Queen Mommy's Six Genius Babies Found the CEO Daddy-Chapter 204: A Softened Heart

Vivian’s expression shifted instantly.

Wherever she went, people always addressed her respectfully as "Miss Cooper." Yet now, Harper was treating her as if she didn’t even exist.

"Miss Carter," Vivian said gently, "we may not know each other well, but my father is quite familiar with your brother. They have business dealings."

She phrased it tactfully.

Harper glanced at her sideways and replied casually, "So your dad knows my brother. That makes you half a business acquaintance, I suppose. Still—if it wasn’t your doing, I won’t make you apologize. Jenny should take responsibility for what she did. If there’s going to be an apology, she should come to me personally."

Vivian forced a smile. "Of course. We’ve already reserved a private room. Let’s have a meal together later."

Harper accepted.

After Vivian left, she turned to Sophia and whispered, "Sophia... was I too easy on her?"

"The recording online is still spreading," Sophia said calmly. "Right now, the one thing Jenny fears most is that the audio continues circulating."

Which meant Jenny’s next move would definitely be to beg for the recording to be deleted.

Just then, Sophia’s phone rang. It was Lucas.

"Hello?"

"Sophia, do you need me to come over?"

"No, I can handle it myself. But..."

Lucas smiled helplessly. "Remember this—it’s me who owes them, not you. You don’t need to carry any burden."

His words gave her strength.

Sophia had initially worried that acting on impulse might damage Lucas’s credibility in the eyes of others.

She didn’t fear much—but she feared that.

Now that he told her not to worry, it meant she could act freely. If anything went wrong, he would bear it.

Sophia curved her lips. "I understand."

She hung up and headed outside.

"Sophia, where are you going?" Harper asked.

"Didn’t someone come to apologize? Of course I’m going to take a look."

...

At the restaurant, Jenny’s face was pale and tense. Her head hung low.

"Harper... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it."

Harper glanced at her, took the glass of water Jenny handed her, and took a sip.

"I wasn’t targeting you. You were the one who tried to frame me. That’s all."

She didn’t have the habit of deliberately making things difficult for others—especially seeing how cautious and frightened Jenny looked now. Her heart softened.

The anger from earlier had faded.

Sophia remained silent beside them.

Harper was the one who had been hurt. It had nothing to do with her. Since Harper chose to forgive Jenny, she had no reason to interfere.

"Harper, thank you. I know I was wrong. Could you please delete the recording online?" Jenny asked.

"Deleting it is fine," Harper replied calmly. "But you still need to speak up. Hiding silently will only disappoint the people who believed you."

Jenny nodded rapidly like a pecking chick. "I understand."

Seeing the two of them resolve the conflict directly, Sophia took a sip of her juice.

"Sophia, you’ve worked hard too—coming all the way from City A. I also want to apologize to you on behalf of my sister," Vivian said with a gracious smile, her face full of regret.

"Since it’s being treated as a misunderstanding, there’s no need to dwell on it," Sophia said lightly. "The recording will be deleted. As for your apology—you apologized to the wrong person. My Harper is the real victim."

She paused slightly, her voice still gentle—

"But let me also make this clear today: Harper is my closest sister. Anyone who hurts her is hurting me. And I will never go easy on them."

Her voice wasn’t loud. It was even soft.

Yet her presence dominated the entire table.

"Yes, yes—cheers," Vivian quickly said, raising her glass and urging her to drink another two rounds.

After dinner, Vivian spoke up first.

"Sophia, let me give you a ride. I’m heading back to City A as well."

"No need. Someone’s coming to pick me up."

Sophia curved her lips slightly and walked in another direction.

A helicopter was already waiting there in silence.

"Sophia, don’t forget to miss me when you’re back!" Harper said playfully.

Sophia laughed softly and reminded her, "Be sharper when you handle things. Don’t forget—there are many good people in this world, but there are plenty of bad ones too. Some people climb upward by stepping on others. Don’t become someone’s stepping stone."

"I know, I’m smart," Harper said confidently.

"You’d better be. And one more thing—don’t completely trust Jenny. Always leave yourself a backup."

"Alright, alright, don’t worry. I know. Message me once you’re back in City A so I know you’re safe."

Sophia nodded, turned around, and boarded the helicopter.

As the helicopter rose higher and higher into the sky, it drifted farther away, until she could barely make out Harper anymore.

When she returned to City A, she hadn’t even entered her office building before someone blocked her at the company entrance.

"Wait."

Sophia turned around, her brows knitting as she stared at the person in front of her. "It’s you."

"Looks like you still recognize me. Then there’s no need for introductions," he said with a mocking grin. "Sophia, I already know about my dad and your relationship. As your so-called cousin, don’t you think you should call me ’big brother’?"

His teasing tone matched his reckless, unserious face.

Sophia found it absurd and looked down at him coldly. "Nathan, your skin is thicker than my company’s walls."

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "My father is your uncle. Isn’t that how it should be?"

"Your father is also the man who indirectly caused my mother’s death. Do you know that?"

Sophia fixed him with a frigid stare. "If you don’t even understand the first part of the story, don’t come lecturing me about the second. There are many outsiders around YL. I don’t want to embarrass you. If you’re smart, you’ll leave on your own—now."

"Well, Sophia, aren’t you impressive," Nathan sneered. "So what if my dad married into my family? Is that really worth holding a grudge for life? Besides, you’re rich now anyway. Oh, right—my funds are tight lately. Lend me some money to get by."

He said it as if it were only natural, leaving Sophia momentarily stunned.

How could someone be this shameless?

"Security."

The guards nearby rushed over immediately.

Nathan frowned. "What are you doing?"

"If you think your legs are useless," Sophia replied coolly, "then I’ll help you find the proper way to use them."

The two guards grabbed him by the arms. Nathan immediately shook them off and glared at her viciously.

"Don’t you dare drag me around! Sophia, I’m telling you—this isn’t over between us!"

"Fine," she replied calmly. "I’ll be waiting."

With that, she turned and walked straight into the building without looking back.

"Sophia—you’ll regret this!" Nathan roared from behind.

She didn’t even turn her head.

"Sir, you must leave immediately, or we will use force," the guards warned.

Both guards were burly men—far stronger than Nathan.

Nathan gritted his teeth in rage. "Damn it—don’t touch me!"

He staggered back a few steps, then pulled out his phone.

"Hello? Don’t wait anymore. Move now. Since she won’t listen to reason, there’s no need for me to show any mercy."

He hung up, glanced back at the YL building with a cold sneer, his expression turning vicious.

"Sophia... just wait and see."