Atrophy of Love: Mr. Harris, Stop Fooling Around! novel Chapter 72

The apple was not very big. Sophia finished it in just a few bites and wanted to get up to throw the core away.

“Why don’t you have any observation skills? Soph can’t get down wounded like this. Help her dispose of the apple core,” Yvette rebuked.

Charles had been sitting at a side eating his apple. Hearing this, he stood up. He lifted his eyelids to sweep a dull gaze over the person on the hospital bed before slowly walking toward her.

Sophia’s face instantly lost all blood. She frantically got down and quickly tossed the apple core into the trash. “No need to trouble Mr. Harris.”

Seeing her so afraid of him, darkness flashed across Charles’ eyes, but he did not say anything. He sat back onto the chair, holding his apple.

Yvette was a little shocked and lamented. “I remember you used to have a dauntless personality, Soph.”

“That was because I was young and inexperienced. I was too wild.” Suddenly standing spiked Sophia’s right leg with pain. She could not stop trembling. She wiped off the cold sweat on her forehead and shakily sat back on the hospital bed.

She had always thought her brother and family would protect her, so nobody would dare do anything to her, but Charles’ cruelty and prison life had given her a reality check.

After Charles finished eating his apple, his phone rang. He let Yvette know before going out to take the call.

Yvette served Sophia a bowl of chicken soup. Her gaze fell on Sophia’s right leg that was wrapped heavily in bandages. She sighed. “Soph, I didn’t help you two years ago. Do you hate me?”

“Helping me would have been an act of love, but not helping was your duty. Moreover, Mr. Harris is your own son. When he had a conflict with me, you can’t be blamed for standing by him. Also, you’ve already been very good to me.” Sophia’s face was calm, but her hands gripped the sheets beneath her tightly.

How could she not be resentful?

However, her dad and mom had already cut off relations with her, so what could she have hoped an outsider could do for her? Especially since this outsider was Charles Harris’ own mother.

Yvette’s gaze moved from the bandages to the sheets Sophia clutched. It was rare that she felt her feelings were complicated.

There was a lot she wanted to say. She wanted to explain her difficulty to this younger woman, but when the words reached her mouth, she could only ask, “Can the old wound left from two years ago be healed?”

“… No.” Aside from causing friction between Aunt Harris and Charles, saying yes was useless.

Yvette noticed Sophia’s moment of hesitation. She toyed with the accessories on her phone case, her expression changing. She spoke after a moment, “Soph, you’ve grown up.”

“People have to grow up sometimes.” Sophia’s lips tugged. She wanted to smile, but her heart was bitter.

Two years ago on her birthday night, Charles had personally dragged her from heaven to hell. How could she not grow up?

“Drink the chicken soup while it’s hot. It won’t taste good if it gets cold.” Yvette pushed the bowl of chicken soup in Sophia’s direction. “If you can treat the wound, treat it. Don’t worry about other matters. I’ll talk to Charles.”

Bang!

The door was suddenly pushed open. Madam Jones dashed in aggressively. “I disapprove! Sophia caused Leah so many hardships! Even if her leg can be healed, I absolutely won’t allow any doctor to give her treatment!”

The Jones family had the confidence to say this.

William walked in behind Madam Jones, displeasure on his handsome face. Only when he saw Sophia’s pale face and bandaged leg did his displeasure take up some faint distress.

“When did you develop the habit of eavesdropping, Lew?” Yvette wiped the corners of Sophia’s mouth with a handkerchief. “This isn’t a good habit.”

“Yvette, where exactly do you stand?” Madam Jones was so angry she was huffing. Her son gave her a look, but she completely disregarded it. “Leah is your future daughter-in-law. You should stand on her side, not help a murderer like Sophia White!”

Sophia wrinkled her brows. Aunt Lewis came from a scholarly family, and the family she had married into was the Jones family—one of the top 20 richest families—yet she still did not know how to speak or read the room after decades of living. She and her daughter were two extremes.

“My mother has a blunt temper and always speaks her mind. Please don’t be shocked, Aunt Harris,” William said apologetically.

“I’ve known Lew for so long, so I do know her. They’re just a few words. I won’t get angry.” Yvette gave a shallow smile, crow’s feet rippling at the corners of her eyes.

William said, “Thank you for being so forgiving, Aunt Harris.”

“William, you’re too courteous.” After saying this to him, Yvette looked at Madam Jones. Her tone was kind and meaningful. “Oh, Lew, children are their parents’ beloved. You love Leah dearly, and there’s definitely someone who loves Soph dearly too.

“If we as the elders go around being petty to the younger generation, standing on this side today and on that side the next, won’t this be a joke?”

She spoke awe-inspiringly. Hearing this, Madam Jones was frustrated but did not know how to retort.

Sophia put down her chicken soup and said softly, “Aunt Harris has watched me grow up. It’s inevitable that she’ll feel compassion seeing me with any disabilities, which is why she advised me to treat my leg injury. She’s definitely not being partial to me. If Ms. Jones’ leg can be healed, Aunt Harris will be happy to see it too.”

After coming out from prison, Aunt Harris had favored her all this while. She took note of all this. Since Aunt Harris treated her well, she was naturally unwilling to see Aunt Harris in a difficult position.

“Our Soph really has grown up.” Yvette’s eyes lit up. She sighed and patted her head.

Madam Jones scoffed loudly but did not continue this topic of leg treatment. Instead, she glared at Sophia and said accusatorily, “I ask you, did you egg Sterling on to cause trouble for Leah?”