From Exile To Queen Of Everything - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Sophie and her parents had once lived a life of luxury, looking down on everyone from their high position. But now, they had lost everything overnight and could only afford to rent a run-down apartment.
Sophie listened silently as her parents kept blaming her, not saying a word in her own defense. She had called every single person in her contacts, yet no one was willing to help. She couldn't help but wonder who was behind all this.
First came the complete split from the main Quinn family. Then the ruthless attacks came one after another. Within just twenty-four hours, their company fell apart, leaving them with nothing.
Out of options, Sophie went back to the main Quinn family's villa. She waited outside the gates until midnight when Miles finally came home. The moment she saw him, she ran up and called his name.
Miles paused, his expression cold. "What are you doing here?" After all his years of support, she had turned out to be a viper. He had already shown mercy by not crushing her completely.
"Miles, I know I messed up," Sophie pleaded, voice cracking. "Please help me. I've got no one else to turn to."
Miles didn't even look at her. "Sophie, if you had any shame left, you wouldn't be standing here. Your greed and selfishness brought you exactly what you deserved. Now get out of my sight."
Securing the Quinn family's partnership with SIE Corporation had cost him years of hard work. And Sophie had almost ruined everything. As far as he was concerned, that kind of betrayal didn't deserve a second chance.
Sophie hung her head, tears streaming down her face. "Miles, I know I failed you," she choked out. "But please, just tell me who is behind this. I swear I haven't made enemies with anyone else." She desperately needed to hear any name but his.
Miles narrowed his eyes. 'Haven't made enemies? You've burned bridges with half the city. And now you're messing with my business.' His lip curled in disgust. 'The nerve of you saying that.' As he turned to go, Sophie's knees hit the ground with a heavy thud.
"Miles, please!" Sophie begged. "We're family. Blood should count for something. Just tell me who's behind all this. At least let me know why my life's being ruined." All she wanted was to know who had destroyed her.
Miles drew a slow breath, his voice turning razor-sharp. "Sophie, answer me straight. If you've never gone after anyone, how do you explain what you did to Vivian three years back?" His eyes locked onto hers. "You ruined her career completely. Don't pretend you don't know."
Sophie's voice died in her throat, her pupils contracting like a startled cat's. 'Vivian? No way. Since when did she have that kind of pull?'
Miles spoke with winter in his voice. "You did this to yourself. Mason's still sitting in a jail cell. Haven't you even wondered why?"
Sophie would sooner blame Miles for her ruin than believe Vivian could do this. That woman was nothing, just some trash she had never bothered with before.
Three years ago, Sophie had watched with disgust as Vivian kept chasing after Mason. The Harts were nothing but worthless trash in her view, completely unfit to marry into the Quinn family. They weren't even worth acknowledging. So Sophie took every chance to make Vivian's life miserable.
Seeing the disbelief still frozen on her face, Miles delivered the final blow. "Junior Quinn Group now belongs to the Hart family."
Sophie's eyes flew open wide in shock, her mind blank and body locked rigid. "No. That cannot be true. The Hart family could never have done this." She opened her mouth to demand answers, but Miles had already turned his back. The heavy gates crashed shut behind him with a sound like a death knell.
Left alone in the cold wind, Sophie's thoughts spiraled. 'The Harts had no power. Aiden was a complete failure.' She refused to believe that of all people, Vivian was the reason for her ruin.
Then, out of nowhere, her mother's warning came back to her. "Vivian's sister is back. That woman isn't someone to mess with." Sophie mouthed the words "Vivian's sister" silently to herself.
With trembling hands, Sophie pulled out her phone and searched. The results flooded in, [Hart Corporation under new leadership—Miss Enna signs permanent partnership with SIE Corporation, marking a new era].
'No, this is impossible. I worked my fingers to the bone to get that SIE deal. How did the Harts just waltz in and grab it like nothing? Does Vivian's sister know people at SIE?' Sophie clenched her fists.
Sophie stumbled home in a daze. Red-hot anger blurred her vision, her whole body trembling with rage. 'Why the Harts? That trash family I always laughed at. That worthless bunch I never gave a second thought.' The shame hit her like a physical blow, stripping her bare.
Her parents couldn't accept the news either. Mrs. Quinn stood up and said, "The Harts still owe us a marriage. Once Mason marries Vivian, we'll get everything back."
Mr. Quinn nodded eagerly. 'Aiden is spineless. Sweet-talk him a little and he'll fold like paper.' With this plan in mind, the couple scraped together their last remaining money to bail their son out of jail.
At the Hart residence, Linda's eyes snapped open the moment the butler and the doctor left. Her dramatic faint had been all an act. 'A full day without food or water? That Sienna bitch is trying to kill me,' she seethed inwardly.
The second she got hold of a phone, she called her daughter, sobbing about how she had suffered. "Come home now," she cried. "Make that wretch pay."
Jocelyn's grip tightened around her phone as her mother's sobs filled her ears. 'Vivian you bitch! How dare you lay a finger on my mother? You're dead!'
When the scalding water hit her skin, Jocelyn jerked her feet up with a yell. "Too damn hot!" Her foot lashed out, kicking the basin so hard that Amber toppled backward onto the floor.
Tears instantly flooded Amber's eyes, her delicate, doll-like face only fueling Jocelyn's fury. "Jocelyn, I'm sorry. I'll get fresh water right away," she stammered, biting her trembling lip.
Jocelyn drew a slow breath, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "Amber," she purred, "you'll always be my good girl, won't you?"
Amber nodded quickly, her eyes downcast. A wicked thought flashed through Jocelyn's mind. 'Sienna, let's wait and see.'
The mere thought of Sienna set jealous fire raging through Jocelyn's veins. 'Damn you, Sienna. You should've stayed dead.' Her pretty face contorted with the ugly emotion. "Amber," she said icily, "get me a chocolate cake from East Street. Now."
Amber's face lit up. "I'll go right now," she chirped. That bright smile was too much. Jocelyn forced a pleasant expression while seething inside.
Smack!
Jocelyn's palm cracked across Amber's cheek, sending her sprawling. Before Amber could gasp, Jocelyn seized her by the hair and hauled her upright, snarling, "How many times must I tell you? No smiling. What kind of girl grins like an idiot? Looking for male attention?"
Trembling violently, Amber crumpled into a tight ball. "Sorry, Jocelyn. No more smiling, I swear. Please stop." she begged, arms raised to shield her face.
Jocelyn released her, dark satisfaction surging through her. With deliberate slowness, she knelt and stroked Amber's reddened cheek, only to dig her nails in when Amber whimpered.
"Darling, I hate hurting you," Jocelyn crooned. "But those filthy men will think you're easy prey if you keep smiling. They'll take advantage. I'm only protecting you." She crushed Amber in a smothering hug, whispering wetly near her ear, "You know I love you best, don't you?"
Amber sniffled, "You're right, Jocelyn. Everything you do is for my good. I'll obey. No more smiles." Her voice cracked like stepped-on twigs.
"Good girl." Jocelyn held out a crumpled bill. "Take this and buy my cake. Keep the change for water if you're thirsty."
"Thank you, Jocelyn. I'll be back soon." Amber hastily wiped her tears and clutched the money. As Amber scampered off gratefully, Jocelyn's gaze slid to the clock. 'Eleven o'clock. Run along, little lamb.'
Amber hurried down the shadowy alley, the crumpled bill clutched in her sweaty hand. 'Chocolate cake. Keep going. One hour left. Gotta get it for Jocelyn.'
Then out of nowhere, several thugs appeared, surrounding her with leering grins. Amber stumbled back in terror. She needed to call the police, but Jocelyn had taken her phone long ago, claiming it would distract her from her studies.
"Hey sweetheart," the first thug crooned, blocking her path, "why rush? Let us walk you home. We'll keep you real safe."
"What's wrong? Scared?" Another voice rasped from behind. "Don't worry, we'll play nice. Just tell us where you live."
Their voices oozed like sludge from a dumpster. When Amber turned to run, a beefy arm blocked her way. "Running away? That's rude," the lead man said, spreading his arms. "Kids shouldn't walk alone. Let us take you home."
When the man moved to grab her, Amber screamed at the top of her lungs, "Stay back! I'll call the police! My sister will hear about this."
"Listen up! She's got a sister," the man sneered to his buddies. "Why don't you call her over? More girls, more fun." He took another step toward Amber.
"Get away!" Amber screamed, stumbling backward as her hands flew up in defense. Her heart pounded so hard she could barely breathe. "Help me! Somebody!" Her voice cracked with terror as she frantically scanned the empty street.
"Keep screaming," the man chuckled darkly. "Nobody comes here this late." Desperate, Amber clenched the money in her fist, still thinking about Jocelyn's chocolate cake.
"Bullying girls when I'm around? How dare you!" A cool voice cut through the air. The thugs spun toward the sound. There stood another girl in a black skirt and a white jacket. Her sweet face was a stark contrast to the ice in her glare.
"Hey look, another girl." But a sickening crack cut off the thug's words as his wrist bent the wrong way. Before his buddies could blink, the girl became a whirlwind of violence—elbows smashing noses, knees crunching into ribs, feet sweeping legs.
The first thug hit the ground with a thud, howling in pain. The others stumbled over each other in their panic to escape, dark stains spreading down their pants.
"Pathetic," Reno sneered at the fleeing thugs, then turned to Amber with sudden gentleness, offering a lollipop. "Here, sweetheart. Sugar helps after a scare."
Amber shook her head like a rattled rabbit, arms locked around herself. Before Reno could even say "hospital", Amber took off like a shot. Staring at her own reflection in a car window, Reno frowned. 'Do I really look that scary?'
At the police station, Mason blankly took back his things, dazed by his luck. His three accomplices faced harsher fates. Ron and Lily were sentenced to prison, while Lily's confession painted Chloe as an innocent victim, letting her walk away.
As Chloe turned to leave, Lily caught her sleeve. "Take good care of my kids," she whispered urgently. "They're all I've got." Chloe gave a solemn nod.
Finally free, Chloe nearly cried with relief. The moment she saw Mason, she flung herself at him. "Mason, I've missed you so much," her words tumbled out in a rush. "This was all Lily and Ron's doing. You know I was fooled too, right? Let's go say sorry to Vivian together. She'll forgive us."
Mason shoved her away, wiping his sleeves as if she were diseased. "Get lost, liar. If I see you again, don't say I didn't warn you." His eyes burned with barely contained rage.
Her mind blank and heart skipping a beat, Chloe desperately grabbed Mason's hand. "Mason, I'm not lying to you," she pleaded. "Don't believe that nonsense. I truly love you."
"Get lost," he snarled, lips twisting in a bitter laugh. "I was a damn idiot to ever believe you had a kind bone in your body." His fingers curled into fists as the cold chuckle died in his throat.
"Don't say that." Chloe cried. "I love you so much." But Mason ignored her, striding toward Junior Quinn Group with rage boiling in his veins. He wanted to ask Sophie why it took her so long to get him out.
At the company entrance, the guard blocked Mason's way. Mason's face flushed red with rage. "Open your damn eyes! Don't you know who I am?" His fists trembled at his sides as veins throbbed at his temples.