Their Queen's Back - Chapter 47: Chapter 47

Sophia didn't want to engage with him. She kept her head down and walked past in silence, trying to go unnoticed, but Matthew still spotted her.
"Sophia!" Matthew called out excitedly.
Sophia froze for a moment before stopping in her tracks. "What do you want?"
"I..." Matthew started to step forward, but when he saw his mud-caked shoes, he instinctively took two steps back.
Matthew hesitated for a moment, then said quietly, "I just wanted to ask... how you've been lately?"
"Fine," Sophia said expressionlessly as she brushed past him.
She was better off without him.
Matthew watched her retreating figure and finally mustered the courage to call out, "Sophia, I'm sorry!"
Sophia's body stiffened, but she didn't stop walking. Matthew's apology lingered in the air. "Of course I'm not unaffected," she thought. "The love we once shared was real—but so was the hatred."
She had come to terms with it. To her, it was like a tiny pebble dropped into a calm lake—creating only the faintest ripples, barely disturbing the vast surface.
As Sophia was about to hail a cab to go home, she unexpectedly ran into Lily, who was clinging to the arm of a man at least twenty years her senior.
He looked at least twenty years older than her, maybe even more. Sophia thought, "I don't like judging people by appearances, but this old guy really wasn't winning any beauty contests."
"Lily's parents were long gone," Sophia thought. "Could he be some kind of relative?"
"Even if they were relatives, no one would act so blatantly intimate like that," Sophia thought.
Lily never expected to run into Sophia here. As all the misfortunes she'd suffered—each one because of this woman—came flooding back, her face contorted with rage and she shot Sophia a venomous glare.
Sophia averted her gaze and was about to get into the car when Lily approached, clinging to the arm of her male companion.
Lily shouted, "Sophia, stop right there! Who said you could leave?"
Sophia ignored her. As Lily moved to grab her clothes—without hesitation—Sophia slapped her hard across the face.
"Ever since that incident, I've felt myself growing stronger inside. If these people think they can hurt me, even a little, it's nothing but wishful thinking."
Lily was seething with rage. "Sophia, how dare you hit me!"
Sophia's eyes turned dark and terrifying, her demeanor shifting in an instant from gentle innocence to twisted obsession—like a yandere emerging from her shell.
"Lily, you'd better not mess with me," she warned.
"You!" Lily snapped.
Lily stomped her foot, refusing to admit she was scared. "Darling, look what this woman did to me! She hit me so hard my face is all swollen!"
Lily turned around and only then noticed that he had been staring at Sophia. The unmistakable desire in his eyes told her at once—he was interested in her.
"Who is she?"
By the time he tore his gaze away, her car was already speeding off into the distance.
Lily pouted and clung to his arm, whining, "Darling, look how she beat me up—just look at the state she left me in! Aren't you going to do something about it?"
Lily puckered her lips in an exaggerated pout, putting on her most coquettish act.
Oh, my poor baby. Tell me who she is, and I'll get her back for you.
"Her name's Sophia. She used to date a guy who was after me, so we've got some bad blood. She works at a company called Morningstar Inc."
Morningstar? Just some small fry. Piece of cake.
Alright, I'll get her back for you in a few days.
"Darling, you're the best!"
Jessica had been locked up all night without a single drop of water or bite of food, practically starving. At dawn, the door was flung open—and a broom was flung at her feet.
"Miss Skye has given all the servants the day off today. You're to clean every toilet in the guest area on the first floor. Here are your tools—take them now."
Jessica's gaze was icy as she slowly walked over. "You want me to clean the toilets?" she demanded, her voice laced with disdain.
This is outrageous! Don't they know who I am? How dare they treat me like some lowly servant!
Wendy couldn't care less who you are. She snapped, "Miss Clark, this is Miss Skye's order—do as you're told and you'll get fed today. Refuse, and you're out of the Hughes immediately."
Jessica snapped, shouting back defiantly, "I'm a Hughes too!"
Miss Clark, say what you will. Here's my advice: the sooner you finish, the sooner you eat. Otherwise, we'll gladly pack your bags and show you the door.
Jessica shouted angrily, "You! You damned snobbish bastards!"
"I can't let Skye get her way—she just wants to kick me out!" Jessica thought.
"I won't leave like this!" Jessica fumed inwardly.
"I'll wait for my parents to come back," she vowed to herself. "Once Dad returns, I'll make them pay—every last one of them."
Jessica shot Wendy a venomous glare, then snatched up the mop and stormed out of the room.
Wendy watched Jessica's retreating figure with satisfaction before approaching to bark orders at her. "Miss Skye's orders—not a single moment of slacking off," she commanded sternly.
Hughes Corporation
Lauren stepped forward to report, "Ms. Sky, Charles from Haynes Group is requesting a meeting with you. What are your instructions?"
She had also researched the Haynes Group. They had been longtime business partners with Hughes Corporation, but when Hughes ran into trouble, Haynes chose to cut ties.
After learning from Rowan which company his son had visited last time, Lauren made sure to mention it to Ms. Sky to score some points with her.
Skye's pen paused mid-signature as she set it down. "Show him in," she commanded.
Skye simply replied, "Yes."
Entering Skye's office, Charles was struck by her face—strikingly beautiful yet coolly detached, bearing an uncanny resemblance to his late friend. For a fleeting moment, he almost believed she had returned. The aura she carried was so similar—no wonder she was considered her most outstanding successor.
"Ms. Sky, I'm Charles. I'm truly sorry to bother you."
Skye stood up and poured him a cup of tea. Charles hastily waved his hands in refusal, flustered. "No, no, I couldn't possibly accept such courtesy from you, Ms. Sky. I..."
Charles was consumed by guilt. The decision to end their partnership last time had been entirely the doing of his wayward son, but it was his own failure in discipline that led to this—he was now reaping what he had sown. Truth be told, he felt too ashamed to show his face here.
But his days are numbered, and Howard is his only son—a quarrelsome fellow with no real competence to speak of. Once he's gone, the boy won't last long.
"Uncle Charles, you're my mother's friend—there's no need to be so polite. Let's have some tea first."
Charles flinched, shame written all over his face at being called "Uncle Charles." "Ms. Sky, please don't call me that—I don't deserve it. What happened last time was entirely my fault... Just the fact that you were willing to grant me this audience today is already more kindness than I could ever hope for."
Skye sighed and took a sip of tea, savoring its delicate aroma and lingering aftertaste.
Uncle Charles, I know what happened with our last partnership wasn't entirely your fault, but your lax supervision of your son led to this situation. Let me be frank—if you're still willing to work with me, I'll keep a spot for you, but your share of the profits will be reduced.
Uncle Charles quickly waved his hands. "No, no, that's not what I came here for today, Ms. Sky. Honestly, if you could give this old man a chance, I'd be eternally grateful—I can never repay your kindness. Ms. Sky, I'm actually here to beg a favor. I'm willing to hand over Haynes Group to you. I know our small company may be beneath your notice, but I've run out of options and have nowhere else to turn."
As Charles finished speaking, he suddenly dropped to his knees. Lauren, ever perceptive, quietly stepped out and closed the door behind her, leaving them in private.
"Uncle Charles, what are you doing? You're my elder—it's downright disrespectful for you to kneel before me. Please, don't put me in this position. Just tell me what you need. If it's within my power to help, I will."
Half an hour later, Charles left the office. As Lauren brushed past him, she noticed the old man's visibly excited expression, with gratitude written across his brows.
Having been by Ms. Sky's side for all these years, Lauren glanced at the Haynes Group transfer agreement on her desk and immediately understood what it meant.
"Ms. Sky," Lauren said with concern, "are you really going to take over this mess that is the Haynes Group? There are countless companies lining up to partner with the Hughes Corporation—Haynes just pales in comparison."
Lauren knew Ms. Sky valued profits above all else. Without them, everything else was meaningless.
"You're right, Lauren. The Haynes Group really is a mess—a small company on the verge of bankruptcy, hardly worth adding to our portfolio. But since he's using his son as leverage, I'll give it some consideration."
Charles made his intention crystal clear—he wanted his only son, Howard, to find a path to survival under Ms. Sky's wing.
The Haynes Group is the compensation.
"Ms. Sky, Howard is an arrogant, spoiled rich kid who's never done a day's work. If you want to keep him in the company, be prepared—he could prove quite a handful."
No matter. Once he arrives, you handle his arrangements.
Lauren said, "Yes, Ms. Sky. There's one more thing—regarding Miss Emily, I've looked into her situation at school and uncovered some information you might want to know."
Ms. Sky set down the documents, interlaced her fingers, and leaned forward on the desk.
Skye looked up and said coolly, "Go ahead."
Lauren: "Ms. Sky, Miss Emily is truly incapable of learning—she's consistently ranked last in the entire school, and last time she even submitted a blank exam paper. The teachers called Jessica to the school, and from what I've gathered, Jessica has always advocated that if Miss Emily doesn't want to study, she simply shouldn't. She even incited Miss Emily to openly defy the teachers, which has led to a very poor reputation for Miss Emily at school. The teachers have basically given up on her. Her only friend is Megan Walker, and according to my investigation, Megan is very close to Jessica—this may be a deliberate, premeditated approach. Ms. Sky, would you like me to—"
Skye raised her hand, a flicker of ruthlessness in her cool eyes. "Not yet. She's holding a grudge against me right now, so I can't interfere too much. Some things, she needs to experience for herself."
Lauren finally understood Ms. Sky's painstaking care—she would dote on her sisters but never spoil them, refusing to let them grow arrogant and domineering without learning self-reflection.
"Arrange a time for me to meet with her teacher," Ms. Sky ordered.
Lauren confirmed, "Understood, Ms. Sky. I'll make the arrangements immediately."
After a whole day of backbreaking chores, Jessica finally got to eat. Abandoning all pretense of manners, she wolfed down her food as if she hadn't eaten in days.
Jessica's eyes burned with a terrifying hatred. "Skye, I'll never forget this humiliation. Just you wait—I'll make you pay in blood!" she vowed inwardly.
At the hospital
Linda hadn't expected Richard's injuries to be this serious—he couldn't even get out of bed on his own.
She poured her heart into caring for Richard. Even when exhaustion and frustration set in, just one look at his face made it all worthwhile.
"I'm going to get some sleep. Keep it down, will you?"
Linda beamed brightly. "Alright, darling, I promise I won't make a sound. You get some rest."
Jessica called. Linda glanced at the sleeping Richard, stepped out of the ward, and asked quietly, "What is it?"
"Mom, when are you and Dad coming home? If you don't come back soon, I'll be bullied to death!"
Linda said, "It's not that we don't want to come back. Your father's too badly hurt—the doctor said he won't even be able to get out of bed for at least a month. Listen, daughter, that bitch Skye is no pushover; she's got some tricks up her sleeve. Don't go head-to-head with her, or you'll be the one who suffers. You need to learn to use the people around you, especially Emily."
Jessica impatiently hung up the phone. "As if I didn't know something that basic!" she scoffed inwardly.
Jessica thought, "The worst part is, Emily just went off to school without even telling me."
"How dare she just go off to school without even telling me first?" Jessica fumed inwardly.
"She has no manners! I'll teach her a lesson she won't forget," Jessica fumed.
Jessica snapped into her phone, "Hey, it's me. Tell Emily to..."
Meanwhile, at school, Emily...
She got dropped off at the school gate early that morning by the butler—Skye's orders. Now she sat in class in a huff, deliberately tuning out every word the teacher said.
Megan grinned at Emily and said, "Hey Em, wanna hang out after school? I know this awesome place we can go!"
The one speaking was Megan—Emily's only friend at school.
Emily was so thrilled at the idea of hanging out that she nearly ditched class on the spot.
"Meg, really? I can't wait till after school—let's go right now!"
Megan glanced at naive Emily, her smile barely concealing the mockery in her eyes.
"Emily, don't be so impatient! We have to wait until after school. I still need to collect homework later. Oh, by the way, could you do me a little favor?"
"Of course!" Emily never refused a request from this friend.
At school, Megan was the only one who actually wanted to hang out with her.
Megan even backed Emily's dislike for studying, telling her, "If you can't get into it, just drop it. Being happy is what really matters."
In this Elite Academy, she was her only genuine friend.
Megan leaned in and whispered, "Hey Emily, could you do me a favor and take this letter to Alex in Class 1?"
Alex Froster was the legendary figure in Class 1—the school's famously aloof academic ace, who perpetually topped the rankings and was known as the "scholarship magnet" because no one could ever shake his position.
Rumor has it he comes from a humble background, but with those striking looks, he's the campus heartthrob—no wonder so many girls have a crush on him.
"Well, is this a love letter?" Emily asked curiously.
Megan blushed slightly. "Oh, don't ask! It's just... just an ordinary note. Could you deliver it for me? Please, Emily?"
Emily grinned, instantly catching on, and eagerly took the letter from her. "Don't worry, I've got this! I'll make sure he accepts your love letter—promise!"
Megan pulled Emily back and whispered urgently, "Emily, please, don't tell him my name, okay? If my parents ever found out, they'd totally freak out. You're my best friend—I'm begging you."
Emily grinned. "No problem! I'm on it!"
Megan flashed a smile. "Sure thing, sweetie!"
Megan watched her retreating figure and smirked. "What an idiot," she thought, then immediately pulled out her phone and texted: [She's on her way to deliver the love letter now. Get ready.]
Emily barged into Class 1, spotted the boy at his desk, and marched right up to him. "Here you go," she said bluntly, thrusting it at him.
The classroom erupted in gasps, exclamations, and excited whispers as many students began crowding around, jeering, and egging each other on.
"Look! Someone's confessing!
"OMG, is that a love letter? So cheesy!
"Oh my, isn't that Emily—the girl who's always dead last in the whole school? How could she have the nerve to give a love letter to our top student? Seriously, some people are just shameless!
"Heard she got a big fat zero on her last test. She probably can't even recognize the alphabet—like she could actually write a love letter? Bet she can't even get through the ABCs, haha!"