Ex-Lover as My Divorce Lawyer? This Train Wreck Just Got Scorching! - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Early the next morning, Sophia woke to her alarm.
Since her daughter had started school, she'd enrolled her in kindergarten—this meant early morning routines had become her new normal.
After washing up, she went to her daughter's room. The nanny had already dressed the little girl and was about to take her to brush her teeth.
Seeing Sophia, the little girl immediately waved: "Mommy, good morning!"
Sophia's heart instantly melted. She leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "Good morning, Mia."
After Mia finished her breakfast, Sophia took her out for school.
Before they reached the kindergarten, she suddenly received a call.
"Hello?"
"Your car is blocking mine. Can you come move it?"
The voice sounded oddly familiar. Sophia kept her eyes on the road, suddenly realizing: "Ethan? How did you get my number?"
Recognizing Ethan's voice, Sophia felt momentarily disoriented.
But she quickly realized there was a contact number on her car for situations exactly like this.
Ethan would have seen her number once he saw her car.
"You parked it yourself. Didn't you realize you were blocking someone when you parked last night?"
Outside, an endless line of red taillights and intermittent honking sounds eroded Sophia's patience.
Ethan's tone remained cold and serious: "I have an urgent matter. Can you come move your car now?"
With her daughter still in the car needing to get to kindergarten, Sophia couldn't possibly leave her to move the car for Ethan.
Moreover, she was currently trapped in traffic with no way out even if she wanted to leave.
She pressed her lips together and replied: "I'm sorry, but I really don't have time right now. Take a cab instead—I'll cover the fare."
As soon as she finished speaking, the call disconnected.
Sophia couldn't be bothered to deal with him.
"Mommy, are you angry?" Mia hugged her sippy cup, sitting in her car seat in the back, her face full of innocence as she asked.
Sophia immediately smiled: "No, mommy's not angry at all."
The traffic gradually started moving, but Sophia didn't dare drive too fast. She managed to get Mia to kindergarten just three minutes before the bell.
The teacher came to take Mia, and Sophia crouched in front of her daughter to give some last-minute instructions: "Mia, have a good day at school. Mommy will come pick you up when classes end."
"I'll wait for you, Mommy. Don't be angry."
Mia hugged Sophia and gave her a kiss before taking the teacher's hand and leaving. After a few steps, she still turned back to wave at Sophia.
Her little legs moving so seriously made Sophia smile.
When she had decided to keep this child, she had been confused and doubtful.
But as Mia grew day by day from a tiny bundle to a little darling who could walk and talk, constantly warming her heart, she felt her decision had been absolutely right.
If she had truly terminated the pregnancy back then, she would never have had such an adorable daughter.
After Mia followed the teacher into the building and Sophia could no longer see her, she turned to leave.
Past the peak hour, traffic conditions improved, and Sophia quickly returned home.
She parked the car at home, then walked to the neighboring community.
Ethan had said her car was blocking his, but when she reached her car, she didn't see how she was blocking anyone.
Recalling Ethan's tone during the phone call, Sophia felt exasperated.
He had even hung up on her, making her look like someone with no manners.
But this car was clearly parked by him!
Sophia had just gotten into the car when she received another call from Ethan.
"Have you moved your car?"
Again with that tone, again with that questioning.
Sophia, annoyed but dismissive, replied: "Yes, yes, I've moved it."
"You're in the car now? Perfect, I left something in your car last night. I'll come get it."
"I…"
Before Sophia could finish, Ethan hung up again.
After three years, Ethan's talent for irritating people had only grown stronger.
Sophia felt incredibly frustrated but didn't dare just drive away.
Before Ethan arrived, she had already thoroughly searched the front seats, finding nothing.
By the time she got out of the car, her forehead was even covered with a thin layer of sweat.
When Ethan arrived, she was still breathing heavily.
Yet even his hair wasn't disheveled by the wind.
Sophia couldn't help saying: "I just checked and didn't see anything. You'd better actually have something important to find."
As she spoke, she pointed to the car, inviting Ethan to search for himself.
But Ethan just stood by the car with a calm face: "Nothing there? I must have remembered wrong."
His cavalier attitude quickly pushed Sophia to her limit.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, Ethan was still staring at her.
Realizing she'd been played, she angrily demanded: "Ethan James, what exactly are you trying to do?"
The more angry she became, the more calm Ethan's expression grew.
Sophia retained enough rationality to control her temper. She clenched her fist and sighed.
"Mr. Big Shot Lawyer, if you're not busy, go sightsee around Chicago. I don't have time for these stupid games."
Sophia held the car door, ready to get in, when Ethan suddenly called out:
"Wait."
Sophia glanced at him, not even wanting to open her mouth.
"Didn't you say you'd cover my transportation costs?"
After three years, Ethan's skin had grown thicker too.
Sophia didn't want any further entanglement with him. She directly took out her wallet from the car, pulled out a wad of cash, and walked over to stuff it into his hands.
Ethan didn't reach out, so Sophia simply shoved the money into his coat pocket.
"This is hardly sincere."
Sophia was indignant: "I could report you for fraud, so maybe say less."
Ethan smiled without humor: "Rather than forcing money on me, why not treat me to a meal?"
Dream on!
Sophia screamed internally, unwilling to get further entangled. She turned quickly, got into her car, and drove away.