<b>Chapter 223 </b>
E
Sophia was thest person who I would ept help from in a situation like this.
<b>“</b><b>I’m </b>fine, thanks,” I said, struggling to my feet. I tried to keep the look of pain off of my <b>face</b>, but it was no small feat. Thest contraction was still wreaking havoc on my body and making it nearly impossible to breathe. “Lilith and I were just leaving.”
With that, I grabbed Lilith’s hand and began to pull her away, praying inwardly that Sophia wouldn’t <b>tell </b>Alexander that she had seen me here. That was thest thing I needed right now.
But before we could pass by Sophia, another wave of pain hit me, this time worse than thest. I immediately crumpled again with a cry.
“Woah!” Sophia quickly caught me in her arms and held me upright. “Your contractions are really close together. We need to get you somewhere where you can deliver this baby.”
“The hospital is too far,” Lilith pointed out. “Perhaps we should call an ambnce-”
<b>“</b>No!” The word ripped out of Sophia, causing both Lilith and I to stiffen. Sophia cleared her throat andposed herself. “My house isn’t too far from here. I can drive you. You’ll be able to give birth safely there.”
Lilith and I exchanged wary nces at that. epting a ride from Sophia back to Ashw or to the hospital was bad enough, but going to her private residence? Where she could just do anything to me and likely get away with it thanks to her doting parents?
“No thanks,” I managed, even as another wave of pain made my voicee out as a mere croak. “I’ll take my chances-<b>” </b>
“E. Please.<i>” </i>Sophia stepped in front of me when I tried to hobble past her. Her eyes were softer than I’d ever seen them, the look on her face imploring. “I’m trying to help you.”
For a long moment, I didn’t know what to think. Sophia, of all people, had never tried to help me a day in my life. In fact, she’d always done theplete opposite, always doing everything in her power to make my life a living hell.
And <b>yet, </b>when I looked into her eyes and saw the sincerity there, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was being genuine right now.
I straightened. “Why do you want to help me all of a sudden<b>?</b><b>” </b>I asked bluntly. “You’ve always been cruel to me.”
To her credit, Sophia didn’t look angered by my usation. If anything, she looked somewhat resigned to it–andpletely guilt–ridden. Her shoulders sagged with a sigh. “I was mean to you because I wanted
<b>1/3 </b>
<b>to </b>keep <b>you </b>away from Alexander.”
<b>“</b><b>Yeah</b>. I’ve known that for a long time now.” I folded my arms over my chest.
“But not for the reason you think,<b>” </b>she added quickly. <b>“</b><b>I </b>know what Alexander is capable of–the cruelty he inflicts on others. I loved him once, and he treated me like trash. Constantly ying with <b>my </b><b>mind</b><b>, </b>making me think he loved me back only to turn around five secondster and <b>act </b>like I was lower <b>than </b>
dirt.”
I blinked, taken aback. Sophia had never spoken out against Alexander in all the years I’d known her<b>; </b>she had only ever treated him like a trophy on a pedestal.
“Where is thising from?” I asked.
<b>“</b>Once, I did resent you for marrying Alexander,<i>” </i>Sophia admitted. “It’s true. I hated <b>you </b>because <b>you </b>got <b>to </b>marry him and I didn’t. But then I started to realize how he treated <b>you</b>…” She shook her head. “I tried and tried to drive a wedge between you two in the hopes of protecting you from suffering what I had suffered, but then you got pregnant.”
Frowning, I looked at Lilith. She looked just as disbelieving as I felt, but Sophia’s voice was trembling now as she went on, “I think Alexander intends to kill you and the baby. He confided in me and told you he was poisoning you with mercury for a long time, but got caught before anything bad happened. I think this time, he’ll make sure he doesn’t get caught. The fire was just a distraction.”