Being Pursued By Ex-husband
Chapter 378

Chapter 378

The unpleasant interlude in the restaurant hardly weighed on Sophia's mood.

Bob's obnoxious niece barely piqued her interest. In fact, Sophia was more interested in Alexander andChandler's history.

She wanted to broach the topic during their meal, but the opportunity was lost when Bob approachedthem with his niece and an apology in tow.

A while later, their car cruised into their neighborhood. The two reporters who had been campingoutside the gate that afternoon were gone, returning the road to its usual peace.

Alexander turned onto his street and soon pulled up before the mansion.

Sophia's phone vibrated with an incoming notification. She looked down and realized it was a text fromKatherine informing her that the variety show they filmed back in June would be premiering next week.

Katherine had sent her a promotional trailer of Going Forward. The special guests had been blurred outin post-editing, but Sophia could immediately tell who they were.

Filming for the show had ended almost two months ago, so Sophia had almost forgotten about thewhole thing.

Sophia closed the video player to replace more enthusiastic updates from Katherine, who was enthusedover the number of future fans Sophia would surely gain after the show was out.

The flattery was nothing new to Sophia, who smiled before shooting off a monosyllabic reply to

acknowledge Katherine.

Katherine was understandably ticked off by the one-word response to her slew of enthusiastic texts.She replied: You're cruel and heartless. How could you send me a single 'ok' after all my updates? I'mcutting you off for three days!

She followed that up with a few crying emojis. Alas, much to her dismay, Sophia texted: Sure.

Katherine was annoyed but resigned. I poured my efforts into the wrong person!

Alexander returned to Sophia with two glasses of water just as she finished texting her friend.

She set her phone aside and received a glass from Alexander, shooting him a grateful smile. “Thanks.”

Alexander downed half his glass at a go before sitting beside her. “Another video surfaced today.”

Delilah had made a move again, likely in retaliation to Sophia's continued refusal of an interviewrequest. The rejected reporter spun his own tale about Sophia's motives instead. He argued thatDelilah had raised Sophia's mother, so even if Sophia was not the old lady's biological granddaughter,her refusal to meet Delilah was nothing short of cold-blooded.

The paparazzi loved coming up with such scandalous accusations to increase their readership. Theystood on their moral high horse and criticized Sophia for lacking filial piety.

Sophia never gratified their attacks with a comment, long numb to their actions. Netizens these dayswere far more logical and intelligent as well. Sure, there were still those who disparaged Sophia, butsome had stood out to defend her, even bringing up the incident when Delilah threw a tantrum outside

Specter Entertainment three months ago, demanding money from Sophia.

Sophia never gratified their attacks with a comment, long numb to their actions. Netizens these dayswere far more logical and intelligent as well. Sure, there were still those who disparaged Sophia, butsome had stood out to defend her, even bringing up the incident when Delilah threw a tantrum outsideSpecter Entertainment three months ago, demanding money from Sophia.

The fresh wave of attacks began just past seven that evening. Sophia had already received a heads-upfrom Yvonne on the way home.

Again, she could not be bothered by their speculations. Karma would eventually bite them in the back.

“I've seen it,” she said to Alexander after taking a sip of water.

Her nonchalance reassured Alexander that she was blissfully unbothered by Dillon's second wave ofattacks. He dropped the topic.

Sophia drank more water before propping her chin up on one hand. She stared at Alexander andasked, “Did you know Chandler from before?”

Something flashed through Alexander's eyes at her question, though he did not deny their previousacquaintance. “Yes.”

He paused and added, “But we're not close.”

Sophia chuckled and asked, “Oh really? I heard you went to the same university.”

Pursing his lips, he replied, “We did, but we weren't close to each other.”

A smirk played on her lips as she added, “Did you know Chandler has a younger sister?”

Alexander's expression shifted as he mumbled, “Yes.”

It was obvious from Sophia's question that she knew about his history with the Shaws.

Since Alexander had no plans to hide the truth from Sophia anyway, he explained, “Her name wasNoelle Shaw. Ten years ago, she passed away during a robbery. She had called me the night of theincident, but I didn't answer her call. I hung up and blocked her number immediately. Chandler holdsme responsible for his sister's death.”

He had never believed he was responsible for Noelle's unfortunate demise, not even when the Shawfamily rebuked him for his heartlessness.

Noelle's call that night was no different from the countless times she had harassed him against his will.In fact, going by Alexander's temper, he would have blocked her number ages ago if not for Chandler'ssake.

The morning of Noelle's death, she even presumptuously cleaned his condominium and broke hislaptop in the process. It contained his thesis, which he had worked on painstakingly for over a week.

He would have struck her if she was not a girl.

Over the years, he had never told anyone about Noelle's obnoxious behavior, nor did he have plans to

do so in the future.

In ony cose, Alexonder believed he hod the freedom to onswer or reject Noelle's coll. Hence, he wouldnot shoulder the blome for her trogedy.

He osked Sophio, “Did Chondler tell you obout this?”

She shook her heod. “Kotherine did.”

The onswer surprised Alexonder, who looked to Sophio ond questioned, “Well, do you think I'm ot foultfor her occident?”

Sophio wos rother indifferent obout the whole issue. She did not think Alexonder's rejection ondblocking of Noelle's number were to blome for her occident either.

Noelle should hove colled the police when she wos in donger, not Alexonder.

Certoinly, some would ossume Noelle hod ponicked out of feor ond colled Alexonder for help becousehe wos soved os her emergency contoct. Colling Alexonder would hove been her most stroightforwordoption.

Yet, Noelle cleorly knew Alexonder did not oppreciote her ottentions. Soving his number os heremergency contoct wos simply foolish.

Of course, Sophio wos not one to speok unkindly of the deod, but she believed Noelle hod colled

Alexonder precisely to force him into some form of emotionol blockmoil.

Anyone with o smidge of o morol composs would hove rushed over to sove her. Hod Alexonderonswered her coll, he might hove orrived in time to rescue her. If he wos too lote, the result would bethe some os if he did not onswer her coll.

If Alexonder hod rushed to the scene ond rescued Noelle, she hod the perfect excuse to continuehounding him.

To immediotely hong up on her coll ond block her number spoke volumes obout how onnoyedAlexonder hod been by Noelle's constont horossment.

The only person to blome in this incident wos the robber who took Noelle's life.

Sophio could hordly coll herself o soint. While she would never wilfully horm onother, she did not hoveo fountoin of sympothy for just onyone either.

In o society thot obsolved the deod of ony wrongdoing, it wos o necessory evil to view one's flowsobjectively, even if the victim wos on innocent person. Otherwise, one would foil to see the kindness ofo bystonder.

Sophio knew Alexonder's reosons for posing his question. Everyone must hove shoved the blome onhim over the yeors.

She, however, strongly disogreed.

Arching o brow, she stored ot Alexonder for o moment. Her lips curved into o foint smile os she osked,

“Whot exoctly did you do wrong?”

Alexonder returned her goze ond suddenly pulled her into his embroce. “I didn't do onything wrong.”

It hod been yeors since the incident, yet Sophio wos the first person to ever question if he hod doneonything wrong.

In any case, Alexander believed he had the freedom to answer or reject Noelle's call. Hence, he wouldnot shoulder the blame for her tragedy.

He asked Sophia, “Did Chandler tell you about this?”

She shook her head. “Katherine did.”

The answer surprised Alexander, who looked to Sophia and questioned, “Well, do you think I'm at faultfor her accident?”

Sophia was rather indifferent about the whole issue. She did not think Alexander's rejection andblocking of Noelle's number were to blame for her accident either.

Noelle should have called the police when she was in danger, not Alexander.

Certainly, some would assume Noelle had panicked out of fear and called Alexander for help becausehe was saved as her emergency contact. Calling Alexander would have been her most straightforwardoption.

Yet, Noelle clearly knew Alexander did not appreciate her attentions. Saving his number as heremergency contact was simply foolish.

Of course, Sophia was not one to speak unkindly of the dead, but she believed Noelle had calledAlexander precisely to force him into some form of emotional blackmail.

Anyone with a smidge of a moral compass would have rushed over to save her. Had Alexanderanswered her call, he might have arrived in time to rescue her. If he was too late, the result would bethe same as if he did not answer her call.

If Alexander had rushed to the scene and rescued Noelle, she had the perfect excuse to continuehounding him.

To immediately hang up on her call and block her number spoke volumes about how annoyedAlexander had been by Noelle's constant harassment.

The only person to blame in this incident was the robber who took Noelle's life.

Sophia could hardly call herself a saint. While she would never wilfully harm another, she did not havea fountain of sympathy for just anyone either.

In a society that absolved the dead of any wrongdoing, it was a necessary evil to view one's flawsobjectively, even if the victim was an innocent person. Otherwise, one would fail to see the kindness ofa bystander.

Sophia knew Alexander's reasons for posing his question. Everyone must have shoved the blame onhim over the years.

She, however, strongly disagreed.

Arching a brow, she stared at Alexander for a moment. Her lips curved into a faint smile as she asked,“What exactly did you do wrong?”

Alexander returned her gaze and suddenly pulled her into his embrace. “I didn't do anything wrong.”

It had been years since the incident, yet Sophia was the first person to ever question if he had doneanything wrong.