Chapter 70

The hospital room was so quiet you could hear the IV drip.

Henry Chamberlain heard footsteps outside and instinctively glanced at Alexander Valdemar lying in the bed.

Alexander's eyes remained closed, his breathing steady with no signs of waking.

Sophia Laurent pushed open the door.

"Madam." Henry immediately straightened his posture, his expression respectful.

"Mr. Chamberlain." Sophia gave a slight nod.

The air grew heavy again.

She had come straight from the television station without even removing her makeup.

Ethan Winston and Nathan Lowell had been waiting for her backstage, but she'd taken a detour to leave.

Now the person she knew best in Riverdale was actually Patriarch Valdemar.

Sophia stared at the man in the hospital bed.

Alexander's eyelashes cast faint shadows under the light.

She wished he would wake up soon.

Then she could finally end this farce of a marriage.

The Valdemars had already delivered their promised benefits to the Lowells.

All she had to do was play her part until the curtain fell.

As for love?

A self-deprecating smile tugged at Sophia's lips.

Henry stole a glance at her profile.

Why was she staring at Mr. Valdemar like that?

Unless...

He quickly dismissed the thought.

Rumor had it Sophia had been madly in love with her ex-boyfriend.

So what did that expression mean now?

Sophia felt Henry's probing gaze.

She'd only intended to take a quick look before leaving.

Now she had to stay longer.

Alexander's fingers twitched imperceptibly beneath the sheets.

The atmosphere between the three grew increasingly strange.

The silence wasn't broken until the housekeeper came to summon Sophia for dinner.

"Sophia's here." Patriarch Valdemar set down his teacup. "Have you encountered any difficulties lately?"

Sophia froze.

She shook her head. "Thank you for your concern, Grandfather. I'm fine."

Yet warmth bloomed in her chest.

This was the first time anyone had asked if she needed help.

In the Lowell household, no one had ever cared about her circumstances.

The Lowell mansion blazed with light.

Crystal chandeliers made the marble floors gleam.

Richard Lowell's face was stormy. "Where's Sophia?"

Nathan tugged at his tie irritably. "She refused to come back."