Too Late She Already Married Mr. Right (Sophia) novel Chapter 152

Chapter 152

Sophia didn’t cry. Instead, she let out a little laugh and asked, “Mr. Sterling, is this how you normally talk girls down when they’re upset?”

“I’ve never done this for anyone else–just you,” Richard said, making it clear he wasn’t the type who’d comfort every girl.

Sophia was caught off guard.

His words felt dangerously close to crossing a line, leaving her flustered and not sure how to answer. She quickly turned away, fixing her gaze on the passing city outside the window, forcing herself not to look back

at Richard.

“Honestly, it’s been ages since I really took the time to enjoy the night view,” Sophia said, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

Richard eased off the gas, letting the car slow down. It was clear he wanted her to soak in the view.

He said, “I’ll drive slower so you can enjoy it. If you really want to take in the night scenery, Smiling Rock is the best spot.”

“I’ve heard my classmates talk about it, but I’ve never had the time to go. It’s been three years since I moved to Jelasburg, and honestly, I haven’t really explored much,” Sophia said.

Thinking about it, she felt like she’d wasted three years of her life.

If it weren’t for Annabelle, her life would’ve been nothing but work and home–nothing else.

“So, you went to Jelasburg University?” Richard asked.

Sophia nodded and said, “Yeah, I was the only student in my whole county who got in. The county even gave me a scholarship–it was supposed to cover all four years of college.”

But in the end, her adoptive parents took every penny for themselves.

They even tried to sell her off to some lame guy from the town just to get a bride price, and then ripped up her college acceptance letter right in front of her.

If she hadn’t made such a name for herself as the town’s top student, with everyone watching her, those people would’ve destroyed her future without a second thought.

Richard frowned and said, “I heard you spent all four years in college juggling jobs just to get by?”

Jason had mentioned some things about Sophia to Richard before.

Sophia gave a faint smile and said, “Yeah, my adoptive parents snatched away my scholarship and even pushed me to quit school altogether.”

But ever since she was a kid, she knew that if she wanted any shot at escaping the dead–end place she grew up

in, studying was her only way out.

“They really had the nerve to force you to quit school when you were the number one student in the whole province?” Richard exclaimed, unable to hide how much it bothered him to hear about her past.

He thought, Any regular family would count their blessings a hundred times over to have a daughter as brilliant as Sophia–someone like her is a total rarity, almost too good to be true!

Sophia gave a bitter smile and said, “I wasn’t their real kid. Why would they ever care about what happens to

me?”

They always said girls shouldn’t study too much–if Sophia read too many books, she’d start thinking for herself, and they’d never be able to keep her in line.

So they did everything possible to hold her back, scared that if she ever managed to get out of Ginkgo Town, they’d lose control over her for good.

“If I’d had the chance to meet you earlier, I’d have raised you like a princess, sheltered from any pain,” Richard murmured, a genuine warmth in his voice.

Hearing those words, Sophia felt her heart skip a beat–no matter how strong she tried to be, his gentleness always hit her right where she was weakest.

Sophia replied, “Really, it wasn’t all that bad. Sometimes, life’s hardships are exactly what forge us into someone stronger and tougher.”

Maybe all that suffering back then was just the universe steering her toward Annabelle’s parents.

If not for them, Sophia wouldn’t be the person she was now.

Richard’s jaw tightened. Even though Sophia insisted she didn’t have it so bad, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of empathy whenever he thought about the hardships she’d endured.

Still, whenever Sophia spoke about her past, there wasn’t the slightest hint of complaint–she told her story with such calm, as if it didn’t even belong to her.

She had a truly resilient spirit.

“Honestly, you’re more enlightened than anyone else I’ve met—and you never waste time blaming fate or anyone else,” Richard said, real admiration in his voice.

Maybe that was why he couldn’t help but be drawn to her–her character and inner strength were just magnetic.