Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Teacher, I’m Going to Run Away Again

Vincent Grant’s chest tightened.

Then, the corners of his lips pulled into a wry smile.

’So his wife could be quite sharp-tongued when she wanted to be.’

"I’m sorry."

Sophia Shaw didn’t respond.

’No matter how sincere this apology was, it was meaningless.’

Having said what needed to be said, Sophia Shaw turned and walked out.

Without a hint of hesitation.

"Miss Shaw!"

Just as Sophia Shaw reached the elevators, Joel Hale caught up to her.

"You just misjudged President Grant. He never said you couldn’t act like a married couple. When you first came to the company, he only said to place you in a position where you wouldn’t interact with him much."

"It was Assistant Holloway who consulted with us and set that rule on his own to make you easier to manage."

"Holding you back from promotions was also our decision. It had nothing to do with President Grant!"

Joel Hale said it all in one breath.

"And?" Sophia Shaw turned her head, looking at him coolly.

"The only reason you dared to treat me like that is because you knew he didn’t care about me, isn’t it?"

Joel Hale was speechless.

Her one sentence completely deflated his impassioned defense. He suddenly realized that what they thought were the best arrangements for Vincent Grant were just them acting with impunity because they knew Vincent didn’t care about Sophia Shaw.

Sophia Shaw walked out of the Grant Group’s office building.

Across the street, Joanna Sherman was getting out of her car.

The two came face to face.

The recent series of events had hit Joanna Sherman hard. Her face was haggard, her clothes weren’t as glamorous as usual, and even her curly hair was a bit frizzy.

When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred.

Waves of turbulence rippled through Sophia Shaw’s otherwise calm eyes, while Joanna Sherman’s eyes went wide.

Their gazes met mid-air, clashing in a storm of bloodlust.

Sophia Shaw silently clenched her fists.

Joanna Sherman gritted her teeth.

After a moment, Joanna Sherman lifted her chin as arrogantly as ever and said, "I know you’ve been dreaming of taking me down. To get what you want, you went so far as to investigate Dennis Warren and use Justin Hughes’s father to apply pressure, thinking you’d woven an inescapable net."

"Too bad for you, I’m still perfectly fine!"

She slowly leaned closer to Sophia Shaw’s ear, her voice dripping with cold cruelty. "How does it feel to have your hopes dashed? Isn’t it just like when you were a kid, getting beaten half to death, trying your best to tattle, but no one believed you?"

"Or like in middle school, when you were getting bullied, and you refused to accept it, so you secretly brought a camera, only to have it stomped to pieces every single time?"

"Honestly, every time I see that look of crushed hope on your face, I just want to laugh."

Sophia Shaw suddenly grabbed her by the collar.

Her fingers were stretched taut, her knuckles white and gleaming!

Joanna Sherman didn’t flinch or dodge, merely taunting her with a mocking gaze, her smile blindingly arrogant.

Across from her was a high-definition security camera.

’Even if she infuriates Sophia to death, she won’t dare to do anything to me!’

Sophia Shaw caught sight of the camera in her peripheral vision, took a deep breath, and let go.

She took a step back and patted Joanna Sherman’s shoulder. "You’re right, that pathetic look was pretty funny. But how could it ever be as funny as you, pushing your own mother out to take the fall just to escape punishment!"

"You!"

Sophia Shaw had struck Joanna Sherman’s sorest spot. Her face contorted in pain, and she raised a hand to slap Sophia.

Sophia raised a hand, caught her wrist, and backhanded her across the face with the other.

SLAP!

It was crisp and loud!

The force of the blow knocked Joanna Sherman’s head to the side.

Sophia Shaw shoved her away and pointed overhead. "The camera got a clear shot. I was just acting in self-defense!"

She turned and left.

Leaving Joanna Sherman standing alone under the covered walkway, clutching one side of her face, the hateful glare in her eyes threatening to burn through the sky.

Sophia Shaw saw her in the rearview mirror, and her fingers tightened on the steering wheel.

’Just one slap? That’s nowhere near enough!’

Joanna Sherman ran into her office, clutching her face, Sophia’s words echoing endlessly in her mind:

Pushing your own mother out to take the fall just to escape punishment!

Pushing your own mother out to take the fall just to escape punishment!

"AHHH!"

Losing control, she swept all the documents off her desk and collapsed against it, panting heavily.

"No, I can’t lose like this!"

"I will absolutely not let Sophia Shaw walk all over me!"

Gritting her teeth fiercely, she snatched the phone. "Call a meeting immediately to discuss the satellite launch plan!"

Not long after Sophia Shaw left, her lawyer called. "Miss Shaw, Yvonne Sherman’s case is about to be sentenced. Do you have any other requests?"

"I do."

Sophia Shaw stated her request.

The lawyer said, "Alright, this civil claim should be fine. The court will support it."

"Thank you for your trouble."

Sophia Shaw had been cutting back on work recently to take care of Old Master Sloan at the hospital.

When she arrived at the hospital, Seraphina Vaughn ran over excitedly. "Faye, this is great! Dad’s finger just moved!"

"Elder Drake said it’s a sign that he’s regained consciousness. He should wake up in the next couple of days!"

"Really? That’s wonderful!"

The news that Old Master Sloan would soon wake up sent a jolt through everyone.

Although he had only been injured for a few days, to everyone, it had felt as long as a century.

Old Master Sloan had already been moved to a regular ward.

Sophia Shaw walked in and sat by the bed. Her eyes reddened silently as she looked at the old man’s gaunt face.

She took his hand, pressed it to her cheek, and whispered, "Teacher, you have to wake up soon. If you don’t, I’ll run away again!"

"I’ll quit building rockets forever!"

The old man’s face, covered by an oxygen mask, remained calm, but his eyelids twitched slightly.

"You dare!"

Sophia Shaw froze, thinking for a moment that she’d heard things.

When she looked up, she saw the old man slowly opening his eyes.

"Teacher, Teacher!" Sophia Shaw was overjoyed. "You’re finally awake!"

Upon hearing that Old Master Sloan had woken up, Mrs. Sawyer arrived at the hospital with Levin Sawyer.

The doctors ran a series of tests and confirmed that Old Master Sloan was truly conscious.

However, having just regained consciousness, the old man was still weak. He was only awake for a few minutes before falling asleep again.

"It seems your bitter days are finally over."

Mrs. Sawyer sighed, ostensibly speaking to Sophia, but her eyes were on Levin Sawyer.

A light blush crept onto Levin Sawyer’s face.

"The satellite launch was a success, Faye got her divorce, and Old Master Sloan is awake. We absolutely have to celebrate properly!"

Mrs. Sawyer schemed, wondering if she should use this opportunity to get her son drunk and help him break the ice.

Outside the door, a man silently stopped in his tracks.

He clutched the bouquet in his hand tighter to his chest.

Crushing the stems until they trembled, just like his own chaotic heart.

Lillian Forrest hadn’t expected to hear that either. Her eyelashes fluttered slyly as she pulled Jenson Forrest to the side.

"Bro, I can’t believe Sophie actually got divorced!"

"Does this mean we have a chance?"

’Mhm, even though it’s my brother who wants to marry Sophie, I want her to be my sister-in-law even more.’

Jenson Forrest didn’t answer, but Lillian Forrest could clearly hear his heart beating faster and faster.

’I thought with my brother’s personality, his heart wouldn’t stir even if the sky fell. But it turns out just one Sophie is enough to turn his world upside down.’

—

"None of this data is acceptable! Collect it again!"

"Why haven’t the components been purchased yet?! How are you people doing your jobs? Listen up, I want to see those components within three days. No excuses!"

"The flight computer has to be the absolute best, no matter how expensive! How many times do I have to say it? Are you deaf? Look at this garbage you bought!"

...

It was nearly seven o’clock, and Joanna Sherman was still screaming.

The entire Zenith rocket team had been working overtime for three days straight.

The command center at the Grant Group’s Zenith facility was ablaze with light. The senior engineers hadn’t slept in three days and were all utterly exhausted.