Chapter 298

Sophia Laurent met Damian Valdemar's venomous gaze with an icy smirk.

"My name is Sophia Laurent." She paused deliberately. "As for you—you're nothing but a despicable creature who thrives in the shadows."

Her words struck back with precision, echoing the humiliation he'd tried to inflict earlier.

"Sophia Laurent?" Damian's brows furrowed.

He tilted his chin up arrogantly, sweeping her with a disdainful once-over.

Then he scoffed. "So you're that ghost bride Patriarch Valdemar arranged for Alexander..."

Before he could finish, the room plunged into silence.

Adrian Valdemar was the first to react. "You're dead!"

His fist flew toward Damian's face.

"Ah!" Damian howled in pain. "You bastard! How dare you hit me?"

His bodyguards moved to intervene, but Sophia's security team blocked them.

Seeing this, Adrian only struck harder, as if unleashing years of pent-up fury.

The pampered Damian was no match for him, reduced to spewing curses. "Motherless bastard! Insane little monster! Just wait until Father hears about this—you're finished..."

Adrian ignored the vitriol, raining blows down relentlessly.

Sophia listened, her frown deepening.

She'd investigated the Valdemar family dynamics.

Though she knew Alexander and Adrian's relationship with Vincent Valdemar was strained, witnessing it firsthand still shocked her.

For an illegitimate son to hurl such venom at the rightful heir spoke volumes about how unchecked Genevieve Roche and her son had been.

But the true blame lay with Vincent Valdemar, who'd allowed this toxicity to fester.

Adrian's practiced movements made it clear this wasn't the first time he'd been pushed to fight back.

Ten minutes later, Adrian finally stopped, chest heaving.

Damian had long since lost the energy to curse, reduced to glaring hatefully.

Raised in luxury, he'd always been the one tormenting Adrian.

This was the first time he'd been beaten into helplessness.

As Adrian released him, the reality of his impulsiveness sank in. He turned to Sophia anxiously.

"I'm sorry... I lost control..."

As a child, seeking help after being bullied had only earned him his mother's scolding.

From shock to disappointment, then utter despair—he'd learned to endure alone.

Adrian knew his very existence was a mistake.

No one had wanted him. No one would ever love him.

Now he'd recklessly attacked Damian, likely dragging Sophia into trouble.

His shoulders slumped in defeat.

Sophia arched a brow at his apology. "He tried to harm you first. Why are you apologizing?"

Her crisp tone made Adrian snap his head up. "You're... not angry?"

Sophia looked genuinely puzzled. "Why would I be?"

She'd heard Damian ordering his men to strip Adrian naked the moment she stepped through the door.