Their Queen's Back - Chapter 25: Chapter 25

Sophia was utterly revolted by his words—it turned her stomach. "How could I have never realized what a despicable, shameless bastard he was?" she thought in disgust.
"I don't give a damn! Matthew, pull over and let me out—now!"
Matthew sneered, "Sophia, your father has already agreed to this marriage alliance—there's no changing that. At your stepmother's birthday party, you disrespected my parents. After you donate blood to Lily, I'll take you home. You'll kneel and apologize to my parents, say a few things they want to hear, and once that's done, we'll consider the matter closed. The engagement will proceed as scheduled."
"Ha!" Sophia scoffed, her eyes flashing with undisguised derision.
"Kneel? Apologize? Say whatever they want to hear?" Sophia scoffed inwardly.
"What do the Quinns think they are—royalty or something?" Sophia scoffed inwardly.
Matthew said coldly, "I know you're thrilled, but only if you give Lily a blood transfusion first. Sophia, from now on, just be the wife you're supposed to be—focus on your duties at home and quit this nonsense about working."
Sophia turned her head sharply, staring at him in disbelief. "Does he really think I smiled because I was happy?" she thought, aghast.
Sophia jabbed her tongue against her cheek, took a deep breath, then exploded: "Matthew, who the hell do you Quinns think you are? The royal family's long gone, yet you still want me to kneel and apologize to your parents? Piss off! Why don't you take a look at yourself before acting so high and mighty. You really think I can't live without you? When I said I wanted to break up, I meant it! Yet you keep clinging to me like some pathetic loser. The perfect wife? Keep dreaming, you delusional bastard!"
Matthew was stunned by her tirade. He slammed on the brakes reflexively, momentarily dazed.
By the time he regained his senses, Sophia had already flung open the car door and bolted.
Matthew fumed inwardly, incredulous: "Sophia actually dared to curse at him!"
"Fine! You asked for it," Matthew seethed inwardly, his anger barely contained.
"You really don't know what's good for you!" Matthew seethed inwardly.
Matthew was burning with humiliation and rage, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white. Never in his privileged life had anyone dared to defy him like this.
"Bring her back!" Matthew commanded.
With a single call from Matthew, his bodyguards swung into action.
Just as Sophia raised her hand to hail a cab, Matthew's bodyguards appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her before she could react.
"Let go of me! Help!" Sophia screamed desperately.
As soon as Matthew emerged from the sleek luxury car, most of the onlookers instinctively backed away, unwilling to get involved.
Matthew snapped, "Sophia, you're coming with me—now!"
Matthew seized Sophia's wrist and forcibly dragged her into the hospital—it was only a few steps away anyway.
"Help! Help!" Sophia screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Just my girlfriend throwing a fit," Matthew said casually, and that seemed to smooth things over.
Utterly helpless and on the verge of breaking down, Sophia stumbled into Lily's hospital room.
Lily beamed at Sophia. "Sophia dear, you're here! Please, have a seat. I'm afraid I've been such a trouble to you again. If you must blame someone, blame only me—this is entirely my fault and has nothing to do with Matthew. He was just trying to help me. I'd hate to come between you two."
Matthew gently took Lily's hand. "Darling, what are you talking about? You're the one I love. Sophia is just your stand-in. If she hadn't skipped your regular blood transfusions, you wouldn't still be here. This is entirely her fault."
In the past, Sophia would never have argued back, but she's no longer the same Sophia.
"Matthew, are you blind or just stupid? Since when does a stand-in look a hundred times better than the original? Where on earth do you see any resemblance between me and Lily? Stand-in? Do you really want me to rip off your hypocritical facade? Her eyes are smaller than mine, she's shorter, her figure's worse, and her skin's darker. I've been giving her blood on time—so what the hell makes her so special? Why the hell should I keep doing this for her? Did I murder her whole family or desecrate her ancestors' graves? What exactly do I owe her?"
Matthew and Lily's faces fell instantly—it was the first time they'd seen Sophia so sharp-tongued and vicious.
Her words tore them both to shreds, their faces darkening with shame and anger.
Especially Lily—after hearing those words, her slender fingers dug so hard into her palms that she didn't even feel the pain, her eyes burning with hatred as she glared daggers at Sophia!
Matthew felt like he was losing his mind. He actually found himself thinking Sophia had a point.
"Lily isn't as beautiful as Sophia," Matthew thought reluctantly. "Sophia is stunning—with that delicate, ethereal beauty of an unattainable first love."
Noticing Matthew's appraising gaze, Lily instantly realized he was making a comparison. Her nails finally released their grip on her palm, and she collapsed into his arms, feigning a weak cough.
"Sophia dear, I know you don't want this..." Lily said softly, her voice trembling. "I won't force you. What will be, will be. You're right—you owe me nothing. It's all my fault. Matthew, please...just let her go. I'll be fine."
Matthew's face was full of heartache as he assured Lily, "Don't worry, Lily. No matter what it takes, I'll make sure he gives you the blood transfusion."
Then, Matthew fixed his gaze on Sophia.
"Sophia, as long as you're willing to donate blood to Lily, I'll grant you whatever you ask."
Lily's face paled with panic as she urgently grabbed his arm. "No, Matthew! You mustn't agree to her terms! I'm fine—my body can handle it. The doctors will find another way. Please, don't sacrifice yourself for me!"
Lily was in a panic—if Sophia seized this chance to demand marriage with Matthew...
Then I'd really lose everything, Lily thought anxiously.
All she'd ever wanted was the title of Mrs. Quinn.
Sophia instantly read the fear in her eyes, and a knowing smirk curled at the corners of her lips.
Sophia pressed a finger to her lips, a triumphant smirk playing on her face.
"Oh, I'll have to think about this very carefully," she teased.
Seeing Sophia's expression, Lily instantly knew what she was about to demand. "Absolutely not!" she thought, her heart pounding.
"Sophia dear, please don't make things difficult for Matthew, okay? It's all my fault. If you're upset, you can hit me or yell at me—I won't mind at all."
Matthew ruffled her hair affectionately. He didn't need a woman to lower herself like this for him.
He had what it took to protect her.
"Sophia, isn't marrying me all you've ever wanted? Fine, you got it. Now go get your blood drawn—immediately."
Lily shrieked, "No! Absolutely not!"
Her sudden shriek was so piercing it startled Matthew, the sound nearly deafening him.
Realizing her outburst, Lily quickly lowered her head with feigned shame, sniffled dramatically as she forced tears to well up in her eyes, then nestled weakly into Matthew's embrace in a practiced display of fragility.
"No! You mustn't, Matthew!" she cried, her voice trembling. "I don't want to be a burden to you. If you truly love Sophia and want to be with her, I won't say a word of complaint—I'll sincerely wish you both a lifetime of happiness. But if you're only doing this for my sake, if you're being forced to give in, I'll never have a moment's peace. The guilt would haunt me every single day."
"Lily," Matthew murmured, deeply moved as he pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Matthew," Lily whispered, clinging tightly to him.
They looked like a match made in heaven—two halves of one perfect whole.
To Sophia, she felt like nothing more than an outsider—an unwelcome intruder, a third wheel in their world.
the scheming villainess who dared to disrupt their picture-perfect romance