Chapter 3

“Honey, what happened? Why did you do it yourself?”

Garcia walked up beside Joelle and said with concern, “You’re pregnant. Don’t upset the baby.”

His gaze swept over me, surrounded by black-clad bodyguards, and his expression suddenly froze.

“Sophia, why are you back?”

Joelle asked in confusion, “Honey, who is she?”

She stamped her foot, about to throw a tantrum, and Garcia quickly soothed her.

“Honey, she’s just my childhood friend who has a marriage contract with me.”

“She’s been abroad for three years, and I’ve already lost most contact with her. Don’t misunderstand.”

Then he looked at me.

“Sophia, perfect timing. Let me introduce you. This is my girlfriend, Joelle.”

I looked at him, completely baffled.

“Your girlfriend is Joelle? Then what am I to you?”

“Did you forget? We’re supposed to get engaged next month.”

A contemptuous smile flashed across Garcia’s face.

“Sophia, you and I both know this is a business marriage.”

“Since when does a business marriage ever have real feelings?”

“Joelle is already carrying my child. She belongs to me.”

“From now on, we can do our own thing. On the surface, we’re still one family. Isn’t that better?”

I almost laughed myself sick at those words. Everyone knew the Franklin family had strict values and would never tolerate something like this.

“Garcia, while I was gone these past few years, did a pig eat your brain?”

With Garcia backing her up, Joelle’s face grew even more arrogant.

“No wonder you were so smug. So you’re just the marriage partner, not the one he really loves.”

“Baby, do you know? She even slapped me on the plane. Look, my face is still red.”

Joelle pouted as if she had suffered some huge injustice.

“There’s even something like this?” Garcia frowned.

Joelle glared at me viciously. “You’re backing me up, so I want to get that slap back!”

She raised her hand again, but Garcia stopped her once more.

“After all, she’s the Franklin family heir. You can’t hit her.”

“Besides, what if you hurt yourself and the baby?”

Joelle rolled her eyes.

“Fine, then I won’t hit her for your sake.”

“Just have her apologize to me, then call me sis, and I’ll forgive her.”

“Let her know who the real lady of the Stevens family is.”

Garcia’s expression darkened, and he nodded.

“Sophia, it looks like there’s some misunderstanding between you and Joelle.”

“Just do what Joelle said. After that, once the misunderstanding is cleared up, our engagement next week will go on as planned.”

I let out a cold laugh.

“How about this? I’ll give her one chance. If she kneels and apologizes to me, I’ll consider letting her go.”

Before I came back to the country, Christina had already told me how she planned to deal with her, and that method was a lot harsher than anything I’d imagined.

Garcia’s voice turned sharp.

“Sophia, don’t push this too far.”

“Joelle is pregnant, and you hit her. You were in the wrong first.”

“Joelle has already shown you understanding and made a concession. You should know gratitude and stop being ungrateful.”

I shook my head. “Looks like you really don’t have a brain. Don’t even think about making me apologize.”

Garcia’s face turned stern.

“Sophia, if you insist, then I can only cancel the engagement.”

His tone carried unquestionable authority.

At those words, a flash of delight crossed Joelle’s eyes.

I sneered inwardly. A business marriage wasn’t something he could just cancel so easily.

I said coldly, “Garcia, did you forget that if you don’t marry me, you can’t inherit the family business?”