Ex-Lover as My Divorce Lawyer? This Train Wreck Just Got Scorching! - Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Sophia returned to her Chicago home. Liam had been having people come clean regularly, so she could move right back in.
She hadn't rested since getting off the plane, and the moment she hit the couch, she was too exhausted to even turn over.
The fatigue from the long flight hit her with a delay, and soon Sophia was fast asleep.
When she woke up again, it was the middle of the night.
She was starving, barely managing to get up from the couch to raid the fridge.
Everything in there was frozen. She grabbed a random package.
After wolfing down her meal, she finally called her daughter back in Paris.
"Isn't it really late there? How come you're not sleeping?"
Mia glanced at the time back home, immediately concerned about Sophia.
Sophia felt her heart melt, beaming: "I just got over my jet lag. How are you doing? Have you been good for Grandma and Grandpa?"
"Grandma says I'm being really good." Mia answered obediently, then suddenly called out: "Mommy."
"What's up?"
"Grandma said you went back home to look at schools for me. Am I coming back to go to elementary school there?"
As she spoke, she kept glancing to the side. Sophia quickly realized Mrs. Reed had put her up to asking this question.
Sophia didn't get mad right away, instead asking Mia: "What about you? Where would you rather go to school?"
Mia scrunched up her face, thinking hard for a long time. "I don't know, but shouldn't I come back home to check out the schools too?"
"You should definitely look." Sophia said warmly, then asked Mia to hand the phone to Mrs. Reed.
After making sure Mia was out of earshot, she complained: "What are you telling Mia? You promised me you wouldn't say random stuff in front of her."
Mrs. Reed looked sheepish, defending herself: "I was just joking around."
Sophia kept a stern face: "Joking around isn't okay either. She's little—how's she supposed to know if you're kidding or not?"
"Alright, alright, I was wrong, okay?"
Mrs. Reed always did this—apologized without really meaning it, and Sophia couldn't keep pushing.
"Whatever. I'll fly to Paris in a few days and bring Mia back."
Mrs. Reed was stunned: "You've... made up your mind?"
"Yeah, I've decided to live back home from now on."
Sophia had thought about it for a long time. She'd decided to go to Paris to clear her head, and now it was time to wrap that up.
"You and Ethan..."
Mrs. Reed probed, but Sophia cut her off.
"This has nothing to do with him. It's my own decision."
Sophia let out an almost inaudible sigh: "As for everything else—we'll deal with the future when it comes."
After bringing Mia back from Paris, Sophia enrolled her in a transition class.
By next year, she could start school directly.
Mia loved playing with other children and looked forward to school, requiring no convincing from Sophia.
Sophia dropped her off at school daily before heading to the office.
During her years abroad, she hadn't participated in any company operations besides submitting designs and communicating with the company liaison.
Outside of that, she had lived like someone without a profession.
Her first day back, visiting the company had been somewhat ceremonial, but returning again made her feel powerless.
She complained to Liam: "Can't I just handle the designs like before?"
"And leave everything else to me, working me to death? Is that your plan?"
Liam lounged lazily on the sofa, glaring at her.
"Wasn't it always like that? You seemed to manage fine."
"That was when you were gone. Now that you're back, continuing like this would really kill me. I have a family to support—how can you keep torturing me like this?"
Liam spoke so seriously that Sophia couldn't argue.
For years, or even earlier, Liam had shouldered too much for her.
If she remained this carefree, she would truly be letting Liam down.
"Yes, yes, I've wronged you before. I promise to work hard from now on."
"That's more like it."
Liam was finally satisfied.
He didn't want to focus solely on his career, but his position demanded it. Without showing some achievement, he couldn't face the expectations placed on him.
He was no longer in his early twenties with boundless energy. He could only share the workload with Sophia.
She had been hiding for three years, and he couldn't let her continue hiding.
Though initially feeling strange and inadequate, Sophia quickly adapted over time. Not only could she share work with Liam, but most times she could substitute for him entirely.
For a period, Sophia was so busy she often missed picking up Mia.
When she finally noticed, Liam had been absent for a week—calls went unanswered, messages unreturned.
Sophia confirmed Marcus's Instagram was still updating, realizing Liam was just out having fun. She immediately called Marcus.
When Marcus answered, Liam must have been absent, as Marcus answered straightforwardly. Sophia couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh.
She could only wish them a good time and politely ask when Liam planned to return to work.
Before Marcus could answer, a sudden force grabbed the phone. Sophia watched the screen spin chaotically before the call abruptly ended.
Guessing Liam had intervened, she felt exasperated as she set her phone aside. After confirming her alarm for picking up Mia was set, she immersed herself back in work.
When Liam finally called, she was just leaving the office to get Mia.
"Look who's finally remembered to call," she remarked sarcastically.
Liam's voice was full of urgency: "Are you about to pick up Mia?"
Sophia sensed something wrong and frowned: "What's happened?"
"I just saw news about a child hostage situation at Mia's school."