wife's death over the years, she couldn't completely get rid of her. That was why she hired Annabelle and played this fake heiress act like in those dramas.
"Relax!" the scarred man replied through gritted teeth. "I was just trying to scare her since she seemed to have forgotten."
"But my son was with her!" she screamed, recalling how Elias had informed her of the attack when she called to confirm if the marriage news had reached Evelyn. "What if he was injured because of your careless tantrum?"
The man remained silent, guilty of his actions. Sophia let out an exasperated sigh. Why did she have such troublemaking partners? She glared at the man and thought about Annabelle. They never listened to her!
"You know how much he adores her, Rick! What if he had taken that bullet trying to save her? Could you have saved him?"
"For god's sake, stop shouting!" Rick finally snapped, his frustration boiling over. "He is my son too, Sophia! I would never think of harming him."
Sophia's eyes widened, and she tried to hush him, even though no one was around. "I told you never to speak that aloud!" she grumbled, her frustration peaking.
"Oh, come on! How long do I need to stay away from him?" Rick continued, ignoring Sophia's warning. "Do you know how much it irks me whenever that bastard William calls him his son in front of everyone?"
Annabelle, who had sneakily followed Sophia, gasped in shock. She had been suspicious when Sophia suddenly stormed into the room, claiming her lover boy wanted to see her just after ending the call with him. A chuckle escaped her lips, but she pressed them together, amused by this new plot twist.
"She's a smart bitch," Annabelle murmured, continuing to eavesdrop. Not only was Sophia trying to get rid of Evelyn, but she was also plotting to make Elias take over the Wright Company, who wasn't even William's child.
"Just a few more weeks, Rick," Sophia mumbled, moving closer. "Once Evelyn is married off to that moron, I'll have more control over William."
When Maverick didn't look satisfied, she moved even closer and caressed the jagged scar on his right cheek. "Just wait until our son's eighteenth birthday."
"Oh, shit!" Annabelle cursed under her breath when Sophia suddenly kissed the sturdy man. As they started to get on a wild ride, she took out her phone and started recording it with a smug smile.
———
"Why are you smiling?" Sophia inquired as they entered the Wright mansion. Annabelle's unusual smugness brought a frown to her face. But before she could ask further, their eyes landed on Elias causing havoc in the living room.
Elias sensed their entrance and, in frustration, destroyed yet another vase. "Where is your husband?" he glowered at his mother, making Sophia sigh instantly.
"Calm down first," she said, moving closer, only to be shrugged off by the giant teenager.
"I know you don't like her, but how can you stay quiet, Mom?" Elias continued, his voice a mix of rage and disappointment. "Don't tell me you were the one who suggested this whole mess." He continued, now skeptical as his mother acted quite motherly around Annabelle.
"No, Elias," Sophia lied, her expression shifting to one of hurt. "Do you think that low of me?" she added, tears naturally streaming down her cheeks.
Though Elias was slightly moved, he still didn't believe her completely. "Then why the heck didn't you stop him?!" he glowered, his eyes full of anger.
"I tried, but you know your dad, Eli," Sophia replied, almost making Annabelle chuckle. Yeah, she tried hard to convince William about this marriage last night. Moving closer, Sophia continued, "No daughter deserves such harsh punishment for small mistakes. And I promise to never let this marriage happen. Trust me, please!"
Elias let out a huff and dropped the vase in his hands. Sophia sighed and moved closer, helping him sit on the couch. She gently patted his back while gesturing for one of the maids to get her job done.
The maid rushed into the kitchen and quickly returned with a glass of juice. Annabelle, tired from recording, beamed with joy and took the glass from her tray. "Thank you!"
But before she could take a sip, Sophia snatched the glass with a horrified expression. She glared at Annabelle, who scowled at the disrespect, before returning to her son.
"Here, drink this. You must be hungry," Sophia said, handing the glass to Elias. Her warm smile and the mischief in her eyes amused Annabelle. She sat back on the couch and crossed her arms, wondering what new twist her noble mother had brought to this drama.
Don't tell me you spiked his drink! And just as Annabelle guessed, Elias's face twisted as he finished the drink. "What—" Before he could speak, he slowly succumbed to sleep due to the high-dose pills in it.
Annabelle gasped out loud, at a loss for words, as Sophia lovingly patted Elias's back while ordering the staff to prepare the car. As the bouncers rushed in to fulfill their mission, Sophia smirked in triumph. Now Evelyn was all alone, and no one could help her out of this trap.
Little did she know, someone she couldn't have imagined in her wildest dreams had already stepped in to help Evelyn. And what's more? Evelyn had agreed to it!